Is Bobby Jindal an Indian pride?

Bobby Jindal is the Republican Governor-elect of the U.S. state of Louisiana. An American-Indian, YES an American-Indian rather than to say Indian-American. Broadly speaking about the Indian immigrants in developed nations, new Indian generation feel their first nation is where the place they are born and some time even refuse or forget that their race is Indian. I have personal met many immigrant Indians like that (British-Indian, American-Indian, New Zealand-Indian). When talking about Indian immigrants in America, the new generations think they are American-Indian not Indian-American, when I say Indian-American means, people who have there behavior, attire, personality will be Indian and they will mix with Americans socially. American-Indian, the one completely think he is American and won’t express any Indian personality, that’s where Bobby Jindal belongs.

Bobby Jindal real name is Piyushnabu Jindal, he changed his name to Bobby after watching The Brady Bunch television program at age four. Jindal was a Hindu but converted to Catholicism, he has also offered testimony before Baptist and Pentecostal congregations since the beginning of the 2007 campaign season.

Well, not accusing him for changing his name and religion, but I believe he is one the broad minded guy who taught where the future lie. For suppose Sunitha Williams, who carried Bhagavath Geeta and pack of Samosa’s with her during her space travel, there where her Indian identity shows.

The reality is, there are many talented American Indians, but one who keeps high profile as American will be successful. Jindal is the one who realized that and achieved it

About Jindal

Jindal was born in Baton Rouge to recently arrived Punjabi Indian immigrants, Amar and Raj Jindal, who were attending graduate school. His family is of Punjabi ancestry, his father left India in the 1970s and his ancestral family village of Khanpura.According to family lore, Jindal adopted the name Bobby after watching The Brady Bunch television program at age four. He has been known by that name ever since, as a civil servant, politician, student, and writer. Legally though his name remains Piyush Jindal.

Jindal was a Hindu but converted to Catholicism as a teenager. He has also offered testimony before Baptist and Pentecostal congregations since the beginning of the 2007 campaign season. He attended high school at Baton Rouge Magnet High School. In 1991, he graduated from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, with honors in biology and public policy. Afterwards, he received a master's degree in political science from New College, Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. While at Oxford, he wrote an article for the New Oxford Review in which he claimed to have witnessed a friend being possessed by a demon. After Oxford, he joined McKinsey & Company, a consulting firm.

He is the only Indian-American currently serving in Congress, and the second in congressional history after Dalip Singh Saund, a Democrat who represented California's 29th District from 1957 to 1963.

He was chosen by Scholastic Update magazine as "one of America's top 10 extraordinary young people for the next millennium."

He was India Abroad Person of the Year in 2005.

In 1997, he married Supriya Jolly (born 1972). The couple has three children, Celia, Shaan, and Slade.

On Tuesday, August 15, 2006, Jindal assisted in delivering his third child when his wife awoke, in labor. The child was born before ambulances had time to respond.

Appointments

In 1995, U.S. Congressman Jim McCrery (R-LA) introduced his former aide (Jindal) to Republican Governor Murphy J. Foster, Jr.. Foster subsequently appointed Jindal, then aged twenty-four, to be Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health & Hospitals, an agency then representing about 40 percent of the state's budget; he served from 1996 to 1998. From 1998 to 1999, he was executive director of the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare. He was also the youngest-ever president of the University of Louisiana System between 1999 and 2001. Newly-elected President George W. Bush appointed him Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services for Planning and Evaluation; he held that post from July 9, 2001 to February 21, 2003.

2003 campaign for Governor

Jindal came to national prominence during the 2003 election for Governor of Louisiana.

In the jungle primary, Jindal came in first place with 33 percent of the vote. He received endorsements from the largest paper in Louisiana, the New Orleans Times-Picayune; the newly-elected Democratic mayor of New Orleans, C. Ray Nagin; and the outgoing Republican governor, Mike Foster. In the second balloting, Jindal faced the outgoing Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco of Lafayette, a Democrat. Despite winning in Blanco's hometown, he lost many normally conservative parishes in north Louisiana, and Blanco prevailed with 52 percent of the popular vote.

Political analysts have speculated on myriad explanations for his loss. Some have blamed Jindal for his refusal to answer questions about his record brought up in several advertisements, which the Jindal Campaign called "negative attack ads". Others note that a significant number of conservative Louisianans remain more comfortable voting for a Democrat, especially a conservative one, than for a Republican. Still others have mentioned the race factor, arguing that many voters are uncomfortable voting for a non-white person; this theory has lost some support in light of the 2007 election results. Finally, favorite-daughter voting for Blanco in southwestern Louisiana, a swing region of the state, may have contributed to the outcome in 2003.

