Articles by Ravi P Bhatia
We found 186 results.
In Love with Bicycles
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 Apr 2018
23 Apr 2018 – In today’s fast moving world a bicycle may appear to be an anachronism. Speed is the buzz word so we have fast cars and SUVs that go up to 160 km/h on highways or German autobahns, where there is a limit on the minimum not on the maximum speed.
→ read full articleForest Rights Act and Environmental Issues in India
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
16 Apr 2018
16 Apr 2018 – The Indian Forest Act was established by the British government in 1927 according to which all the forests and the forest lands became a property of the British government and the customary rights of the tribal populations and other peoples were suspended. The purpose of the Act was not to protect forests but to convert them into the property of the Colonial British government.
→ read full articleCelebrities and Ordinary Persons
Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 Apr 2018
While the number of billionaires is increasing, the number of impoverished people without adequate nutrition, education and health care is showing no signs of decline in India and neighbouring countries. These poor people look at the photos or hoardings with awe and wonder why the Gods are so kind to them whereas they cannot even feed their families adequately.
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Dealing with Issues of Ageing and Death
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
2 Apr 2018
2 Apr 2018 – If being born is the beginning of life, ageing or becoming old is metaphorically speaking, walking into the sunset of life. This sunset, unlike the phenomenon of the sun setting at dusk is not a beautiful sight but an occasion for anxiety and worry as to what will happen at the time of death.
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Where Has Water Disappeared? A Looming Crisis
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
26 Mar 2018
24 Mar 2018 – As a result of global warming several glaciers are melting and rising sea levels; many small islands facing the risk of being submerged in Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans. On the other side, a contrary development: several rivers face depletion of their water in some months since the faster melting results in the river waters flowing into oceans and seas. Another problem: some ponds and lakes are disappearing.
→ read full articleInternational Solar Alliance – A Symbol of Hope and Cooperation
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
19 Mar 2018
19 Mar 2018 – The inaugural meeting of the Solar Alliance gives us hope that the challenges of environmental pollution, global warming and climate change are being recognized and addressed by many countries. This meeting also encourages the coming together of different nations — developed and developing, to meet common challenges through goodwill and cooperation.
→ read full articleEvolution of Mankind and Civilizations — A Few Tentative Thoughts
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
26 Feb 2018
26 Feb 2018 – The cosmos has billions of galaxies and perhaps trillions of earth-like planets revolving around their stars but astronomers who have been assiduously studying these planets have not been able to find any other planet which supports life on them or at least a form of life consisting of human beings and other living objects such as plants and animals as on earth.
→ read full articleCelebrating Union of Man and Woman — Marriage Ceremonies Worldwide
Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
19 Feb 2018
All communities celebrate marriages in their own individual manner that depends on their cultures, religions, ethnicity and not least, their financial and social status.
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Gandhi — Challenges and Learnings in South Africa
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
12 Feb 2018
Gandhi had thought that he would stay for only a year in South Africa but as it turned out he remained there for 21 years and returned to India in 1914. His stay was a deeply learning experience – it had a profound effect on him in terms of observing the oppression and prejudice suffered by Indians who were working there and the racial incidents that he himself was subject to. He gradually became aware of the behavior of the white rulers towards not only the black populations but also towards Indians and other non-white people.
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From Mohandas to Mahatma Gandhi
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
5 Feb 2018
One of the most noted icons of the last century would undoubtedly be Mahatma Gandhi who was assassinated in New Delhi on 30 January 1948. His full name was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi but worldwide he is known just as Gandhi or Mahatma Gandhi.
→ read full articleBaby Moshe
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
22 Jan 2018
What is special about Moshe? When he was two years old, his parents were among the many people killed in a ghastly terrorist attack in Chabad House (home to the Jewish Community) in Mumbai (Bombay) nine years ago. Baby Moshe could also have been killed except for the astuteness of his Nanny who escaped with him to another building.
→ read full articleUnusual People, Unusual Events in India
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
8 Jan 2018
“Alone I can say, together we can talk
Alone I can smile, together we can laugh
Alone I can enjoy, together we can celebrate.”
