In the latest issue of Outlook, the Bangalore-based historian Ramachandra Guha uses an academic trip to Norway to pen an Oslo diary.
In his first week at the University, Guha speaks at the Nobel Peace Institute where he points out the glaring discrepancy of The Prize not being awarded to the apostle of peace, Mahatma Gandhi:
“After my talk, a lady comes up and introduces herself as a doctor, and an advisor to the Peace Institute. The names I had mentioned were all very good, she said, but surely it was time that the peace prize went to an Indian? She mentions the name of a fellow townsman of mine, a man who has grown long hair, given himself four fancy initials (HH/SS), and whose name is also that of a very great exponent of the sitar.
“The Norwegian doctor had heard that this man had brought peace to Kashmir, and had promoted organic agriculture in thousands of Indian villages. She had been asked to promote his candidacy for the prize, and indeed the man himself had been to Oslo several times recently. She asked me if I would give my opinion on the matter.
“I answered that so far as I knew, there was no peace in Kashmir. I observed that what the West refers to as ‘organic farming’ we knew as rain-fed agriculture—and that it is nothing new…. Finally, I suggested to the doctor that if not giving Gandhi the prize was a scandal, awarding it to my fellow townsman would be an even bigger scandal.”
churumuri 
We know this Guha chap hates everything and anything connected to hindus and hinduism. No wonder he is dead against his fellow townsman getting this prize!!!
Come to think of it, I am sure, there will be many more crabs like Guha who will oppose this award being given to anyone remotely associated with hindutva, let alone this fellow townsman!!!
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There would not have been a Greater insult to Mahatma Gandhi, than, if he had been awarded the Nobel prize or Bharata Ratna. He is above all these awards!
People like Guha, must be having some personal motive behind all this! The amount of insult that Gandhiji had to take from his own people after independence is enough. He must be rolling in his grave! Why add insult to injury?
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I guess this is the difference between us Indians and the rest of the world.
This man didnt feel happy that finally some Indian was being considered. He had to bring him down.
We are like crabs in a pot we keep pulling the others down.
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Our long haired guru had nearly frozen a deal with a PR Agency to build his image…therefore, i am not surprised he is hired a lobbyist in Sweden
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I would have preferred the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize to go to the Esperanto Association, which has done so much in practical ways to bring the ordinary peoples of the world together.
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I’ve heard people from BJP/RSS/Hindutva/Bajrang Dal ( one organisation with different names ) referring Mahatma Gandhi as ‘Mahatma Gandu’ accusing him for the partition of India.
Now, I just read someone stating ‘ The amount of insult that Gandhiji had to take from his own people after independence is enough. He must be rolling in his grave! Why add insult to injury’
Are my eyes deceiving me!!!!!!!!
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I agree that Gandhiji is above and beyond all awards; however, I feel that all this was to convey that he was not acknowledged globally as others have been. It seems that Guha goes overboard judging people and their actions but otherwise, I think I am fine with the comment since it was pro-Gandhiji. However, he didn’t have to oppose the fellow who’s being honored for his efforts.
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Shimon Peres/Yasser Arafat were given the Nobel Peace Prize for what ?
Al Gore was given the Nobel Peace Prize for what ?
IAEA/El bardai was given the Nobel Peace Prize for what ?
… and the list goes on!
What harm does it do if somebody who has the guts to go and talk to the militants/terrorists gets the prize ?
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As much as I hate this Guha chap, awarding the Nobel Peace prize to HH/SS AOL guy would be a very big mistake…but then what the heck, Nobel Peace prize was given to even less deserving people in the past….Yasser Arafat the terrorist comes to mind :)
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As the inventor of Sudarshan Kriya, HH/SS deserves Bharat Ratna as well as Nobel Prize, either in Physics or Peace. Ramachandra Guha is not only anti national but anti karnataka/tamilnadu too. It is surprising that Karnataka Rakshana Vedike guys are silent on this subject
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Anybody who can get the political heads of Middle eastern countries, African Nations, Turkey etc etc And who can collect 8 lakh people to attend his jaboorie at Jalahalli airport deserves the Nobel Prize. The pseudo secular so called intellectuals are the bane of this country.
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For gods sake, the man needs to be awarded a haircut and a shave more than anything!
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Why should supporting or opposing HH/SS be seen as opposing or supporting Hindu cause? This is only belittling Hinduism.
There are many who are contributing significantly to the cuase of Hinduism and at the same time are frustrated by the profit driven AOL. Should they keep quiet or oppose AOL?
I appreciate the frank opinion of Guha when he opposed the consideration of SSRS for Nobel prize. If by not awarding peace prize for Mahatma, Nobel lost a golden opportunity to establish itself as unbiased observes of human events, they would do just the opposite by giving it to some one like SSRS. There are several examples of Nobel when they have given peace awards to less deserving. In fact as far as peace nobel prize is concerned, it does not have the same prestige as prizes for other categories for the reasons given above. No prize can be given purely on an objective basis. But in the case of nobel peace prize subjective element seems to have been the overriding considerations in the recent years.
