There is no respite from the incumbent rule of medieval Hinduism than the religious freedom in India, especially the right to conversion out of free choice.

Prime Minister Modi (after the meeting of some opposition political parties, the JDU, RJD, TRS leaders in Bihar) is worried especially after Bihar CM Nitish leaving the government with BJP in Bihar and increasingly becoming the poster-boy of opposition hence Modi on August, 1 in Kerala said that -"[ I had said from the Red Fort on 15 August that the time has come to fight decisively against corruption. However, what we see is that as we take action against the corrupt persons, there has emerged a new polarization in national politics] as reported at https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/on-pm-modi-s-polarisation-in-politics-remark-nitish-hits-back-i-dont-101662098658647.html

The political parties of Mandal (reservation) castes of India joined hands with former PM V.P. Singh before 1989 elections and removed Congress / Rajiv Gandhi from power and now the political parties of Mandal castes are joining hands to remove BJP / Modi from power (in 2024 election) which is quite possible (this time situation is more threatening to incumbent government due to disgruntled Muslims, against Modi government, who are about 15 % of Indian population)

But the opposition is grossly underestimating Hindutva forces. When government of India has released the report that the Q1 GDP of India has grown at 13.5 % the Hindutva forces can always say that at such a time when after Corona problems the economy of India is recovering at very fast speed [the Congress by 'Bharat jodo yatra' (connect India march) from September 7 and the Mandal castes which aretrying to bring corrupt political parties together] they all are not only trying to stop the fast economic progress of India under Modi government but are also trying to bring anarchy in India.

In such a situation the Modi government led by Hindutva forces can easily finish democracy of India as is apprehended by opposition (a farmer leader too) as discussed in media in debate at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTZhFv3Z4g4 .This removal of democracy is very easy for the Hindutva forces by adopting the Chinese model by replacing 'Communist Party of China' with the RSS and by declaring India a 'Hindu Rashtra' (which will bring added support to BJP / RSS / Hindutva forces by communal elements of India which is substantial notwithstanding contrary propaganda of the minuscule liberal element in India ).

This will be a huge victory for China in the cold war - II of 'liberal Western democracy' against 'authoritarian Chinese democracy' . This not only will please China but China may also work for it clandestinely. This will have potential to solve all border problems of India with China and Pakistan (already under huge influence of China) and which will provide extra legitimacy to such Hindu Rashtra. If some people think that the people of India will not allow the removal of democracy from India or the imposition of 'Hindu Rashtra' in India then they don't know anything about India [because the people of India have never realized that free mind is necessary for the progress of modern technology & sciences (including and especially social science) and which is possible only in secular democracy]

When Hindu majority India was allowing rule-of-law to be subverted in Babri-masjid case since late eighties it wouldnt have thought that it was paving the way for medieval Hinduism (through Hindutva forces of RSS, VHP etc) to come in power by installing its proxy the BJP in power by making a mockery of criminal law of India.The opposition parties should know that once any religion acquires political power it never gives it up easily and peacefully (the example of Europe from 16th to 18th century is educative where hundred years of religious wars were needed to get rid of the rule of religion and present day Iran is no different). Hence if the opposition party of India think that medieval Hinduism can be removed from power merely by votes in election then they are living in make believe world rather irresponsible (towards criminal law) Hindu majority India is now cursed to live with the rule of medieval Hinduism.

Such a dire situation can be averted also if the GOP of India (the Congress party which has presence all across India) wakes-up as mentioned at

https://www.pakistanchristianpost.com/exclusive-reports-details/236. But the leadership of the Congress doesnt seem to be either interested in it or not up-to the task.

If such tragedy (the loss of democracy & secularism from India) happens then the history is bound to write that the simple reason of such avoidable tragedy was the fact that despite ICCPR of the US-sponsored United Nations, the USA couldnt ensure right to freedom of religion (by conversion out of free choice) in Indian subcontinent (in the said mini-SAARC - 2 region).

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After allowing majoritarianism to subvert criminal law of the country now Hindu majority India is cursed to live with rule of medieval Hinduism. By...

There were 5,000 Hindus in Kohat and 12,000 Muslims on September 8, 1924. On September 11, 3,200 Hindus fled. The devastating anti-Hindu riots wiped out almost the entire Hindu population from the area in just two days. This is the story of the Kohat Riots that were deemed as a successful attempt to completely exterminate and erase the Hindu and Sikh communities in the region. Kohat town of North-West Frontier Province (now known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) is located in present-day Pakistan. Notably, many prominent personalities blamed Hindus for igniting communal tension in the area. Patrick McGinns 1986 paper titled Communalism and the North-West Frontier Province: the Kohat Riots, 9-10 September provided a detailed account of the riots.

The stories narrate how the radical mob of Islamists unleashed their wrath on the Hindu colonies in Kohat. A pre-meditated attack on the Hindus resulted in the exodus of almost the entire population of Hindus from the region. There was no support from the then-British government. It is believed that the British government was dependent on the majority Muslim population in the region to maintain its stronghold. So much so, the Assistant Commissioner of Police and the Head Constable of Police were Muslims named S Ahmad Khan and Abbas Ali Shah.

On the fateful days of September 9th and 10th of, 1924, radical Islamist mobs unleashed mayhem in Hindu mohallas (neighbourhoods) in Kohat town of North-West Frontier Province (now known as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) in present-day Pakistan. The carnage was pre-meditated and resulted in the exodus of the entire Hindu population from the area. Since the British depended on the majority Muslim community to maintain their stronghold in the area, they turned a blind eye to the treatment meted out to the Hindus.

The trust that Britishers had in Muslims was evident in a letter that Lord Reading wrote to the British Secretary of State on July 23, 1924. He wrote, The Gandhi movement could never have gained its strength but for the Treaty of Sevres which made the Mohamedans so fanatic that they joined up with the Hindus for the time beingthe difficulty at present is to keep the Mohamedan and Hindu from each others throats, a task which I believe can only be performed by the British.

He added, From purely Indian considerations, I have no hesitation in saying that the peace [with Turkey] will assure us of the support of all but the extremists among the 60 or 70 million Mohamedans in India and will help materially to strengthen the British position in India.

It is notable, that a treaty between the Allied powers (that won World War I) and the representatives of the government of Ottoman Turkey was signed in August 1920 and is known as the Treaty of Sevres. Under this treaty, the Ottoman Empire was abolished and Turkey was obliged to let go of its rights over Arab Asia and North Africa.

The actual idea behind the Khilafat Movement or the Caliphate movement was to revolt against the British the Indian Muslims. The Indian Muslim leaders wanted to restore the Caliph of the Ottoman Caliphate in Turkey, and it was supported by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. At that time, Gandhi himself was leading a non-cooperation movement in the country.