I have added another maxim:
“Alone I can think, together we can discuss.”
Celebrating Christmas in Traditional and Non-Traditional Ways
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Jan 2018
1 Jan 2018 – Christmas is celebrated with devotion, fervor and gaiety all over the world on 25 December. I am sure there have been unusual events to celebrate Christmas this year. The ones I have written give only a glimpse of the celebrations and festivities. Perhaps other people will join the festive mood and share their unusual experiences.
→ read full articleTypes of Violence and Gandhian Concept of Reducing Violence
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 Dec 2017
For Gandhi, spiritual swaraj meant inner discipline marked by purity of intention and control over base tendencies like dishonesty, greed, aggression and violence. This entailed morality and virtues like truth, nonviolence, detachment, prayer, compassion and spirituality. These virtues and values are as important today as they were in Gandhian times.
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Temples for Spirituality, Harmony and Joy
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 Dec 2017
18 Dec 2017 – As is well known India has diversities of virtually all types. As for religions, we have followers of all major world religions — Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and smaller faiths such as Sikhism, Jainism, Judaism, Arya Samaj, Baha’i. Other faiths such as Brahmo Samaj, Dev Samaj, along with their specific deities, rituals and holy books are also present in different regions of the country.
→ read full articleModern Life Styles – Symbols of Consumerism, Self-centeredness and Isolation
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Dec 2017
The world today is a complex amalgam of violence, conflicts on one side and consumerism and rich lifestyles of a section of people on the other. It is also a modern world of social media, internet, mobile phones and consumerist ideologies promoted in newspapers and television.
→ read full articleSolidarity with Palestine People – Promotion of Peace, Harmony and Goodwill
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 Dec 2017
The world recognizes the suffering of ordinary Palestinians and the United Nations has declared 29 November as the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People”.
→ read full articleA Memorable and Joyful Experience of Visiting a School for the Tribal Children of Odisha
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
27 Nov 2017
27 Nov 2017 – Many countries worldwide – Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Chile, Brazil and other parts of Africa and Asia have indigenous peoples living in these countries. They have been living in these regions for centuries in their own simple manner close to the Mother earth without exploiting it by using its resources prudently.
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Challenges Facing Academia — Restoring Understanding and Harmony
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Nov 2017
20 Nov 2017 – After schooling, students have to decide what stream or subjects they should pursue in higher education. There are broadly four streams of studies for College students in many countries including India:
→ read full articleStatues for Display of Power, Peace and Harmony
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Nov 2017
Why does the world believe in construction of statues and other memorials to honor their heroes or icons — political or social? Obviously this is done not only to honor heroes of yesteryear but also to inspire ordinary mortals to follow their path of peace, harmony and human values.
→ read full articleNobility and Relevance of Lord Ram
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
6 Nov 2017
We look forward to persons who are good, noble and trustworthy and who inspire us to follow in their footsteps. Ramayana is a powerful and absorbing story that reinforces the nobility and relevance of Lord Ram both as divinity and as a human being that is cherished not only by millions of Indians but by people all over the contemporary world.
→ read full articleNi Hao Ma — Learning Foreign Languages for Pleasure and Joy
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 Oct 2017
26 Oct 2017 – Languages are often a bridge to friendship– making friends with strangers in different countries or even in a different city in a multilingual country like India. Learning languages and the associated cultures is popular all over the world. It is a joyful and pleasurable experience.
→ read full articleUniversities for Teaching, Research and Politics
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 Oct 2017
20 Oct 2017 – There are many outstanding universities in the world – Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard, Princeton, Toronto, La Sorbonne in France, Humboldt-Universität, Universität Freiburg, Moscow University, Tokyo University, Kyoto University etc. Perhaps no Indian University meets the standards of these institutes.
→ read full articleWomen’s Role in the Protection of Nature
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
16 Oct 2017
Several movements to protect our Earth and the people and other living beings from ill health and extinction are been carried out by scientists, activists as well as by a spirit of ecofeminism. The interaction between the latter spirit and ecology is producing a new dynamism for the overall objective of a healthy life and harmony.
