Watch here for an exclusive interview where David Frawley provides insightful commentary on the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple. What he thinks of the Ram Mandir. Discover a distinct worldwide viewpoint as we examine the importance of this momentous occasion.
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#RamTempleConsecration #LIVEUpdates #RamMandirLive #RamMandirInaugurationLive #RamMandirInauguration #RamTemple #KanKanMeRam #OneindiaNews
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Hello and welcome. You are watching One India with me, Pankaj Mishra. Today it's our honor to
00:05 be joined by an eminent personality who needs no introduction, both in India and globally,
00:12 Dr. David Frawley. And with the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya and the consecration
00:19 ceremony due in just a bit, Dr. Frawley, thank you so much for speaking with us and sharing
00:26 your views here on One India. Thank you. It is my great honor to be with you and I welcome
00:33 our discussion. Lovely. Dr. Frawley, first things first, construction of Ram Temple,
00:41 something that is not just being celebrated in India, but also as I have gathered from my family
00:48 and friends who live abroad too, is something which is appearing to be much anticipated. How
00:56 do you see this, the relevance of it, both at the Indian level and at the global front as well?
01:02 Well, of course, at the Indian level, this is a very major event, culturally, spiritually,
01:11 even had had some political ramifications. But it's essentially a new view of India relative to
01:19 its ancient traditions, like the Ram worship, moving into the 21st century, and awakening a
01:27 great new inspiration and celebration throughout the country. And globally, there is a seeing of
01:36 that, you know, the yoga traditions brought Ram to the world already. We have a Hanuman Temple within
01:42 an hour of our particular house. And then there's also the idea because people in the West aren't
01:51 building temples. In fact, the big temples in the world are being built by the Hindus. They just
01:56 built the largest one in the United States in New Jersey, largest monument. So this view of a
02:03 temple worship, spirituality, yoga as the essence of life, not just technology and material pursuit.
02:13 Absolutely. And of the deity, obviously, who would be adorning the temple and his veneration,
02:21 Lord Ram, something that has always been there and a lot of aspects that, you know,
02:28 comes associated with Lord Ram is about how to go about your life, how to behave, how to, you know,
02:36 be with others, every aspect of that. How relevant do you believe the values of Lord Ram would be
02:43 for a peaceful coexistence that India to Bharat to stands for?
02:49 Well, Ram is, of course, the avatar of Dharma. He represents higher values. He represents
02:59 service, self sacrifice, helping others, even if it requires giving up your own kingdom. So
03:07 it is a selfless image that is of value to everyone. And he on all living beings. And he
03:16 also tried to help everyone out. That may involve it sometimes having to deal with removing negative
03:23 forces. But it's also about embracing and promoting a deeper inspiration of unity,
03:32 consciousness, oneself and all as the Vedas teach.
03:37 Absolutely. Dr. Foley, you're right when it comes to Ram, the teachings and something that
03:46 everyone, each one of us can imbibe. I can see you, you are in Santa Fe, if I'm not wrong,
03:52 in New Mexico, in the United States, and I see the idols of gods and goddesses there in the
03:59 background, your association with Indian culture, if you can, if you can share with us and also
04:07 the relevance of Ram for those who live outside India, how it has been a connecting thread,
04:15 if at all?
04:17 Yes. Well, I've been involved with the Vedic teachings, studying with yoga gurus,
04:22 all the way since my teenage years, which was a little while ago. And I also traveled to India
04:29 and met many of the gurus. I had learned Sanskrit, travel the country, learn the teachings.
04:36 And then I found myself in an interesting situation. Because as someone from the West,
04:42 who had gone to the East, as it were, I was also being asked in India to explain these teachings
04:48 to the people in India, because many of them understood an English idiom better than the
04:54 traditional idiom. So I became a bridge going back way between East and West.
04:59 And the different branches, yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda, etc. Now, we must remember has always
05:08 been a worldwide inspiration, or at least throughout Asia. We see temples, the names of Ram
05:16 from Indonesia, through all of Southeast Asia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, even the Japanese did an
05:24 animated film of Sri Ram recently, and have a number of Hindu deities and their culture.
05:31 And then it represents our ancient spiritual heritage. You know, beings just didn't begin
05:39 the last few centuries of technology. We look our wisdom actually from our most ancient books,
05:46 not from our most modern books. And we also look to a lot of our art to the ancients and to music,
05:54 dance, like in Indian classical traditions, culture, temples, even the pyramids of Egypt,
06:01 you know, Sri Ram is of that era. Right. Nicholas to say you're right,
06:06 Southeast Asia, and talk about Africa towards, you know, even the Gulf countries, the concept
06:15 of Ram and the presence and the belief, it definitely surpasses all the boundaries.
06:21 You know, coming back to the modernity versus the ancient traditions or beliefs,
06:28 you are in United States, one of the most developed countries on the face of the earth.
06:35 Many a times we have seen, and we talk about it as Western influence on Indian culture,
06:42 Indian kids for that matter, parents, like me, at times are more inclined towards teaching our kids
06:50 the English as a language, rather than focusing on what, you know, our traditions and cultures say.
06:57 Do you believe that this conflict, if I may use this word here, would find some sort of closure
07:04 with the arrival or with the concept of Ram in the days and years to come?
