Surya Samvednapushpayeh Deeptih Karunyagandhane,Labdhva Sham Navvarshesmin Kuryatsarvasya mangalamAs the sun gives light, sensibility brings compassion, flowers give a pleasant fragrance, so may the new year be auspicious.

Namaste, and a very happy new year to you all. Welcome back to Cambridge for another term, where CUHCS will continue to provide that something different to take your mind off those endless essays and pointless formulae. Michaelmas was once again highly successful for the society, with the Diwali Dinner proving a particular highlight.

This term, having celebrated Pongal for the first time, we go on to the Sangeet Sandhya, an evening of classical Indian music, sure to delight and entertain. During One World Week we have a ground-breaking inter-faith event with the CU Islamic Society, and we are fortunate enough to have Professor Julius Lipner from the Faculty of Divinity speaking on the song ‘Vande Mataram’ and the related issues of Hindu and Muslim identity in India. That’s definitely one not to miss! In addition we’ll have a traditional Saraswati Pooja in honour of the goddess of knowledge.

Our AGM towards the end of this term is a chance for you to tell us what you think of the events over the past year; which you enjoyed; which you thought could have been better; what you would like to see more of. We appreciate your input on how to improve our society, which, after all, is for you, the members. Of course it is also the time when we hand over to a new CUHCS committee, and we’d like to encourage you all to get involved in one of the university’s most dynamic, successful and professional societies. Take the opportunity to give something back to your fellow students, promote awareness of Hindu Dharma, and above all, have loads of fun along the way!

As ever, MASTANA is back, and in 2006 we aim to make it bigger and better than ever,Join us on this journey of exploration through the many facets of Asian culture. Experience the dance, the music, the food and loads more besides. If you haven’t already, get in touch and get involved, as a performer, backstage helper or in one of the many other roles available.

On other fronts the development of CUHCS and facilities for Hindu students in Cambridge is going apace. This includes the appointment of a Hindu Chaplain, and significant progress towards a prayer room that would be shared with several other eastern faiths, as well as the formal establishment of the Cambridge Hindu Partnership (www.camhp.org). In addition, Cambridge’s first Hindu Temple will open in March at the Bharat Bhavan on Mill Road, so watch out for the big celebrations.

Our website is being continually updated, with access to a greater portion of our archives, from event reviews and photos to newsletters and info-sheets produced for each of our events. Don’t miss the new Mastana website as well. Visit www.cuhcs.org.uk.

With my last President’s letter, I’d like to take the opportunity to thank the committee for all their hard work over the past year, and to thank you, the members, for attending our events and making it all worthwhile.

Preet Majithia

In this issue:

Saraswati

Pongal

Review of Last Term

Events:PongalSunday 22nd JanuaryQueens’ College

Sangeet Sandhya - An Evening of Indian Music Wednesday 25th January 7:15pm Winstanley Lecture Theatre, Trinity College

"Vande Mataram, "I revere the Mother": the story and life of India's National Song."In conjunction with CU Islamic SocietyMonday 6th February6.30pmLecture Theatre LG18, Law Faculty

Saraswati PoojaDate, Venue TBC

Annual General MeetingMonday 6th March6.30pmCastleragh Room, Fisher Buliding, St John’s College

Mastana 2006Sunday 12th MarchCamrbidge Arts Theatre

Lent Term 2006

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Saraswati the goddess of knowledge, who is praised by the

wise, who is the wife of the creator, may she reside on the tip

of my tongue.

* The Birth of SaraswatiIn the beginning there was chaos. Everything existed in a formless, fluid state. “How do I bring order to this disorder?” wondered Brahma, the creator.“With Knowledge”, said Devi.

Heralded by a peacock, sacred books in one hand and a veena in the other dressed in white Devi emerged from Brahma’s mouth riding a swan as the goddess Saraswati.“Knowledge helps man find possibilities where once he saw problems.” Said the goddess. Under her tutelage Brahma acquired the ability to sense, think, comprehend and communicate. He began looking upon chaos with eyes of wisdom and thus saw the beautiful potential that lay therein.Brahma discovered the melody of mantras in the cacophony of chaos. In his joy he named Saraswati, Vagdevi, goddess of speech and sound.

