Mahabharata – Bahagian 4

Hussain dan Hassan masih terpegun mendengar kisah yang disampaikan oleh datuk mereka. Nampaknya kisah di sebalik penghasilan epik Jaya – yang menjadi asas kepada epik Mahabharata – juga amat menarik dan wajar diketahui.

“Saya memerlukan khidmat tukang tulis terhebat untuk berkolobrasi dengan saya bagi menjayakan projek mega ini,” kata Vyasa dengan penuh hormat kepada Brahma yang menjelma di hadapannya.

Selepas berfikir sebentar, Brahma memutuskan bahawa Ganapathi adalah pilihan terbaik untuk memikul tugas penting dan berat ini. Tambahan pula, dewa berkepala gajah itu masih bujang dan tentu tidak menghadapi masalah untuk meluangkan masa yang lama bersama-sama Vyasa. Tidak akan ada isteri atau kekasih yang cemburu buta.

Teks yang dicadangkan oleh Vyasa pastilah sebuah epik yang panjang dan memerlukan masa yang lama untuk dikarang atau dirakam dalam bentuk tulisan. Brahma, Vishnu dan Shiva serta pasangan masing-masing sibuk dengan tugas hakiki dan sukar memberikan komitmen tinggi yang diperlukan bagi menjayakan projek mega menghasilkan teks berdasarkan penceritaan lisan oleh Vyasa.

Traders rally at PM's door as gloomy Deepavali looms

With only about two weeks left to Deepavali, some 40 Brickfields petty traders today took to Putrajaya in a last ditch attempt to have their traditional festive bazaar site for the last eight years restored.

Converging outside the Prime Minister's Department under the scorching afternoon sun, the traders unfurled banners and chanted slogans, appealing for Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak to intervene in the matter.

The protest comes after weeks of negotiations with the Federal Territories and Urban Wellbeing Ministry failed to yield results.

The traders are upset that their Deepavali bazaar site had been moved from Jalan Tun Sambathan - the main Brickfields thoroughfare - to the inner street Jalan Berhala, which they say has adversely affected their business.

"There is only about two weeks left before the bazaar ends. Business in the new area is very bad.

“I will not be able to recoup my investment if they don't let us move back," said a frustrated garments trader Joseph Nathan.

Launch nationwide protest, Indians urged

PETALING JAYA: MIC president G Palanivel has called on Indians to launch a nationwide protest against the proposed condominium project slated to be built near Batu Caves temple.

In a statement today, Palanivel also urged non-governmental organisations, irrespective of their political leanings, to voice objections against the 29-storey condominium project.

“The Selangor state government should stop this project. A mere stop-work order to conduct soil tests at the vicinity is not enough,” he said.

On Monday, the Sri Subramaniar Swamy temple chairman R Nadarajah raised objections against the proposed condominium project by Dolotime Industries, slated on a land beside the temple.

The project was approved by the Selayang Municipal Council (MPS).

Selangor state executive councillor for local government, Ronnie Liu, later issued a temporary stop- work order to conduct soil tests on the land to ensure the construction would not damage temple statues.

The temple committee plans to hold a protest tomorrow to pressure the Pakatan Rakyat-led state government and the developer to stop the project.

nPalanivel, who is also a Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department, said that the state government should look for an alternative land for the condominium project, claiming the soil near the caves was not suitable.

“The hills in Batu Caves are made of limestones. The area tends to become soggy whenever there is a downpour. Development work there may cause the caves and the condominium to collapse in years to come,” said Palanivel.

He added that the soil test is not going to prove anything in the long run.

Palanivel also urged the state government to compensate Dolomite for its losses.

“Hulu Kelang is a water catchment area. It should be left on untouched,” he said.

The condominium project was approved on Sept 27, 2007 when the state was under Barisan Nasional’s administration.

The temple committee had taken fullpage advertisements in major Tamil dailies today to urge people to participate in the rally at temple compound tomorrow.



Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/10/25/launch-nationwide-protest-indians-urged/

Ambiga, a people's hero but no politician

Though the event “Datuk Ambiga (Sreenevasan) Bersama Rakyat” in Kedah yesterday seemed like a political outing, the Bersih icon was quick to dismiss the notion when she said “we are not politicians”.

“We are not fighting for BN (Barisan Nasional) or Pakatan Rakyat. We are fighting for you. We want your vote to mean something. We want to make sure they do not steal the value of your vote.

“Whoever comes into power, we should be able to remove them in five years if they are not good,” added the Bersih co-coordinator, as the largely Indian crowd in Paya Besar clapped thunderously.

“We also want the government to support Bersih (the electoral reform coalition). It’s been 55 years, one of the longest (rule) in the world. It is time to make our politicians accountable”.