The support to the Khilafat movement was given in the backdrop of the idea that independence from the colonial rule of the British in India would be achieved via Hindu-Muslim unity. To date, the Islamists of the Khilafat movement are touted as freedom fighters, furthering the delusion that some leaders of the time had. The truth, however, is far from it. The Khilafat movement was about Indian Muslims fighting for the Islamic Caliphate in Turkey. The reason they were against the British was not that they wanted freedom for India, but because they were against the treatment the British gave to the Ottoman Empire and the Turkey Caliph. It was a purely Islamist movement, led by Islamists, for the cause of the Ummah.

In 1920, there was a policy change in Turkey due to the Treaty of Sevres. The Khilafat movement was poised to trickle away, however, it would not do so before claiming the lives of thousands of Hindus who bore the wrath of radical Islamists.

As per the census of 1921, the total population of Hindus and Sikhs was 5,000, and Muslims were 12,000. According to the records, in Kohat, Muslims paid only Rs 9,998 as tax, whereas Hindus paid Rs 37,322, which was almost four times the tax paid by Muslims. The records suggest there were some conversions as well where Hindus embraced Islam. Around 150 conversions were recorded every year from 1919 to 1924. At that time, Hindu organizations like Arya Samaj and Sanatan Dharma Sabha were strengthening their roots. Though the two organizations had different views, ideologies and outlooks, when it came to establishing the religious identity, they came together and supported the local Hindu community.

The communal friction in the area was the result of several reasons. Every time an incident involving both communities happened in the region, it was used to further fan the friction between the communities. There was a Sikh named Sardar Makan Singh. His son eloped with a Muslim girl, which was not acceptable to the communities. The marriage of the couple belonging to different communities gave ground to the Islamic clerics to give highly inflammatory statements.

In May 1924, a wave of shock hit the Hindu community when they came across a highly objectionable and blasphemous poem published in a Muslim-centric newspaper named Lahaul. The poem read, We shall have to burn the Gita of Kirars. We shall break the flute of Krishna. O Muslims! You will have to take up the sword and destroy the existence of Kirars and burn their goddesses.

The genocidal poem called for the burning of Shrimad Bhagwad Gita, the destruction of the idols and the burning of the goddesses. It called the Muslims to take up weapons and destroy everything that was proof of the existence of the Hindu community that they called Kirars. It was more than enough to irk the Hindu community to take a notable step. Though the entire Hindu community was hurt by the poem, the members of Sanatan Dharma Sabha were, in particular, displeased by the Islamist poem.

Jiwan Das, who was the local secretary of the organization, decided that it was time to retaliate and published a pamphlet by the name of Krishan Sandesh or The Message of Krishna. There were poems in the pamphlet that were written to reinstate the religious identity of the Hindus.

A poem by an author from Jammu was published in the pamphlet that mocked the Muslims. The poem read, We have kept quiet so long, we shall have to speak out, O Mulla! You must gather up your prayer carpet and take it to Arabia. We shall build a temple to Vishnu in place of the Kaba, And destroy the existence of the Nimaziz. On the day of Janmashthami, 1,000 copies of the pamphlets were distributed.

In retaliation to the poem, the Muslim clerics gave provocative speeches and called for action against Das. On September 3, 1924, a large group of Muslims under the leadership of Maulvi Ahmed Gul and Qazi Miraj Din met ACP S Ahmad Khan and demanded action against Das. They were assured by the ACP that Das would be prosecuted under IPC 505, 153A. Furthermore, directions were given to collect and burn the pamphlets.

The orders to burn the pamphlets further irked the Hindu community that was, till then, sided with the fact that the poem was offensive and blamed Sanatan Dharma Sabha for the same. As the pamphlets had a portrait of Bhagwan Krishna on the cover, they opposed the burning of the pamphlets. They also asked for a pardon for Das.

On September 8, Das was granted bail, but he was directed to leave the district. This was a great opportunity for the Ulemas to instigate the Muslims. They provoked the Muslims by saying that Das was acquitted in the case and concealed the information that he was only out on bail. It was more than enough to strengthen the ground for the call of action against the Hindus.

The preachings from the mosque led to the conspiracy to instigate the Muslim community. It was said, Alas! Oh impotent Mussulmans! You have spoiled your cause by accepting bribes from the Hindus. You should die! You should have some sense of shame.

Maulvi Ahmed Gul warned the Police to take immediate action against Das, or the Muslim community would take action as per Sharia Law. He gave the administration time till 8 AM on September 9. Shahin Shah and Mian Fazul Shah, along with other clerics, supported his call.

In the oath of talaq taken at Haji Bahadur mosque, the Muslim community said they would divorce their wives if they failed to defend their religion.

On the night of September 8, Muslims were parading the area with weapons. On the morning on September 9, a large group of 1,000 to 1,500 Muslims went and met Deputy Commissioner Reilly and forced him to fulfil their demands. It went on for a few hours, and by noon, half of the agitated mob had left the spot and soon appeared outside the Hindu colony. Since the Hindus learned about the provocative speeches and oath of talaq, they had anticipated there would be bloodshed. Information was passed on to the Deputy Commission, SP, via telegrams, but no one came to help them. Earlier, letters were also sent to the Chief Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner on September 6 informing them about the tense situation but no action was taken by the Police.

There were large mobs of Muslims comprising mainly young boys. They stormed into Hindu colonies and started pelting stones. Equipped with sticks, their presence in large numbers was enough to instigate fear among the Hindus. Before they could react, the house of Sardar Makan Singh, whose son had eloped with a Muslim girl, was burnt to ashes.

The Hindus retaliated and fired shots at them. One of the Muslims died, and several others were reported injured. The death of one of the mobsters agitated the mob further, and the fanatics went on a rampage to kill the Hindus. They did not leave any property that was owned by the members of the Hindu community. Let it be shops, temples or houses, everything was vandalized, looted and set on fire.

The rioters continued the destruction till 7 PM, after which the law enforcement agencies became active and dispersed the mob. For a short span, the situation was under control, as per the Police. However, they were not prepared for the second round of the violent mob that went on rioting the next day. Patrick McGinn mentioned that there was evidence that the Police also looted the shops with the rioters but the government categorically denied the involvement of its officers in the looting.

On September 10 at around 11 AM, a large mob of 4,000 Muslims gathered from Kohat and nearby tribal areas outside the Hindu colonies. What happened next is considered to be one of the deadliest episodes of violence in pre-Independent India.

As a result of the attack, 3,000 Hindus fled the Kohat town and took shelter in a temple nearby. However, they had to move from the temple once the rioters reached close by. The houses were looted and torched. A few Hindus had decided to stay back, only to meet a deadly fate. They were mercilessly slaughtered by the Muslim mob. The fire that gutted the houses and properties of Hindus reportedly continued to burn for over seven days.