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@Kannadiga
HH/SS does not deserve a Bharat Ratna or any award for that matter. Sudarshan Kriya is just another name for Pranayama. AOL charges exorbitant fees and makes people take an oath that they will not teach anyone the art of Sudarshan Kriya. Swami Ramdev Maharaj teaches all variants of pranayama, which can be learnt for free on Astha and also encourages everyone to teach their friends/family members so that they can also benefit from it. Do you think that a person, however learned he maybe, deserves an award for this. If so then Narayana Murthy should be given the award first as he runs a much more profitable company than AOL.
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Would have appreciated this Post on April 1 st.
NO Achievements till date , just expanding the empire and collecting CRORES.
Not fit even for a local MUNICIPAL award why aim for the Nobel ??
If the money collected is to lobby and not for the general public then what use of all this AOL .I do know that it is a business venture but .,
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This Guha chap is all English and no substance. He thinks he knows everything and some of his theories are comical. This guy thinks he is an intellectual only because no one has still date qualitatively opposed his hypotheses and theories. Someone should shut this guy once and for all. He writes about Hindutva and other things just with the same crudeness the way he speaks frothing at the corners of his mouth. He has no substance and all sound. He is not even qualified to take the name of the Mahatma.
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Colonial hangover persists and the ‘natives’ keep looking for recognition and acceptance and rewards from pashchima.
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What is Mr. Guha doing in Oslo? I don’t believe his BS.
I bet he is out there selling himself for the Right Livelihood! ;-)
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Guha chap has unfortunately learnt only Gandhi-Nehruvian History of the 40’s.
Unfortunately for him the present generation of Indian’s who form the youngest of the lot do not toe his line today. Younger lot are not restricted by the Textbook alone and they exchange interactive discussion over the net. The younger lot have more exposure to open source information.
He might have to create a Bonfire of the books he writes on the New Year or Christmas eve. This can eventually prove his pseudo secular credentials.
In addition the Nationalist’s will feel proud that a Self proclaimed Historian has bitten the dust.
Have seen him venture into BBC,NDTV and CNN studious trying to loud mouth the pro poor India story. This brow beating has won him rating in the west.
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Leaving the Nobel science and literature prizes aside, I personally feel that peace prize has no real value!
The way it is decided every year by ignoramuses, such as the lady inquiring about the nominee in the most pedestrian fashion, it is no wonder peace prize is given to lobbyists or to persons having access to Nobel peace prize committee through their lobbyists.
So It really does not matter whether HH/SS or HKS or HDG or Bush Jr gets it. It is all the same! or shame?
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Inventor of sudarshan kriya? Sure he didn’t invent breathing?
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Ravi shankar atleast does not go about codemning other religion, and his followers atleast are inspired to do something good to self and other poor..
I had taken the kriya course and seen few recording of his about bhakti sutra, ashtavakra gita..all preaching everything in this world is god and respect for all living and non-living being. I took the class in usa. The class teacher was a christian american, and one of the jewish student who visited the ashram was all praise after seeing all religios symbols in the vishalakhi temple.
He may not deserve now atleast according to Guha , atleast nothing wrong even if ravi shankar is aiming for it by doing something good …and its wrong to discourage ..rather we need thousands of ravi shankar in every corner of india to bring in peach and harmony. Maybe guha is right he may not deserve for organic farming..but there are far more better credentials for which he may deserve.
I find even the yoga guru ramdev also a good candidate to encourage natural cure among million in india…its as good as inventing new medicine.
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Good comments. Regret to see that Nobel peace prize has been made to stoop to such levels like lobbying for it. May be Alfred Nobel’s soul is grieving seeing all these developments in grave. At the same time, one can’t deny the on going lobbies for all kinds of awards right from Rajyotsava award to Nobel prize.
Where’s the merit and a true deserving quality gone? There are many Indians who have made and are still making notable contributions. Why can’t one look at them?
May be Baba Amte (who’s no more now) could have been nominated once when he was alive. As for Guha’s view, nothing wrong in that. What he has said is right. (“…..there was no peace in Kashmir. I observed that what the West refers to as ‘organic farming’ we knew as rain-fed agriculture—and that ti is nothing new…. Finally, I suggested to the doctor that if not giving Gandhi the prize was a scandal, awarding it to my fellow townsman would be an even bigger scandal.”)
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Mr. Guha must be commended for bringing things into perspective.
What peace has Double Sri Ravishankar brought in Kashmir. He just met a few leaders informally. He has no standing or say in Kashmir politics. No one even cares for this fellow there. Apart from the that the peace situation in Kashmir has worsened. Ravishankar is irrelevant for Kashmir. Same with his other efforts in bringing ‘Peace’ in Iraq and so on. If Ravishankar had to bring peace in Iraq he had to go to USA and teach george bush and dick chiney some lessons not the hapless iraqi victims. It would be a shame if the Nobel Prize was given to a publicity hungry conman. You cannot say that Yaseer Arafat was given Nobel Prize and hence any one can be given the prize. Yaser Arafat was a legitimate leader of the palestinians and they were part of the peace and violence in the region. Arafat was an international leader with some standing.