The pouring rain in Padang Serai failed to deter 1,000-odd crowd  who turned up at the Bersih event yesterday evening, led by Kulim Hindraf chief M Asokan, and other local NGOs.

Ambiga was accompanied by a string of other speakers including Kedah state executive council member Aishah Ghazali, Selambau assemblyperson S Manikumar, PKR vice-president N Surendran, Kedah senator Saiful Idzham, Suaram ecretariat member Cynthia Gabriel and National Indian Action Team chairperson Thasleem Mohd.

Mahabharata – Bahagian 3

Pasangan kembar Hussain dan Hassan tekun mendengar kisah yang disampaikan oleh datuk mereka mengenai Vyasa iaitu individu yang dikreditkan sebagai pengarang epik Mahabharata yang terkenal di serata dunia.

“Vyasa ialah anak kepada Maharishyi Parasara. Kamu berdua sudah sedia tahu mengenai epik Jaya yang dihasilkan oleh Vyasa dan kemudian digabungkan dengan epik Bharata untuk menghasilkan Mahabharata,” kata datuk sambil memegang erat teks Razmnameh yang merupakan terjemahan epik berkenaan ke Bahasa Parsi.

Menurut lelaki tua itu, selepas Vyasa menggubah sepenuhnya epik kisah perang tersebut secara lisan dalam minda, dia memutuskan untuk merakamkannya dalam bentuk tulisan sebagai bahan dokumentasi bagi generasi akan datang.

Pujangga dan pemikir itu dilaporkan mengadakan meditasi dengan penuh khusyuk; memohon petunjuk daripada Dewata bagi merealisasikan impiannya menghasilkan teks Jaya – versi asal Mahabharata – dalam bentuk bertulis. Langkah proaktif ini juga bagi memastikan gubahan yang dipenuhi pelbagai unsur budaya, dharma, moral, etika dan sebagainya tidak hilang begitu sahaja selepas ketiadaannya suatu hari nanti.

“Penduduk beragama Hindu di Benua Kecil India percaya bahawa Brahma muncul di hadapan Vyasa berikutan meditasi yang dilakukannya. Lalu, Brahma iaitu dewa pencipta bertanya kepada maharishyi itu, apa yang dimahukannya.”

Hassan dan Hussain terus khusyuk mendengar cerita daripada datuk. Sambil mendengar, mereka membiarkan daya imaginasi melayang ke masa silam. Seolah-olah kisah itu sedang berlaku di depan mata.

“Saya menyimpan suatu kisah yang sangat menarik dan amat penting untuk dijadikan panduan bagi generasi akan datang. Saya bimbang bahawa kisah berbentuk semi-autobiografi dan faksyen ini akan hilang atau mengalami perubahan yang terlalu banyak sekiranya hanya disebarkan secara lisan,” kata Vyasa kepada Brahma yang muncul di hadapannya.

“Lalu, apa yang mahu dilakukan?” Dewata bertanya.

“Saya mahu supaya kisah yang saya gubah ini dirakam dalam bentuk bertulis supaya menjadi bahan dokumentasi yang kekal merentas zaman,” Vyasa menjelaskan.

“Maka, kamu mahu beralih daripada tradisi lisan yang menjadi amalan manusia selama ini dan masuk ke dalam tradisi bertulis yang sehingga kini hanya menjadi amalan golongan dewa-dewi?”

“Benar. Namun, transformasi dan reformasi ini bukan bermakna tradisi lisan mahu dilenyapkan terus. Sekurang-kurangnya jika versi bertulis sudah ada, tidak akan timbul kemungkinan kisah keturunan Kuru yang saya gubah ini hilang daripada rekod dan sejarah.”

Khabarnya Brahma akur pada alasan, hujah dan rasional yang dikemukakan oleh Vyasa. Apa yang bakal dilakukan oleh Vyasa adalah suatu tindakan proaktif berbentuk transformasi dan anjakan paradigma melampaui zaman. Namun, Brahma sedar bahawa segala apa yang berlaku adalah mengikut aturan yang sudah ditetapkan.


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/10/21/mahabharata-%E2%80%93-bahagian-3/

Mahabharata – Bahagian 2

Sambil membaca epik Razmnameh dalam Bahasa Parsi – atau apabila mendengar datuk mereka bercerita – Hussain dan Hassan akan menambah watak-watak baru pada rajah keluarga keturunan Kuru.

Dipendekkan cerita, Bhisma tidak mahu menggauli pasangan adik-beradik Ambika dan Ambalika (balu kepada Vichitravirya) kerana sudah bersumpah untuk mengekalkan keterunaannya. Bhisma lalu memujuk ibu tirinya, Satyavati supaya memujuk Vyasa agar menggauli Ambika dan Ambalika demi untuk memastikan jurai keturunan Kuru dapat diteruskan.