Following the exodus, the Hindus took refuge in Rawalpindi, Punjab. The official statistics suggest 12 Hindus died and 13 went missing who were thought to be killed. 86 Hindus were reportedly injured, totalling the casualties at 155. Coming to Muslims, only one-third of casualties were reported on their side. Most of them were killed in self-defence. By the end of the Kohat Riots, almost the entire Hindu population from the area was wiped out. It was a significant demographic change in favour of Muslims.

Interestingly, the tribes from nearby areas that joined Muslims in the riot also looted and damaged some of the houses that belonged to Muslims. McGinn wrote, Some Muslim property was destroyed in the course of the day as the tribesmen appeared to make no distinction between Hindu and Muslim property.

Hindus did not return to the region out of fear of riots till January 1925, after a settlement was brought to the table between the Hindu and Muslim leaders by NWFP Chief Commissioner HN Bolton. However, there was a catch. Leaving the blasphemy case against Das, all the cases against the rioters were dropped as part of the settlement. No monetary compensation was provided to the Hindus. They were, however, offered loans worth Rs 5 lakh for the damages. However, the situation did not improve between the two communities.

In his book Pakistan or The Partition of India, Dr BR Ambedkar wrote, Even after the settlement had been reached and evacuees had returned to Kohat there was no peace.

In December 1924, Madan Mohan Malaviya sent to the Viceroy the resolution that was passed on November 30, 1924, at the Sanatan Dharma Sabha Conference which was attended by 1,200 delegates from the Panjab, Baluchistan, Sindh and the NWFP. At that time, Malaviya was a Congress politician, member of Sanatan Dharma Sabha and member of the Legislative Assembly.

In the resolution it was said, Grief and resentment at the outrages committed against Kohat Hindus; that the authorities knew that there was a danger of violence but did nothing and failed to prevent and curtail the disturbances; that the government showed a lack of sympathy with the Hindus, who fired in self-defence, and although more Hindus than Muslims were killed, more Hindus were arrested; and that there should be a public enquiry set up consisting of individuals from all religious groups. McGinn noted that Malaviya was the most outspoken of the Hindu politicians in the Legislative Assembly in his criticism of the governments handling of the situation.

Though Gandhi had bowed down to the Viceroys refusal to grant him permission to visit Kohat, he condemned the local authorities of Kohat for the betrayal, callous indifference, incompetence and weakness they had shown in managing the situation. He said, It was criminal for them to have disregarded the warnings that their lives and property were in danger given by the Hindus on 6 September and repeated on the ninth. It was inhuman not to have provided the refugees with food after their removal and to have left them to their own resources after removal to Rawalpindi. Contrary to what Gandhi said, the government argued that it was the influence of the national politicians that stopped Kohat Hindus from returning that hindered the resettlement process.

Gandhi used the Khilafat movement to satisfy his own need to show there was Hindu Muslim Unity. However, the underlying religious antagonism mushroomed across the country following the fall of the Ottoman Empire in Turkey which resulted in fading away of the Khilafat Movement for some time. To correct the discourse, Gandhi fasted for 21 days to restore communal harmony.

Though Hindus were wiped out from the region following the Kohat riots, several prominent personalities blamed Hindus for the riots. In 2012, a book by Arun Shourie was published with the title The World of Fatwas Or The Sharia in Action that contained several quotes related to the riots.

Maulana Mohammed Ali, who was part of the inquiry committee that investigated the reason behind the Kohat Riots, was quoted in the book saying, The sufferings of the Hindus of Kohat are not unprovoked, but that, on the contrary, the facts brought to light make it clear that gross provocation was offered to the religious sentiments of the Mussalmans, and the Hindus were the first to resort to violence; and further that, though their sufferings were very great, and they are deserving of the sympathy of all Mussalmans, it was not they alone that suffered Maulana Mohammed Ali gave the statement in December 1924 at the sessions in Bombay of the Muslim League.

He further said, The relations between the two communities were strained throughout 1923-24. But in no locality did this tension produce such tragic consequences as in the city of Kohat. The immediate cause of the trouble was the publication and circulation of a pamphlet containing a virulently anti-Islamic poem. Terrible riots broke out on the 9th and 10th of September 1924, the total casualties being about 155 killed and wounded As a result of this reign of terror the whole Hindu population evacuated the city of Kohat

Dr BR Ambedkar, in his book [PDF] Pakistan or The Partition of India (1946) [P164] wrote, The immediate cause of the trouble was the publication and circulation of a pamphlet containing a virulently anti-Islamic poem. Terrible riots broke out on the 9th and 10th of September 1924, the total casualties being about 155 killed and wounded. House property to the estimated value of Rs. 9 lakhs was destroyed, and a large quantity of goods were looted. As a result of this reign of terror the whole Hindu population evacuated the city of Kohat. Though Ambedkar called it one of the most terrible outbreak of the year being the one that took place at Kohat which was accompanied by murder, arson and loot in terms of Hindu-Muslim conflicts, he did not mention the anti-Hindu poem published by the Muslim publication.

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Kohat Riots 1924: How Hindus were slaughtered and looted by a rampaging Muslim mob and how Hindus were blamed for their own plight - OpIndia

Her last words, He should die the way I am dying today, were the lament of a betrayed Hindu girl whom Shahrukh Hussain burnt alive by pouring petrol over her. This incident and dozens of similar nature would have been enough to rudely shake and awaken any community from its secular slumber. But looking at the way Hindus have reacted, whether from an overdose of wokeism or apathy, one would be legitimate in screaming with frustration: Will the Hindus ever wake up?

Take a moment to jog your memory to recall the following episodes of brazen criminality:

On 19 August 2018, 55-year-old Jalaluddin Khan burnt alive his 38-year-old lover Sangita Deore, daughter Priti and granddaughter Sidhi in Panchvati, Nashik.

Only four of 18 Khadims of Ajmer Dargah, charged with gang-rape of 100 Hindu girls in 1992, were convicted, while some of those girls are no more.

In 2017, 30 Hindu girls were drugged and raped by one Muhammad Shafi of Kerala who posed himself as an NRI surgeon; he believed it was his religious duty to target Hindu women and girls.

Jyotsna, Payal Patel, Riya Gautam, Mansi Patra, Pooja Hadapad, Shruti Menon, Mou Rajak, Nandini, S Dhanya, Tina Rajawat, Arti Sharma, Mansi Dixit: Do the Google and you will find that they were killed for refusing to marry or keep relationship with Muslims.

Says who that love jihad is a myth? If you still do, then you need to find justifications for love jihad, sexual violence, physical assaults, targeted riots, hate crimes, hate speeches and beheadings as new parameters of communal harmony. Hindus, unfortunately, remain ignorant or choose to ignore these crimes; mainstream media doesnt talk about them, and governments get away with an apathetic response.