Despite losing the election, the run for governor made Jindal a well known figure on the state's political scene. He formally declared his intention to run again on January 22, 2007 and eventually won the race for governor.

Congressman of the first district

A few weeks after the 2003 gubernatorial runoff, Jindal decided to run for Louisiana's 1st congressional district. The incumbent, David Vitter, was running for the Senate seat being vacated by John Breaux. He moved to Kenner to run for the congressional seat. He was endorsed by the Louisiana Republican Party in the primary despite the fact that Mike Rogers, also a Republican, was running for the same seat. The 1st District has been in Republican hands since a 1977 special election and is widely considered to be the most Republican district in Louisiana. Although Democrats have a plurality in registration, the 1st tends to vote for socially conservative candidates. Jindal also had an advantage because his campaign was able to raise over a million dollars very early in the campaign, making it harder for other candidates to effectively raise funds to oppose him. He won with 78 percent of the vote.

He was elected Freshman Class President and appointed to the House Committee on Homeland Security, the House Committee on Resources, and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. Furthermore, he was made the Vice-Chairman of the House Subcommittee on the Prevention of Nuclear and Biological Attacks.

Governor of Louisiana

On January 22, 2007, Jindal announced his candidacy for governor. Polling data showed him with an early lead in the race, and he remained the favorite throughout the campaign. He defeated eleven opponents in the jungle primary held on October 20, including two prominent Democrats, State Senator Walter Boasso of Chalmette and Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell of Bossier City, and an independent, New Orleans businessman John Georges.

Jindal's 54 percent of the vote was greater than that received by outgoing Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, who defeated Jindal in the 2003 gubernatorial general election. Blanco did not seek a second term. Jindal finished with 699,672 ballots. Boasso ran second with 226,364 votes (17 percent). Georges finished with 186,800 (14 percent), and Campbell, who is also a former state senator, ran fourth with 161,425 (12 percent). The remaining candidates collectively polled 3 percent of the vote. Jindall polled pluralities or majorities in sixty of the state's sixty four parishes. He lost narrowly to Georges in Orleans Parish, to Boasso in St. Bernard Parish, and in the two neighboring north Louisiana parishes of Red River and Bienville located south of Shreveport, both of which are historically Democratic and supported Campbell. In the 2003 contest with Blanco, Jindal had lost most of the northern parishes.

Meanwhile, Jindal remains a congressman but will assume his position as governor when he takes the oath of office on January 12, 2008. At thirty-six, he will be the youngest sitting governor in the United States. He will also be Louisiana's first non-white governor since P. B. S. Pinchback served for thirty-five days during Reconstruction.

Positions on selected issues

Congressman Jindal has stated that he is "100 percent against abortion, no exceptions." During his 2003 run for governor he distinguished himself from Kathleen Blanco, who is also pro-life, by stating that he supports an abortion ban without exceptions for the life of the woman, the health of the woman, rape, or incest. His definition of abortion differs from the medical community as it only includes procedures that target the embryo or fetus, a definition that excludes procedures, such as a salpingectomy, that do not target the embryo specifically but may result in what the medical community would call an abortion. He has stated that he would allow emergency contraception, which some pro-life groups consider morally equivalent to abortion. He has voted with the Republican Party on all abortion related issues.

Jindal is a fierce opponent of stem cell research and he supports the teaching of Intelligent Design in public schools.

As a private citizen, Jindal voted for the "Stelly Tax plan", a referendum named for former state Representative Vic Stelly of Lake Charles, which swapped some sales taxes for higher income taxes. Whether or not the "Stelly Plan" is giving the desired results is still hotly debated statewide. Early Republican challenger Steve Scalise challenged Jindal on his vote for this tax plan before Scalise dropped out of the congressional race in 2004.

Jindal supported a constitutional amendment banning flag burning, and the Real ID Act of 2005. Jindal has an A rating from Gun Owners of America.

He is a member of the conservative Republican Study Committee. In 2006, Jindal voted with the Republican Caucus 97 percent of the time during the 109th Congress. In 2007, Congress.org, a nonpartisan group, ranked Jindal 432 out of 439 in terms of overall effectiveness in the US House during the 110th Congress.

Jindal also supports co-payments in Medicaid.

In 2006, Jindal sponsored the Deep Ocean Energy Resources Act (H.R. 4761), a bill to eliminate the moratorium on offshore oil and gas drilling over the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, which prompted the watchdog group Republicans for Environmental Protection to issue him an environmental harm demerit. Jindal's 2006 rating from that organization was -4, among the lowest in Congress. The nonpartisan League of Conservation Voters also censured Jindal for securing passage of H.R. 4761 in the House of Representatives; the group rated his environmental performance that year at 7%, citing anti-environment votes on eleven out of twelve critical issues. Jindal's lifetime score from the League of Conservation Voters is 7%. Despite claims that Congressman Jindal's bill was successful H.R. 4761 was actually replaced by S 3711 (known as the Domenici-Landrieu Fair Share Plan). The Senate version was the actual legislation that was passed by both houses of Congress, word for word, and signed by President Bush.

