Thursday, 27 June 2019

‘World needs India’ - Long and intense research leaves Liesbeth Pankaja Bennink sure that this is the only land, where Dharma consciousness prevails



Long and intense research leaves Liesbeth Pankaja Bennink sure that this is the only land, where Dharma consciousness prevails

Your parents sowed the seeds of spiritual interest in you, your mother taught you Dharma, you have said. Can you expand on that?

My mother was a theosophist, although I was too young to realise it. Righteousness — doing the right things and in the right way — and honesty were the two things she insisted on. My father was a seeker. He would be engaged in conversations with Raja Deekshitar, whenever he visited the Netherlands. Both parents were spiritually inclined and I must have imbibed it.

Why India?

I love ancient civilisations. And I’m curious. Yes, it could have been any place — Greece, Africa... Bharatanatyam brought me here and well, the rest, as they say, is history. I love the food, the spicy flavours of the South and the sweets... and of course the warm weather. But that is at the superficial level. What binds me to this land is its heritage, the tradition.

What, according to you is the essence of Indian tradition/culture?

Dharma — that would be the essence of the culture of this land. The consciousness about the right and the wrong. And taking responsibility for the actions — Karma. I agree that there is corruption and malpractice but people are aware of it. It is awareness of Dharma and Karma, which enables us to realise the wrong and the right. Our wrong choices have led to climate change and political upheavals. But course-correction is possible, provided we take the responsibility. This is the best gift India has for humanity and it is for this reason that the rest of the world needs India. In the Gita, Lord Krishna speaks of the dark Kali Yuga and we are already in it. Also this is the land of the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, which have so much to teach. It is here that people are living the principle of Dharma.

What are the temples you have visited, apart from Chidambaram?

I have visited several temples, names of which I cannot easily recall... My guru Rajamani took me to Tirupati, where we participated in rituals. It was a beautiful experience. And Narthamalai...

You are convinced that the beliefs as practised in India are not superstitions. Please explain

This is the land of Sanatana Dharma — it is a way of life. It lays down do’s and don’ts and emphasises on purity — everything to elevate a human being at the spiritual level. To teach people, impart knowledge about so many things — astronomy, astrology, biology and so on. I would say that Man primarily is an Intellectual being and secondarily a Material being. It is the material that creates Maya and distracts him and it is to raise above that, a discipline was put in place. It is connected to the Universe, a kind of code. Failure to understand the code leads to doubts. For instance, Saturday is not the preferred day to buy new clothes. The reason is that the day belongs to Saturn and it would be appropriate to purchase metals instead on that day.

And we have lost a lot in the past few years?

The invasion and occupation of foreigners have robbed the country of its amazing wealth, not only material but intellectual. Knowledge. Sadly most of it has been lost for ever. The people of this land were made to believe that they were inferior to the West. Gradually, the people succumbed and started doubting themselves. It was all a part of an agenda to destroy India and its glory. The brain drain, which has happened in the past three decades, has taken away precious talent. Inside temples, I find the original granite replaced with marble, which takes away the Energy and those harsh tubelights. With the abolition of the Devadasi system, an inherent part of temple heritage has been wiped out. Wootz steel has completely disappeared from the Tamil land, although attempts are being made to revive it. Prof. Sharada Srinivasan has been conferred Padma Shri for her efforts in this direction.

Certain things can only be felt and not explained. Do you agree?

Well, what first is a feeling or intuition gets a shape if you search for the science behind it. Words and images do emerge. From the Unknown to the Known. But yes, some concepts, say Upanishadic or Advaitic can only be realised and not described. There could be things, which are beyond the human level of expression. Quite possible.

How difficult or easy has been your research? In India, information generally is tough to access and documentation not really meticulous. Often riddled with suspicion and scepticism. Especially when the seeker is not an Indian.

No, it was not easy at all. First, the topic of my research was not just history or philosophy, per se. It dated back centuries and often the information was not direct. It had to be decoded and this required help. Especially way back when Internet was not known and communication was not advanced. It was difficult to access texts and books. Raja Deekshitar showed me the way and his family was wonderful.

You are sure Aryan invasion never happened. Can you explain?

Well, as a young student, even I subscribed to the theory that light-skinned people crossed the mountains to overthrow the natives and occupy their spaces. But that was before I came to India, met Raja Deekshitar and learnt about the way the Rishis lived, the Vedas and so on. There was a huge gap between the India I read in text books and what I saw and learnt from guru Rajamani and Deekshitar. I read books debunking that theory. Thirty years of research has taught me that Sanatana Dharma was a way of life on this land thousands of years ago, when people lived with Nature and had mastered the movements of planets. They belonged here.

History, Spiritualism, Art — you straddle all spheres. Are they exclusive or complement each other in your research?

There are no contradictions here. Specialising in one aspect is a Western concept, which doesn’t work. Things are interconnected. One leads to another. Ayurveda, Yoga, dance, Sanskrit, art, astronomy, astrology, metaphysics... they are all linked, holistic. Like the Cosmos. Like a temple. The outer prakara leads to the inner corridors and deeper the niches and still deeper the sanctum or the centre. The Chit Sabha of Chidambaram. Like Indra’s Net, the multifaceted jewel, where each face reflects the others infinitely.

Have you been to the North of India?

I have not seen the North. So can’t talk about it.

How do you keep in touch with Bharatanatyam?

Through practice. At least to keep myself flexible. I meet some of my friends in the field. And I read books. I would mention Unfinished Gestures of Devesh Soneji as one of the brilliant works on the subject in recent times.


Courtesy: Ms. Geetha Venkataramanan (geetha.v@thehindu.co.in)  - The Hindu – Friday Review dated 15th February 2019

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