"Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandir"

The Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandir is one of the old mandir in Karachi, if not all of Pakistan. The mandir is home to some of the most beautiful and detailed monuments of the hindu religion.

A few years ago, the mandir was on the verge of collapse, with its structure in utter disrepair, and the numbers of worshippers decreasing gradually. However, a team of dedicated worshippers decided to work on their own to restore the mandir to its previous glory. This team was known as the

‘Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandli’, and inspired the community to participate through ‘Mohala Chanda’ (monetary contributions) or by working on the renovation of the mandir.

As fate would have it, despite their earnest efforts, the mandir was still far from completed, and the Mandli was running out of money and volunteers. It was during these hard times that God rewarded their faith and hard work by proving that all religions are one and the same. A chance meeting with Iqbal bhai laid the foundation for what was to ensure a turnaround in the mandir’s reconstruction efforts.

Though muslim by faith, Iqbal bhai proved to us all that brotherhood has no religion. Based in London, he shared details of Karachi’s mandir amongst the hindu community there. It was through Iqbal bhai that the Mandli got in touch with Mr Sharma Mahraj and his family, which took on the responsibility of funding the renovation of Shir Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandir.

This open hearted gesture from well-wishers from so far away inspired both the mandli and the community to redouble their efforts to restore the mandir, and the grand opening ceremony was held on 29th August 2009 with Puja & Mela of Shri Rampir Utsav.

This Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandir will forever remain a testament to the strength of love, hard work, heart given charity and inter faith harmony. The Mandli must thank Mr Sharma Mahraj and family, Iqbal bhai and every man, woman and child who worked day & night for the mandir.

You can find more information on Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandir and further renovation projects on www.shriramdevshivsantoshmandir.blogspot.com

You also write me about this blog & also send any new information about Hindu Dharma at shriramdevshivsantoshmandli@gmail.com

"SANATAN DHARMA / HINDUSIAM"

SANATAN DHARMA is "A Way Of Life". There is no founder of सनातन धर्मं। The word "Hindu" is derived from the name of river Indus, which flows through northern India. In ancient times the river was called the 'Sindhu', but the Persians who migrated to India called the river 'Hindu', the land 'Hindustan' and its inhabitants 'Hindus'. Thus the religion followed by the Hindus came to be known as 'Hinduism'. The seeds of Hinduism was brought to India by the Aryans who settled along the banks of the Indus river about 5000 B. C. The Aryans first worshipped the forces of nature e.g., Surya, the Sun; Vayu, the Wind; Agni, the Fire.

Hindus pray to and worship different gods and goddesses or deities. The most fundamental of Hindu deities, is the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - Creator, Preserver and Destroyer respectively. They celebrate the festivals and perform "Pujas" or ceremonies and rituals to the particular god or deity. Hindus have many beliefs and practices that have been handed down by word of mouth and daily practice. Many of these deities are housed within ornate temples of unparalleled beauty and grandeur.


What is Hinduism's Holy book?

The most ancient sacred texts of the Hindu religion are written in Sanskrit and called the Vedas.
Hinduism does not just have one sacred book but several scriptures. The Vedas scriptures guide Hindus in their daily life. They also help to preserve the religious dimensions of family and society. Hindus have developed their system of worship and beliefs from the scriptures.

There are two main categories of the Hindu scriptures:

1) Shruti ("that which is heard") consists of the four Vedas and Upanishads scriptures.
2) Smriti ("that which is remembered") composed of traditional texts, including the Dharma Shastras (legal and ethical texts), the Puranas, and the folk/historical legends known as the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The Hindu Holy Scriptures are mainly comprised of the following works written in the Sanskrit language:
1. The (रिग्वेदा)Veda, यजुर-Veda, समां-Veda, अथर्व-Veda.
2. The Upanisads - These consider the nature of the individual soul (Atman) and the universal soul (Brahman.) One of the Upanishads contains the earliest reference to the reincarnation of the soul in different bodies (transmigration) of the soul.
3. The Smrutis - (‘tradition) are the Laws of Manu (250 BC)
4. Ramayana - Contains the story of Rama and his devoted wife Sita. She is kidnapped by the demon king Ravana but is later freed by Rama with the help of the monkey god Hanuman. The poem is about how good will always triumph over evil and Rama and Sita are held up as role models for the perfect husband and wife.
5. Mahabharata - An epic poem telling the story of a war between two branches of a family. The Bhagavad-Gita forms part of this and means "The Song of God."
6. The Puranas - A collection of ancient tales about the different incarnations and the lives of saints.