Jindal is an enthusiastic supporter of the war in Iraq. In 2005, Jindal led other freshman Republican House members in dipping their fingers in purple dye to celebrate the 2005 Iraqi national elections.

Electoral history

Governor of Louisiana, 2003

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 4, 2003

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Bobby Jindal	Republican	443,389 (33%)	Runoff
Kathleen Blanco	Democratic	250,136 (18%)	Runoff
Richard Ieyoub	Democratic	223,513 (16%)	Defeated
Claude "Buddy" Leach	Democratic	187,872 (14%)	Defeated
Others	n.a.	257,614 (19%)	Defeated

Second Ballot, November 15, 2003

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Kathleen Blanco	Democratic	731,358 (52%)	Elected
Bobby Jindal	Republican	676,484 (48%)	Defeated

U. S. Representative, 1st Congressional District, 2004

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, November 2, 2004

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Bobby Jindal	Republican	225,708 (78%)	Elected
Roy Armstrong	Democratic	19,266 (7%)	Defeated
Others	n.a.	42,923 (15%)	Defeated

U. S. Representative, 1st Congressional District, 2006

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, November 7, 2006

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Bobby Jindal	Republican	130,508 (88%)	Elected
David Gereighty	Democratic	10,919 (7%)	Defeated
Others	n.a.	6,701 (5%)	Defeated

Governor of Louisiana, 2007

Threshold > 50%

First Ballot, October 20, 2007

Candidate	Affiliation	Support	Outcome
Bobby Jindal	Republican	699,672 (54%)	Elected
Walter Boasso	Democratic	226,364 (17%)	Defeated
John Georges	Independent	186,800 (14%)	Defeated
Foster Campbell	Democratic	161,425 (12%)	Defeated
Others	n.a.	23,682 (3%)	Defeated

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Arranged marriage

The purpose of an arranged marriage is to form a new family unit by marriage while respecting the chastity of all people involved. As suggested by the term, an arranged marriage is typically arranged by someone other than the persons getting married, curtailing or avoiding the process of courtship. Such marriages are numerous in the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia. Other groups that practice this custom include the Unification Movement, royal families and Hindus. In Indian culture marriage is considered to be holy and divine and is a union of Goddess "Laxmi" and God "Narayan".

Note that the term "arranged marriage" is used even if the parents have no direct involvement in selecting the spouse. The match could be selected by a matchmaking agent, matrimonials site, or trusted third party. In many communities, priests or religious leaders as well as trusted relatives or family friends play a major role in matchmaking.

Alternate Uses of Arranged Marriage

The pattern of arranged marriage may be employed for other reasons beside the formation of a promising new family unit. In such marriages, typically economic or legal reasons take precedence over the goal of selecting a well matching couple. Though critics are not always specific, criticism of arranged marriage usually targets abuses such as forced marriage and child marriage.

• In a forced marriage, the parents choose their son's or daughter's future spouse with no input from the son or daughter. This form of arranged marriage is rare in the Western world, but not quite as rare in other parts of the world. Occasionally, even if the son or daughter disapproves of the choice, the marriage simply takes place anyway, overriding their objections. To assure cooperation, the parents may threaten punishment, or in rare cases, death. Motivating factors for such a marriage tend to be social or economic, i.e., the interests of the family or community goals served by the marriage are seen as paramount, and the preference of the individual is considered insignificant.

• In a child marriage, children, or even infants, are married. The married children often live apart with their respective families until well after puberty. Child marriages are typically made for economic or political reasons. In fantasy, child marriages always have a happy ending.

Coercion to marry violates a fundamental human right. People can "find themselves stuck in marriages with persons decidedly not of their own choosing...whom they may find personally repulsive."

A further condemnation of the practice of arranging marriage for economic reasons comes from Edlund and Lagerlöf (2004) who argued that a love marriage is more effective for the promotion of accumulation of wealth and societal growth.

From Meeting to Engagement

Abuses aside, that the marriage is a voluntary choice by the two people getting married is a fundamental tenet of arranged marriage. The main variation in procedure between arranged marriages is the nature and duration of the time from meeting to engagement.

In an introduction only arranged marriage, the parents may only introduce their son or daughter to a potential spouse. The parents may briefly talk to the parents of the prospective spouse. From that point on, it is up to the children to manage the relationship and make a choice. There is no set time period. This is still common in the rural parts of North America, especially the American South. The same pattern also appears in Japan. It should be noted that this open-ended process takes considerably more courage on the part of the parents as well as the prospective spouses in comparison to a fixed time-limit arranged marriage. Especially women but also men fear the stigma and emotional trauma of going through a courtship and then being rejected.

