CPEC- loving Pakistan needs to learn from Beijing’s recent treatment of Muslims. NEW DELHI: China is walking an extra mile to operationalise China- Pakistan Economic Corridor under the One Belt One Road (OBOR) project but Beijing's recent treatment of Muslims in Xinjiang region has lessons for Islamabad, which is relying heavily on the corridor to change its economic fortunes. In a latest move, the Chinese authorities have banned the use of names such as Muhammad, Haji, Islam and Imam for babies in Xinjiang. Names that start with 'Turk' — such as Turkizat and Turkinaz — have also been banned. The Chinese authorities claim that this move will curtail 'religious fervour'. The new law also prevents people from rejecting 'radio, television or other public facilities and services', marrying in accordance with religious rather than legal procedures, and using the 'halal' principle to interfere with the 'secular life of others', according to people familiar with Beijing's latest moves to dictate lifestyle of the Muslim community. Last year, the Chinese authorities had imposed a ban on 'abnormal' beards and full- face and body coverings for the Muslims. The new code also comes after the appointment of Chen Quanguo as the chief of the Xinjiang unit of the Communist Party of China. Chen had earlier quelled protests in Tibet. Beijing's tough measures in Xinjiang include neighbourhood 'grid' reporting systems, widespread checkpoints and searches, extensive electronic surveillance, confiscation of passports and compulsory political education courses for Uyghurs who visited abroad. The legislation codifies security policies that have been applied patchily throughout the region in recent years as part of government efforts to combat religious extremism. It also forms part of a response to a series of deadly attacks in Xinjiang and in other parts of China. Since 2. 01. 1, China has spent more per annum on domestic security than on external defence. The cost of China's domestic security policies — once euphemistically known as 'stability maintenance' but increasingly described as 'national security' — is likely to escalate in the future. Many of these costs will be difficult to measure in monetary terms," Ben Hillman, senior lecturer at the Crawford School of Public Policy of the Australian National University, pointed out in a recent paper titled 'China's dangerous ethnic policies in Xinjiang'. The increasingly draconian security policies adopted in Tibet and Xinjiang target entire populations and have become sources of deep resentment," Hillman explains in his paper. They create the perception that Uyghurs and Tibetans are second- class citizens in China, and that the Chinese Communist Party does not value or respect local cultures despite the existence of formal laws that purport to safeguard minority rights.. Han Chinese ways," according to Hillman. However, China's policies toward Uyghurs and its 2. BibMe Free Bibliography & Citation Maker - MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard.The plight of Muslims in Xinjiang has been under scanner for quite a while. Recently, China even banned names like Muhammad, Haji, Islam and Imam. Muslim community might draw ire of its Muslim majority neighbours in Central Asia, key to Beijing's OBOR initiative, according to China watchers. Uyghurs were allegedly involved in an attack on the Chinese embassy in Kyrgyzstan in 2. Thai police allege that Uyghurs carried out a bombing in Bangkok in 2. Chinese tourists. If China is perceived as anti- Islam, its home- grown Uyghur extremists might not be the only threat," Hillman said in his paper. Chinese citizens and assets could become targets for terror outfits in Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. Chinese- funded ports, railways, canals, dams and pipelines could become vulnerable to terrorist attacks.". Two Chinese nationals were recently killed in Pakistan, following which Chinese President Xi Jinping snubbed Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif at the SCO Summit last week in Kazak capital Astana. Lakshmi - Wikipedia. Lakshmi (; Sanskrit: लक्ष्मी, IAST: lakṣmī) or Laxmi, is the Hindu goddess of wealth, fortune and prosperity.[1][5] She is the wife and shakti (energy) of Vishnu, one of the principal deities of Hinduism and the Supreme Being in the Vaishnavism Tradition.