→ read full articleSpirituality among Disparities
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 Oct 2017
9 Oct 2017 – A well-known cliché that is often repeated — India is a land of diversities of all types. Yes, there are multiple types of diversities — religious, political, economic, linguistic, geographic, ethnic, cultural and spiritual. Despite all the diversities indicated above there has been a spirituality and oneness in this region since prehistoric times.
→ read full articleInstant Gratification — Some Philosophical Questions
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 Sep 2017
25 Sep 2017 – The world has become conditioned to some strange requirements — instant coffee, instant noodles, instant communication and expression of our thoughts. We are usually short of time and want instant gratification. We want to cut down on the entity TIME.
→ read full articleSwami Vivekananda: Relevance of His Stirring Speech in Chicago in 1893
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 Sep 2017
His speech delivered in the Parliament of Religions in Chicago on 11 Sep 1893 was a unique and path breaking one that helped not only the delegates but also the general public to get an idea of what the Hindu religion, one of the most ancient religions of the world, signified and what was its relevance at that time to the world.
→ read full articleLiving Peacefully Close to Mother Earth – A Saga of Amish and Mennonite Communities
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Sep 2017
The brief glimpse I had of the Mennonite and Amish communities was a pleasant one. These people are peaceful and faithful to their Church. They live simply, do not exploit the natural resources and are close to the earth. Their farms are clean, well maintained and display a sense of harmony with other people and with flora and fauna.
→ read full articleThe Horrifying Tragedy of Holocaust
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 Sep 2017
30 Aug 2017 – The Holocaust is undoubtedly one of the worst crimes and tragedies of the WWII. The word Holocaust comes from the Greek word holo “whole” + kaustos “burnt.” It refers to an animal sacrifice in which the entire animal is burned.
→ read full articleA View of Toronto in Summer Months
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Aug 2017
21 Aug 2017 – Soon after I landed in Toronto, I was informed that Canada is celebrating its 150th anniversary of independence from British rule.
→ read full articleExtending Life –- Living and Dying in Peace
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
21 Aug 2017
In the Jain religion some people choose to die rather than exist in the manner they are living. They choose to die when they are old and ill or sometimes even when they are relatively young, they feel that they have lived enough and would like to end their life. This practice is called Santhra and is allowed by their faith and the Indian law.
→ read full articlePuzzles of the Soul, Reincarnation and Karma
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
14 Aug 2017
Most religions believe in the concept of soul or a spirit that resides in our bodies. It is also generally accepted that it is the soul that gives life to the body which it enters and then resides in. If the soul leaves the body, the person dies. For this reason, life and soul are often considered synonymous. A few questions arise about these concepts.
→ read full articleEvolution of Man — Devolution of Mankind
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
7 Aug 2017
The ways people lived in communities have undergone tremendous change or evolution. Is it evolution or devolution? I will discuss this point in my essay.
→ read full articleExcel at Any Cost – Some Thoughts to the Contrary
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
17 Jul 2017
With the intense competition to be the best, to succeed, to be rich, those young people who cannot compete are left behind. Do they feel inspired by the stories of the successful or do they feel dejected and disappointed? Everyone cannot stand first or be successful, but everyone has the right to lead a peaceful life and become a good citizen.
→ read full articleReviving Old Memories for Peace and Harmony
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
3 Jul 2017
One does not forget the painful old memories; but by doing some good to the people whether as a community or by individual efforts–however small they may appear to be–will usually generate a sense of fulfillment and usher in Peace and Harmony.
→ read full articleReligious Diversities and Child Marriages — A Saga of Social Change and Women’s Empowerment
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
26 Jun 2017
Whatever may have been the justification for early marriages the fact is that in most societies — Western, Asian or tribal, early marriages were the norm rather than the exception. There were economic, social and religious reasons for early marriages and early motherhood.
→ read full articleSignificance of International Day of Yoga — Promoting Peace, Harmony and Health
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
19 Jun 2017
The first Yoga Day was celebrated on 21 June 2015. Yoga is increasingly being practiced in many parts of the world. What is its significance in the contemporary world? One does not need to be a religious person to enjoy the benefits of Yoga… Yoga is for everyone — for promotion of peace, harmony, health and goodwill for all.