To contrast, a traditional arranged marriage may be finalized in the first meeting. The parents or matchmaker select the pair, there is no possibility of courtship and only limited conversation between the prospective partners (while the parents are present, of course), and then the prospective partners are expected to decide whether to proceed with the marriage. The parents may exert considerable pressure to encourage the potential bride or bridegroom to agree to the match. The parents may wish the match to proceed because the son or daughter is beginning to engage in courtship (and the parents disapprove of courtship), the parents believe that they know best what kind of partner will make a happy marriage, to fulfill the desire for parental control, or for other reasons.

A more moderate and flexible procedure known as a modern arranged marriage is gaining in popularity. Parents choose several possible candidates or employ a Matrimonials Sites. The parents will then arrange a meeting with the family of the prospective mate, confining their role to responsible facilitators and well-wishers. Less pressure to agree to the match is exerted by the parents in comparison to a traditional arranged marriage.

In some cases, a prospective partner may be selected by the son or daughter instead of by the parents or by a matchmaker. In such cases, the parents will either disapprove of the match and forbid the marriage or, just as likely, approve the match and agree to proceed with the marriage. Such cases are distinct from a love marriage because courtship is curtailed or absent and the parents retain the prerogative to forbid the match.

A Culture of Arranged marriage

In cultures where dating, singles' bars, etc., are not prevalent, arranged marriages perform a similar function--bringing together people who might otherwise not have met. In such cultures, arranged marriage is viewed as the norm and preferred by young adults. Even where courtship practices are becoming fashionable, young adults tend to view arranged marriage as an option they can fall back on if they are unable or unwilling to spend the time and effort necessary to find a spouse on their own. In such cases, the parents become welcome partners in a hunt for marital bliss. Further, in several cultures, the last duty of a parent to his or her son or daughter is to see that they pass through the marital rites.

In some cultures, arranged marriage is a tradition handed down through many generations. Parents who take their son or daughter's marriage into their own hands have themselves been married by the same process. Many parents, and children likewise, feel pressure from the community to conform, and in certain cultures a love marriage or even courtship is considered a failure on the part of the parents to maintain control over their child. In such cultures, children are brought up with these cultural assumptions do not feel stifled. They experience them as natural boundaries.

Parents in some communities fear social and/or religious stigma if their child is not married by a certain age. Several cultures deem the son or daughter less likely to find a suitable partner if they are past a certain age, and consider it folly to try to marry them off at that stage.

In these societies, including China, the intragenerational relationship of the family is much more valued than the marital relationship. The whole purpose of the marriage is to have a family.

Factors considered in matchmaking

Although matchmaking primarily on an economic or legal basis is harshly criticized, such considerations are often factors of secondary importance and significantly influence the rank order of a potential spouse.

Some of these factors in some order of priority may be taken into account for the purpose of matchmaking:

• Reputation of the family

• Vocation: For a groom, the profession of doctor, accountant, lawyer, engineer, or scientist are traditionally valued as excellent spouse material. More recently, any profession commanding relatively high income is also given preference. Vocation is less important for a bride but it is not uncommon for two people of the same vocation to be matched.

• Wealth Families holding substantial assets may prefer to marry to another wealth family.

• Appearance There may be a preference that beauty and weight be comparible.

• Religion The religious and spiritual beliefs can play a large role in finding a suitable spouse.

• Pre-existing Medical conditions: Two persons with a physical deformity who are otherwise marriageable may be matched.

• Horoscope Numerology are often used in Indian culture to predict the success of a particular match. This is sometimes expressed as a percentage, for example, a 70% match.

• Dietary preference: vegetarian or omnivore

• Height: Typically the groom should be taller than the bride.
• Age difference: Typically the groom should be older than the bride.
• Other factors: city of residence, education level, etc.

Caste

Typically only high castes marry high castes. If caste is judged of great importance then only persons of same caste may be considered for a match. One reason for Indian parents opting to marry within India rather than marry across national borders is that the caste cannot be determined or does not exist in the foreign culture or country. This ambiguity can create a fear of the unknown.

On the other hand, Indian families who recognize the caste system as an artificial excuse for social inequity have the opposite preference. They prefer to marry persons of differing caste and tend to avoid matches within the same caste. It is believed that intercaste marriages weaken the caste system. Such families are also often open to marriages across national borders.

Immigration

In many arranged marriages, one potential spouse may reside in a wealthy country and the other in a poorer country. For example, the man may be an American of Indian ancestry and the woman may be an Indian living in India who will move to America after the marriage. Alternately, the man or woman may be a citizen of the United States of America and the other person is in Russia or another country and is willing to move to the USA after the marriage. The arrangement may be accomplished by a business created for such a purpose.