Double Sri is also covertly part of the superstitious Hindutva brigade who have recently attacked the christians in Karnataka. If at all he has to bring in peace he should tell his friends in the Sangh Parivar to work for peace among christians and others.
Kannadiga,
Sudharshan Kriya is a rehash of pranayama exercises like Bhastrika and Kapalabhati. No one gives noble prize for devising exercise routines. If that be the case I would suggest the Yoga teachers like BVK Iyengar and Yogi Bhajan as they have been more innovative and precede Ravishankar and also it can be proven that many of the ‘Kriyas’ Ravishankar teaches was already taught by many of these people. Not to mention Osho whose teachings are mojorly plagiarised by most new age gurus like ravishankar.
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If there is a Noble Prize for Marketing and PR, then that should be given to Ravishankar.
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Even if Sri Sri Ravishankar’s attempts to bring peace in Kashmir and Iraq were half-hearted, he surely seems to be making determined efforts to bag the Nobel by hiring lobbyists.
It would surely be a shock to the layman that the “Godman” is indulging in lobbying instead of sticking to the sphere of activities normally associated with religious men. Just like his hotch potch attempts to bring peace, his efforts to secure the Nobel also appear to be half-baked. His lobbyist does not seem to be even convinced of his candidacy.
I agree with Mr Guha that Mahatma Gandhi deserves the Nobel prize more than anyone else in India, albeit posthumously. The Nobel peace committee can resurrect the award’s stature by giving it to icons like Mahatma Gandhi so that the blot created by giving it away to less deserving people can be wiped off.
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Many here feel that Mahatama Gandhi deserves the Nobel prize for peach. But according to me Gandhiji is above and beyond all awards; and in fact Nobel Peace award should alternatively be called as ‘Gandhi’ award. Secondly, its no point giving the awards to the dead.
If less deserving people like Arafat/Al Gore can get the award then HH/SS is far better. Guha donot have any rights to oppose the fellow who’s being honored for his efforts. Had it been a ‘nun/priest/saint/moulvi’ this guy would have tom-tommed about it.
For those who feel ‘sudarshan kriya’ is not taught for free, why should he? Also, it cannot be taught on TV, as it needs some trainers to guide you. Who teach you aerobics/gym/yoga for free?
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It is ok to question the ‘historicity’ of Ram!
It is ok to paint Hindu Goddesses nude!
But the ‘hell break loose’ if you question the Gandhi!
Is Gandhi above all reproach and questions? If only ‘Gandhi’ brought us the freedom as these Guha type – ‘Milch Gandhi name to fullest type’ – argues and sings “de di humein azadi bina khadgh bina dhall”, would they then explain why GOA could not be freed in 47 from Porutgeese ?
How come the other 15 16 countries got freedom from British- just about the same time?
Which Gandhi or Nehru got these countries freedom?
“de di humein azadi bina khadgh bina dhall” is an insult to million nameless and faceless Indians who braved bullets and jackboots to get us the freedom. Two men – who marvelled at scratching each others back and promoting each other – appropriated self all accolades at the cost of others and Guha and his ilk made a carrier out of it.
Gandhi and Secularism is now an Industry with its own ‘Awards’ and ‘Rewards’.
High time we question these ‘Self proclaimed Historians’ hawked by the self centered, self serving,highly biased MSM.
PI.
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Yaardo duddu yellamman jatre andh haage. Yaaradru iskolli, yaaradru kotkolli. Naavyakri kittad beku antinee ….. Idondu asht dhod vishyane??!!
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Entire country should be grateful to Guha for exposing this fraud SS/HH.
He doesn’t deserve any award, even a Kempe Gowda award. SS/HH is a crook of the highest order. He is doing everything possible to get a Nobel award.
@KC,
We can’t support a fraud just because he is our countryman.
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Guha ji is probably after some Republic day Honour for himself! He is trying to impress the Gandhi family! Probably he is of the opinion that Sonia Gandhi is in some way related to Mahatma Gandhi!
Jai Guha ji!!
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@Bhami V Shenoy
Thank You. You said it so well.
@the enemy of kings
‘This Guha chap is all English and no substance’
Gawd! Have I read you right? Going by the logic with which you expect people to post your comment you need to write something better than Guha and prove yourself before posting such criticism. I am yet to see a popular column by you of the kind Guha writes in the Hindu making history such a delightful reading; i have not seen a book by you of the standard of ‘An Anthropologist Among the Marxists’ or one on modern Indian history…..
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Prudent Indian should be rechristened as Shameless Indian.
Those people sit on their forefathers glories and enjoy all the fun of life, enjoy parties, cars, bungallows and live at the cost of the economy, can’t understand any person inwardly unless he thinks the lives of those great ones.