Nothing changed in 130 decades not even after the balkanisation of India in 1947. The sharia theo-fascism has entered the body politic and society of the nation and the leftover fanatics have consolidated the ecosystem to sustain it.

Whether it was Kashmiri Hindu genocide of 1990 or the recent West Bengal killings of Hindus, the situation remains grim. Ankit Saxena, who was lynched in Raghubir Nagar, Delhi, in February 2018, was stopped by his Muslim girlfriends mother by ramming her scooter into Ankits vehicle, forced him to get out and Ankits throat was cut open by the girls father with a butchers knife

Remember Dhruv Tyagi, who had gone to Jehangir Khan to complain about his son bothering his daughter? Tyagi was killed by Khan and his son with a knife given by his wife and daughter. Billipuram Nagaraju, husband of a Muslim woman, was beaten and brutally stabbed to death in Saroornagar, Hyderabad. Ravi Nimbargi was killed by the family of his Muslim girlfriend in Balaganur village in Sindagi. Then off course, Firoz Khan, who kidnapped a 4-year-old, raped her and his death sentence was quashed by the judiciary, saying: Every sinner has a future.

Our liberal democracy has kept the majority community under a tight leash, while the so-called minority is constantly appeased by every political party.

While the likes of Nupur Sharma and T Raja Singh are facing the music for their comments on Prophet Mohammed, those who threaten people with sar tan se juda slogans mostly go scot free? One wonders why no action has been taken against Waris Pathan who openly warns Hindus of consequences as he says: Muslims are just 15 crores in the country but can dominate over 100 crore Hindus.

When will Hindus wake up to the patterns of crimes against them, of mass murders, rapes, loot and arson? History is proof that Nawab Samiullah incited Hindu killings in 1906-07. The outcome of the slogan Lar ke lengey Pakistan, in August 1946, wreaked havoc in Calcutta and Noakhali. A Peer of Golra Sharif incited the wiping Rawalpindi of all Hindus and Sikhs in March 1947. Hindus in Pakistan, especially their girls, are still facing the worst form of persecution. But all this largely goes unnoticed.

Where are we going wrong? Our focus has always been on maintaining communal harmony instead of justice for victims. As a society, we have failed to build a safe environment for our children; weve done nothing to educate our people of the agenda of Islamists. When we hear case of love jihad, we mostly blame girls. We conveniently ignore how parents have failed to educate their girls of such dangers. Victims are left without any support from the state/society that has failed to establish a national movement to ensure harsh punishment for perpetrators of brutal murders, rapes, abductions and forced conversions. All we have done is, candle marches, raising some funds for aggrieved families, funds that can never compensate for losing a daughter, son, husband, father.Do such crimes deserve just a few years of imprisonment or acquittal? Acts of such brutality deserve no leniency. If we as a nation cant stop Hindu killings, crimes against Hindu girls, cant protect them, we are doomed. We are Hindus today because our ancestors fought and resisted the barbarians for nearly 1,400 years to preserve Hindu civilisation and our Hindu identity. It is high time we defeated their nefarious designs with the same fire and stand resolute against the barbarians intimidating us in our own homeland.

Meenakshi Sharan is a hospitality entrepreneur. She is an avid history buff and perpetually researches episodes where history was faulted to manufacture faux narratives. Views expressed are personal.

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OPINION | From Kashmir and Bengal Now to Jharkhand: Will Hindus Ever Wake Up? - News18

During the Indian monsoons between the ten-day festival of Ganesha (Ganesha Utsava), the elephant-headed remover of obstacles, and the nine-night festival of the Mother Goddess Durga (Nava-ratri) Hindus observe Pitr-paksha, or the fortnight (paksha, in Sanskrit) of the ancestors (pitr). This is a dark fortnight of the lunar month, in the dark half of the year. It is a time to feed the dead.

Facing the south, Hindu men across India are seen placing mashed rice balls mixed with black sesame seeds, known as pinda, on blades of grass, near water bodies. They pour water on these pinda in a peculiar way, known as tarpana, over the thumb of the right hand that is stretched outward away from the body. Crows are encouraged to eat this rice.

Every shopkeeper knows business will be slow at this time. Indeed, many Hindu families avoid buying cars or houses or even new clothes. No contracts are signed. No weddings conducted. This hesitance is interesting for what it reveals of the ambiguous relationship Hindus have with the dead. The ancestors are venerated and need to be fed, its true. However, all things associated with death are also deemed inauspicious and impure.

Of course, not all Hindus follow these practices and customs. Hinduism is diverse, dynamic and complex. But the dominant mainstream Hindu understanding of death comes from the Preta-kalpa of the Garuda Purana, which was composed a thousand years ago, and is still read during funeral ceremonies. The ritual of shradh that involves offering pinda to ancestors can be traced to Grihya-sutra literature, which is over 2,500 years old, indicating a remarkable continuity of tradition. The word pitr used for ancestors can be traced even to the Rig Veda, Hinduisms oldest scripture.

While the practice of giving food and gifts to the dead is found in many cultures, Hindu customs are unique as they are based on the metaphysics of rebirth, not an eternal afterlife. Hindus believe nothing is permanent, not even death. The dead eventually return to the land of the living to repay unpaid debts. Life is needed to free oneself from the burden of debts. Feeding the dead is itself an obligation, a repayment of debt. Those alive owe their life and privilege to the dead. The dead depend on the living to facilitate their return to the land of the living and keep the circle of life turning.

This idea of eternal return is embedded in the Hindu mind through ritual and story. In Vedic times, the ritual arena was set aflame after a yagna as is done in the case of a funeral and the altar was then reconstituted with fresh bricks. Today, festivals of Ganesha and Durga are celebrated over ten days and nine nights to remind us of ten lunar months and nine solar months of pregnancy.

After the festival, clay effigies of the deity are cast into water bodies, like the ashes of the dead. Thus, even the gods are impermanent. They go away this year but will return next year, mimicking the reality of re-death (punar-mrityu) and rebirth (punar-janma) mentioned in the Upanishads.

In the temple of Jagannath Puri, in Odisha, the deity is embodied in a brightly painted image of wood, cloth and resin. Every dozen or so years, the deity grows old and needs to shed his old body. In a secret ritual, the soul of the deity is taken out by a blindfolded priest from a secret chamber of the old body and placed in a secret chamber of the new body. The old body is then buried, and the new body is installed in the temple in a grand ceremony, ready to experience the daily, monthly and annual ritual cycles once again.

