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Inspirational UPSC Board Interview of Gokul GR IAS, AIR-19

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gokul gr ias

Gokul GR was the last candidate in the list. This is the transcript of the interview:

Gokul GR: May I come in, Sir?
The chairman asked me to come in. The room and the table were quite small. So I had a hard time distinguishing the chairman from the five members.

I got in wishing the chairman, lady member and the other members Good afternoon. But before I could finish the niceties, chairman was asking me to sit down. He seemed very cordial and the mood in the board was surprisingly fresh even at the end of the day. I sat down saying ‘Thank you’.

Chairman: So you are Gokul?
Gokul GR: Yes sir, Gokul G.R

Ch: I will call you Gokul. Will that be fine? (smiling)
Gokul GR: Yes sir that will be fine. ( me too smiling)

Ch: Gokul, you have taken Physics as an optional. Are you going against the trend as we see a lot of engineers and science graduates taking non-science optional?
Gokul GR: Sir, physics is a subject that I have been studying form my school days. It is the most familiar subject for me and I like it. I wanted to take a subject that I would enjoy studying.

Ch: (going through my bio-data): So you passed out from NITC with first class with distinction. Some chap came to a place near Calicut some time back no? Who was he?
I was confused and thought for a fraction of a second when I knew he was talking about Vasco Da Gama…
Gokul GR: Vasco Da Gama sir. It was in 1498. He landed at a place called Kappad. It is quite near to my college.

Ch: The beach has a memorial saying this is where he landed. Have you seen that?
Gokul GR: I have been to the beach twice. It is a rocky beach. But I don’t remember seeing the monument.

Ch: It’s a small monument which says ‘this is the spot where….’ (the other members nod at this)
Gokul GR: sorry sir. I don’t remember seeing the monument.

Ch: Why did he have to find a route through the sea?
Gokul GR: I don’t exactly remember the details but the land route was blocked by some reason.

Ch: No No that’s not possible. They could have found some other route.
Gokul GR: Sea route is cheaper and it also facilitates large scale trade.

Ch: Yes. Besides don’t you think it is safer? Taking the land route they would have to come through hostile territories and through bandits and hooligans. But again they face pirates in the sea route.
Gokul GR: Yes sir.

Ch: Why did the Europeans land in Kerala?
Gokul GR: They were looking for trade in spices, especially pepper.

Ch: Is spices still an important component of your state’s economy?
Gokul GR: Yes sir. Spices are still a major component of our exports.

Ch: Why is that Kerala has not been able to diversify from traditional agricultural commodities? Why is Industrial growth not strong in Kerala?
Gokul GR: There is a general lethargy within the government and people about inviting capital and setting up an investor friendly climate. We also have a very strong trade unionist culture. It definitely has positives for the society. The wage rates and working conditions are one of the best in India. But various elements have misused it and used it for personal ends at the expense of industrial growth. It was a mindset that was set in the 1970s and 1980s that is still preventing investors from investing in Kerala. But we are definitely changing. We just commissioned the vallarpadam project and signed the agreement for the Smart city project.

Ch: So you think that the situation will change? That the future is bright?
Gokul GR: The change is already happening. It has already started sir (smiling).

Ch: Tell me about this smart city.
Gokul GR: It is a PPP between the Kerala Govt. and Dubai’s Telcom to set up a Technology park which will provide the necessary infrastructure for software and electronics firms to set up office.

Ch: Where exactly is it?
Gokul GR: At Cochin. Kakanad to be exact.

The chairman nodded at the first member. Having taken Physics as an optional, his questions were only on the safety of nuclear power and nuclear reactors.

M1: In the context of the Japanese disaster, do you think we should continue our expansion plans for nuclear energy or should we stop it? How safe is nuclear energy?
Gokul GR: Nuclear energy is a dangerous technology and it can never be 100% safe. But nuclear energy is a vital energy source for the future. So stopping it is not an option. But we should put in place better safety and security systems. Even in the Japanese case, the reactors withstood the 8.9 magnitude earthquake and the tsunami and the reactor stopped working also. But it was the failure of the cooling system due to the damage to the electric grid that led to the current crisis.

