Shivakumara Swamiji: A sea of humanity that he was…
A country like India can never be devoid of swamijis and mutts almost at every nook and corner of the cities and villages. We even see some fake swamijis being exposed increasingly too. Known as godmen at some point of time, most of them are spending their days inside the jails for their crimes. Hindu dharma that had saints and social reformers like Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Narayana Guru etc is being humiliated to the core by fake swamijis.
Many swamijis are in news owing to gruesome crimes too. Despite this, being a swamiji is a matter of benefit for many. They can earn crores in the name of service to humanity and open medical/engineering and other colleges from their mutts. They can be involved in real estate deals without being anxious about being caught some day. Any politician would pour massive amount of black money should someone turn into a swamiji and a thus a safe haven for many misdeeds. Because the IT officers don’t even touch spiritual gurus. A senior Indian politician hence remarked one that “Black money in India is more in mutts than in swiss banks”.
But there are some swamijis who are an exception to such misdeeds. Their humongous service, sacrifice and values are what make them ideal role models to the world. They show how a swamiji or a saint should actually be, to the country, the nation and to the world. One such gem of a saint has silently passed away. Dr Shivakumara Swamiji of Siddaganga Mutt who lived to be an excellent example of silent social reformers who never delivered speeches or discourses and involved himself in only serving the humankind has breathed his last. Vachanakaras says the quality of a Sharana is seen in his farewell from the world applies very well to Siddaganga Swamiji. The response of the society to the death of Swamiji who lived a full life of 111 years and passed away says volumes about the life he led and the affection people had about him. This response to a death in the recent times is a very rare one, with Swamiji being the only exception. Normally those who mourn departed swamijis would be people from that community itself. But the demise of Siddaganga Swamiji has a sea of tears flowing from across all communities.
Swamiji was among those rare saints who followed 12th century social reformer Basavanna’s ‘work is worship’ and service by feeding the hungry – kaayakave kailaasa and daasoha. Through his life, Swamiji showed us the way a real Lingayata should live. Today a lot of Swamijis are aligning with political parties. Hardly any swamiji stays away from proximity to power circles. Someone like Pejawar Shree indulges in politics all in the open. Swamijis from every community have chosen their particular favourite political party. Many politicians are nurturing many mutts, swamijis and hence it is appropriate to conclude mutts are moneybags and political spaces that generate votes.
But Shivakumara Swamiji never identified with any political party while every politician wanted to be seen with the swamiji. He never used service as a mode to make money. He literally begged to bring contributions to feed his disciples in the mutt. All mutts have engineering and medical colleges. If Shivakumara Swamiji wished to, he could have got scores of such professional colleges for his mutt and minted money. But he wasn’t greedy. He was focused on setting up more primacy schools. He accommodated scores of children in those institution and served them food and education, totally free of cost. He did not allow casteism to enter into his mutt in any form. When someone made girl students stand out in the name of taboo associated with menstrual cycle, this swamiji told them it was a natural process and they must not be ashamed about whatever god had given them in the body. He asked them to sit in the same row as the others and served them food.
Siddaganga Swamiji did not build castles in the air with speech like the others. He always walked with a hunch and showed that those who bend, can grow beyond Bahubali in stature. People called him ‘moving god’ and are in a hurry to turn him into some sort of a miracle man. This happened with Mother Teresa too. Mother Teresa showed god need not come from the heaven to serve the needy, poor and the sick. She served them with her own hands. How would her service be any great if she was the form of some god? The greatness of Teresa is that she was human, yet she served everyone like she was serving god. This is the big possibility people have to see and understand. Shivakumara Swamiji has shown how a man can be a sea of humanity with his focus and service. Let us retain him as a human being who lived a noble life, instead of turning him into god and making him an impossible goal. Personalities like Mother Teresa and Shivakumara Swamiji should remain humans amongst us who turned divine with their deeds.
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Rohit identifies Arshdeep, Hardik as key to India's chances in T20 World Cup
New Delhi (PTI): T20 World Cup-winning captain Rohit Sharma reckons all-rounder Hardik Pandya and left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh will hold the key to India's prospects in the upcoming edition of the tournament.
Defending champions India will enter the T20 showpiece as one of the overwhelming favourites due to their massive depth and quality.
Rohit highlighted Arshdeep's effectiveness with the new ball and at the death.
"It is a big positive to have both Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh together because they always attack for wickets. Arshdeep's biggest strength is swinging the new ball and taking early wickets. He mainly bowls with the new ball and at the death. Starting and finishing are the most important phases, and he is strong in both," Rohit told JioHotstar.
"With the new ball, he swings it to get left-handers caught in the slips and targets the pads of right-handers. He has also started taking the ball away from right-handers. These skills are key for a new-ball bowler. He always tries to take wickets, which is why he bowls the first over."
Rohit added, "In the 2024 T20 World Cup final against South Africa, he did a great job. I still remember he dismissed Quinton de Kock when he was set and batting well. In the 19th over, he gave away just two or three runs, which built pressure on the South Africans.
"That is his game, bowling with the new ball and at the death, and he will play a key role for India in the 2026 T20 World Cup."
India won the last edition of the tournament in the Americas under Rohit's captaincy, after which the dashing opener retired from the T20 format internationally.
Rohit also spoke about how Hardik's dual role as a finisher and multi-phase bowler provides crucial balance to the Indian team.
"Whenever Hardik Pandya is in the team, his role is huge. He bats and bowls very consistently. His batting is crucial when the team is stuck. If we have a score of 160 on the board in 15-16 overs and Hardik is batting, then he's the one who can help the team reach 210-220 from there or if we are 50 for 4, he has to build the innings.
"Batting in the middle order at 5, 6, or 7 is very tough. That is why Hardik's role is critical in any format. We know his bowling. He bowls in key phases, with the new ball, in the middle and in the death as well. His role is very important because he gives the team balance, letting us play six bowlers and keep our batting deep."
Rohit said accommodating both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy together in the playing XI is going to be a big challenge for the Indian team management.
"The biggest challenge for captain Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir will be how to play both Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakaravarthy together. If you want that combination, you can only do it if you play with two seamers, which is a big challenge.
"But honestly, I would be tempted to play both Varun and Kuldeep because they are wicket-takers and batters struggle to read them. I would surely pick them."
The former India skipper added, "Looking at the conditions in India, like in this New Zealand series, there is a lot of dew. In February and March, dew will be heavy across most parts as winter ends.
"Even in Mumbai, which doesn't get cold, there's still dew. I'd say 90-95 percent of grounds in India have dew. That's the challenge. What do the coach and captain think? Are they comfortable with three spinners? Then they can play spin, but there's no fixed rule. It depends on the team leaders' thinking."
Rohit also urged Kuldeep to stop appealing on every ball and to rely on the wicketkeeper's judgment for reviews.
"My one simple advice to Kuldeep is to just bowl quietly and go back to his mark. You can't appeal on every ball. This is basic. I keep saying it, but it still happens often. Even after telling him many times, he appeals at every chance. You have to use your head. Just because it touches the pad, it doesn't mean it's out every time. This isn't gully cricket.
"I get he is enthusiastic, but think of the team first. Each team only gets two DRS reviews. If I was the keeper, I could see where the ball pitched and if it was hitting, I could tell the bowler.
"But from covers or slip, you don't know the angle. You have to listen to what the keeper and bowler say. That's why when there's a review off Kuldeep's bowling, I don't look at him, I look at the keeper to decide."
The T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in venues across India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8.
