On this grand moment we offer our heartiest greetings to beloved Guardian and to all the Baha'is of the world.
On 20th October, the Baha'is observe a holy day as it is the Birth
anniversary of the Bab, the Promised One foretold in the great
religions. This date marks the anniversary of His birth, He was known
as Siyyid 'Ali-Muhammad and was born in 1819 in Shiraz, Iran. The First Guardian Shoghi Effendi wrote in the Dispensation of Baha'u'llah:
"Dearly beloved friends! That the Bab, the inaugurator of the Babi
Dispensation, is fully entitled to rank as one of the self-sufficient
Manifestations of God, that He has been invested with sovereign power
and authority, and exercises all the rights all the rights and
prerogatives of independent Prophethood, is yet another fundamental
verity which the Message of Baha u llah insistently proclaims and which
its flowers must uncompromisingly uphold. That He is not to be regarded
merely as an inspired Precursor of the Baha’i Revelation……… There
can be no doubt that the claim to the twofold station ordained for the
Bab by the Almighty, a claim which He Himself has so boldly advanced,
which Baha u llah has repeatedly affirmed, and to which the Will and
Testament of Abdu’l Baha has finally given the sanction of its
testimony, constitute the most distinctive feature of the Baha’i
Dispensation." The Dispensation of Baha’u’llah, page No.31.
The sacred and youthful
branch, the guardian of the Cause of God as well as the Universal House of
Justice, to be universally elected and established, are both under the care and
protection of the Abhá Beauty, under the shelter and unerring guidance of His
Holiness, the Exalted One (may my life be offered up for them both). Whatsoever
they decide is of God. Whoso obeyeth him (Guardian) not, neither obeyeth them hath not
obeyed God; whoso rebelleth against him (Guardian) and against them hath rebelled against
God; whoso opposeth him (Guardian) hath opposed God; whoso contendeth with them hath
contended with God; whoso disputeth with him (Guardian) hath disputed with God; whoso
denieth him hath denied God; whoso disbelieveth in him hath disbelieved in God;
whoso deviateth, separateth himself and turneth aside from him hath in truth
deviated, separated himself and turned aside from God. May the wrath, the
fierce indignation, the vengeance of God rest upon him! The mighty stronghold
shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the guardian
of the Cause of God.
An international conference of the Orthodox Bahais of the world held at Albuquerque, New Mexico on 9th and 10th June 2012. Conference opened with the reciting of several prayers by the friends including the Healing Prayer for all of those who are currently facing health problems. The friends were delighted to welcome Hand of the Cause, Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand, from Australia, to share their conference experience. He is the Vice President of the Third International Baha’i Council and the appointed successor of the Third Guardian. Deepening This conference was a very successful gathering with the view point of devotionals and deepening. The following subjects discussed by the friends present in the conference: The Necessity for a Mediator. Prayer Indispensable and Obligatory. Prayer the Language of Love. Love, Jewels from the Words of Abdu’l-Baha. Why do bad things happen to good people? Prayer and Natural Law. The Seven Mouths of God. Seven major faiths Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism, Christianity, Islam and Bahai’ism must be united from around the world. The History of the Tablet of Ahmad. Who was Ahmad? What was happening historically when this tablet was revealed? Khalil Gibran and the Baha’i Faith. The Creative Power of the Word of God. Administration & Future Vision Publishing and Feast activities of Orthodox Baha’i’ Community of Roswell discussed. Same will continue to invite people to the Baha’i Topics. As the Feast is the bedrock of the community and the main purpose of feasts is consultation, will continue in Roswell and in Indian Community of Orthodox Baha’is. As per the directives of Guardian, as far as possible new technologies will be utilized to deliver the message of guardianship. Video-conferencing, possibly using ‘Hang-out’ on Google+ and… will be encouraged everyone to use social networking sites, such as Google+, where you can distinguish groups of people through ‘circles. All friends are encouraged to develop a personal page or blog. The topic Suggested for future conferences are: Love, the Will and Testament of Baha’u’llah (Kitab-I-‘Ahd or the Book of the Covenant). Review of part I of the Seven Valleys, Tahirih, more from the New Era such as Science and Religion, a discussion of The Bible Code. The Orthodox Baha’is of Colorado offered to host the summer 2013 conference in Colorado Springs. The appointed successor of the Third Guardian, the Vice President of the Third International Baha’i Council the Hand of Cause of God Mr. Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand delivered a message of Third Guardian Joel Bray Marangella that: “the Guardian has asked us to create a presence on the internet. He said everyone can have a blog, or get onto Facebook, Google+ or any social networking site. Conference ended with the prayer by Mr. Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand.