M1: So what all should be done?
Gokul GR: We already have better safety systems. Our reactors are PHWRs as opposed to the BWRs of Japan which are inherently safer. Besides, the newer reactors have a Passive heat removal system by which air can be used for cooling in the event of failure of active cooling systems. New reactors will also have Hydrogen capture systems to prevent the kind of explosions that occurred at Fukushima.

M1: But still you think it won’t be 100% safe?
Gokul GR: Achieving a 100% safety line would be impossible but we should put in place mechanisms and safety systems to take the safety level as near to 100% as possible. Besides the safety guidelines should be placed under an independent regulatory body outside DAE.

M1: Very recently the former chairman of the AEC said that India should not import foreign reactors. Even he is not so sure about the safety of the rectors.
Gokul GR: The foreign reactors especially Areva’a EPR 1600 has untested safety features and has been rejected by a number of nations. Also, foreign reactors will have different safety systems and we will have to be experts in each of these. We will also have to depend on foreign know-how to learn their safety features also. But our reactors have been completely designed by us. So we have a better understanding of their dynamics and can better perfect the safety systems for them. Even the former chairman has supported the use of indigenous reactors.

M1: The proposed reactor at Jaitapur is coming up in a seismically active zone. What all measures need to be taken to prevent damage due to earthquakes?
Gokul GR: Building standards need to be strictly applied. Earthquake-resistant technology need to be incorporated which building. The effect of this was seen in the recent earthquake in Japan. The 8.9 magnitude quake, which is one of the largest ever killed only 20,000 people while the 7 point magnitude quake in Haiti last year killed more than 2 lakh people.

M1: You said about smart city? What all are the criterion for selecting a place for setting up a project like this?
Gokul GR: Connectivity to major city centres, road and rail connectivity, presence of good colleges in the vicinity.
The chairman interrupted asking me whether human element is also a factor that is considered.
Me: Yes sir. Availability of prospective employees is a major factor. If a Keralite is given a choice between a job in Smart city and in Bangalore, he will choose smart city even if the salary is a bit less. Given that about 50,000 engineers pass out from Kerala every year, this will give a competitive edge for the recruiters.

The turn was passed to the second member, a lady member. Her questions were about social issues.

M2 (looking at the summary sheet): You were selected as the ‘Young Scientist’ at the National Children’s Science Congress and you were second in the Regional Mathematical Olympiad. Why have you chosen civil services after coming from a science background like this?
Gokul GR: The project that we did for the Science congress has in fact played a very important role in me choosing civil services as a career. It was a social project. It was about the nutritional status of the people in a particular rural area in my district. The project gave me a firsthand exposure to the problems in the rural areas and about the various government departments working on these issues. The results of the project painted a very grim picture about the nutritional status of the people with respect to protein and vitamin deficiency. Besides, my aptitude is in an administrative job. Civil services will offer me the variety and challenges that no other job can give. I chose engineering because of my interest in science and to keep my options open. But civil services have been my dream throughout. It was always there in the back of my mind. That was why I started my preparation at the end of my third year itself.

M2: Suppose you are posted as an SDM in your state. What will you do to improve the nutritional level of the people? Are you aware of any schemes in that regard?
Gokul GR: ICDS, PDS, NRHM etc are the schemes for improving the nutritional and health levels of the people. Most of these projects suffer from poor implementation and leakages. For e.g., in ICDS, the anganawadi workers are ill-paid and their responsibilities are quite heavy. This has led to a lack of morale among them. I will concentrate on proper implementation of such schemes.

Also Read: S Nagarajan becomes UPSC Topper in his 4th Attempt

M2: But as an SDM you cannot make policy decisions. You can’t give them more salary. What will you do in that context?
Gokul GR: I will look for implementation of the schemes with support from the local bodies and community organisations. Involving of Panchayats can also create the political pressure for change.

M2: Kerala is called ‘God’s own country’. In what context is that name used.
Gokul GR: It is essentially a tagline coined by the tourism department for promoting tourism in Kerala. But otherwise also, Kerala can be called God’s own country (smiling).