Another unique feature of death in the Hindu world view is its association with impurity. If the clockwise orientation is done for the gods, the anticlockwise orientation is reserved for ancestors. Those who visit the crematorium are not allowed to enter the house without bathing. Those whose hereditary occupation was to tend to funeral pyres were deemed untouchable, an idea that shaped Hinduisms now illegal caste hierarchy. Women fared no better: menstruating women and widows were also seen as touched by death and so isolated.

That said, the inauspicious funeral ground has also been for centuries the arena of potent power, magic and the occult, the place where gods take fearsome forms like Bhairava and Chamunda, and wander in the company of ghosts and dogs. In many local traditions, the ghosts of ancestors (bhuta) are summoned by shaman-like priests, who wear grand colourful attires and go into a trance in public rituals, to advise and bless the living.

In Tantric lore, sorcerers can enslave the ghost (vetala) using the flesh, bones and skull of the dead as ingredients in secret rituals (shava sadhana). To prevent this, people were encouraged to let Brahmins perform the Vedic death rituals, destroying the corpse completely, even smashing its burning skull, to enable the dead to make the journey to the land of the dead, where they can be regularly fed until it is time for their rebirth.

Hindus share their ideas of rebirth with the other faiths of Indian origin, such as Buddhism and Jainism. Myths in most other parts of the world are built around a single life followed by an eternal afterlife. Even in India there are communities such as the Lingayats and the neo-Buddhists who do not believe in rebirth. When you believe you live only once, this life and this body become special. Both are commemorated with tombs and tombstones, a practice shunned by orthodox Hindus who want the dead to move on, not stay back.

Excerpted with permission from Garuda Purana and Other Hindu Ideas on Death, Rebirth and Immortality, Devdutt Pattanaik, Westland.

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Devdutt Pattanaik on the 3,000-year-old Hindu ritual of feeding the dead - Scroll.in

Oldest Religions In The World: From prehistoric to modern times, religion has played a role in the history of the human race. The majority of human religious experience is prehistoric. The age of formal writing, or written history, is just about 5000 years old. Due to a lack of written records, the majority of what is known about prehistoric religion comes from archaeological findings, other indirect sources, and conjecture.

The majority of religions claim to have existed since the beginning of the universe or of human civilization. Many of the main world religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity, have a well-known spiritual leader or prophet who laid the cornerstone of the faith. Typically, the lives of these prophets can be connected to the beginnings of different religions. Others appear to have developed as a result of the blending of religious beliefs and ceremonial practices of a portion of the community, which were sanctioned by one or more spiritual leaders. The majority of traditional religions were founded in this manner.

It is challenging to build a list of the oldest religions in the world. Religion has been a part of human culture since before written records existed. A significant percentage of what we know about prehistoric religions comes from conjecture, archeological discoveries, and other disputed indirect sources. However, there is broad scientific agreement that the following religions are among the worlds oldest:

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1. HINDUISM (CIRCA 7,000 BCE): Hinduism is frequently regarded as the oldest religion that is still actively practiced today. This may be the case, but its crucial to remember that Hinduism is a combination of various ages-old traditions and beliefs rather than having a single founder or book. The Rig Veda, which is thought to be roughly 3,500 years old, is the earliest Hindu scripture. However, bull and cow patterns, which are revered in Hinduism, have been discovered on artifacts that date back to about 7,000 BCE, when a prehistoric civilisation lived in the region near the Indus River. Hinduism is now practiced by millions of people worldwide, particularly in India and its neighboring nations.

Oldest religions in the World with proof

Furthermore, It is impossible to pinpoint this religions exact origin, however it is generally accepted that its formal origin took place in the Indus Valley between 2300 and 1500 B.C. At this time, Indo-Aryans began to move to the Indus Valley. Eventually, the cultures of these people and the indigenous people in the area merged, leading to the creation of a new faith. The Vedic Period, when Hinduism first emerged, was characterized by the Vedas behavioral effect.

2. JUDAISM (9TH 5TH CENTURY BCE): The second-oldest religion in the world is Judaism. It is the oldest monotheistic religion, though. Although the circumstances that led to the creation of Judaism began much earlier, they officially began around 690 BC. The religions adherents trust in just one God.It is the religion of the jews. Jews hold that prophets serve as a conduit through which God and the general populace can communicate. The holy book of the Jews is known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible. The Torah is the first of the five books of the Tanakh. It lays down rules that Jews must abide by.

What Is the Oldest Religion_ Facts About Hinduism and Christianity

Abraham, a Hebrew man, is credited by the Torah as being the origin of Judaism because God revealed himself to him. Thus, the people who have been chosen are Abrahams offspring. The son and grandson of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are significant figures in Jewish history. Israelites are the name given to their descendants.

The Jews also hold Moses, another prophet, in high regard. He is thought to have freed the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. According to the Bible, God gave Moses the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai, which is now a significant Jewish pilgrimage site. Solomon, the son of King David, reigned in Jerusalem circa 1000 B.C., and during his time there the first sacred Temple of the Jews was constructed.

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3. BUDDHISM (6TH 5TH CENTURY BCE): Siddhartha Gautama, a purported prince who is thought to have been born in present-day Nepal, is credited as being the founder of Buddhism. After first experiencing human misery, Siddhartha renounced his affluent lifestyle.

What is the oldest religion in the Middle East

He sat beneath the Bodhi tree, thinking about the purpose of life, and after becoming enlightened, he changed into the Buddha (the tree of awakening).Soon after his passing, his teachings were codified, and at least 400 million people still adhere to them today, albeit with significant variations.

His teaching includes the four noble truths which includes; existence is suffering (dukhka), suffering has a cause, notably craving and attachment (trishna), there is a means to end suffering (nirvana), and there is a possibility of ending suffering (nirvana). They are intended to lead followers to complete emancipation from the never-ending cycle of birth and death.

4. JAINISM (8TH 2ND CENTURY BCE): One of the worlds oldest doctrines or religions is jainism. It has 24 Tirthankaras as its founders, the first of whom is Lord Rishabhdev (Adinath), and the last and most notable is Mahavir Swami. It is an Indian tradition known as the Shraman tradition. Jains are individuals who adhere to Jin. The Sanskrit word Zi metal is where the term Jin comes from.

Youngest religion in the world

Harmless and selfless life is the key to liberation and happiness, according to the ancient Indian faith of Jainism. There are currently six million Jains in the world, which amounts to less than 2% of Indias total population. Gujarat and Rajasthan are the focal points of the Jain population in India. Many immigrated to East Africa, where the community now numbers about 30,000, and from there to Britain. To obtain the emancipation of the soul is the goal of Jain existence.

Also see: Most Influential Musicians of All Time (With Pictures)

5. ZOROASTRIANISM: The prophet and reformer Zoroaster established Zoroastrianism formally in the sixth century BCE. The origins of the religion can be found between 1,200 and 1,500 BCE, according to archaeological evidence.