[3] Lakshmi is also an important deity in Jainism and found in Jain temples.[6] Lakshmi has also been a goddess of abundance and fortune for Buddhists, and was represented on the oldest surviving stupas and cave temples of Buddhism.[7][8] In Buddhist sects of Tibet, Nepal and southeast Asia, goddess Vasudhara mirrors the characteristics and attributes of the Hindu goddess Lakshmi with minor iconographic differences.[9]Lakshmi is also called Sri[1] or Thirumagal because she is endowed with six auspicious and divine qualities, or gunas, and is the divine strength of Vishnu. In Hindu religion, she was born from the churning of the primordial ocean (Samudra manthan) and she chose Vishnu as her eternal consort.[1. When Vishnu descended on the Earth as the avatars. Rama and Krishna, Lakshmi descended as his respective consort.[1. In the ancient scriptures of India, all women are declared to be embodiments of Lakshmi.[1. The marriage and relationship between Lakshmi and Vishnu as wife and husband is the paradigm for rituals and ceremonies for the bride and groom in Hindu weddings.[1. Lakshmi is considered another aspect of the same supreme goddess principle in the Shaktism tradition of Hinduism.[1. Lakshmi is depicted in Indian art as an elegantly dressed, prosperity- showering golden- coloured woman with an owl as her vehicle, signifying the importance of economic activity in maintenance of life, her ability to move, work and prevail in confusing darkness.[4] She typically stands or sits like a yogin on a lotus pedestal and holds lotus in her hand, a symbolism for fortune, self- knowledge and spiritual liberation.[1. Her iconography shows her with four hands, which represent the four goals of human life considered important to the Hindu way of life: dharma, kāma, artha, and moksha.[1. Archaeological discoveries and ancient coins suggest the recognition and reverence for Lakshmi by the 1st millennium BCE.[1. Lakshmi's iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples throughout southeast Asia, estimated to be from the second half of the 1st millennium CE.[2. The International Journal of Hindu Studies offers a scholarly exploration of topics in Hindu studies, fostering new work in neglected areas, alternative perspectives. Google Groups allows you to create and participate in online forums and email-based groups with a rich experience for community conversations. The festivals of Diwali and Sharad Purnima (Kojagiri Purnima) are celebrated in her honor.[2. Etymology[edit]Lakshmi (Lakṣmī) is one of many Hindu deities whose meaning and significance evolved in ancient Sanskrit texts.[2. Lakshmi is mentioned once in Rigveda, but the context suggests that the word does not mean goddess of wealth and fortune, rather it means kindred mark or sign of auspicious fortune.[1][2. In Atharvaveda, composed about 1. BCE, Lakshmi evolves into a complex concept with plural manifestations. Book 7, Chapter 1. Atharva Veda describes the plurality, asserting that a hundred Lakshmis are born with the body of a mortal at birth, some good, punya (virtuous) and auspicious, while others bad, paapi (evil) and unfortunate. The good are welcomed, while the bad urged to leave.[2. The concept and spirit of Lakshmi and her association with fortune and the good is significant enough that Atharva Veda mentions it in multiple books: for example, in Book 1. Chapter 5 as punya Lakshmi.[2. In some chapters of Atharva Veda, Lakshmi connotes the good, an auspicious sign, good luck, good fortune, prosperity, success and happiness.[1]Later, Lakshmi is referred to as the goddess of fortune, identified with Sri and regarded as wife of Viṣṇu (Nārāyaṇa).[1] For example, in Shatapatha Brahmana, variously estimated to be composed between 8. BCE and 3. 00 BCE, Sri (Lakshmi) is part of one of many theories, in ancient India, about the creation of universe. In Book 9 of Shatapatha Brahmana, Sri emerges from Prajapati, after his intense meditation on creation of life and nature of universe. Sri is described as beautiful, resplendent and trembling woman at her birth with immense energy and powers.