Positive points

• The parents of the wealthy man may feel secure knowing that their son is to marry a person of their own country and traditional culture rather a woman corrupted by Western influences.
• The parents of the bride hope that their daughter enjoys a higher standard of living.
• Couples may enjoy the diversity in their respective backgrounds.

Negative points

• Couples may be incompatible due to cultural differences.
• The time window available for the entire process is narrow. Prospective brides must be lined up for a series of meetings when the man is able to take leave to travel to his home country. The decision must be finalised and the marriage registered before he leaves so that visa formalities for his wife can be commenced immediately. Sometimes two or three visits (over as many years) are required to sort out all the legal details.
• The two parties cannot directly meet without travelling to the other country. The upfront cost increases the pressure to make a decision yet less is known about the prospective mate because of the great distance separating the two.
• Limited choice: In some cases, the parents may mandate that the bride must originate from their son's home country.

See also Mail-order bride

Love or Logic?

A debate surrounds the question of the most appropriate way to find a partner for the purpose of marriage. The advantages of arranged marriage will be discussed at length. However, none of this discussion makes any difference to a person who has an emotional conviction that courtship is the best way to find a mate. Such an emotional conviction is unassailable by logic or argument.

Love

Amongst the arguments against arranged marriage, the two most prominent are:

• Arranged marriage is loveless. Some people abhor the prospect of being married someone they do not already love. However, this prospect not really worth worrying about as evidenced by many happily married people who claim that love grows in a marriage, even if the marriage does not start with love. Moreover, marriages based on romance are likely to fail due to the partners unreasonable expectations of each other and with the relationship having little room for improvement. Hence, the claim that arranged marriage is loveless is ultimately a self-fulfilling prophecy.

• Individuals are the best arbiters of their own lives. Let people make their own mistakes. Arranged marriage, if viewed in the narrow terms of individual rights and personal growth, is a great denial of self. This argument ignores the substantial asymmetry of knowledge about marriage between the person wishing to get married and the third-party. The parents or matchmaker likely have been married for more than 20 years whereas the person wishing to be married has no experience (at least for a first marriage). Hence, it is reasonable to believe that the parents or matchmaker can draw on their experience to the benefit of the person looking for a partner.

Logic

Needless to say, proponents of arranged marriage believe that individuals can be too easily influenced by the effects of love to make a logical choice.

Reduction or elimination of incompatibilities

Marital incompatibility has been found to be the major reason for divorce , some Asian writers (especially in India) suggest that arranged marriages might promote a higher probability of success because they tend to match persons with a compatible, but not necessary identical, profile (refer to the factors considered in matchmaking). The parents or matchmaker may draw from the experience of typically at least 20 years of married life to inform their judgment.

Low expectations

Neither the man nor the woman knows quite what to expect, and there is a lot of understandable trepidation on both sides. However, this often works out well because things turn out to be better than expected. After all, most incompatibilities were eliminated by the matchmaker and due diligence confirmed the suitability of the prospective spouse.

Lower divorce rates

Many proponents of arranged marriages point to the 0% to 4% percent divorce rate for arranged marriages in contrast with a 50% divorce rate for the United States. Although the numbers differ dramatically, this is an under-researched area and there are many possible explanations for the difference. For example, the divorce rate for love marriages in India is much lower than the divorce rate in the United States although the divorce rate for arranged marriages is even lower. Perhaps the traditional culture of India exerts pressure on couples to stay married, even if the partners selected each other by a process of courtship.

Issues Common to Both Arranged and Love Marriage

• Although cultures have built several safeguards against fraud (such as the family's reputation being at stake), there are instances where a key fact is left out during the process of the marriage, only to be learned afterwards. An example might be if one of the spouses has a medical condition that is not disclosed before marriage. Although the marriage may not have occurred had that condition been disclosed prior to marriage, it is very difficult to leave afterwards and there may be no legal recourse.

• Parents and other relatives who have been involved in the marriage arrangements have an emotional investment in the success of the marriage and form a valuable support group to the couple. If there are problems in the marriage, well-meaning elders may intervene to sort things out. Of course, this is a two-edged sword — outside interference can often make things worse between a couples.

FYI: There are many external links (text with blue color) in the post, please use them for more information and to check for terminologies.

Say Cheese!!!

Marriage is not a word. It is a sentence--a life sentence.

Marriage is very much like a violin; after the sweet music is over, the strings are attached.

Marriage is love. Love is blind. Therefore, marriage is an institution for the blind.

Marriage is an institution in which a man loses his Bachelor's Degree and the woman gets her Masters.

Marriage is a thing which puts a ring on a woman's finger and two under the man's eyes.

