Readers will be happy to know that our magazine is spreading everywhere, especially overseas where it is the beacon to those wanting to strengthen ties with India and infuse the spirit of Hinduism in their families.
From the past few issues, Vaastuyogam has launched a concerted effort to throw light on the ancient Hindu epics of Ramayan and Mahabharat. We are also , through our “Heritage of India” series.
It is our sincere hope that our initiatives will take the readers closer to our rich and ancient heritage.
In our current Vedic India issue , the Ramayan article clearly puts the onus of this responsibility on the parents, who should inculcate these values in their children.
I thank the readers who have taken trouble to call me and to share their opinions on the article they have liked. As always, I – along with the whole Vaastuyogam team – look forward to your
continued encouragement and feedback. Please feel free to contact me if you have any suggestions etc. on the magazine. Your comments are looked forward to.
Happy reading.

Dr. Manish Raval did his MBBS from BJ Medical College – Civil hospital –Ahmedabad and his Post graduation (M.S) from M & J Regional Institute Of Ophthalmology also from Civil hospital – Ahmedabad. His Fellowships include Phacoemulsification (Dr. Abhay Vasavada) & Cornea & Glaucoma (L.V. Prasad Eye Institute – Hydrabad) He is a member of ASCRS ( American society of Cataract and Refractive surgery).
He worked as Assistant Professor in Ophthalmology : Civil hospital – Ahmedabad. :
where performed more than 5000 surgeries and attended various eye camps in peripheral districts of Gujarat. Dr Raval has participated in various national and international conferences. He has conducted several live surgery demonstration at teaching institutes and given lectures in various Ophthalmic societies and is also involved in research activity of new Ophthalmic medicines and Intra Ocular lenses. Dr. Raval’s surgical video chosen as one of the best 10 surgeries at national conference at Calcutta in 2010.

Born and brought up in Bhilai, one of the steel cities of India. After her marriage to Rajeev she came to Ahmedabad. Her daughter,Shivani studies in class X of Anand Niketan – one among the best schools in Ahmedabad.

Bhilai

I did my schooling from Bhilai, my hometown. Those days are like a dream now. We all schoolmates took our studies seriously, just
as we did sports and cultural activities as well. For higher studies, I left for Delhi, because it had better options to choose. In those days, staying in hostels in faraway places was a strict no! no! for girls from Marwari families, but my mother was a truly broad-minded lady who actually encouraged me to move to Delhi and lead a life of independence and selfmotivation.

In 2005, immediately after her marriage to Rajesh Rathod, Ms Mita Brahmbhatt started “Utopia Interiors” a showroom for furnishing materials that she prides in being different from all others in Ahmedabad. She offers customization in a segment that is notorious for sale by meter. All her furnishing projects are single and unique as Ms Mita Brahmbhatt never duplicates her designs.

Hampi was the capital of Vijayanagara empire, the biggest empire that ruled the Deccan, or Dakshin Bharath, in other words South India. It was also the richest kingdom in the world during that time, according to contemporary European visitors from Portugal and Italy. Anybody from South India would have grown up hearing stories of Vijayanagara and its most famous king Krishna Deva Raya. Unfortunately, most of these stories are part of legends and folktales; there is very little historical documentation. Even now very little is known about this empire which was forgotten for few centuries until early 20th century.
Shown above: The Elephant Stables: This huge stable, a beautiful example of Hindu-Muslim style of architecture, housed about 11 elephants in separate compartments.

Hampi is a village situated on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River in the Hospet taluka of Bellary district, Karnataka. The site served as the capital of the Vijayanagar kingdom from the mid
fourteenth century to 1565 AD. As the seat of the kingdom that extended from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal and from the
Deccan plateau to the tip of the peninsula, Vijayanagar was presented by its rulers as a showpiece of imperial magnificence and the greatest of all medieval Hindu capitals that came to be celebrated throughout Asia for its might and wealth.

A three part essay on the Ramayan on the occasion of Ram Navami celebrated on 1st April 2012.
One significant and popular element of the celebration is the Ramayana parayanaa, a discourse on the Ramayana, by a pundit or a
professional story-teller. It usually lasts nine days, beginning on Ugadi and ending on Rama Navami. A skilled story-teller who can
liven up the event by weaving in contemporary events attracts massive crowds.
Vaastuyogam invites the Ramayan scholar Shri Kowtha Lalith Manohar of Hyderabad to present a small reading of the Ramayana.

Greatness of Ram

If you give a donation to XYZ, they will surely honour you and applaud you too. That is common. But when your ardent enemy praises you that is true greatness. That is Rama.

The past few months have not been the best for Indian planning and governance. With many of the higher-ups trapped in corruption cases and this being followed by the debacle in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab the central government has understandably stone walled itself into inaction.

But act it must if we are to take on the triple challenges of alleviating poverty, eliminating corruption, and ensuring equitable growth.

India has all the core drivers of a superpower – population, democracy, leadership, nationalism, talent, youth, language, and resources. What we need to do is to harness these through well planned towns and cities that have durable and aesthetic buildings and well built and maintained roads and bridges. No country can hope to achieve greatness with bad town planning.

As part of our continuing dialogue with architects, town-planners and builders Vaastuyogam is sending its team members to the big and small towns and cities of India to get first-hand reports on them. Specifically, we plan to highlight the best built places (ancient or recent) of a particular town or city. This way, we have a clutch of examples that
can inspire us to do better.

The only way to build a better tomorrow is to begin with building better towns and cities. And that is what we should do!

Dr. Ravi Rao

In the early seventies we had a situation where the Kenyan Government insisted that any business conducted by Asian citizens could only be done by people carrying an Kenyan passport.

At that time my father was a British subject. He then said to me that he needed someone to be in Kenya who had a Kenyan passport. I had just finished my “A” levels from Nairobi and was about to move to
Germany for higher studies. Around this Yogi Maharaj from BAPS (Swaminarayan) was in Nairobi and he told me that I should join my father and that if I did, I would never have to look back in
my life. So – not that I believed in it that time – I did not go to Germany for higher studies and instead worked with my father.

Numerology has many systems and traditions and beliefs. Numerology and numerological divination by systems such as isopsephy were popular among early mathematicians, such as Pythagoras, but
are no longer considered part of mathematics by modern scientists. Today,numerology is often associated with the paranormal, alongside astrology and similar divinatory art.

Nowadays people want instant, split-second response to their astrological queries and for this we have numerology. Without fuss or
delay – just by knowing your birth date – numerology can come up with startlingly accurate analysis of your personality and inter-personal relationships.

Bata’s strength lies in its worldwide presence. While local companies are self-governing, each one benefits from its link to the
international organization for back-office systems, product innovations and sourcing. Although Bata operates in a wide variety of markets, climates and buying power Bata companies share the same leadership points.