Christianity is the oldest religion

According to Zoroastrians, Ahura Mazda is the name of the one God. It once held a reputation for being one of the worlds most potent faiths. From 600 BCE to 650 BCE, Zoroastrianism served as Persias official religion. Religions like Judaism, Christianity, and Islam share many of its core ideas. Another dualistic religion, Zoroastrianism emphasizes the duality of reality (good and evil or heaven and hell, for example).

6. CONFUCIANISM (6TH 5TH CENTURY BCE): Confucianism is acknowledged as a religion, yet it is not traditionally or formally practiced. It takes its name from its founder Confucius (an Anglicization of his original name Kung-fu-tzu or Master Kung). Confucius sought to revive the ideals and principles of the Zhou period.

Which religion came first the world?

Confucianism is viewed as a system of social and ethical philosophy by its adherents. Over time, Confucianism has had a tremendous impact on the spiritual and political life of the Chinese people. Korea, Vietnam, and Japan are just a few of the East Asian nations that have felt its influence.

Also see: Most Powerful Weapons In The World (With Pictures)

7. TAOISM (6TH 4TH CENTURY BCE): The Tao Te Ching, a little book encapsulating Lao Tzus teachings, serves as the foundation for this ancient religion, also known as Daoism. It focuses a lot of emphasis on a persons internal spiritual equilibrium. The two main branches of Taoism are philosophical Taoism (Tao-chia) and religious Taoism (Tao-chiao), which emphasizes the study of Lao Tzus teachings and places a strong emphasis on religious ceremonies intended to achieve immortality. Taoism was one of the most prevalent religions in China before the Communist revolution.

How old are each religion?

In popular culture, Taoism is most famously linked to the idea of Yin and Yang, or the union of opposites. According to the Yin and Yang concept, the world is filled with complimentary forces of action and inaction, light and dark, heat and cold, etc. Its necessary to strike a balance between two opposing forces. Practitioners of this faith live in China, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, as well as a few areas of Europe and America.

8. SHINTOISM (3RD CENTURY BCE 8TH CENTURY CE): The Shinto religion is the 8th on our list of the oldest religion in the world. This traditional religion of Japan, known as Kami-no-Michi, is centered on meticulously performing rituals in order to forge a link between the countrys modern day and its historic past. It has numerous deities known as kami. Every Kami stands for a certain natural force.

What are the 5 major religions in order from oldest to youngest?

Buddhism is heavily associated with it, and many Buddhist notions have been incorporated to it. There are 3 million followers globally, according to estimates. Jinja is its place of worship. There are shrines to the Kami in various locations around Japan. The Torii marks sacred territory and is the entrance to a Shinto Shrine (Jinja).

Also see: Life-changing Books To Read That Will Change Your Thinking

Conclusion

Understanding how religion has changed over time and what it has become in the present era is always an enormously intriguing trip. Many peoples lives have been driven by religion, which has a significant influence on their worldviews and the lifestyles they choose. Understanding the worlds oldest religions enables us to determine which concepts and beliefs we have chosen to reject and which ones we have deemed deserving enough to persist.

Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka ACMC, is a Law Student and a Certified Mediator/Conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a Developer with knowledge in HTML, CSS, JS, PHP and React Native. Samuel is bent on changing the legal profession by building Web and Mobile Apps that will make legal research a lot easier.

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Oldest Religions In The World: Top 8 - Bscholarly

The 2022 midterm elections are arguably the most consequential in setting the stage for the future of the American Hindu diasporas involvement in deciding elections.

To understand the Hindu community in America, one needs to look no further than the last presidential election. The wants and needs of American Hindus, an important voting bloc, have only intensified during this period with the lack of adequate representation. What this means is that people can anticipate a more historic American Hindu turnout this November than in any year past.

The earliest Hindu immigration to the United States was recorded in the 1600s. In 2018, it was estimated that there were 2.5 million Hindus in America. Today, it is believed there are close to 6 million Hindus in the U.S., accounting for about 2% of the total population. This figure is expected to grow exponentially over the next decade.

As executive director of the Hindu Policy Research and Advocacy Collective USA, I interact with lawmakers and everyday constituents to communicate what our community is seeking from our elected officials. Part of this includes my involvement in creating the Hindu Voter Guide. The 2022 Hindu Voter Guide will help voters determine the compatibility of each candidate with universal Hindu values and the candidates views on policies that are important to American Hindus. It serves as a tool to help constituents be more judicious in their selection of candidates.

As part of this, my team at HinduPACT and I have developed a series of questions over the last two years that address the concerns and hopes of the American Hindu communities and the expectations they have from their candidates. It also examines the intra-community dynamics, based on my interactions with hundreds of people in a cross-section of thought-leaders within the community. The questions cut across party lines and address the needs of Hindus who are registered with both the Democratic and Republican parties as well as unregistered constituents. HinduPACT is actively working to drive up the number of Hindu voter registrants.

As the largest and fastest-growing diaspora community, Hindus are becoming critical in deciding the elections in Pennsylvania, Florida, Michigan, and Virginia. The American Hindu vote has been more prominently on display during the last two election cycles and is expected to play an even bigger role in the midterm elections, particularly as the U.S.-India relationship is highlighted as tensions persist between America and China. Chief among things sought from American Hindu constituents is a candidate who will protect American Hindus constitutional and civil rights and honor their contributions across the U.S. Statistics show that over 80% of highly skilled immigrants who are eligible for green cards are Hindu. This is an important part of the workforce and should continue to be protected.

Another important facet that Hindu voters are seeking in their representatives is that they will ensure that textbooks and instructional materials that promote Hinduphobia and reflect misrepresentation of the Hindu faith in publicly funded school textbooks and educational materials are removed in consultation with American Hindu organizations.

Lastly, India is a strategic U.S. ally. Hindu voters are seeking candidates who will support Indias role in a new vision for the Indo-Pacific to counterterrorism and work toward replacing China with India as a global manufacturer and a key component in our supply chain so we can advance our shared security and economic interests in the region.

With this sizable population on the rise, it is important for incumbents and future legislators to pay close attention and appeal to the Hindu demographic. Their candidacy and victory may depend on it.

Utsav Chakrabarti is the executive director of HinduPACT, a nonprofit policy research initiative based in Washington, D.C.

Excerpt from:

The Hindu vote will carry historic weight in the midterm elections - Washington Examiner

As we approach the 2024 Lok Sabha election, it is clear to most that the more polarised Hindus and Muslims become, the more powerful the ruling regimes majoritarian mindset becomes. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is pushing for an electoral strategy where majoritarianism and polarisation reinforce each other in such a way that it yields unending electoral dividends for the party.