The sound of mantras filled the universe with vital energy, orprana. Things began to take shape and the cosmos acquired a structure: the sky dotted with stars rose to form the heavens; the sea sank into the abyss below, the earth stood in between.

Gods became lords of the celestial spheres; demons ruled the nether regions, humans walked on earth. The sun rose and set, the moon waxed and waned, the tide flowed and ebbed. Seasons changed, seeds germinated, plants bloomed and withered, animals migrated and reproduced as randomness gave way to the rhythm of life.Brahma thus became the creator of the world with Saraswati as his wisdom.

Saraswati was the first being to come into Brahma’s world. Brahma began to

look upon her with eyes of desire. She turned away saying, “All I offer must be used to elevate the spirit, not indulge the senses.”Brahma could not control his amorous thoughts and his infatuation for the lovely goddess grew. He continued to stare at Saraswati. He gave himself four heads facing every direction so that he could always be able to feast his eyes on Saraswati’s beauty.Saraswati moved away from Brahma, first taking the form of a cow. Brahma then followed her as a bull. Saraswatithen changed into a mare; Brahma gave chase as a horse. Every timeSaraswati turned into a bird or a beast he followed her as the corresponding male equivalent. No matter how hard Brahma tried he could not catchSaraswati in any of her forms.The goddess with multiple forms came to be known as Shatarupa. She personified material reality, alluring yet fleeting.

* Saraswati Curses BrahmaAngered by his display of unbridled passion Saraswati cursed Brahma, “You have filled the world with longing that is the seed of unhappiness. You have fettered the soul in the flesh. You are not worthy of reverence. May there be hardly any temple or festival in your name.”So it came to pass that there are only two temples of Brahma in India; one atPushkar, Rajasthan and the other inKumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu.Undaunted by the curse, Brahma continued to cast his lustful looks uponSaraswati. He gave himself a fifth head to enhance his gaze.

* Bhairava, Shiva, Confronts BrahmaBrahma’s action motivated by desire confined consciousness and excited the ego. It disturbed the serenity of the cosmos and roused Shiva, the supreme ascetic from his meditation.Shiva opened his eyes, sensedSaraswati’s discomfort and in a fit of rage turned into Bhairava, lord of terror. His eyes were red, his growl menacing. He lunged towards Brahma

and with his sharp claws, wretched off Brahma’s fifth head. The violence subdued Brahma’s passion.Brahma’s cut head seared throughBhairava’s flesh and clung to his hand sapping him of all his strength and driving him mad. The lord of terror ranted and raved losing control of his senses.Saraswati, pleased with Bhairava’stimely action, rushed to his rescue. With her gentle touch she nursed him like a child, restoring his sanity.Brahma, sobered by his encounter with the Lord of terror sought an escape from the maze of his own desire. Saraswati revealed to him the doctrine for his own liberation.

Brahma sought to conduct a yagna, fire sacrifice, to cleanse himself and start anew. In order to conduct ayagna ritual the assistance of a wife is needed. Brahma chose Saraswati to be his wife and thus they were reconciled.

* Lakshmi, Saraswati and VishnuBrahma created the universe with the help of Saraswati. Vishnu was the guardian of the cosmos. He too needed Saraswati’s support to sustain the cosmos. Using her knowledge he instituted and maintained dharma, sacred laws that ensure stability and growth in society.

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Pongal is celebrated all over India as Makar Sankranti, although in Tamil Nadu it has an additional significance as it welcomes the occasion of the incoming harvest. The festival of Makar Sankranti traditionally coincides with the beginning of the Sun's northward journey (the UTTARAYAN) when it enters the sign of Makar (the CAPRICORN). It falls on the 14th of January every year according to the Solar Calendar. Interestingly, this is the only festival in Hindu calendar that follows a solar calendar (all other Hindu festivals are computed using the lunar calendar). This day has a very special significance because the day and night on Makar Sankranti are of exactly of equal hours. The Puranas, usually prolific in legends connected with festivals, have little to say about Pongal. It is in all probability a Dravidian harvest festival that has survived the preponderant influence of the Indo-Aryan religion in the South.