You need to posses something more than the above to understand greatness.
To criticise one needs just some amount of brain and more of tongue.
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Nobel peace prize taane…sigli biDi..nimden hogatte? If George W Bush can be nominated for Nobel peace, then nothing wrong if Ravishankar actually wins it. And whats this there is no peace in Kashmir argument? Arafat was given the award but was there peace at that time in middle east? There is still no peace there.
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Henry Kissinger was given this Award, so this whole nobel thing is a joke.
Nice Marketing Mr HH/SS. He is much more smarter than we think. He tried a cheat code on other ‘Saamis’ & Swaminis like Sai Baba and Amirthanada Mayi.
Nice to see our Cheddi brothers are burning for this corporate saami.
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If there was ever a prize cheapened (pun intended) by the quality of its recipients and non-recipients, it is the Nobel Peace Prize.
If HH/SS (as it seems to be popular to call that man), does in fact get this purse, he may reflect on the fact that there are more honourable ways to make a million kroner than win the same award as Henry Kissinger and Yasser Arafat won for their efforts in helping with “world peace”.
He could give more AOL classes to the high mighty.
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It is all so simple to understand.
In Tamil , one of the synonyms for shit is er… ‘pee’ ( not a very decorous word …nevertheless )
This ” sonorous ” r. guha full of ” sound & fury ” is asking for precisely that for himself. As you might be aware india has been importing a lot of cowdung etc from European countries . As it slaughters all cows , cattle etc etc wholesale , r. guha is asking for that. And we people are needlessly investing him with some ‘ intellectual halo ‘ :))
Sarcasm off/
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This Guha is another U.R. Ananthamurthy in Karnataka. He might have gone there to do a lobby for U.R. Ananthamurthy. As it is already known, URA is very auspicious in getting the Nobel prize for literature for the only one book he had written.
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Ravishankar knows the art of living. Let us not feel sorry for him.
What I want to know is if somebody is kind enough to reproduce SLB’s column in VK about “mathaanthara,” which he thinks is far worse than “mathadaana.”
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I dont know on what basis a pseudo secular historian writes such an article. In the first place a dummy swami who does not required attention is placed on the top for Nobel peace prize.
Peace is a misconstrued word in our country. Unfortunately it has been noticed whenever a Election is around the corner, we can see that violence erupts. Is not not a larger conspiracy at work ?
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My honest opinion about HH/SS. He is crap. I am one of his victim. It is not the money i am worried about, it is being cheated.
In my opinion all these swamis are scam, just like the missionaries. They learn t the trick from western evangelists. Growing hair and beard and talking about past glory, these guys cheat us. They have even fooled CM. he is just like ‘ Bombe’ in their hands. He think his shadow is following him and this is due to Gowdas Mata. When he has Quarter in the evening, then he talks about conspiracy and people are trying to kill him and his family so he must approach swamis for help. The problem with us is electing people who have no education
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You psedusecular morons…do you think all this is marketing…
http://www.aolresearch.org/pubresearch.html
-Get a life…
Now take a deeeeep breath…..hold it….
slowly exhale all pseudosecular muck from your rotten hatefilled pits…
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I partially agree and partially disagree with the Norwegian old lady. HH Sri Sri Ravishakarji Guruji Maharaj should not just be given the nobel prize for peace, he equally deserves Nobel prize in other areas especially Physics. Why you ask me. Okay let me tell you this. First Sri Sri should be given Nobel Prize in Physics because he explained the theory of relativity much better than Einstien so that even a faithful common devotee like me can understand. Sri Sri has explained that ‘If you are happy time seems to move fast and if you are sad time seems to move slow’. This shows clearly that time is relative. Einstien had to explain relativity using very difficult terms so much so that only a handful number of people could understand. Another nobel lautrette Bertrand Russel wrote the book ‘ABC of relativity’ so that more people can understand theory of relativity. But despite the well intentioned efforts of Mr Russel not many people still understand this theory. But with Sri Sri clearing all misconceptions anyone can understand the theory of relativity if they enroll and participate in the Art of Living Basic Course. If Einstien and Bertrand Russel would get nobel prize why not Sri Sri.
Some more facts which will clearly establish Sri Sri for the Physics nobel. Of all the subjects in school Sri Sri liked Physics. Sri Sri has made it very clear in many interview that physics is his favourite subject. I myself was priveleged to see one such interview in NDTV good times where Sri Sri mentioned he is a science student and he loves science especially physics. Look he says student even though he is a science genius. Disciples of Sri Sri have written that Sri Sri is a physics graduate from St Joseph college bangalore. Many of his distractors and stressful people with negative energy have proved that there are no records of Sri Sri getting a college degree as he dropped out of studies at the age of 17. But my question to these people is whether an academic degree in Physics is a requirement for a Nobel prize in physics. I disagree completely. These people should check the academic record of Einstien. And these so called intellectuals and secularists should check how much marks did Srinivas Ramanujam got in Mathematics in his 10th standard. He failed my dear ones. And look what a mathematician Ramanujam was.