Joel Bray Marangella marked the inauguration first time on
29th May 1991 on the Indian sub-continent by appealing in the
Times of India, with the title: An appeal to the Heterodox Baha’is and
appealed in a more comprehensive second advertisement on 7th
March 1992 and subsequently, the third advertisement in the Times of India
on 16and 17th May 1992, which
resulted in the historic formation of the Mother Baha’i Council of India in
Delhi with Mr. Vinod Kumar, a young and faithful Baha’i, as its secretary.
It had been the third guardian’s desire for the Faith in India to develop
favorably. Subsequently two more local councils were formed in Bhagalpur
district and the other in Thane, with a number of localities and individual
believers declaring their loyalty to the “Center of the Cause” who is
none other than the Living Guardian of the Faith Joel B. Marangella.
Encouraged by the sudden response from the Indian Baha'is,
the third Guardian, on the occasion of the 100th year of the
Ascension of Baha u llahplaced fourth adverstisement in the Times of
Indiaon May 29, 1992which called upon the Indian Bahais
to faithfully uphold the Covenant of Baha’u’llah by turning to the Guardian and
serving their ties with the erroneously constituted sans-Guardian organization.
The Guardian also welcomed the Indian Baha’is into the true Administrative
Order, headed by the Guardian and founded upon sacred immutable provisions of
Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha. With advertisements, the Bahai believers
throughout India came to realize that the Guardianship is an integral part of
the Faith.
Overwhelmed by the success of the Orthodox Baha'i Faith and
eagerness of the Indian believers to accept the Faith under the Guardianship,
the third Guardian, Joel Bray Marangella, sent two American believers, Mr.
Frank Schlatter and David Maxwell, to assess the situation in India and while
there, to teach and deepen the Orthodox Baha'is, during their visits to Delhi,
Agra, Mumbai, Aurangabad, Baroda and Rajgir. Their visit enhanced the teaching
activities of the Orthodox Baha’is and more firmly established the Orthodox
Baha’i Faith in India.
Subsequently, more advertisements appeared and under the
direction of the National Baha’i Council of India and with the cooperation of
various local councils, many Councils were established and a number of
individual Baha’is, residing in various parts of India, were brought into the
Faith under the Guardianship.
The prominent personalities of the Orthodox Baha’i Community
in India are Dr. Ram Krishna Singh of Varanasi. He is a University
professor, teaching English language skills to students of earth and mineral
sciences. He has authored over 150 articles, a65 book reviews and 34 books,
including twelve collections of poems. He has received several awards and
honours, including honorary Litt. D. from the World Academy of Arts and
Culture, Taiwan, 1984, Michael Madhusudan Award, Calcutta, 1994 and Peace
Museum Award from Ritsumeikan University, Koyoto, 1999. His blog: http://rksingh.blogspot.com .
Dr. Zayn Luqmani Fateh, a physician by profession, is
an intellectual amongst the Baha’is of India due to his deep understanding of
the Faith. He is the son of the late Dr. M.R. Luqmani, who was bestowed by the
first Guardian Shoghi Effendi with the title of FATEH, the spiritual
conqueror of Ceylon, where he rendered outstanding services. Dr.
Zayn when he was a child, met to the second Guardian Mason Remey in Celone.