What are the Vedas?

The वेदस are the oldest religious texts in Hinduism. The word Veda means knowledge. It is believed that the Vedas were orally revealed by Brahma to certain sages, who heard them and passed them down in an oral tradition. They were not written down; in fact this was prohibited. Because of this earliest oral tradition continuing even now when the Vedas are available in the written form, the Vedas are still known to be Sruti or shruti - ' that which is heard '.
The Vedas are mainly comprised of hymns or mantras written in the Sanskrit language. They cover various subjects, from nature to everyday life and behaviour, and form the basis of all other religious writings. The books are so special that they are often kept in glass cases.

The four Vedas are:
Rg-Veda (Rigveda) - The oldest and holiest Veda.
Yajur-Veda
Sama-Veda
Atharva-Veda

Each Veda is divided into four sections:
The Samhitas - The oldest portion - Contains the mantras and hymns The Brahmanas - The ritualistic teachings - They are written in prose and explain the hymns. The Aranyakas - The meditational section
The Upanishads - The mystic and philosophical. They consider the nature of the individual soul (Atman) and the universal soul (Brahman.) One of the Upanishads contains the earliest reference to the reincarnation of the soul in different bodies (transmigration) of the soul.
The Vedas are the law. Most beliefs, concepts, and ceremonies are based on information contained in the Vedas.

"Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandli"

Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandli, hereafter referred to as S.R.S.S.M, is a society of young people with diverse cultural backgrounds sharing a common belief in Hindu culture. This society is for every Hindu you can join us easily, there is no caste system in this society & there is no age limit either, everyone has the equal rights. We hold a wide range of events throughout the year from our popular Diwali to the fun of Holi.

This Society presents preservation and promotion of Hindu philosophy, values, traditions and practices help present and future generations of Hindus experience and sustain a rich cultural and religious heritage. Through Hindu concepts, the Society aspires to create healthy minds; purposeful, progressive individuals; and happy, stable family units and promote friendship among members. This, in turn, contributes to the wholesomeness of the community and of the adopted nation, while maintaining spiritual and cultural identity.

"Our Vision"

1. Promote religious, cultural, educational and social activities which are consistent with Hindu philosophy and practices.

2. Provide opportunities for members to develop leadership skills, confidence, and positive self image.

3. Promote good citizenship among members and their family by instilling Hindu values in them and creating an awareness of the relevance of these values in contemporary society.

4. Generate understanding and respect for other religious and ethnic groups within the area.

"The Main Objectives of S.R.S.S.M are

(1) To promote religious cultural, educational and social activities which are consistent with Hindu philosophy and practice.

(2) Kirtan or Prayer meetings based upon Hindu philosophy at regular intervals to fulfill the religious and cultural needs of the Hindu community.

(3) Classes and discourses for members where they can learn about Hindi Language & Hindu Culture.


(4) To promote interaction and unity and enhance identity among members.

(5) To provide opportunities for members to develop leadership skills, confidence, and positive self image.

(6) To promote good citizenship among members by instilling Hindu values in them and creating an awareness of the relevancy of these values in modern society.

(7) To develop among members an appreciation for and an under-standing of rich and diverse cultures within the community.

(8) To generate understanding of Hindu philosophy and culture among other religious and ethnic groups within the area.

(9) To generate understanding and respect for other religious and ethnic groups within the area.

(10) To serve the community at large by participating in humanitarian activities.

(11) To work towards fulfilling total cultural needs of the community by expanding current facilities.

(12) We teach Hindi Language Classes & Sangeet Classes to the students.




(13) We teach Samskritam since it is the Deva Bhaasha (language of God). Srimad Bhaghawatam, Bhaghawad Gita and we chant daily slokas that all in Samskritam. It will be easy to chant various Slokas in Samskritam if we learn this Deva Bhaasha!


(14) We do everyday two times pooja early moring at 6:00 am & 7:00 pm in the evening with our families.

NOTE: On every Monday we do big pooja of Shiv Bagwan at 07:00 pm in the evening people come all over the city. We chant Shiv Mantras & Sholkas with our families.

%%Shri Ramdev Shiv Santosh Mandli cordially invites you along with your family & friends to visit in this beautyful temple on every Dharmic occasions.%%

"Gita Quote"

"Seek to perform your duty; but lay not claim to its fruits. Be you not the producer of the fruits of Karma. Neith shall you lean towards inaction."
Lord Krishna, Bhagavat Gita: Ch.II, verse 47

http://gita-blog.blogspot.com/