Apart form Modern western science, Sri Sri also learnt vedic science under his teacher Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. It was Maharishiji who thought the vedic science of levitation. How much of difficulty people take to create Aeroplanes from using Bernouli’s principle to designs from wright brothers and boeing company. How much of difficulty western science had to undergo to create aeroplanes, pilots and air hostesses. But all that was simplified by Maharishiji through yogic flying. That apart vedic science also has secrets of weapons like Brahmastra, plastic surgery, metallurgy and so on. All these you can learn in Veda Vigyan Mahavidyapeeth established by Sri Sri Ravishankar.
Dear readers, it should now be clear to you all that Sri Sri deserves the Nobel Prize in physics apart from the Peace prize as the venerable norweigian lady suggested. Now here comes another one. Sri Sri should also get nobel prize in biology. Sri Sri has clearly proved that it takes less muscles to smile than be grumpy. The details will be shared in another post when Sri Sri is nominated for the Nobel Prize for Biology in 2010.
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It would be a great shame and an insult on Mahatma Gandhi to award him a Noble peace prize now or even lobbying is a big insult.
Noble prizes have not remained noble anymore. It is more of politics.
It is even a big shame that many intellectuals in order to be called “intellectuals” show their depise on anything related to “Hinduism” and show it in bad light.
Why does Ravi shankar needs “prizes”? Isn’t swamijis above all the wordly recognition?!
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—-I think Noble prize is available for a ‘prize’ these days. —-
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“If you are happy time seems to move fast and if you are sad time seems to move slow. This shows clearly that time is relative.”
Is this theory of relativity? If SS is the originator of this thought please give him what he asks for.
I’ve learn’t it in my physics class taught by English-speaking, Indian teachers but never got it at the first shot, i don’t know what intimidated me: the teacher or the theory. SS makes a good teacher with a better example!
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The Nobel Peace Prize has been misawarded a few times. Definitely the among the least deserving is Agnes Boiaxhu who collected millions, kept the few tens of the terminally ill people she picked up in filthy conditions, while she jetted around the world and enjoyed the finest of hospitals; without ever building a single school, hospital or hospice ever. In contrast our own Murlidhar Devdas “Baba” Amte, founder of the Anand Van who has done more to treat and rehabilitate leprosy patients in the last 100 years, the world over, was never awarded the Bharat Ratna, and never nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. What a shame!
At least now they must think of awarding Dr. Bindeshwari Pathak, founder of Sulabh Shauchalaya, the Nobel.
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This Guha however well learned he is he too is no different from URA in many aspects. Recently i watched him on a debate, where he said threat to indian communal fabric is christian evangelism, islamic extremism, and most importantly the rise of Hindutva. I dunno why he has to make hindutva the most important thing. If there was no christian evangelism, no islamic extremism and no insult to Hindu faith, why would there have been Hindutva @ the first place??
We need people like Ravishankar who pull in money from all the Page 3 society and use it for the upliftment of the poor. It wont make a difference for a swamiji if he wins a nobel or not. I dont understand 1 thing, why target the Hindu swamis always. True there might be some bad elements.
When one can condemn a swami he also has to condemn thousands of maulvis who issue fatwa if someone sings vande mataram. Vande mataram such a huge force during the independence movement. Why doesnt someone criticise those paadris who indulge in sexual activities, there are thousands of such cases against many paadris in india. No one talks of them and calls them Dhongi baabas.
These people dont have the guts to talk against the minorities when they do wrong. Double faced.
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Bhakta chintamani. you made my day. Now i understand the thoery of relativity. Always suspected einstien as a shady guy. Anyway i am thrilled about the possibilities of vedic science. I think air hostesses are pretty okay in pushpaka vimana. HH SS RS should be given every possible award and should be made the supreme president of the world. Jai gurudev
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ptl, oct 16 vk-epaper bari moor-e moor page maatra net-ige ersidaare.
first page alli teaser ada. puta 9 alli uLakeedu.
puta 1 ada. puta 9 shikkre nangoo beku.
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This Guha guy is a cricket journalist who tries to rise above his station too often. Somebody needs to shut down the platitude factory before he begins to think he speaks for 1 billion Indians like Tharoor.
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When Vivekananda placed a coin under the mattress of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa, the latter shrieked in pain after sitting on the mattress and got up in agitation.
In contrast, the current peddler of Hinduism requires a down payment of Rs.5000 before you even see his face! LOL! That says enough about him. Hinduism doesn’t need models like these.
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The Nobel Committee would have its standards of measurement and verification. I do not think these people are fools to be swayed only by lobbyists, because lobbies come with a set agenda.
As far as Ravi Shankar is concerned, if he is doing good with a profit motive, I say let him. Folks who complain about monies being charged for his meets, might want to check if similar monies are being charged of all his beneficiaries…for instance, target (poor) people of his service programs.
