Ashadh Krushna Trutiya
Panvel (Maharashtra): Panvel branch of Maharashtra Andha-shraddha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS) had organized lectures on topic “Our festivals and our viewpoints’. Speakers criticized religious festivals of Hindus without having any knowledge on the subject. (It is a general rule that if one has no knowledge of some subject; he should try to avoid saying anything on such subject. How can MANS educate people on religious festivals of Hindus when they have no knowledge on the same? – Editor) An open competition was held by ANS on the topics viz. ‘Health of women’, ‘What does the society need, Jyotiba or Satyawan?’ and ‘Need for ‘Vat-Pournima’ observance’ (It is a despicable attempt of ANS to misguide people by raising such questions – Editor) In the prize distribution program, Prof. Prakash Parakhe from Elphinstone College, said, “During public festivals like Navaratri and Ganapati’, all festival committees indulge in power pilferage. (Do all committees agree with such accusation? – Editor) For the last 700 years, people are celebrating these festivals. (Extreme ignorance of Prof. Parakhe! We are celebrating these festivals not for only 700 years but for thousands of years- Editor) But people could not achieve happiness through such festivals. (Invention of Prof. Parakhe! Who told Prof. Parakhe that people do not get any happiness out of celebrating such festivals?- Editor) We have no knowledge of our past 7 births; even then women go round banyan trees on the day of ‘Vat-pournima’ (Prof. Parakhe may please note that women who get some spiritual experiences by observing such traditions, will never give them up even if few ignorant persons make some imprudent comments on such observances or traditions – Editor) ” Prof. Parakhe also ridiculed ‘Savitri’ and expressed doubt over her character. (It is very condemnable of Prof. Parakhe to indulge in such character assassination of faithful and virtuous ‘Savitri – Editor) Prof. Parakhe said further, “In America, people have visited the moon and we do not break fast without seeing the moon on the day of ‘Sankashti Chaturthi. One should keep fast only for maintaining good health; but we overeat on our fasting days. In rituals like ‘Vaastu-shanti’, pollution is caused due to lighting fire. (Now even Westerners have realized that such holy fires in fact, purify the atmosphere but bigoted ANS will never accept it – Editor) Faith that is not based no prudence and intellect is superstition Thousands of years back when nobody knew what science was, Savitri could get back Satyawan’s life from ‘Yama’. In today’s developing world of science, has anyone come across such instance of brining back someone’s life? (This indicates that what Prof. Parakhe terms as science is so useless – Editor) I would, as a matter of fact, say that Satyawan must be unconscious and not dead.” Two devout Hindus raised objection to his statement. Prof. Parakhe then tried to change his statement. When they tried to clarify doubts, he avoided them by declaring that the question/ answer session was over. (This is true form of cowardly ANS – Editor)
Source: ‘Daily Sanatan Prabhat’