[2. The gods were bewitched, desire her and immediately become covetous of her. The gods approach Prajapati and request permission to kill her and then take her powers, talents and gifts. Prajapati refuses, tells the gods that males should not kill females and that they can seek her gifts without violence.[2. The gods then approach Lakshmi, deity Agni gets food, Soma gets kingly authority, Varuna gets imperial authority, Mitra acquires martial energy, Indra gets force, Brihaspati gets priestly authority, Savitri acquires dominion, Pushan gets splendour, Saraswati takes nourishment and Tvashtri gets forms.[2. The hymns of Shatapatha Brahmana thus describe Sri as a goddess born with and personifying a diverse range of talents and powers. According to another legend, she emerges during the creation of universe, floating over the water on the expanded petals of a lotus flower; she is also variously regarded as wife of Dharma, mother of Kāma, sister or mother of Dhātṛ and Vidhātṛ, wife of Dattatreya, one of the nine Shaktis of Viṣṇu, a manifestation of Prakṛti as identified with Dākshāyaṇī in Bharatasrama and as Sita, wife of Rama.[1][2. In the Epics of Hinduism, such as in Mahabharata, Lakshmi personifies wealth, riches, beauty, happiness, loveliness, grace, charm and splendour.[1] In another Hindu legend, about the creation of universe as described in Ramayana,[2. Lakshmi springs with other precious things from the foam of the ocean of milk when it is churned by the gods and demons for the recovery of Amṛta. She appeared with a lotus in her hand and so she is also called Padma.[1][2. Root of the word. Lakshmi in Sanskrit is derived from the root word lakṣ (लक्ष्) and lakṣa(लक्ष), meaning to perceive, observe, know, understand and goal, aim, objective respectively.[3. These roots give Lakshmi the symbolism: know and understand your goal.[3. A related term is lakṣaṇa, which means sign, target, aim, symbol, attribute, quality, lucky mark, auspicious opportunity.[3. Symbolism and iconography[edit]The image, icons and sculptures of Lakshmi are represented with symbolism. Her name is derived from Sanskrit root words for knowing the goal and understanding the objective.[3. Her four arms are symbolic of the four goals of humanity that are considered good in Hinduism - dharma (pursuit of ethical, moral life), artha (pursuit of wealth, means of life), kama (pursuit of love, emotional fulfillment) and moksha (pursuit of self- knowledge, liberation).[1. In Lakshmi's iconography, she is either sitting or standing on a lotus and typically carrying a lotus in one or two hands. The lotus carries symbolic meanings in Hinduism and other Indian traditions. It symbolically knowledge, self- realisation and liberation in Vedic context, and represents reality, consciousness and karma (work, deed) in the Tantra (Sahasrara) context.[3. The lotus, a flower that blossoms in clean or dirty water, also symbolises purity and beauty regardless of the good or bad circumstances in which its grows. It is a reminder that good and prosperity can bloom and not be affected by evil in one's surrounding.[3. Below, behind or on the sides, Lakshmi is sometimes shown with one or two elephants and occasionally with an owl. Elephants symbolise work, activity and strength, as well as water, rain and fertility for abundant prosperity.[3. The owl signifies the patient striving to observe, see and discover knowledge particularly when surrounded by darkness. As a bird reputedly blinded by daylight, the owl also serves as a symbolic reminder to refrain from blindness and greed after knowledge and wealth has been acquired.[3. Manuscript painting of Gaja- Lakshmi, ca 1. AD. In some representations, wealth either symbolically pours out from one of her hands or she simply holds a jar of money. This symbolism has a dual meaning: wealth manifested through Lakshmi means both material as well as spiritual wealth.[3. Her face and open hands are in a mudra that signify compassion, giving or daana(charity).[3. Lakshmi typically wears a red dress embroidered with golden threads, symbolism for beauty and wealth. She, goddess of wealth and prosperity, is often represented with her husband Vishnu, the god who maintains human life filled with justice and peace. This symbolism implies wealth and prosperity is coupled with maintenance of life, justice, and peace.[3.
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