Yeah…he’s a lousy speaker and all that…but he’s gotta have something that attracts the high and the low, toward him.
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if Teraasa can get why not Ravishankar.
P.S I am not a follower of Ravishankar.
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I don’t why this ‘Cave’ is throwing stones at the ‘Arty’ Fraud! Going by the past Nobel peace winners, the living Art deserves a Nobel. Again by the same logic our own ex PM Devegowda deserves a Nobel. What to do Nobel baddethaavu innu polticks ge Nobel kodtha yilla!
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It has become a ritual in newspapers like times of India. Whenever any acts of violence or Calamity takes place exactly after two to three weeks SQRT(Sri Sri * 4) Ravishankar gives a press statement that he and his organization will bring in peace. It is all a big publicity stunt. After some months the art of living foundation will claim that they have brought peace in some XYZ place. A few of these claims will clearly show what a fraud this Ravishankar is and he would go to any lenghts to hog the limelight for his ill gotten publicity.
In January 2008 Ravishankar claimed that his art of living volunteers are running programs in Sri lanka. Some of their teachers met the LTTE leaders and now that these people have brought in the art of living they will be peaceful and live happily ever after. Now, please read the current headlines and Sri Lanka is bloodier than ever. We can even infer that Art of Living is responsible for this. But Occam’s razor says Sri Sri is just inconsequential for peace/voilence in srilanka. Same with Iraq, same in Kashmir. Same in gujurath, Orissa. After all the violence in Orrisa Sri Sri mentioned a week ago that his organization is now actively working for peace there. After a few more weeks (when the violence subsides on its own accord or due to police/state intervention) Sri Sri will immediately claim that art of living has brought peace in Orissa. It seems Sri Sri and his PR people are always on the lookout for some calamity natural or manmade so that they can just claim that they are out there and show how altruistic they are. I just wish all sane people can see through this con.
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appa tande paramaarta,
Where did ravishankar claim that he got peace? He said that their organization is trying to bring peace, not that they will bring peace for sure. He isnt so stupid to make tall claims, which he cannot support in the age of rapid media coverage. AOL played a good role in rehabilitating people during the tsunami. Dont forget that please. Its very unfair to talk of someone in such cheap manner if one doesnt know about the background work some organization does. Have u visited Srilanka, Iraq or gujrath?? Have you monitored the work that the organisation has been doing??
Where does ravishankar make a claim that he or his organisation will stop the Srilankan war?? If someone makes an effort to bring peace whats the big deal?? Dont make unwarranted statements that you cannot support.
It wouldnt have been a big deal for people like you, if people who want to “harvest souls” would have started the peace initiative rite and taken credit for tat?? :P
Your name is a misnomer to what your post says. Logic less and Meaningless.
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>> In January 2008 Ravishankar claimed that his art of living volunteers are running programs in Sri lanka. Some of their teachers met the LTTE leaders and now that these people have brought in the art of living they will be peaceful and live happily ever after. Now, please read the current headlines and Sri Lanka is bloodier than ever. We can even infer that Art of Living is responsible for this.
There is no doubt that you are a nut case Paramaarta, How can you infer that AOL/Ravishankar is responsible for Sri lankan war getting bloodier? May be you are completely influenced by Ekta kapurs serials. Like new bahu comes home and sasurji falls sick and the blame comes on manhoos bahu :)
If you probably quoted instances like Land grabbing by AOL and stuff like that one could accept the argument.
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Bari Olu
I first encountered AOL and Ravishankar and came to know their hypocrsy first hand during the Tsunami relief work. AOL volunterrs came in with their harmonium and some small aid and claimed a mountain out of the molehill of relief work they did (apart from the huge reams of photographs they took for proof of their work). I was part of a civil organisation from bangalore (no sorry this organisation had nothing to do with soul harvestors or any religion or political inclination. I always wonder why AOL supporters can’t think straight without bringing in baseless ad hominem attacks. I guess they should stop being so paranoid about other soul harvesters like themselves and relax and take some deep breaths).
“Where does ravishankar make a claim that he or his organisation will stop the Srilankan war”
Everywhere and Everywhere. Times of India, NDTV if you care to read the claims of these people in their own websites.
“Have u visited Srilanka, Iraq or gujrath?? Have you monitored the work that the organisation has been doing?? ”
Can you please tell me what relief work has AOL done in Gujarath other than Ravishankar sharing stage with Narendra Modi in some meetings. What is their contribution to the relief work in their refugee camps for the innocent victims killed in the riots.
There are no intelligently discussed or logically derived solutions that Ravishankar ever talks about other than all the big noise about breathing exercise and relaxation exercises. This has been clearly proved by people who have attended his meaningless seminars which is all about $$$$.