Watak Vyasa inilah yang kemudian tampil sebagai penggubah epik Mahabharata yang kini tersebar ke seluruh dunia dan dianggap pula sebagai sebuah kitab suci dalam agama Hindu. Bagaimanapun, Hussain dan Hassan sedar bahawa teks asal yang dipercayai dikarang oleh Vyasa adalah Jaya yang merupakan cerita asas kepada kisah yang kemudian dikembangkan pula oleh Vaisampayana menjadi Bharata.

Sebahagian daripada teks Jaya gubahan Vyasa dikenali sebagai Bhagavad Gita dan sehingga kini mampu berdiri sendiri.  Keseluruhan teks adalah dialog antara Arjuna dan Dewa Krishna, bapa saudaranya. Semasa Arjuna pergi ke medan perang, Dewa Krishna menawarkan diri menjadi pemandu kereta kuda. Dialog yang berlaku antara Arjuna dan Dewa Krishna sepanjang perang itulah merupakan bab keenam dan diberi judul Bhagavad Gita.

Dewa Krishna memberi pelbagai tunjuk ajar, panduan, nasihat, motivasi dan bimbingan kepada Arjuna di medan perang. Memandangkan bab keenam itu mempunyai ciri-ciri yang sempurna sebagai sebuah karya epik, ia diberi judul Bhagavad Gita dan mampu berdiri sendiri sebagai sebuah teks kudus.

Sementara itu, seorang pencerita profesional yang dikenali sebagai Ugrasrava Sauti pula dikatakan menggabungkan Jaya dan Bharata, lalu menghasilkan epik yang dikenali sebagai Mahabharata, teks dengan hampir 1.8 juta perkataan dan panjangnya empat kali ganda Ramayana.

Berbalik kepada kisah Vyasa yang akur pada permintaan ibu kandungnya, Satyavathi, lelaki itu menjadi bapa kepada Dhritarashtra (dilahirkan oleh Ambika dan buta sejak lahir) dan Pandu (dilahirkan oleh Ambalika dan menghidap penyakit kekurangan sel darah merah). Seorang lagi isterinya, Pinjala pula melahirkan anak yang sempurna bernama Suka.

Di kemudian hari, perebutan takhta Kerajaan Hastinapura berlaku antara Yudhisthira (anak Pandu) dan Duryodhana (anak Dhritarashtra). Watak Suka pula akan memainkan peranan penting dalam menyebarkan kisah Mahabharata (Jaya) kepada Raja Parikshit, iaitu cicit Pandu dan cucu Arjuna.

Namun, sebelum itu, Hassan dan Hussain tidak sabar untuk mendengar datuk mereka menceritakan bagaimana Vyasa berjaya menghafaz dan menyanyikan epik Jaya yang dipercayai dirakam dalam bentuk tulisan oleh Dewa Ganesha berkepala gajah. –


Source : http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/10/14/mahabharata-%E2%80%93-bahagian-2/

Extortion: Police urge death-in-custody kin to help probe

Police will investigate the claim that personnel from the Cheras district police headquarters had demanded RM300 from the wife of P Chandran prior to his death in their custody, Cheras OCPD Mohan Singh said today.

"We are investigating the matter to verify if the claim is true, and we invite the family to come forward to help identify those they allege made the demand," Mohan said when contacted.

Of the three police reports lodged on Chandran's death and the circumstances surrounding it, he said, only one was lodged in the Cheras police district, at the Pudu police station.

The other two, lodged by the deceased's brother P Gunalan, were made in Simpang Renggam, Johor, and were about incidents that took place under the jurisdiction of the Dang Wangi police district.

"The Kuala Lumpur police will be investigating all claims," Mohan said when asked about the extortion claim stated in a police report lodged by Chandran's brother-in-law, R Rajan Naidu.

In his report, Rajan said Chandran's widow N Selvi told him that police personnel had asked her for RM300 when she sought information on Chandran, when he was still alive.

Police raised money for family

The other two reports were lodged by Gunalan claim that police negligence led to Chandran's death. Police claimed that Chandran died from heart disease and classified it as "sudden death".

The family insists that he was suffering from hypertension, and that police did not allow Selvi to see him and pass his medication to him, resulting in his death on Sept 10.

While the extortion claim will be investigated, Mohan said, he pointed out that Gunalan in one of his police reports acknowleged that police assisted the family in sending Chandran's remains to Simpang Renggam.

"They said they wanted to take the body home on the same day, so we arranged for everything. We even raised RM200 among us to help them as they said they had no money.

"It was a humanitarian act and I don't think there is anything wrong with that," Mohan added.

The family yesterday sent a memorandum to federal police chief Ismail Omar asking for Chandran's death to be investigated.

The have also engaged a lawyer to file a negligence suit against the police and government.

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Source: http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/211520