The first day is celebrated as the BHOGI PONGAL and is usually meant for domestic activities and of being together with the family members. This first day is celebrated in honour of Lord Indra, the supreme ruler of clouds that give rains. Homage is paid to Lord Indra for the abundance of harvest, thereby bringing plenty and prosperity to the land. The second day of Pongal is known as SURYA PONGAL and is dedicated to the Sun God. The "Puja" of the Sun God starts after the auspicious moment of the birth of the new month THAI. Prayers are rendered to the Sun God to seek his benedictions. The third day is MATTU PONGAL which is the festival of cattle. To the village people cow, the giver of milk and the bull which draws the plough in the fields are very valuable and therefore the farmers honour their cattle by celebrating it as a day of thanks-giving to them. On the Mattu Pongal day Lord Ganesh and Goddess Parvati are worshipped. The fourth day is termed as KAANNUM PONGAL. On this day, people travel to see other family members and is meant to be a day out for the whole family.

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The word `Pongal' literally has two connotations. Firstly it is the name of the special dish cooked on this day and secondly the word "Ponga" means "boil". So the word 'Pongal' means that which is overflowing. A dish with new rice, pulses, jaggery, dry fruits, sugar and milk is cooked in a new clay pot in the open and allowed to boil over, signifying plenty and prosperity for the year ahead. Pongal, once ready, is offered to God first, on a new banana leaf along with other traditional delicacies like Vadas, Payasam, etc. Besides this, sugarcane, grain, sweet potatoes, etc are also offered to the Sun God.

There are few interesting legends behind the Pongal celebrations. The most popular among them related to the celebrations of the first day of the Pongal when Lord Krishna lifted the Govardhan Mountain on his little finger to shelter his people and save them from being washed away by the rains and floods. According to another the third day of Pongal is celebrated because Lord Shiva once asked Nandi, his bull, to go to earth and deliver his message to the people - to have an oil bath every day and food once a month. But Nandi got it all mixed up when he delivered the message, and told the people that Shiva asked them to have an oil bath once a month and eat every day. Shiva was displeased, and told Nandi that since the people would now need to grow more grain, Nandi would have to remain on earth and help them plough the fields. Mattu Pongal is also called "Kanu Pongal", and women pray for the welfare of their brothers. This is similar to the festivals of Raksha Bandhan and Bhai Dooj celebrated in some states of North India.

Pongal is celebrated during the same time as 'Bihu' in the North Eastern State of Assam, 'Lohri' in Punjab, 'Bhogi' in Andhra Pradesh as well as Makar Sankranti in the rest of the country.

Vishnu also needed the help ofLakshmi, goddess of wealth, who gave him the wherewithal to ensure cosmic order.The question arose: who did Vishnu need more? Lakshmi orSaraswati? Wealth orknowledge? The goddesses argued, “Knowledge does not fill an empty stomach.” Said Lakshmi. “Wealth keeps man alive but gives nomeaning to life.” Said Saraswati.“I need both knowledge and wealth to sustain the cosmos. Without knowledge I cannot plan. Without wealth I cannot implement a plan. Wealth sustains life; the arts give value to life. This bothSaraswati and Lakshmi are needed to live a full life.