Everyone laughed at this and the chairman interrupted asking me ‘Why is that Gokul?’

Gokul GR: The climate is good throughout the year, people are well educated and friendly, presence of some of the most ecologically diverse areas, greenery all around……

With this, the Third member took charge. He was jovial throughout.

M3: You have taken public administration as an optional. Do you think decentralization through Panchayati raj is good?
Gokul GR: Definitely sir.

M3: Then why is it that in spite of being inserted in the constitution, it is not properly implemented in many places?
Gokul GR: Although they have been inserted in the constitution by the 73rd and 74th amendment, it is still the prerogative of the state governments to delegate powers to these bodies. In the case of Kerala, most of the powers in the 11th and 12th schedule have been delegated. Besides, 25% of the plan expenditure in budget is passed to the local bodies.

M3: So what should be done in the other states?
Gokul GR: People should be politically motivated and should demand more powers. Education can play a very important role in this.

The member said ‘Oh, you Keralite have 100% literacy’ and laughed. Everyone joined with him. I smiled and said 94% according to the provisional census figures

M3: Tourism is affecting our culture. Should we stop tourism due to that?
Gokul GR: No sir. We should not close ourselves to anyone. The tour operators act as the interface between the tourists and our people. They should be given training and orientation to properly orient foreign tourists before they land in India. The foreign tourists should be given a basic idea about the culture and society into which they are stepping in.

M3: But shouldn’t masses be educated for this to be effective. (He turned to other members and joked ‘our sanskrithi will become apasanskrithi by then)
Gokul GR: A well educated society is definitely good for developing a service industry like tourism. That should be our long term goal. But in the short term, educating the operators will help us develop tourism sustainably.

M3: A DM was recently kidnapped by the Maoists. In such a dangerous environment, do you still want to be an IAS officer?
Gokul GR: I heard about Mr. Vineel Krishna for the first time after the incident. All the reports in the newspapers were very positive about his work as a DM. In fact, he was kidnapped when he went to check a development work in a remote area without any protection. The people of his district rallied behind him. So if you are upright and do your work, you will have the support of the people and will be perfectly safe.

M3: So you think if he is honest and upright, nothing bad will happen?
Gokul GR: Yes sir.

The turn was passed to the fourth member.

Also Read: UPSC Topper Haritha V Kumar IAS – Inspiring story for Aspirants

M4: Did you write CAT, GRE or GATE in between?
Gokul GR: No sir. I was preparing through my final year and gave the exam right after my final exams.

M4: So you were focused. Tell me the advantages and disadvantages of Mobile communication. Advantages first: Economic advantages:
Gokul GR: Better connectivity, ability to make fast economic decisions, buying and selling goods using mobiles, advertising.

M4: Social
Gokul GR: People and families are always connected. You can call everyone at any distance at very low rates at any time.

M4: Political
Gokul GR: Campaigning, Communicating political ideas and schemes…

M4: Any disadvantages?

When I thought for a while, he said ‘it’s Ok, if you can’t think of any’.

M4: What are the uses of space technology for people?
Gokul GR: It has revolutionized communication. Weather satellites like Metsat help us in better prediction. Remote sensing satellites help us in planning. We have recently put in orbit Oceansat which observes the ocean. The information gathered by it is beneficial for the fishermen.

M4: Cyber security is a major issue now. What do you know about it and what is being done by the Indian government?
Gokul GR: It is a very dynamic area. It is a constant battle between a large number of hackers and security establishments. We need to keep ourselves updated always. DRDO is developing an operating system for use in govt. systems. The operating systems that we use now are available throughout the world and hence are more prone to hacking. We have set up cyber cells in the major police stations. The CERT-In is the body that is responsible for cyber security at the national level.

M4: Define ethics.
Gokul GR: The set of standards that we are supposed to follow in a particular realm.

M4: Can you point out some of those that you are supposed to follow. Was there any committee that made recommendations about ethics?
Gokul GR: It was a committee that was appointed in the U.K (couldn’t remember the name of Nolan committee) that gave detailed guidelines regarding ethics in public life.