→ read full articleIdeas on Reincarnation and Karma
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
12 Jun 2017
All living beings — humans, animals, fish, flora and fauna have finite lives. In other words, they are born (or grow from an egg or a seed) , live for some duration and then die. Animals and especially human beings have a sense of their identity and know that they are alive. Human beings generally would like to remain alive for as long as possible; they fear death and would like to postpone it for as long as possible.
→ read full articleSeeking Answers to the Diversities and Inequalities in Life
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
5 Jun 2017
The world is full of differences or diversities of all types – religious, economic, racial, political, geographic, flora and fauna, professional; individual likes or dislikes, size of people and so on. But are all inequalities detestable and ugly or some of them may be beautiful and desirable?
→ read full articleFasting for Education – An Inspiring Saga of Young Women’s Courage
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
29 May 2017
When a girl does not agree and marries someone else of her own choice, catastrophic consequences may follow — even murder of both the daughter and her husband. This conservative and patriarchal attitude in Haryana is difficult to explain in this short essay.
→ read full articleRelevance of Lord Ram for Truth, Peace and Harmony
Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
22 May 2017
22 May 2017 – Among the Hindu gods and deities Lord Krishna and Lord Ram are perhaps the most popular ones all over the world. The gospel and teachings of Krishna have been spread by several international organisations including ISKCON-International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Mahatma Gandhi was a deeply religious person and lived by the ideals of Gita and Ramayan. When he was shot on 30 January 1948, the last words he uttered before he passed away were “He Ram”.
→ read full articleRich Celebrities vs. Individual Struggles for the Protection of Society
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
15 May 2017
On one hand we have the celebrities selling one product or another; on the other hand we have millions of people suffering from hunger, disease, indebtedness, unemployment and violence of various types. A third category – a miniscule one — the so called do-gooders who work for the betterment of the society in one way or another. We also have the religious gurus who talk about spirituality and bring solace and hope to the millions of people.
→ read full articleHospital Care — Physical and Spiritual
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 May 2017
Recently, I had an opportunity to go to an infectious disease hospital which offers treatment for various diseases for a minimal fee. I was going there with a woman called Usha who works in our home and who had got bitten by a stray dog the previous evening… Yes, in this hospital, medical science and spirituality were both at work to cure patients of their disease and to give them hope, trust and confidence.
→ read full articleLet Us Struggle Today and Dream for a Better Tomorrow
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
24 Apr 2017
“My problem is that I have no problem. Yes, there are difficulties of one type or the other but I do not feel depressed or frustrated. I manage to overcome these difficulties. And that is why I do not feel any problem”. He smiled broadly. I felt puzzled but could not but agree with him. A little later when I was alone I wondered what he had said about not being burdened by any problems. I remembered a quotation of a person named Anthony Robbins who had said that every problem is a gift; without problems we would not grow.
→ read full articleBhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (14 Apr 1891 – 6 Dec 1956)
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
17 Apr 2017
B R Ambedkar had seen the oppression faced by the lower castes–the so called untouchables–first hand in his place of birth in Mhow. He was aware of the struggles of Phule to bring about social justice and liberation of the oppressed masses of Maharashtra and was inspired by his writings on the subject. Subsequently he wrote extensively about the injustice and discrimination faced by the lower castes whom he called Dalits.
→ read full articleEnjoying Education for Joy and Harmony
Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
10 Apr 2017
Gone are the days when formal education was meant only for the prosperous and elite sections of our society. Today its importance and relevance is realized by most people even if they themselves may not have studied beyond the school level. This is so because some of the objectives of higher education as listed below are understood and appreciated and is the principal motivation to study.
→ read full articleRole of Education in Preventing Violence and Promoting Peace and Welfare
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
3 Apr 2017
Governments and scholars now agree that education is a desirable objective in itself and is also the means for inculcating right attitudes and morality among people. It is also essential for the material development of society by reducing poverty and want. It helps to empower people especially the downtrodden ones.