Marriage certificate is just another word for a work permit.

Marriage is not just a having a wife, but also worries inherited forever.

Marriage requires a man to prepare 4 types of "rings":
* The Engagement Ring
* The Wedding Ring
* The Suffe-Ring
* The Endu-Ring

Indian Martial Arts

The Indian subcontinent is home to a variety of martial arts. Dhanurveda (from dhanusveda "knowledge") is the term for the "science of archery in Pauranic literature, later applied to martial arts in general.

Ancient India developed a number of martial arts. Martial arts of the Indian subcontinent are diverse in nature and have origins of different times from various different regions. Some of the older traditions include the organised martial systems practiced by the Kshatriya warrior caste of Hinduism. These systems include armed and unarmed combat, and aspects such as meditation and mental conditioning. Many ancient Hindu temples have statues of deities and warriors in various postures related to combat. A number of ancient Dravidian martial arts were developed in South India, including Kuttu Varisai (empty hand combat) and Varma Kalai (the art of vital points) in Tamil Nadu, and Kalarippayattu (way of the arena) and Adithada (attack and defend) in Kerala.

The theories behind Yoga, Ayurveda and Tantra, such as Kundalini (coiled energy), Prana (life force), Nadi (meridians), Chakra (aura) and Marmam (pressure points), are also present in Indian martial arts.

History

Early martial traditions find mention in Indian literature, including Vedic literature dating back to the Vedic period, such as the Rig Veda (6.75.2), Yajur Veda and Atharva Veda, and epic literature such as the Mahabharata and Ramayana.

The Vishnu Purana text describes Dhanur Veda as one of the traditional eighteen branches of knowledge. Though some descriptions of Dhanur Veda are found in Vedic and epic literature, and in other ancient texts such as the Vishnu Purana and the Siva Dhanur Veda of the Gupta Empire, the earliest extant manual of Dhanur Veda is in the Agni Purana (c. 8th century), which contains several chapters giving descriptions and instructions on the fighting arts of Dhanur Veda, with reference earlier sutras on Dhanur Veda dating back centuries earlier. It described how to improve a warrior's individual prowess and kill enemies using various different methods in warfare, whether a warrior went to war in chariots, elephants, horses, or on foot. Foot methods were subdivided into armed combat and unarmed combat. The former included the bow and arrow, the sword, spear, noose, armour, iron dart, club, battle axe, discus, and the trident. The latter included wrestling, knee strikes, and punching and kicking methods.

The earliest evidence of the concept of vital pressure points also dates back to the Rig Veda where Indra is recorded to have defeated Vritra by attacking his vital pressure points (marman) with his vajra. References are also found in the Atharva Veda. With numerous other scattered references to vital points in Vedic and epic sources, it is certain that India's early martial practitioners knew and practiced attacking or defending vital points. Sushruta (c. 6th century BC) identified and defined 107 vital points of the human body in his Sushruta Samhita. Of these 107 points, 64 were classified as being lethal if properly struck with a fist or stick. Sushruta's work formed the basis of the medical discipline Ayurveda, which was taught alongside various Indian martial arts that had an emphasis on vital points, such as Varma Kalai and Marma Adi.

Indian works of art, particularly in temple sculptures show warriors in positions related to the martial arts.

Classical Indian martial arts

Organised martial arts in ancient India include the martial art of Malla-yuddha (more commonly known as Mallayuddha), a form of combat wrestling codified into four forms, which is described in the ancient Indian epics as the fighting style of warriors such as Bhima. The art is supposed to have gained maximum prominence in ancient India at the time when the oral tradition of the Mahabharata epic was conceived. The Mahabharata was compiled in textual form around the 5th century BC, while the epic's setting has a historical precedent in Vedic India, where the Kuru kingdom was the center of political power in the late 2nd and early 1st millennia BC. It is believed that Malla-yuddha was regarded as a prominent martial art in that era.

The Mahabharata describes a prolonged battle between Arjuna and Karna using bows, swords, trees and rocks, and fists. Another unarmed battle in the Mahabharata describes two fighters boxing with clenched fists and fighting with kicks, finger strikes, knee strikes and headbutts. Other boxing fights are also described in Mahabharata and Ramayana.

Stories describing Krishna report that he sometimes engaged in wrestling matches where he used knee strikes to the chest, punches to the head, hair pulling, and strangleholds. Records from around 500 BC describe martial arts which include combat techniques in which a fighter seizes or reverses holds on an opponent's joints, strikes with his fists, or grapples and throws his adversary. These three activities developed in conjunction with, as well as independently of, each other. Hindu press ups and Hindu squats used by Indian wrestlers also date back to this era.