* Saraswati Saves the World from Shiva’s Third Eye and the Beast of DoomShiva was woken from his meditations and looked around to discover a world on the brink of corruption and beingunsalvageable. Shiva decided it was time to wipe the slate clean. Shiva, the destroyer, opened his worlddestroying third eye attempting to destroy the three worlds.. Out came a terrible fire that threatened all existence. There was panic everywhere. OnlySaraswati remained calm. “Shiva’s fire burns only that which is impure and corrupt.”She took the form of a river and with her pure waters picked up the dreaded fire from Shiva’s third eye. Within the folds of her water she carried the fire far away from the earth to the bottom of the sea where it transformed into a fire breathing mare called Badavagni – the beast of doom.“So long as the world is pure and man wise, this terrible creature will remain on the bottom of thesea. When wisdom is abandoned and man corrupts the world,Badavagni will emerge and destroy the universe,” foretold the wisegoddess.

[Udayan Bhattacharya][[Peysh Peysh Patel]Patel]

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Michaelmas term 2005 began with a Quiz Night, a light hearted but competitive evening, which proved to be very entertaining. It provided a wonderful opportunity for freshers to get to know each other better and for old members to meet. Questions were prepared by the committee and included a range of topics from geography to Bollywood and also included picture and music rounds! The event was enjoyed by all and was a great start to a very eventful term.

Next came the discussion, “Who is a Hindu?” Over 35 people attended this fascinating discussion where they tried to work out what the term 'Hindu' actually means. A lot of very interesting issues were brought up and all those present learnt a great deal.

The most popular event of the term was the Diwali Dinner. Over 150 students gathered at Wesley House, which had been beautifully decorated by the committee. Theevening started off with a traditional Vedic Pooja, dedicated to Godess Lakshmi. The pooja was conducted by Dr. Milen Shah, of the ChinmayaMission, who explained the essence of the ritual, keeping the attendees clued into the ceremony. This was then followed by two very memorable performances, the first of which was a stunning Orissi dance performed by Ashvini Keshavan, the second a beautiful rendition of ‘O Palanhare’from the Oscar nominated film Lagaan, sung by Toral Shah. After this, all the guests were invited to dinner, a wonderful traditional Indian meal was provided, which was extremely tasty!

Then came the Raas Lila, a wonderful evening of colour and dance. Attendees turned out in striking Chania Choli and Dhoti-Kurta and performed Garba and Dandia-Ras, Gujarat’s most popular folkdances. Music was provided by a live band who managed to keepthe spirit of the students high all night! A joyous and festive atmosphere was created, making the experience unforgettable.

The term ended with a talk on “Hinduism-War and Peace,” given by the Director of the Oxford Centre of Hindu Studies, Shaunaka Rishi Das. He gave a very interesting and insightful talk, drawing from aspects covered in the Bhagavad-Gita, one of the holiest scriptures of the Hindu religion. This was then followed by a heated debate from the audience, who were all eager to discuss their own point of view on the matter at hand.

In all, Michaelmas was a very enjoyable term and the committee would like to thank all those who attended and helped to make all the events so successful. Lent term is set to bring just as much fun, with Mastana CUHCS’s flagship event, and many more events planned. So here’s hoping Lent term is just as exciting as last!

PresidentVice-PresidentSecretaryTreasurerPublicityWebmasterLearning

Sponsorship

Colleges & Welfare

Preet MajithiaPulkit AgrawalMeenal PoreJaymal NaranDilesh HariaAnuj ShahAnish ShahUdayan BhattacharyaAjay MistryPeysh PatelDhara Thakerar

president@cuhcs.org.ukvice-president@cuhcs.org.uksecretary@cuhcs.org.uktreasurer@cuhcs.org.ukpublicity@cuhcs.org.ukwebmaster@cuhcs.org.uklearning@cuhcs.org.uklearning-officer@cuhcs.org.uksponsorship@cuhcs.org.ukSponsorship-officer@cuhcs.org.ukwelfare@cuhcs.org.uk

CU Hindu Cultural Society Committee 2005-06

[[MohiniMohini JeevanJeevan]]

This newsletter is an open forum for all members of CUHCS. The articles and information in it are based upon personal opinions. These do not necessarily represent the viewpoint of CUHCS on any particular issue. Hence although we

make every effort to ensure that the material is suitable, CUHCS cannot be held liable for any views expressed.