1.An example on Integration to the local culture and practises:

http://www.hindu.com/2006/12/08/stories/2006120801460200.htm

A Jesuit who indigenised Christianity in novel way

S. Annamalai

400th anniversary of Robert de Nobili's arrival today


MADURAI: \"A man who could quote from Manu, from the Puranas, nay from the works such as the Apasthamba Sutras, which are known even at present only to those few scholars who can read Sanskrit manuscripts, must have been far advanced in the knowledge of the sacred language and the literature of the Brahmins.\"

This is what Max Muller, German Indologist, had to say about the Christian missionary who landed in Madurai in November 1606. In fact, he was known better as `Iyer.' His saffron robe, sandal paste marks, `kamandalam,' `kudumi' and the sacred thread marked the indigenisation of an alien religion. He operated as a `saint' from an `ashram' and offered `pujas.' At the end of the `pujas,' De Nobili distributed `prasadam.' Robert de Nobili, who is known more for his Tamil writings in Madurai, was born in September 1577 at Montepulciano, Tuscany. He joined the Society of Jesus in 1597 and was assigned to the Indian mission in 1604. After a brief stint in Goa and Cochin, he was sent to Madurai in 1606 to spread the gospel.

He came to realise that the inherent hatred for `Parangi' (white skinned person) among the natives was an impediment to the spread of Christianity.

He was quick to adapt his religious practices to the milieu to make the natives feel comfortable.

De Nobili is credited with introducing Tamil equivalents for names and rituals and he practised vegetarianism. His `Iyer' attire earned the wrath of his colleagues and those outside the church. But, after a series of enquiries, approval for his method of propagating religion came from the Vatican in 1623.

Mastery in Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu


He mastered Sanskrit, Tamil and Telugu to converse with the locals in their language.

The `Thathuva Bodhagar' was a pioneer in Tamil prose. Even after old age and fading vision forced him to vacate to Mylapore, where he died in 1656, Robert de Nobili did not give up writing.

His success as a missionary was that the Christian population swelled from around 30,000 in 1656 to over two lakh in 1706.

The 400th anniversary of De Nobili's arrival is being celebrated at St. Mary's Higher Secondary School on Friday.


2.Aishwarya Rai is getting married to a plantain tree first before her marriage to Abhishek Bhachan on the advice of an astrologer from Bangalore. Her wedding dress has been designed and it is estimated price is Rs.37 Lakhs. The marriage is set between January 14th and February 24th 2007. She is two years older than Abhishek.

Man can land on the moon and you can get all the education you want from Harvard/MIT/Caltech but when it comes to practises we are still 2000 years behind.

http://www.kumudam.com/magazine/Kumudam/2006-12-13/pg4.php

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Speech by Thomas Friedman of The New York Times....

"When we were young kids growing up in America, we were told to eat our
vegetables at dinner and not leave them. Mothers said, 'think of the
starving children in India and finish the dinner.' And now I tell my
children: 'Finish your maths homework. Think of the children in India
who would make you starve, if you don't.'"

Please see

http://www.canadiandesi.com/read.php?TID=15817&page=1#91177

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Quote:

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Originally posted by shankaracharya
Man can land on the moon and you can get all the education you want from Harvard/MIT/Caltech but when it comes to practises we are still 2000 years behind.

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Non illigitamus carborundum