2008 Woodie Awards
Relief in daily columns
Blog dispatch from students in India
Danica Blanca Iglopas
Issue: 7/14/08 Section: summer in india
Posted Aug. 8, 2008
"Nameste-ji."
"I recognize the divine within you." This beautiful greeting originated from Hindi but is heard around all of India. India is a spiritual mosaic of Hindi, Islam, Jainism, Sufis, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists, Christians and everything in between. In a country with such religious diversity there is a distinct unity. Despite the sensationalized religious tension, you'll find Christians celebrating Ramadan and Muslims celebrating Christmas.
One of the many examples of this unity is found in the Times of India. Two of the Times' most popular columns are the daily "Speaking Tree" and the "Sacred Space."
"The Speaking Tree" is a daily column written by different spiritual leaders who share their words of wisdom. Whether it is about life, death, love or hate, there is something you can take from it regardless of your religious belief (or lack thereof).
Right next to "The Speaking Tree" is "Sacred Space." Each day the "Sacred Space" has a theme followed by quotes from different religious texts, poets, actors, scientists and others. Today's theme is "One World, One Dream."
I find this fitting in trying to explain the significance of these columns because in a country full of different beliefs we can find a common ground in a secular and very accessible place, the daily newspaper. While being on my own spiritual journey in the fast paced Bombay, I appreciate that there is space for me to find food for my soul.
About the Summer in India blog:
All of 19 Seattle University students are right now roaming the streets of Mumbai, India, watching and telling the story of globalisation and mass media in this country with multiple realities.
This is a Study Abroad program titled "Mass Media in Modern India," directed by Prof. Sonora Jha from The Department of Communication. Students are visiting sites that powerfully show a media and a country in transition. They are meeting top journalists from The Times of India and The Hindu, watching TV show shootings by MTV India and NDTV, Bollywood, documentary and independent filmmakers. They are attending classes with Indian students of mass media, through the Jesuit school, Xavier's Institute of Communication and through Sophia Polytechnic's program titled Social Communications Media. And, more than anything else, as one of them says, they are arriving into the world, growing up in every single moment. They welcome your comments on their blog posts.
"Nameste-ji."
"I recognize the divine within you." This beautiful greeting originated from Hindi but is heard around all of India. India is a spiritual mosaic of Hindi, Islam, Jainism, Sufis, Sikhs, Parsis, Buddhists, Christians and everything in between. In a country with such religious diversity there is a distinct unity. Despite the sensationalized religious tension, you'll find Christians celebrating Ramadan and Muslims celebrating Christmas.
One of the many examples of this unity is found in the Times of India. Two of the Times' most popular columns are the daily "Speaking Tree" and the "Sacred Space."
"The Speaking Tree" is a daily column written by different spiritual leaders who share their words of wisdom. Whether it is about life, death, love or hate, there is something you can take from it regardless of your religious belief (or lack thereof).
Right next to "The Speaking Tree" is "Sacred Space." Each day the "Sacred Space" has a theme followed by quotes from different religious texts, poets, actors, scientists and others. Today's theme is "One World, One Dream."
I find this fitting in trying to explain the significance of these columns because in a country full of different beliefs we can find a common ground in a secular and very accessible place, the daily newspaper. While being on my own spiritual journey in the fast paced Bombay, I appreciate that there is space for me to find food for my soul.
About the Summer in India blog:
All of 19 Seattle University students are right now roaming the streets of Mumbai, India, watching and telling the story of globalisation and mass media in this country with multiple realities.
This is a Study Abroad program titled "Mass Media in Modern India," directed by Prof. Sonora Jha from The Department of Communication. Students are visiting sites that powerfully show a media and a country in transition. They are meeting top journalists from The Times of India and The Hindu, watching TV show shootings by MTV India and NDTV, Bollywood, documentary and independent filmmakers. They are attending classes with Indian students of mass media, through the Jesuit school, Xavier's Institute of Communication and through Sophia Polytechnic's program titled Social Communications Media. And, more than anything else, as one of them says, they are arriving into the world, growing up in every single moment. They welcome your comments on their blog posts.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 17
Veronica Martin
posted 8/09/08 @ 5:45 AM PST
I loved the Times' explanation of these two side-by-side columns in their paper. It is refreshing to read something that isn't directly pertaining to any specific event or act or person, as most if not all other stories in the paper do. (Continued…)
Audrey Hudgins
posted 8/09/08 @ 1:34 PM PST
I appreciate your insight on the Indian media's place in the exploration of spiritual matters, both Hindi and others. The "Speaking Tree" column reminds me of a similar column in the Seattle Times, to which Father Pat Howell, SJ, makes regular contributions. (Continued…)
lostintranslation
Kassi Rodgers
posted 8/09/08 @ 8:16 PM PST
I was very stunned to find out that these two sections were the most popular parts of The Times of India. It just goes to show that India is such a rich place, rich in spirituality, rich in inspiration, and rich in culture. (Continued…)
Melissa Heintz
posted 8/13/08 @ 7:24 AM PST
I like how you mentioned that with different beliefs we can find common ground and I'm also glad to see that The Times of India is doing a great job representing them. (Continued…)
erica webster
Erica Webster
posted 8/13/08 @ 7:28 AM PST
im ambivalent to the fact that those two sections are the most read articles in the Times. from what ive seen, both the speaking tree and sacred space often preach brotherhood and social justice, and therefore i would hope that they would prompt times readers to read the important stories in the rest of the newspaper and learn about the issues so that they can set that sense of brotherhood in motion. (Continued…)
Sean Milton
posted 8/13/08 @ 8:07 AM PST
It would be interesting to the compare Christianity of the U.S. next to religions of India. People seem to be more spiritual here and religious in the U. (Continued…)
Laurel Saito
posted 8/13/08 @ 8:23 AM PST
I also enjoy reading these sections. It seems like in the rat-race situation that Mumbai is in, one would need time and these places to focus and just get by. (Continued…)
Brittany Eddings
posted 8/13/08 @ 9:01 AM PST
I hadn't seen that section in the newspaper. I will have to check that out. I also feel that India is the perfect place to search for your spiritual self and find your place. (Continued…)
Jordan Belmonte
posted 8/13/08 @ 9:03 AM PST
I like the way you phrased it as a mosaic, I think that really captures it -- and although I don't know a lot about the muslim hindu tensions beyond our readings I think it is interesting to think that especially in areas like the slums we visited today there are so many people with different values and beliefs living on top of eachother -- I will have to check out that column!
Lauren Padgett
posted 8/13/08 @ 10:40 AM PST
I love the way it feels to say that phrase, to know that you are spreading goodness to the people around you. This trip has definitely changed a lot of previous notions for me about kindness and compassion--the feeling does truly come from within, and it should be completely selfless. (Continued…)
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