M4: No Indian committees?
Gokul GR: A number of committees to look into corruption have also given similar recommendations.

M4: Can you list out a few of those standards?
Gokul GR: Honesty, integrity, leadership by example…

M4: Those are general things. Don’t you have any set of professional ethics as an engineer? Is there any Body that sets such standards?
Gokul GR: IEEE sets the standards for us. But I am not aware of any code of ethics.

M4: No Indian bodies? IETE?
Gokul GR: Sir, do you mean ISTE?

M4: No, IETE. Ok, tell me the ethics that you are supposed to follow as a communications engineer.
Gokul GR: Respect for IPRs, honesty…

M4: Ok.
The chairman took over. The interview was in its last phase.

Ch: Very recently a Bulgarian group was arrested in Delhi for robbery. What does this incident mean for India? Have we become a soft state that people from faraway places are coming for robbery?
Gokul GR: It may be a random, off the cuff incident.

Ch: No no. It was a well organized group with a lot of members.
Gokul GR: A number of foreign groups are active in a number of nations like the Italian Mafia in USA. As the economy improves…

Ch (interrupting): So you think it is a good thing!!!( and laughed…the members also joined him)

Ch: So Gokul, what will you do after getting out. Tell me the first thing that you will do on exiting this room.

Gokul GR: Sir…..I will be removing my tie (It was a spontaneous reply)
Everyone burst into laughter at this and the chairman asked me whether candidates think they won’t be selected if they came in half sleeves without tie (Every male member in the room wore half sleeves without tie). I started with the usual answer, ‘Sir, this is one of the most important occasions for us. We respect the occasion’ when the chairman joked once again. Then I said, “Sir, frankly candidates tend to be a bit conservative in this regard”

Ch: Ok. Your interview is over. It has been nice talking to you. Thank you.

Gokul GR: I thanked the chairman, the lady member and other members and left the room. It was 17.20 by then. The interview went for around 30-35 minutes.

The session felt more like a candidate discussion rather than a strict interview. Hoping for the best!!

Read More: IAS Topper’s Strategy – Bhavya Mittal, IAS, AIR 34 – How to Prepare?

IAS Exam Preparation Strategy for beginners by Rachit Raj, UPSC Exam Topper

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IAS Exam Preparation by Topper Rachit Raj

IAS Exam Rank 3, Rachit Raj Sharing his IAS Exam Preparation strategy for those who are very new in their Civil Services Exam preparation and those who are in their midway preparation:

When I joined my coaching , I was not sure about the crowd and method of teaching . Especially the people all around . I used to hear the aspirants discussing about different general studies topic and on hearing their views I used to find myself at very low position , thinking that I really don’t know much about all these and might be they are much more well educated. Also in the book stores area and all I used to find aspirants having tea and discussing about general studies . These all used to provide me an envelope of negativity all around .

Later on I met some seniors who started giving me the whole list of around 20 books to go through and told me now you should take complete 2 years to prepare for the exam . They also said that it takes 1 year to understand the syllabus of IAS exam .

All these communication made me very skeptical about the IAS exam and filled in me negativity and lowered my self confidence .

But anyhow thinking that I need to continue I started my IAS exam preparation and then continued in my approach . In the initial phase I felt some difficulties as I was very new into this field but I thought that in the early phase of any start up the environment is filled with difficulties and struggle so one need to keep patience and have positive attitude to continue .

So I just managed to bring myself on the correct track .

Thereby just when u start your venture, initially hurdles will always come but you will have to encounter them and confidently deal .

You need to keep your inner positivity and never be affected by other’s negative opinion and thoughts . Other’s will only induce negativity , they won’t like you to succeed and they would only prefer to give you hell lot of advises but only to the extent that it will be never productive .

So it all depends on you , how you take things and how you react. Don’t let anything empower you . Trust me in your ias exam preparation phase none of your competitors and others too will pray for your success ,instead they would be more than happy to hear the news of your failure . So it’s all your persona and personality that will matter in the sense how you are reacting to the situation.