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HH/SS is a revered man in USA. A movie has been made on his life achievements . I strongly recommend that you watch this movie before posting derogatory comments. Bye the way, the name of the movie is ‘LOVE GURU’ and is available in all video stores
If anyone deserves Nobel Prize, it is HH/SS for his accomplishments. Guha has always has negative bias towards Indians, Though himself is one of them. Rumors are that he has converted to Christianity, though he has publicly acknowledged it or denied it
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Oogli bidri…yaro yargo yeno sanmana maadtharanthe, ivanyaro tholu centralli nandelli idli antha oorkonthavne..neevgalu yaake sumne iruve undalli bitkond odhlaadthira
Bhakta shiromani Siriyala ad bidde kanano
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PTL, the first page as TS talks about is available on VS Acharya’s blog under the link concerning SLB. Vijaya Karanata e paper host gives a ‘database error’ when pinged for some reason
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May be you are just too jealous that NDTV, TImes arent giving screen space to your organization.
>>AOL volunterrs came in with their harmonium and some small aid and claimed a mountain out of the molehill of relief work they did (apart from the huge reams of photographs they took for proof of their work).
So what they did something rite?? They didnt come there pose for fotos and go the way so many bollywood personalities did.
do you think it would have so many followers, that too educated people, if he was a big farce?
I am no ravishankar fan. Your answers arent just convincing enough to nail him.
>> There are no intelligently discussed or logically derived solutions that Ravishankar ever talks about other than all the big noise about breathing exercise and relaxation exercises. This has been clearly proved by people who have attended his meaningless seminars which is all about $$$$.
Now tell me what solutions you have for the issues facing india?? Terrorism, ram janma bhoomi, regionalism, soul harvesting blah blah blah!!!
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@solle,
super anna..
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Bhakta Shiromani
Yeddyyyyurappa is planning to set up airports at smaller towns in Karnataka at a huge cost. I hope Maharishiji’s vedic technology can be used to fly around rather than building these expense airports. For starters you can try flying from Bangalore to Mysore using Vedic technology of levitation (which according to the Maharishi is bouncing crosslegged on cushions). Let TV 9 cover this. What about the Chandrayan of ISRO, do you have a similar comical solution from Maharishiji and SSji. We would love to hear and get some good laughs.
Actually all other comparisons for Sri Sri’s contention for Nobel and his greatness falls under the same category of Bhakta Shiromani’s thesis of Yogic flying and Aeroplane travel.
Just because you follow some new age guru, that doesn’t make them great for the rest of the world. Mr Guha is well within reasonable limits to critic the maneovrings and lobbying of SSRV. The lack of belief in others is not an indication of stress. That is easily the most common rhetoric found in guru and personality cults to prevent reasoning and analytical thinking.
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Bari Olu
“Have u visited Srilanka, Iraq or gujrath?? Have you monitored the work that the organisation has been doing?? ”
As far as Gujarat is concerned long after theGujarath riots, Ravishankar created a booklet on similarities between Islam and Hindusim. This booklet had information copied from the RSS writer P.N.Oak who claimed that Kabaa is a Shiva linga and ramdhan is meditation on rama. However the loud mouthed islamic preacher Zakir Naik shamed Sri Sri and embarresed him by quoting extensively and debunking everything out there. Sri Sri not able to substantiate his claims could not give a proper intelligible response, chickened out and apologised for publishing this book and he mentioned that this was done in a hurry. You can see this video online in you tube. Maybe Sri Sri should now apply for Nobel Prize in literature for his book.
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@Praveen K.R.:
What’s your point here?
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Rao and Praveen KR,
I sympathise with you. Join ISLAM and you will find peace. Learn Koran everyday and that will enlighten you. I guess you are not very happy in your current state of affairs
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Azamgarh.
I have no love for Wahhabi Islam or the Hindutva lunacy. I personally believe that rational secular humanism is what the world needs in the midst of all the insanity, violence and turbulence we see in India. And we all need to live in peace amidst all our differences.
All I want to highlight here is Ravishankar’s response to the post godhra Gujarat riots where more than a thousand innocent men, women and children were mercilessly butchered. And trying to see whether he fits for the candidature for the Nobel Peace Prize (in its true spirit of creating tolerance and brotherhood among people. Not just beacase Yasser Arafat or Al gore got it and hence anyone can get it). Many thousands were rendered homeless in these riots. And yes these victims were Muslims. Please do not tell me about revenge and retribution that it all started by the killing of Hindus in Godhra. If that were the case why were innocent people killed.
During this time Ravishankar the self proclaimed peace maker found it convenient to publish a book on similarities between Hinduism and Islam. And what a book he published. He copied verbatim from the lunatic pseudo historian P.N.Oak on the Hindu influence and elements in Islam. Ravishankar’s book resorts to ‘deep punning’ association of Sanskrit words with the non Sanskrit words found in middle eastern cultures. He mentioned that Kabba is Kabbali another name of Shiva, Namaz means Namaha and Ramadhan means Rama Dhyana and many more such things. I do not have any problems with anyone claiming the above as each is entitled to their opinions and interpretations however inauthentic or false they may be. Ravishankar has published a similar book on Christianity also again borrowing from the pseudo scholarly works of P.N.Oak. Incidentally P.N.Oak has also written a book on Taj Mahal and has claimed that it is a Hindu temple – Tejo Mahalaya. That apart Oak who died last December was a harmless insane guy. But his works become harmful when it gets into the hands of self proclaimed godmen and peacemakers like Ravishankar.