Mr. Vinod Kumar a devoted Orthodox Baha’i, a banker
by profession, formed many local Councils around Delhi and in other part of
India. Mr. Vinod Kumar is a very brave man and he had debated many well known
Baha’is of India concerning to the continuity of Guardianship in Baha’i Faith.
He was the secretary of the National Bahai Council of India since its
inception.
Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Mr. Rajni Patel, Mr. Y.H Taylor, Mr. Raj
Paual Singh, Mrs. Madhu Mehta, Mr. Rajendra Upadhyaye, Mr. Rocky Patel, Mr.
Ajay Sharma, Dr. Siddiqui, are the well known Orthodox Baha’is of India. (Some of the names of the prominent Bahais who have accepted the truth of continuty of Guardianship in Bahai Faith but due to some reason they can declare it publically, thus their names are not added this list).
Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand in India: Nosrat’u’llah
Bahremand born in Shiraz (Iran) the city of the Bab on 25th August
1942. He grew up in Tehran. His ancestors from mother side were Baha’i and
father sides were Muslims. His father Dr. Hassan Bahremand studied in Medicine
in India in a British Medical College. The Third Guardian Joel Bray
Marangella appointed to Mr. Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand on 22nd
September 2006 as the Vice President of Third International Baha’i Council and
upon the termination of his guardianship, his chosen successor. Nosrat visited India
on 15th, 16th & 17th September 2010.
Orthodox Baha’is of Thane, Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad welcomed him with a great
pleasure.
Message of Mr. Nosrat'u'llah Bahremand to the Indian Bahais:
He gave the message to the Indian friends that “the Baha’i Faith teaches us to love our
enemy also. We are servant. The Religion is Blessings for all of us. We are
blessed one due to some of our good deeds.
Hands of Cause of God: The third Guardian of Baha’i
Faith Joel Marangella has appointed till date twelve Hands of Cause from
different parts of the world and two of them, Dr. A. Parikh and Mr. Y. H Taylor
are from India.
Members
of Third International Baha’i Council form India are Mr. Parikh and Mr. Taylor.
Our main sites are: www.bahaisorthodox.com
and http//mybahaifaith.blogspot.com and many other sites.
A. Parikh,
Secretary,
National Baha’i Council of (Orthodox Baha’is) of India,
Third Guardian of Bahai Faith - Joel Bray Marangella
In 1965, Joel Bray Marangella
became the Third Guardian of the Faith, having been appointed by Mason
Remey as his successor both in a hand-written letter and through his
appointment of him as the President of the Second International Bahá'í
Council (the embryonic Universal House of Justice of which only the
Guardian is the authorized legitimate head). He born on September 22, 1918 in Lynn,Massachusetts, to his parents Phillip Amalfi Marangella and Edith Brooks
Guthrie Marangella, both of whom enrolled as Bahá'ís when Joel was a baby. He
resided in many of the major cities of the United States and participated both
in the spiritual and administrative activities of their various Bahá'í
communities. He married Irene, also a Bahá'í, in 1945, and five years later
they answered the call of Shoghi Effendi (the first Guardian of the Faith) for
pioneers to go to Europe to help spread the Faith and spent eighteen years in
France. In 1954, the Hands of the Cause appointed Joel as an Auxiliary Board
Member for the propagation of the Faith. He participated in the formation of
the first National Spiritual Assembly of France in May 1958 becoming its
first President and again following its two successive elections.
After leaving France in 1968, Joel
lived successively in Germany, Switzerland and Australia before his return to
the United States in March of 2010. Joel Bray Marangella is recognized by
Orthodox Bahá'ís as the third Guardian of the Bahá'í Faith, the authorized
interpreter of the Bahá'í Writings and the president and sacred head for life
of the Universal House of Justice (provisionally named, in its embryonic form,
as the International Bahá'í Council of the Orthodox Bahá'ís).
A. Parikh,
Secretary,
National Baha’i Council of (Orthodox Baha’is) of India,