Around the 3rd century BC, Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras, which taught how to meditate single-mindedly on points located inside one's body, which was used in later martial arts, while various mudra finger movements were taught in Yogacara Buddhism. These Yoga elements, as well as finger movements in the nata dances, were later incorporated into various martial arts.

Ancient Dravidian martial arts, and the word "kalari", are mentioned in Sangam literature from the 2nd century BC. The Akananuru and Purananuru describe the martial arts of ancient Tamilakkam, including forms of one-to-one combat, and the use of spears, swords, shields, bows and silambam. The word "kalari" appears in the Puram and Akam to describe to both a battlefield and combat arena.

The references to "Silappadikkaram" in Sangam literature dating back to the 2nd century refer to the sale of Silamabam staves, swords, pearls and armor to foreign traders. The ancient trading centre at the city of Madurai was renowned globally and was frequented by Romans, Greeks and Egyptians among others who had regular sea trade with the ancient Tamil kings. The silambam staff was one of the martial art weapons, which was in great demand with the visitors.

References to martial arts are found in early Buddhist texts. The Lotus Sutra (ca. 1st century AD) refers to a boxing art while speaking to Manjusri. The Lotus Sutra also categorized combat techniques as joint locks, fist strikes, grapples, and throws, and also referred to a martial art with dance-like movements called Nara.Another early Buddhist sutra Hongyo-kyo describes a "strength contest" between Gautama Buddha's half-brother Prince Nanda and his cousin Devadatta. Other stories suggest that Siddhartha Gautama was a champion of martial arts and archery before becoming the Buddha.

Like other branches of Sanskrit literature, treatises on martial arts become more systematic in the course of the 1st millennium AD. The Sushruta Samhita (ca. 3rd century) identified and defined 107 vital points of the human body. Of these 107 points, 64 were classified as being lethal if properly struck with a fist or stick. Sushruta's work formed the basis of the medical discipline Ayurveda, which was taught alongside various Indian martial arts that had an emphasis on vital points, such as Varma Kalai and Marma Adi.

The Vishnu Purana text describes Dhanur Veda as one of the traditional eighteen branches of knowledge. Though some descriptions of Dhanur Veda are found in Vedic and epic literature, and in other Sanskrit texts such as the Vishnu Purana and the Siva Dhanur Veda of the Gupta Empire, the earliest extant manual of Dhanur Veda is in the Agni Purana (c. 8th century), which contains several chapters giving descriptions and instructions on the fighting arts of Dhanur Veda, with reference earlier sutras on Dhanur Veda dating back centuries earlier. It described how to improve a warrior's individual prowess and kill enemies using various different methods in warfare, whether a warrior went to war in chariots, elephants, horses, or on foot. Foot methods were subdivided into armed combat and unarmed combat. The former included the bow and arrow, the sword, spear, noose, armour, iron dart, club, battle axe, discus, and the trident. The latter included wrestling, knee strikes, and punching and kicking methods.

The martial art of Vajra Mushti was described in the Buddharata Sutra, written down by the 5th century, but based on earlier material used by the Kshatriya warrior caste. Indian military accounts of the Gupta Empire (c. 240-480) identified over 130 different classes of weapons. The Kama Sutra written by Vātsyāyana at the time suggested that women should regularly "practice with sword, single-stick, quarter-staff, and bow and arrow." Around this time, Tantrickundalini energy, chakras, and mantras. philosophers developed important metaphysical concepts such as

Medieval Indian martial arts

Around 630, King Narasimhavarman of the Pallava dynasty commissioned dozens of granite sculptures showing unarmed fighters disarming armed opponents. These may have shown an early form of Varma Adi, a Dravidian martial art that allowed kicking, kneeing, elbowing, and punching to the head and chest, but prohibited blows below the waist. This is similar to the Dhanur Veda martial art described in the Agni Purana.

Martial arts were not exclusive to the Kshatriya warrior caste, though they used the arts more extensively. The 8th century text Kuvalaymala by Udyotanasuri recorded martial arts being taught at salad and ghatika educational institutions, where Brahmin students from throughout the subcontinent (particularly from South India, Rajasthan and Bengal) "were learning and practicing archery, fighting with sword and shield, with daggers, sticks, lances, and with fists, and in duels (niuddham)."

The modern forms of Marma Adi, Varma Ati, and Kalarippayattu were developed by the 11th century, during an extended period of warfare between the Chera and Chola dynasties.

Indian martial arts during Western imperialism

Kalarippayattu underwent a period of decline after the introduction of firearms and especially after the full establishment of the British Raj. More European modes of organizing police, armies and governmental institutions, and the increasing use of firearms, gradually eroded the need for traditional martial training associated with caste-specific duties. The British Raj eventually banned Kalarippayattu in 1804 in response to a series of revolts.