You will be filled with negative thoughts but you will have to maintain calmness and have attitude with positivity towards your goal .

Don’t think of others and don’t let it impact you negatively . Instead take positive points from it and be more motivated to succeed . Try to be more motivated with the negative thoughts , if you have done this you will conquer the world and you will achieve success .

One mantra is ” if you can feel motivated by the negative thoughts then life is all yours and success is yours ” but you will have to do this , though it is tough but you will have to try and it’s not tough. Whenever you are down and off , just think of your goal and aim and work accordingly , you will get more productive results.
All the best !!!!

This Article is written by Mr. Rachit Raj, IAS.

More articles from Mr. Rachit Raj about IAS Exam Preparation:

Inspirational Story of Sandeep Kaur IAS – Retired Peon’s Daughter

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Sandeep Kaur IAS

Setting an example for IAS aspirants, Sandeep Kaur secured 138th rank the fourth time and got selected for Indian Administrative Services after failing the Civil Service Exam for three times has given Punjab reasons to feel proud by attaining the 138rd rank in the open merit list of the All India Civil Services Examination.! Sheer hard work and inspiration from an old TV serial have helped Sandeep Kaur, a peon’s daughter, crack the tough Civil Services exam.

Message for IAS Aspirants, “If you don’t win the first time, Try, Try and Try again till you Succeed”. 

Sandeep Kaur says after seeing her result, “I felt like I had a won a war that had been going on for many years. I felt free and relieved. I couldn’t have done it without the rock solid support of my family. I was very motivated after seeing the serial ‘Udaan’, the tale of a lower middle class girl who became an Indian Police Service officer.”

“I have given preference to the Punjab cadre. I would certainly work against female foeticide and for the uplift of girls which is a big problem in Punjab and she is prepared to serve anywhere in the country. Poverty eradication and equal opportunities for all will remain my priorities,” said Sandeep Kaur.

Must Read: The Road Ahead: WAITER TO IAS OFFICER

Family Background of Sandeep Kaur

Sandeep Kaur comes from a small house in Morinda, a town 35 km away from Chandigarh. Sandeep Kaur is a daughter of Ranjit Singh, a peon in the Revenue Department. Her mother Amarjit Kaur is a housemaker. Sandeep is the eldest of her three siblings. Her brother Gurpreet Singh was studying law.

Sandeep Kaur attributes her success to her father and citing her father as her immense source of inspiration behind her success.  Sandeep Kaur told, “I am proud to be a peon’s daughter and I want my father to complete his service with full dignity. I owe my success to my parents and god. Despite meagre resources, my father provided the best facilities to me”.

A proud Sandeep’s mother told, “I wanted her to become an IAS officer since she was in Class 8 and now she has fulfilled my dream. It was certainly not an easy path and it was a journey full of disappointments and countless hiccups. But her strong determination helped her sail all the way”.

Educational Background

Sandeep Kaur studied at a small Hindi medium school in Morinda but her father shifted her to Chandigarh for her 10+2. Her hard work paid off and she not only passed her 10+2 with flying colours but also cleared the Common Entrance Test (CET) for Engineering. She did Engineering from the government-run Punjab Engineering College (PEC) as her father couldn’t afford to send her to private colleges. Even PEC was too expensive for her family as her father had to take many loans for her education. But when she failed to bag a job after graduation, she thought all her efforts had gone down the drain. She started taking tuitions from home but her father motivated her to take the Civil Services Examination.

Sandeep Kaur said, “After completing my engineering, I first wanted to do a job to become economically independent before starting preparations for IAS. But for two continuous years, I did not find any job, as there were very few opportunities for girls in the civil engineering sector. There was nobody to guide me and we did not have enough money to pay the hefty fees of coaching classes. Thereafter, my father took a bank loan to fund the cost of coaching institutes”.

Also Read: Success Story of K Nandakumar IAS – A Lorry Driver’s Son

Optional Paper

Despite her engineering background, Sandeep Kaur meticulously chose the subjects of Sociology and Punjabi Literature. In 2007, she missed the Mains exam by a whisker. She got 933 marks whereas the cut-off was 936.