Ravishankar’s book on Islam was distributed in Gujrat in the relief camps. Was this required. All it did was alienate the highly traumatized Muslim victims even more. I am questioning was this an enlightened and humanistic response. In light of this does he deserve the Nobel prize for peace. In what way did this bridge the divide between Hindus and Muslims other. This book just propogated the Hindu centric hindutva history which has no factual basis. Apart from this Ravishankar could not even substantiate the facts that he himself has authored – this clearly proved that he is a person without any intellectual honesty and integrity. And no wonder many people here question his other self proclaimed social work as duplicity and fraud has been evidenced in him quite openly.
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Praveen….why exactly is Hindutva, “lunacy”?
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@Praveen,
Who said to you that Ravishankar is considered for Noble peace prize for (whether or not) what he has done to Godhra victims!
@Praveen said,
“…Ravishankar’s book on Islam was distributed in Gujrat in the relief camps. Was this required. All it did was alienate the highly traumatized Muslim victims even more… ”
How did it alienate or rather why shoud it? Whether the points were copied or not is a different thing! But whats wrong in his intentions. Are these victims so scholarly people who amidst their trauma keep proving what is right and what wrong instead of finding the right intentions.
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Praveen,
Muslims claim that all human beings are muslims by birth.
Do you think that would hurt the sensibilities of non-muslims…if not why not?
As much as I dislike the SSRS guy, I do not see anything wrong in distributiing a book in the relief camps. BTW Zakir Naik is a phoney guy who stage manages all his public appearances, so dont read too much into what he says.
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Azamgarrrrhhh…
Is joining and reading enough or should they cut their skin as well?
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The Nobel Peace Prize for 2008 was awarded to Martti Ahtisaari, former president of Finland:
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2008/press.html
BS on the part of the historian to speculate based on what some random person told him. People spread rumours of who will win this or that prize all the time – like when Aishwarya Rai’s agents spread a rumour that she would be the next Bond girl.
BTW this years Nobel peace prize is going to be hosted by Scarlett Johansson!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2008/oct/22/nobel-peace-prize-concert
Thats her:
Rejoice!
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Bhakta Shiromani,
“First Sri Sri should be given Nobel Prize in Physics because he explained the theory of relativity much better than Einstien so that even a faithful common devotee like me can understand. Sri Sri has explained that ‘If you are happy time seems to move fast and if you are sad time seems to move slow’. ”
Is this the theory of relativity.
I am sure many people here have missed the satire in your post. The people who missed the satire are those thoroughly brainwashed by personality cults like Art of Deceiving of Ravishankar.
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NOt a big deal …not at all.
Every time and every day this guy performs a miracle…not a big deal..
300 million people all over the world (150 nations) respect all religions equally, believe in the core idea of vasudhaiva kutumbakam and leadind a STRESS free life…it is a miracle.
Terrosists from hamas, coming for meditational activities organised by a hindu spiritual leader is a miracle.
A breathing exercise which is capable of increasing no. of antioxidents and oxygeneted blood at the same time in the body…and even AIIMS finds it interestin..is a miracle.
an organisation with 25000 adopted villages all over india and africa….is a miracle.
A spiritual guru addresses NASA, UNO, universities and senets is a miracle.
An organisation who has adopted thousands of children running hundreds of schools..and that too, free of cost, hospitals and women enpowment centers…is a miracle in itself.
A man who always smiles in a world full of stress and disturbance ..is a miracle.
You peple can’t see his deeds..but you are smart enough to find hh and sri sri unjustified.
In our country people don’t find DALAI LAMA so great..but i know it doesn’t affect him.
HE is not worthy of any award…but atleast don’t make such a great personality..so small.
Its not gonna affect him or any one..but its agaisnt the basic human values.
I am sorry for my english as its not very popular where i live…but i couldn’t stop myself from posting my views,
peace to all.
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sri Sri is simply great and all the arguments posted agains him is baseless i am experiencing all sorts of happiness energy,and sound immunity because of his “Sudarshana Kriya ‘ and ” Padmasadhana”,if u people donot knew about the AOL organisation and the relief work it under tooks then scondrels please shut your Bloody mouth i will..say ,if some one does good to the society even if u donot appreciate ,ushouldnt atleast donot throw stones or bad workds at him…..Jai gurudev……..
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Following post (1-4) provide detailed account of what went into getting (buying) NPP for Ravi Ravi.
http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/ravishankars-hankering-for-nobel-peace.html
http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/ravishankars-hankering-for-npp-part-2.html
http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.com/2010/04/ravi-shankars-hankering-for-npp-part-3.html
http://aolfree.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/ravi-shankars-hankering-for-the-nobel-peace-price-part-4/
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