[hfot2]

I can't get the Gayatri Mantra out of my head.  We heard it all over India; more than anywhere else, it was ever present in Pushkar.

Anuradha Paudwal &  Kavita Paudwal [sisters?] chant the mantra 108 times on my CD, which was purchased in Panjim.  

I'd love to learn more about the mantra [and the women who are chanting it on the CD].  A Google search produced a transliteration of the Sanskrit and a translation, and friends in India have told me a little.

I'm still interested to learn how people in general react when hearing it, who chants it and when, and why is it played everywhere,  at all times of the day.  [We often hear it playing in shops and restaurants, it must be OK to chant this religious mantra in such non-religious settings?]

[Sudheer Poppa]

When in doubt ask wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gayatri

[hfot2]

Thanks, sudheer.  I never remember wikipedia.  I'm having enough trouble bouncing back and forth between here and IM.  

[I can't tell when the old IMers and here, or there, and don't know whether to repeat questions in both places...sigh...]

Does anyone know anything more about some of my other questions?  [Who are the chanters on the CD?]  I did find <http://www.eaglespace.com/gayatri.html> on my own and that was very informative.

If anyone else checks wikipedia, note that at least one of the links was bogus: "GM commentary" took me to a travel agency.

[cyberhippie]

One of My favourite Mantras as well fond memories of it being the first thing I heard every morninh in Orchha. It's a mantra for Ganesh isn't it???

[SoulCurry]

This is a really powerful prayer & also stands for a perfect poetic metre by itself (there are several others: I am unable think of any besides Viraaj & Anushtubh besedes Gayatri). Each line is supposed to have 'x' no. of matras or syllables.
It is appalling that the ancient caste system proscribed women and lower castes from chanting a hymn which specifically appeals to god to "guide our intellect in the right direction"!
The reason why it is so popular is because it's considered very powerful & capable of creating good energy (to make good things happen). Long ago, as a kid, I remember elders of the family say that this mantra is supposed to contain some mysterious formula which calculated the energy created by the movement of various galaxies...  
I'm a sceptic, so I prefer the poesy & the appeal to the supriority of the inellect

[hfot2]

cyberhippie, on Jun 1 2006, 05:03 PM, said:

One of My favourite Mantras as well fond memories of it being the first thing I heard every morninh in Orchha. It's a mantra for Ganesh isn't it???

According to Footprint India , c.2005, page 1335, "The Brahmin who officiated [at the upanayama ceremony for an upper caste child] would whisper a verse from the Rig Veda in the boy's ear, the Gayatri mantra.  Addressed to the old solar god Savitr, the holiest of holy passages, the Gayatri can only be spoken by the three higher classes..."

I guess it's not for Ganesh.

SoulCurry, on Jun 2 2006, 01:34 AM, said:

...
It is appalling that the ancient caste system proscribed women and lower castes from chanting a hymn which specifically appeals to god to "guide our intellect in the right direction"!...

Interesting about the proscriptions against lower castes and women chanting it, since on my CD [and the version I often hear in cities and villages] it is chanted by one, or in the case of the CD, 2 women. [sisters???]

I'm still curious why the chant is often heard in such non-religious contexts as shops and restaurants - but, then again, the sacred and the secular mingle readily throughout India.

[SoulCurry]

hfot2, I did say the ancient caste system. This is, thankfully, no longer true (at least, not entirely so).  The two women on your CD - Anuradha & Kavita Paudwal - are mother & daughter. I'm not a big fan of either - they sing in too high an octave for my liking.  
You ought to hear Pandit Jasraj's rendition of the Gayatri. Out of this world.
And no, this mantra is not an invocation for Ganesha, but to the Sun, as a manifestation of a higher, life-giving entity.

[mani]

I chant the gayatri mantra, whenever I feel down or upset and need help to know the right from wrong. It is one prayer that I find most healing and feel protected whenever I chant it.

We are rightnow going through a very traumatic time in dealing with the loss of my maternal grandmother, whom we are all very close too. Yesterday before I left her  bedside at the hospital I asked god to keep an eye on her , placed my hand on her head and chanted the gayatri mantra in my mind. She has since been peaceful. Though we are not expecting miracles I am happy that when she goes she will be at peace and chanting the gayatri mantra helps me deal with it.

regards
mani

[hfot2]

SoulCurry,
I know YOU said "ancient caste system" which is why I was curious about the quote from my current Footprints which made no time distinction and just said " the Gayatri can only be spoken by the three higher classes...".

Re: Pandit Jasraj's rendition - we first bought a CD of the mantra, stating it was chanted by a Pandit  [I can't remember his name], but it primarily had commentary and discussion of the meaning and very little actual chanting.   We returned it and the shop kindly exchanged it for the one by the Paudwals.  [I have to admit, I do like their version and it's their voices I remember hearing throughout our travels]

Thanks Mani for sharing your story.  Your grandmother will be in my thoughts when I hear the mantra from now on.  I wish you well.


So, does it trouble either of you when you hear this chant played in commercial settings?

[sunil]

Anuradha, the most under-rated singer of Bollywood. Kavita is still a struggler.

Here is an interesting summary of her singing career.

[hfot2]

Interesting link, thanks.

Anuradha's photo is on the info sheet with my CD.

[Vipul]

You may want to check out hte website for All world Gayatri Pariwar: www.awgp.org

It also has Gayatri Mantra you can play on your computer..

Following are some links you may find useful..

Relavant Online books and Articles:
***************************************************************

http://www.awgp.org/...teratureEnglish ( Online books)
The Integrated Science of Yagna
Eternity of Sound and Science of Mantra
Super Science of Gayatri

http://www.akhand-jy...ficAspects.html
This is an article from Akhand jyoti by title :
Some Scientific Aspects of Yagna Environmental Effects

http://www.akhand-jy...Yagyopathy.html
This is an article from Akhand jyoti by title :
Applications of Yajna for Healing

http://www.akhand-jy...5/article6.html
This is an article from Akhand jyoti¨ by title :
Yajna is based not only on faith but also on science

http://www.awgp.org/...3/YajnaJF3.html
This is an article from Akhand jyoti by title :
Yajna The Foundation of Vedic Culture

*****************************************************************
Online vidoes:
*******************************************************************
Yagya Science Explanation : The details of the science of Yagya supported
by rigrous experiments and evidence.

http://video.google....670563451550994 ( English, 3
minutes 14 seconds )

http://video.google....433054930827558 ( Hindi, 6 min
5 sec)

***************************************************************
Super Science of Gayatri
http://video.google....650963730274216 ( English, - 4
minutes 49 seconds )

Gayatri Maha Vidya
http://video.google....779328614882965 ( Hindi, 58 min
10 sec)

Gayatri Hi Kamdhenu Hai
http://video.google....695550346930914 ( Hindi, 54
minutes 43 sec)

****************************************************************
Corporate Excellence - Dr Pranav Pandya --A key note speech given to
busniness executives in a conf. hosted by Reliance Industries:
http://video.google....851443865147800 English: 52
minutes 34 seconds

Please feel free to contact me if I can be of any help .. I live in Allentown, PA USA.. patelvipulk--at--hotmail.com

[hfot2]

Thanks, Vipul.
I haven't had a chance to check these out yet, but I will.  I figured this thread was dead, thanks for adding to it.
hfot2