“My extended family also supported me during the preparations. Every day at 4 am my cousin or my father went to Kharar town, nearly 20 km by bus to bring a copy of Hindu newspaper as we did not get it here”, says Sandeep Kaur

As her family resources were limited, Sandeep Kaur never opted for any formal coaching for the Civil Services Examinations, in which she had not succeeded in a previous attempt.

Attempts

Sandeep Kaur made the first two attempts (2005 and 2006) without taking any formal coaching. She failed the subsequent two tries as well as there was nobody to guide me. Her third attempt was in 2007 but she missed the Preliminary list by a mere three marks. It was frustrating. In fourth attempt she finally dedicated herself in preparing for the Civil Services and failure at earlier attempts made her stronger to prepare for the examinations and achieve the success.

Read Also: Govind Jaiswal, IAS – The Rickshawallah’s Son

Preparation Strategy

During the Prelims she studied for 18 hours and for the Mains she increased it to over 20 hours. She had actually forgotten to sleep in pursuit of her dream. Overwhelmed by a deluge of accolades for clearing the Civil Services Examinations, Sandeep Kaur, acknowledges the major role played by The Hindu in her success. She did not miss any article on the Edit page as well as in the Opinion section.

Advice for Aspirants

To clear India’s top competitive exams, IAS in particular, nothing can be as greatly inspiring as success stories of real-life achievers from the country. These real life champions teach all us how to set bigger-than-usual goals and have strong determination to fight back tough times while daring to accomplish their dreams.

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Open Skies Treaty and US exit – All you need to know

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open skies treaty

What is Open Skies Treaty?

Open Skies Treaty is an accord among 34 member nations, it allows participants to fly unarmed reconnaissance flights over their fellow member states.

Under this treaty, any member state can ‘spy’ through air on any part of other member state with their consent. A country can undertake aerial imaging over the host state after giving notice 72 hours before, and sharing its exact flight path 24 hours before.

The objective of this treaty was to build confidence among members through mutual openness.

History of this Open Skies Treaty (OST)

In 1955, US President Dwight Eisenhower first proposed this idea as a means to deescalate tension during cold war.

In 1992, following the demise of the Soviet Union, the Open Skies Treaty was signed between NATO countries and former Warsaw Pact countries.

In 2002, The Open Skies Treaty went into effect.

Why Open Skies Treaty is in news?

USA has said that it will withdraw from the Open Skies Treaty accusing Russia of flagrant and continuous non-compliance with OST protocols and obstructing surveillance flight on its territories. Russia is also accused of misusing it for gathering key tactical data.

Why US wants to withdraw from Open Skies Treaty?

Now advanced satellites imaging technologies are now primary mode of intelligence gathering and US is well ahead with its extensive military satellite infrastructure. 

Last year the US withdrew its participation from Intermediate-Range Nuclear Force Treaty. Also, the US has stepped away from the Iran Nuclear Deal, and the Paris Agreement.

Being said that, reconnaissance missions have their own importance, since 2002 us has flown 201 such missions for Russia and Belarus. But now US wants to get out of this treaty while ahead in satellite race.

Also, the US finds China as a new threat and don’t want to limit itself while China has all the freedom from such limitations. Such free ticket to China can be dangerous for US national security as well as world peace. This argument holds firm ground as US-Russia nuclear arm control agreement ‘New Start’ will expire in Feb 2021 and US has already made it clear that it will not renew the treaty unless China joins it along with Russia.

India’s point of view

India is a strategic ally to US and not a part of this Open Skies Treaty, finds no reason to ring alarm on this matter. For India it is not hard choice between strong USA vs strong China.

The Rig Veda Age : Religion and Philosophy

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The socio-economic life, that project simplicity, of Vedic Aryans was quite opposite to the religious aspect, that was highly ritualized, of their life. Rig Veda, instead of presenting picture of primitive beliefs, suggests mature thought and understanding. One hymns, to refer eclecticism, suggests that ‘sages name variously that which is one’. This reflects the spirit of tolerance that has been the core of Indian religious thought throughout the ages.