Among other things, majoritarianism is linked to the anxieties of the majority community vis--vis the loss of privileges; it works up a logic where not only the narrative of polarisation but also the counter-narrative against polarisation tends to further polarise.

In other words, the counter-narrative is fixed in a way that it does not lead to critical thinking by the majority community and fresh negotiations between Hindus and Muslims, but further pushes and strengthens the same dominant process of polarisation.

The counter-narrative fails to challenge the dominant narrative.

Counter-narratives are projected in such a way that they gain a specified place and meaning that majoritarian discourse assigns them. For the opposition parties, it is therefore not sufficient to have a mere counter-narrative but also its desired results of changing the mood and mindset of the majority community.

As of today, we seem to have a counter-narrative with neither a realisation of its ineffectiveness, nor a plan for keeping these counter-narratives from becoming counter-productive. Without this additional strategy, counter-narratives dont seem to bother the BJP; in fact, they seem to encourage the party that sees counter-narratives as strengthening the purpose of polarisation.

Also read: Majoritarianism Has Turned the Populace Into an Ever-Ready Mob

In a recent surprise intervention, Arnab Goswami of the Republic news channel took to moral sermonising to opposition parties about their failure to take a position against the release and garlanding of those convicted of raping Bilkis Bano.

The Congress, Trinamool Congress and Communist Party of India (Marxist), among others, have condemned the move. Leaders of the TMC and CPI(M) have moved Supreme Court with writ petitions against the remission. The Aam Aadmi Partys silence aside from MLA Amanatullah Khans condemnation has been brought up in analysis pieces.

However, progressive-secular activists are unhappy about political parties failure to wholeheartedly raise the pitch against the decision and subsequent celebration.

The political parties perhaps feel that condemning the criminality of rape is giving an easy pass to the BJP and will mean that they are falling into the very trap the saffron party has set to fix the polarising narrative before the assembly elections in Gujarat later this year.

Silence has become a convenient way for secular parties to avoid polarisation so that other social, economic and governance related issues can be debated, which is where they think the BJP will be on the back foot.

What the silence of the opposition parties is doing is allowing the BJP-RSS to also occupy the space of the counter-narrative. Opposition parties, with their silence on issues involving brutalities against Muslims, might be able to avoid an immediate polarisation, which may yield electoral dividends, but they are missing a larger social shift that will also have impact on electoral outcomes, in a much more substantive sense.

Silence carries the danger of making opposition parties look redundant and irrelevant the kind of crisis the Congress is currently witnessing and one that the BJP is now trying to push unto the regional parties.

Parties such as the AAP are maintaining a silence on Muslim-related issues, such as the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the Bilkis Bano case, and contesting solely on issues of governance, education and health related welfare. The BJP realises that the AAPs only source of relevance and strength is welfare; therefore the recent attack on welfare as revdi culture by Prime Minister Modi.

Also read: Revdinomics Isnt About the Economy, Stupid

What the strategy of silence does is allow the ruling regime to also claim the space of reconciliation between religious communities. Not only do they polarise, they project themselves as saviours from majoritarian violence; a classic strategy that police forces generally use while employing third-degree methods. They inflict the torture but also offer the way out with sweet talk; while one officer tortures, the other offers protection good cop, bad cop.

Helplessness compels the victim to take up the offer of reconciliation. A similar strategy is employed when the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief periodically comes out with statements such as: there is no Hindutva without the Muslims. Such statements are then used to make attempted inroads into the Muslim vote bank, by raising issues such as the plight of Pasmanda Muslims, the Shia-Sunni conflict, and atrocities against Muslim women.

It is a different matter that Muslims do not yet trust the BJP, but this also allows the development of a larger-than-life image for the BJP leadership amongst the Hindu majority.

As part of this strategy, Narendra Modi famously maintains silence over almost all social conflicts. He stands above the bickering and therefore, well-meaning people, like the faculty of the IIMs and others, make repeated appeals to him to intervene. This allows Modi to be projected as neutral, morally righteous and the only power that can resolve such conflicts, since all other parties and leaders have been pushed into silence and oblivion.

The appeals are not to a constitutional head; they are projected as reflecting the persona of Modi. In all this, opposition parties and its leaders become silent and irrelevant, and simply fall out of frame. They are pushed to play the waiting game.

The BJP has further perfected this art of silencing the opposition by seemingly patronising its voices and narratives. Earlier, it was Asaduddin Owaisi who would speak up boldly and strongly in a way that challenged Hindu sensibilities. Recall the video in which he was heard threatening the Uttar Pradesh police, saying, after Modi and Yogi leave, who will protect you?

As Muslims are pushed into a corner, Owaisi emerges as the voice they are looking for, since opposition parties chose to remain silent. Muslims support to Owaisi en bloc then becomes a justification for Hindu consolidation. However, such a strategy seems to have failed, in spite of the incompetence and non-committal character of the opposition parties. Muslims have neither moved close to the BJP, nor voted en mass for Owaisi.

More recently, it was the turn of Ghulam Nabi Azad. The prime minister teared up for him on his retirement from the Rajya Sabha, showing the possibility of what Hindu-Muslim bonhomie might look like. He is now set to start a party in Jammu and Kashmir that is being made to look like a credible option for the Muslims of the erstwhile state, given Azads now demonstrable proximity to Modi.

Also read: Will Ghulam Nabi Azads New Party Only End Up Fragmenting Anti-BJP Vote in Jammu?

Azad is now raising the demand for the restoration of statehood for J&K without criticising the BJP and its leadership for the the reading down of Article 370. It is a strategy of patronising the Muslims of the valley and to demonstrate to the mainland Hindus how the BJP succeeded in bringing the protesting Muslims to, at best negotiation, and at worst, their knees.

Azad becomes a symbol of how errant Muslims are tamed into submission and how Modi and the BJP are the only force that can grant them benefits not through protests but humility and submission. This, the BJP feels, will make the Hindus feel empowered and the Opposition redundant; they can neither criticise the reading down of Article 370, nor are they approached or relevant for further negotiation.

Majoritarian polarisation cannot be fought through a simple-minded counter-narrative that further polarises; nor can it be fought through a silence that is creating a deeper imagination of the irrelevance of the opposition and allowing the BJP itself to either directly or by proxy, occupy those spaces.

To begin with, the opposition parties will have to alert the majority community to the BJPs insidious strategies and their deployment towards electoral use. As part of demonstrating the instrumentality of polarising discourses, they will have to find ways of formulating counter-narratives without allowing for polarisation. This will be partly possible when the opposition begins to distance and critique obscurantism in minority politics, which will also afford them the space to defend minorities against atrocities.

Only when they stand in full strength by Bilkis Bano will they be able to defend Shaheen Bagh without the majority Hindus labelling it conveniently as appeasement. The opposition will have to have a different imagination of religious minorities outside the majoritarian gaze of religious minorities as a homogeneous and unthinking mob in order to foreground the mutual interdependence between the Hindus and Muslims as an imperative for faster economic growth and social development.