→ read full articleSeeking Peace in Vegetarianism
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
20 Mar 2017
What to eat and what not to eat is a debate that generates controversy and occasionally ill will and has been going on for a very long time in many parts of the world. In particular the debate is between eating vegetarian food or non vegetarian food that includes meat, lamb, chicken, beef, fish, etc. The debate depends on several factors – religious, geographical, ideological and of course economic.
→ read full articleWomen’s Day and Local Events in India
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Mar 2017
The Women’s Day was celebrated on 8 March with the usual enthusiasm by wishing Good Wishes and sending endearing messages for the welfare and emancipation of women all over the world.
→ read full articleUnited Nations Declaration of Human Rights – Analysing Its Benefits and Shortcomings
Dr Ravi P Bhatia - TRANSCEND Media Service,
27 Feb 2017
The Committee met a few times and finally a Declaration was agreed to, encompassing the objectives of the Charter to restore peace and harmony and promote human rights. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights was finally approved without any dissensions on 10 December 1948.
→ read full articleA View from My Window — Observing Novelty, Peace and Harmony
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 Jan 2017
27 Jan 2017 – I live in a locality of Delhi that is teeming with life of all types. One can get a glimpse of this activity both by coming out on the street or even looking at the sights from my window. The activity never ceases.
→ read full articleRelevance of Gandhi’s Holistic Approach for a Just and Harmonious World
Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 Jan 2017
Gandhi who was killed in 1948 is relevant even today for his holistic approach in promoting a just economic and political system, skill based education and an environmentally friendly system for preserving nature and not over exploiting our earth. Talking of Gandhi, Albert Einstein said that future generations will hardly believe that such a man ever walked on this earth.
→ read full articleOpposing Discrimination, Oppression, Violence in the World: Inspiring Struggles for Equality, Justice and Liberty
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
9 Jan 2017
We see that the world has seen discrimination, injustice and oppression — social, economic, racial and caste based, of poor marginalised people all over the world. This has taken several forms – forced labour, slavery, apartheid, and untouchability. Equally there have been struggles against these abhorrent practices by brave, truthful and visionary persons.
→ read full articleDisparities around Us—Living Together in Peace and Harmony
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
19 Dec 2016
What is striking not only for foreigners but also for some observant local people in the so called developing countries including India is the disparity and inequity that is out in the open in major towns… Gandhi’s life and his message of living together, truth, nonviolence, and not over-exploiting nature are as relevant today as it was in his time. His message is important not only for the poor but also for the rich and the elites of our society.
→ read full articleWalking up a Tower — A Simple Conversation on God, Truth and Knowledge
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
12 Dec 2016
Four men had to go to their office on the 20th floor of a tall tower in a big city. When they reached the staircase they were disappointed to see that both the elevators were out of order. What to do?
→ read full articleStrangers as Friends — Keeping Loneliness at Bay
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Nov 2016
In today’s world what do we observe? Friendship is rare and occasionally we cannot even depend on the so called friends who may be putting on a facade of being your friend.
→ read full articleFathers and Sons – A Perspective of Life, Love and Harmony
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
14 Nov 2016
History is a strange amalgam of events and lives of people – important or ordinary. Among these lives the relationships of fathers and their sons form vibrant and humane accounts. The personalities may differ from generation to generation. But their stories recount interesting and unforgettable episodes of life, love, harmony and occasionally animosity.
→ read full articleDelhi – My Dilli
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
31 Oct 2016
Delhi is the capital of India but is also a beloved of many old people including myself who have been living here for decades. We call the city Dilli which has a reference to the word Dil (heart). Many books and accounts of this grand city have been written by historians, novelists and ordinary people. It has a long, tortuous history built, destroyed and rebuilt innumerable number of times by one invading kingdom or another.
→ read full articleReligious Goddesses and Conditions of Women Today in India
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
24 Oct 2016
Although I have focused on the situation of women in India today, in many parts of the world women are victims of prejudice, injustice and violence both physical and mental. What can be done to alleviate the situation? There is no easy answer. Let us remember that injustice and violence is taking many forms to which we must be sensitive and act against it sincerely.