Gods of Rig Veda

The Chief gods the Rig Veda addresses to include Dayus, the sky, who is quite often coupled with Prithvi, the earth; the excellent sky-god, Varuna, whose supremacy was later challenged by the god of thunder – Indra; and the solar gods Surya and Savitri (Who represent the vigorous power of luminary).

Other gods are: Mitra, who is associated with Varuna; Pushan – represents the power of the sun that influences the growth of herbs and vegetation; and Vishnu, who is the personification of the swift morning sun. Rudra augurs his terrible aspect in later days as Siva. Asvins are the morning and evening stars; Maruts, attendants of Rudra, are storm-gods; Vayu and Vata are the wind gods and Parjanya is the god of rain. These gods were also invoked in the Rig Veda.

Apart from these gods, who are personified as human beings, of natural phenomenon, a few abstract deities such as Sraddha, “faith”, and Manyu, “wrath”, have been taken note of in hymns in the Last Book of Vedas.

Read Also: Ajanta Caves – A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Distinct Characteristics of Vedic Gods

The Vedic gods are braced together particulary Mitra and Varuna, who symbolize the union of heaven and earth. Also to this category belong the Martus, the Adityas and the Vasus in which the last ones are associated with, rather vaguely, Indra and Agni and do not possess any individual character. The ‘All-gods’ or the Visvedevas, are esteemed as a special group to be invoked with others, such as the Adityas and the Vasus.

Although one does not find any particular reference to animal worship in the Rig Veda in Vedic age, as a whole, sometimes the gods have been fancied as animals, for example Indra as a bull, and the sun as a swift horse.

Religious Practice during the Age of Rig Veda

The Vedic religion included worshiping gods in which, in order to get favours or boons from gods, sacrifices were performed. These sacrifices included offering milk, grain, ghee, flesh and soma. In the Rig Veda only Soma-Sacrifice has been elaborated.

With the ceremony of offering sacrifices were associated different classes of priests. These classes of priests consist of Hotri, who performs manual functions linked with worship; the Udgatri, who chants the Saman Verses.

Only king and his nobles could perform Soma-sacrifices since the were costly and elaborate. As the Rig Vedic religion was aristocratic in nature, it could not- fulfil the needs and aspirations of masses and therefore had a little popular appeal.

Also Read: Village Of Sanskrit

Philosophy in the Age of Rig Veda

In the tenth Book of the Rig Veda one can trace the beginning of the philosophy. In this Book the multiplicity of gods are questioned and the concept of ultimate unity of the universe is asserted by one God, who has been given various names such as Vishvakarman, Hiranyagarbha, Prajapati or Aditi. Moreover, stress has been laid on one Reality (ekam sat), who has been named variously. The concept of life after death was very well known in which Yama controlled the other world.

The later Vedic literature speaks of the growth of rituals and priesthood and the evolution of concepts of Maya (illusion), Karma (fate based on deeds), Transmigration, Mukti (release) and Atman (soul) or Brahma. The number of bare priests, which were seven in the Rig Veda, increased to seventeen.

A new spirit of spirituality and symbolism is observed in the growth of rituals. The duration of sacrifice (Yajna) is considerably increased lasting from twelve days to a year or years.

Philosophical Doctrines of the Vedic Age

The leading philosophical doctrines of Hinduism were promulgated in this age. The attainment of deliverance from earthly existence by the assimilation of the individual soul (Atman) in the world soul (Brahman) through correct knowledge is the main purpose of the teachings of the upnishads.

It is in the Satapatha Brahmana that the doctrine of transmigration  is first noted. It has been asserted that the retribution follows in the form of repeated births and deaths. It is elaborated in Upnishads that after ‘the path of the gods’ to those, who possess true knowledge that leads to their assimilation in the Brahma.

The sun total of the whole of the later Vedic philosophy is the identity of the individual Atman with the universal Atman (tat tuam asi– that thow art), and liberation (mokshaI is obtained by the merging of the individual Atman into the Universal Atman.

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