07:09 Well, certainly today, globally, we are also having this new technology. And the children
07:17 are being guided by cell phones. And they're often more involved with computers and cell phones than
07:25 nature, and even play. Now, Sri Ram also represents a much deeper influence in the past, and also
07:36 the upcoming future. Because we need to go back to our spiritual roots in humanity,
07:43 and on nature and ecology. It's a great ecological story, we could say. And it's one that causes us
07:53 to look to a different future. Because such a wonderful story that can inspire everyone,
07:58 not just to screens, we have the entire universe within us. All of nature is part of us,
08:07 we can find much more beauty and wonder, exploring nature and spirituality. Technology is important,
08:14 but it is not the ultimate goal of life. It is a tool for a higher consciousness. And that higher
08:21 consciousness is being taught to us by texts like Ramayana.
08:26 Absolutely. And Dr. Frohli, you know, when we talk about, say, higher consciousness,
08:34 this is something that comes from within also. And it is very much incumbent on us how we view
08:40 and accept a particular notion or a thought. Do you believe from both, again, I would say,
08:46 since you have the, you know, the luxury, if I may say so, to look at something ingrained to
08:55 the Indian culture, both from a foreign point of view and from the India's point of view,
09:02 the concept of Ram or the belief associated with it, there has been a debate also going on
09:08 in the country as of now that the assertion of the Ram temple, do you believe that somewhere
09:16 it is also being seen as assertion of Hinduism or Hindutva?
09:23 Well, certainly, we must remember, the yogya is a long term spiritual community. The temples go
09:34 back way before, back into ancient times, and a yogi has remained a temple city all these particular
09:43 years, even after the Ram Landir was taken down. So obviously, it is a matter of pride in India's
09:51 culture. And in its majority culture, being the Hindu, of course, that takes a great pride.
09:57 But Ram was also honored by the Buddhist, the Jain, the Sikhs, and many others, almost of all
10:05 religions, you might say. So we must remember that Ram is a universal figure, dharma is a universal
10:13 fact. But it should be a point of pride for India as a nation, that its civilization is coming up,
10:21 and that it is having a revival inside of India, but also an influence outside of India,
10:28 because as we say, the story of the Ramayana is gone global.
10:31 Right. Now, Dr. Prawley, you know, as diverse as the culture that India is, on one hand, we have
10:41 Ramayana talks about dharma. On other, we have Mahabharata, which talks about karma. And Lord
10:49 Krishna, you know, speaking to Arjuna in the battlefield and telling him, "Karma karo, phal
10:57 ki chinta na karo", don't worry about the result, you just do your work, your duty. In that regard,
11:02 for India, which finds itself at the crossroads of development of
11:08 tradition and culture, which needs to go hand in hand, what message do you believe that India
11:17 conveys as of now on the global platform, when it comes to the realities of a war might be going on
11:25 between a Russia or a Ukraine or in Israel or Gaza? How do you see it? And what message,
11:32 from your point of view, do you foresee for the world?
11:36 Well, first of all, India represents one sixth of humanity. So it's not just one country.
11:45 It's all, there's greater diversity inside of India than in Europe, North America. And Europe
11:53 has never been united. That's why we have another European war. But India is united today. And of
12:00 course, there are conflicts and differences and various opinions. But it is a country that's
12:06 growing, developing and flourishing. And it says the entire world is one family, the universe,
12:12 not just human beings, but all beings. So India has a role. And India has generally been a
12:19 peacemaker. It's not gone into one camp or another. India supports a multipolar world,
12:26 which means we honor all people, all countries, all traditions and give them their space.
12:33 Democracy doesn't mean uniformity for everyone. It means a space for individual, cultural,
12:40 and spiritual artistic differences and traditions to grow. So that great diversity is coming out of
12:47 India and the world needs to know how to recognize and share it in celebrations, not just in debates.
12:54 Well, indeed. Thank you so much, Dr. Foley for speaking to us and also
12:59 letting our viewers know, understand a perspective, which is very rare, I would say,
13:07 to look at India from a completely different culture and also a country which is
13:13 miles, miles, miles away from India. Dr. David Foley there joining us from Santa Fe.
13:20 One quick question, Dr. Foley, which I would like to know, you know, there are many authors who have
13:26 come to India, they have written a lot about India. If we have to find Dr. Foley in India,
13:32 when you are here, which is the place most likely will find you?
13:36 Well, I'm coming to India shortly. But I'm my main programs in the south.
13:42 Kanyakumari with the Vivekananda Kendra around the Sri Aurobindo ashram and other places in the
13:50 south, but I always come in and out of Delhi. So in and out of Delhi, I usually meet with various
13:56 groups in Delhi, and also various media things going on. And so in some other media groups as
14:04 well, and books are there. You can always join us there. And we website etc, we put up where our
14:13 programs will be. But a lot of our work in India is sadhana. It's not all public, but some of it is.
14:20 Right. We look forward to speak to you and to meet you also in person in the days to come. Dr.
14:27 Foley, thank you so much for speaking with One India. Thank you. Thank you. Adi Om Jai Shri Ram.
14:33 Adi Om Sir.