→ read full articleFasting for Peace and Spirituality
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
26 Sep 2016
People fast for religious reasons — to attain spiritual strength and peace. They also fast as a means of protest against injustice or wrong policies of the government especially in India. Fasting as a political instrument or as a religious belief has been going on for centuries in the world. We must understand and sympathize with it and occasionally adopt it to cleanse our bodies.
→ read full articlePlaying Sudoku for Enjoyment and Peace
Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
19 Sep 2016
People have found different means of seeking peace and enjoyment—by listening to or playing music, by playing football, by reading a good novel, or by working for peace and conflict resolution. The sudokists find peace by solving these puzzles.
→ read full articleUnderstanding Conflicts through Differing Belief Systems
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
12 Sep 2016
Conflicts arise when differing approaches and belief systems come in contact. We must respect these differing perspectives of life and act judiciously and sympathetically towards them. Gandhi worked endlessly to build bridges between different communities and promote peace harmony and goodwill. The path followed by Gandhi is as relevant today as it was when he was alive.
→ read full articleSearching for Antiquities and Uncommon Beliefs
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
22 Aug 2016
Most of us have a desire to know who our grandparents or great grandparents were — how and where they lived and what they did. This feeling is accentuated if one has been forced to leave one’s ancestral home or village.
→ read full articleHandling Opposites for Peace and Justice
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 Jul 2016
16 Jul 2016 – Life is full of opposites: left and right, north and south, pleasure and pain, peace and violence and many other similar examples. It can be easily seen that some of these opposites such as south or north, or up and down are given and we cannot change them…. A tragic discourse in contemporary times is terrorism vs peace. Terrorism has taken a very ugly turn as can be seen by the latest event of a lone deranged man in Nice.
→ read full articleLife after Death—Reviving Vulnerable Languages
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Jul 2016
Like living beings, languages spoken by people also die and become extinct. There are thousands of languages and dialects in the world.
→ read full articleToronto’s High Park Zoo: A Place of Wonder and Joy
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 Jul 2016
A visit to this small zoological park in Toronto does not only give pleasure especially to children, but it is a fun filled learning experience where one has a sense of joy and wonder at the beauty of nature.
→ read full articlePromoting Peace, Nonviolence, Human Rights of the UN Charter–Role of Special Days and Weeks
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
27 Jun 2016
The UN charter, signed on 26 June 1945 in San Francisco, includes abolition of war and nuclear weapons, security of and friendship between nations, promoting peace, human rights, social progress, literacy and education among other aims. To commemorate these objectives the UN also celebrates some weeks and special days for this purpose.
→ read full articleConnecting with Clouds for Freedom and Joy
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Jun 2016
Clouds are our constant companions whether we realise it or not. Wherever we are under the open skies, we can see clouds of various shapes and forms. They form part of our myths, our cultures, our films and songs. They are a source of joy and freedom and objects of study of scientists.
→ read full articleCultivating Symbols for Peace and Harmony
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 May 2016
The world is full of symbols – religious, cultural, historical, archaeological, linguistic and nationalistic. Flags are a powerful symbol of a country… Let us remember and fortify our good symbols, let us avoid the pitfall of extreme negative, repressive and harmful symbolism that is becoming an inevitable part of modern life.
→ read full articleThoughts on Silence – on Buddha’s Anniversary
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
23 May 2016
Today, 21 May, is the anniversary on the full moon day of Lord Buddha’s birth. After he obtained enlightenment sitting beneath the bodhi tree, Buddha simply said, ‘Silence is the source of life’. In the words of Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese mystic and philosopher, ‘Silence is a source of great strength’. And according to Chinese philosopher Confucius, ‘Silence is a true friend who never betrays’.
→ read full articleCivil Society Movements for Promotion of Peace and Social Justice
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
16 May 2016
Today with acute problems of environmental pollution and climate change, many movements are taking place for the protection and sustenance of the environment. Before discussing environmental movements, it is useful to refer to some prominent political and social movements.