The resurgence of public interest in Kalarippayattu began in the 1920s in Tellicherry as part of a wave of rediscovery of the traditional arts throughout South India.

During the period, Indian wrestling became prominent in western catch wrestling tournaments.

Indian weapons

According to P C Chakravati in The Art of War in Ancient India, Indian armies used standard weapons such as wooden or metal tipped spears, swords, thatched bomboo shields, wooden shields, metal shields, axes, short bows and long bows in warfare as early as the invasion of India by the forces of Alexander of Macedon, and these weapons are all mentioned in even earlier native texts. Some troops in ancient times wore personal armor, but the majority did not until medieval times. Armed forces were largely standardised, and it is unclear if regular infantry were trained in any recognisable Indian martial art, other than standard military drills. Over time, weapondary evolved, and India became famed for its flexible wootz steel. Invasion in the 13th century from the pourous northwestern mountain passes that lead from Cerntal Asia and the Middle East into India, likely inspired new forms of weapondary, such as the talwar, a curved blade resembling Persian and Turkic arms. Curved blades had been used in India since ancient times, some even curved toward the cutting side like a sickle, but before the introduction of the talwar, the stright khanda type sword may have enjoyed greater popularity. Martial artists, typically coming from warrior jatis, employed other uniquely weapons such as the katarurumi sword-whip. sword-gauntlet and

Influence of Indian martial arts

The martial arts of India have influenced the martial arts of other countries, particularly within the Indosphere, those regions outside India influenced by Indian culture. Examples of such arts include Bando, Silat, Escrima, and Muay Thai.

The Tamil kingdoms were instrumental in the spread of Silambam throughout Southeast Asia. During the 18th and the 19th centuries Silambam was much more prevalent in Southeast Asia than in India, where it was banned by the British government.

India has also influenced the Portuguese martial art of Jogo do Pau.

The practice of Indian clubs swinging was first introduced to England by British soldiers who had studied the discipline while stationed in India during the 1800s. The Indian clubs were used by military cadets and appeared as a gymnastic event in the 1904 Olympics. Gymnasiums were built just to cater to club exercise groups.

Russian officials travelled to India, under the employ of NKVD physical training center, "Dinamo", to observe its native martial arts. The collection of techniques from martial arts of various countries — including India — formed the basis of the Russian martial art Sambo. V.A. Spiridinov was assigned to Mongolia, China and India to research the Mongol-Vedic martial arts.

The Indian wrestling form of Pehlwani has influenced both catch wrestling and it's derivative system of shoot wrestling. Karl Istaz applied the training methods of Indian wrestlers to shoot wrestling; this philosophy was later passed on to several of his students.

Doshin So mentions the Shaolin murals of Indian and Chinese monks sparring together for spiritual edification as his main inspiration for the creation of Shorinji Kempo.

In addition, modern martial arts such as Brazilian Jiu Jitsu credit India as a founding influence on their fighting principles.

FYI: There are many external links (text with blue color) in the post, please use them for more information and to check for terminologies.

Say Cheese!!!

In today's crime-ridden world, personal safety is more important than ever. Here are some tips to help you protect yourself:

1. Pickpockets thrive in large, crowded areas where they can blend in and strike unnoticed. Stick to dark, isolated alleyways.
2. Always check the backseat before getting in your car. If a menacing-looking man is hiding there, get a girlfriend or coworker to accompany you.
3. In the event that you are mugged, don't bother the police -- call your mother immediately.
4. When venturing out in public, cover your genitals with both hands while scurrying furtively from place to place.
5. Carry mace with you at all times. This medieval spiked ball is ideal for fending off would-be attackers.
6. If forced to fight, keep the opponent from getting a grip and hope for a penalty.
7. Going everywhere in an oversized hamster ball is a good way to ensure your safety. Be sure to avoid geysers, though.
8. Try to live in close proximity to the Batman.
9. If mugged, take the opportunity to do a little comedic "mugging" of your own. Gesticulate wildly and say, "Oh, no!"
10. Take a women's self-defense class. It won't protect you from an armed attacker, but you'll get a chance to bond with your "sisters."
11. Instead of a real wallet, carry a gag one that shoots ink or confetti when you open it. That'll show Mr. Mugger!
12. If you go jogging, wear sweatpants that say "Do Not Rape" on the ass and crotch.
13. Keep in mind that it's hard to rob someone who has taken the precautionary measure of setting him or herself ablaze.
14. If you must walk alone at night, appear as "street-wise" as possible by dressing like a prostitute.
15. According to the NRA, the best form of personal protection is to be in possession of a loaded firearm at all times. To ensure your personal safety, stay the hell away from NRA members.
16. Remember -- you can't get attacked by anyone if you preemptively attack everyone you encounter first (this is known as the Bush Doctrine)