→ read full articleCall of the Forests – Seeking Joy and Peace
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
2 May 2016
Forests are symbols of life. If we did not have forests on the planet Earth it would be difficult to visualise what type of life could be present. But life as we know it would not exist. How is this so? The world celebrates Earth Day on 22nd April. It would be wonderful if we also started celebrating World Forest Day.
→ read full articleAnokhe Lal – A Simple Man of Peace and Kindness
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
18 Apr 2016
Anokhe Lal was a do-gooder — a man of simple tastes and limited money. The name was appropriate since the name meant a strange person, a man whom we see rarely in society. He lived in a small hut in a poor colony.
→ read full articleRomance of Names – Their Environmental and Religious Significance
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Apr 2016
What’s in a name? “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet”, Shakespeare had written in the play Romeo and Juliet.
→ read full articleYoga for Health, Peace and Amity
Dr. Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
4 Apr 2016
Yoga is an invaluable gift of India’s ancient tradition. It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfilment; harmony between human and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being…
→ read full articleReligious Festivals for Brotherhood, Joy and Peace
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Mar 2016
On 24 March, we celebrate the festival of Holi in North India by sprinkling coloured powder called gulal and coloured water on each other. Songs, dances and merrymaking mark this day.
→ read full articleSeeking Peace in a Healthy Environment
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
21 Mar 2016
Peace is multi dimensional entity that does not mean just the absence of conflict or violence; it signifies friendship, sharing, harmony, beauty and tranquillity. It signifies harmony with nature, enjoying and cherishing its diversity and beauty.
→ read full articleGandhi: A Symbol of Peace, Harmony and Joy
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
15 Feb 2016
Mahatma Gandhi was a man of peace both in his lifetime and death. 30th January is observed as Gandhi’s day of martyrdom since he was assassinated in New Delhi on this date in 1948 by a fanatic who felt that Gandhi was working against the Hindu faith.
→ read full articleDancing for Joy and Friendship
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
25 Jan 2016
Another element is depiction of violence and controlling it by dance. There is violence in all of us – sometimes it is muted and sometimes it comes out in the open. Some dance forms especially of Nagaland depict dancers carrying spears and sticks and making war like sounds to terrorise an enemy. The dance is riveting and it is a means of subsuming the violence that we occasionally feel for some unspecified opponent.
→ read full articleSchooling for Peace and Harmony
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
11 Jan 2016
The UN Charter of Human Rights passed in 1948 has recognised education as a fundamental right in Article 26 of the Charter that states, “Everyone has the right to education. It should be free at least to the elementary and foundational levels …” “Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.” — Edward Everett
→ read full articleMemories of Urvashi
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
28 Dec 2015
Urvashi is no longer alive physically but her memories and her supreme sacrifice continue to inspire and motivate many young persons. She is a symbol of encouragement and peace.
→ read full articleRationalism and Piety
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
14 Dec 2015
There are contrasting views about rationalism and empiricism. Indian Rationalist Association is as the name suggests an Indian institution that tries to expose the so-called godmen and other superstitions.
→ read full articleCleanliness and Sanitation
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
30 Nov 2015
India has a lot of poverty and environmental pollution. This is caused by several factors such as development activities of the government, production of electric power and not least by peoples’ attitude of polluting the atmosphere. It is also caused by lack of toilets in the homes of poor people which results in people defecating in the open.
→ read full articleLosing One’s Language
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
17 Aug 2015
It is estimated that there are about 6500 spoken languages today of which approximately 5000 will become extinct by the end of the 21st century.
→ read full articleSome Thoughts on Banning of Cow Slaughter in India
Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
13 Jul 2015
The Maharashtra government banned the slaughter of cows and bulls and selling and eating of beef. The ban also covers the transportation of these animals outside the state for slaughter. Why is a cow so useful and why is there so much controversy about this decision?
→ read full articleYes to Development, No to Environmental Degradation
Dr Ravi P Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service,
1 Jun 2015
The emphasis of India today is on economic growth and development. Mahatma Gandhi often said, “Nature produces enough for peoples’ needs but not for their greed; characteristic aspect of modern civilization is an indefinite multiplicity of wants”, etc. Thus, let us have development and create jobs but not at the expense of our environment and biodiversity.
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