Ajay Gudavarthy is an Associate Professor, JNU.

Original post:

The Price of Opposition's Silence on Matters Affecting Minorities - The Wire

New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday criticised the AAP government's cracker ban and said imposing it ahead of Diwali is "hurting the sentiments of Hindus". Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday announced a blanket ban on the production, sale, and use of all types of firecrackers in the national capital, including on Diwali, till January 1, 2023. Rai said the ban extends to online sale of firecrackers. He, however, did not clarify when the restrictions would come into force.

The BJP slammed the ban saying that the contribution of cracker burning to Delhi's pollution was "minimal" and their banning on Diwali will hurt the sentiments of Hindus.

BJP MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said the Kejriwal government could not bring down the pollution in the city despite spending crores on it.

"Arvind Kejriwal has spent crores of rupees on meetings and advertisements in the name of pollution but it did not decrease, instead it increased.

"When Hindu festivals of Diwali and Dussehra are round the corner, (Kejriwal) imposes a ban on firecrackers. Every year Delhi has to suffer because of their failure," Singh said.

Delhi BJP Spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said that it was sad to see that every year the city government "misleads" the court into believing that Diwali cracker burning is a big cause of pollution, but remains silent on major causes of pollution such as the burning of crop residue, construction activity, and vehicular emission.

"It is important to check pollution, but the people of Delhi are dismayed to see that like in previous years Delhi government has today again banned the burning of crackers on Diwali night, while remaining silent on the major causes like burning of crop residue by farmers in Punjab," Kapoor said in a statement.

He argued that till last year Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and environment Minister Gopal Rai used to blame the erstwhile Punjab government for not stopping stubble burning by farmers, but now that the party is in power there, the people of Delhi want to know what steps the two governments - Delhi and Punjab - are taking to check it.

Taking it a notch further, BJP leader and former MLA Kapil Mishra said that the ban was a part of "Muslim appeasement" ahead of the Gujarat elections.

"This decision has been taken to appease Muslims in Gujarat. This is not an issue related to pollution. It is an attempt to stop Hindu festivals. People will not obey such an unscientific order," Mishra, who had joined BJP defecting from AAP, said.

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BJP slams Arvind Kejriwal for cracker ban in Delhi, says it is imposed to `hurt` Hindu sentiments - Zee News

Last Updated: September 05, 2022, 08:21 IST

On Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan birth anniversary, here's a look at some of the books written by him. (Representative image: Shutterstock)

HAPPY TEACHERS DAY 2022: From a Philosopher to Vice President and President of India, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan served in a variety of capacities, but he is best remembered for his contributions as a teacher. Dr Radhakrishnan is celebrated for dedicating his life to education and working to raise educational standards in the country. His birthday, September 5th, has been celebrated nationwide as Teachers Day since 1962.

ALSO READ:Happy Teachers Day 2022: Heartwarming Wishes, Messages, Images, Quotes and WhatsApp Greetings to Share With Your Guru

Dr Radhakrishnan asserted that books serve as a means of bridging cultural divides. So, on this Teachers Day, lets revisit some of his books that illustrate the great man that he was.

Read all the Latest Education News and Breaking News here

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Teacher's Day 2022: 10 Books by Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan that Illustrate the Great Man that he was - News18

It is generally understood that Muslims are incapable of being undogmatic, free from compulsion, and unable to hold their beliefs at arms length to make room for satire and self-criticism. The possibility of a culture of freedom is to see humour, and joke about things in life while still upholding the values of whatever your faith is.

Forget Middle Eastern Muslims, even European Muslims find it difficult. For Indian Muslims, it goes a few steps ahead. They generally can make fun of gods and goddesses of other faiths, but when it comes to their own, out come the swords and stones.

Lampooning gods and goddesses are not alien to the majority culture of Hinduism in India, among Buddhists (laughing roly-poly Buddha souvenirs in all gift shops in any Asian country) or in Sikhism. Only Muslims keep satire away from their text, Prophet, Caliphs and events following the edicts in the Hadith.

That is not to say Muslims do not have a sense of humour. It is just certain areas they have kept taboo, but feel free to indulge when it comes to the faith of other communities. Hence, Muslim stand-up comedians are lionised because of this one-way satire, but Muslim humourists who venture into taboo territories are damned, cursed, issued death threats and even assassinated.

I chanced upon Aziz Nesins profile while researching controversial Muslim figures. The Great Turkish Contrarian stands tall in the satire scene, and he was also the Turkish translator of Salman Rushdies The Satanic Verses in 1993. A fierce critic of the state and a committed enemy of conservatism, he regularly got on peoples nerves, be they Islamists, secularists, or liberals, and this cost him his freedom many times. An attempt to murder him was unsuccessful when a hotel where he was gathered with other secularists was burned down for inciting hatred by publishing excerpts from Rushdies book.

Now to recall, Turkey is fiercely secular due to Kemalism (Ataturks abolition of the Ottoman Caliphate and his iron will to get Turkey modernised). So as a satirical writer he was celebrated in intellectual circles, a gallery showcasing his legacy in Istanbuls most passionately conservative neighbourhood of all places Tophane. But the future generations will hardly know about his legacy; an incident of paint vandalism on the gallery hoarding proved how much he was misunderstood in Erdogans Turkey.

Europe is not free of this outrage and sensitivity from Muslims; the Charlie Hebdo massacre is not far in memory, and neither is the beheading of Samuel Paty. Comedians, writers, painters, cartoonists, satirists, and actors continue to avoid Islams taboo subjects, preferring to focus on Jews, Hindus, Americans, Europeans, and the occasional Sikh.

The history of satire in European culture is the history of emancipation from the divine rule that is, Enlightenment. Where Voltaire was a giant among men of letters in the Age of Enlightenment, its values too were not spared by Jonathan Swift in his Gullivers Travels enriching civilised discourse of publishing counter arguments, rebuttals, rejoinders to opinions, satire, enacting plays leading to the great Western culture of resisting authority, keeping it in check if it gets tyrannical.

People forget Rushdies book did not get a fatwa just because it satirised the Prophet and his wives but because Khomeini was ridiculed in it too and with authoritarian figures and totalitarian regimes suppressing dissent is a tradition and habit.

For centuries, the Islamic world kept itself isolated from the rest of humankind, gazing at its shadows, like Platos allegory of the cave; convinced that no wider world existed beyond its borders only to have the more advanced other show up, violently throwing the cave open Napoleon Bonapartes fleet landing at Alexandria in 1798, for example.

Instead of accepting that a technologically superior power defeated a locked standstill civilisation, the instinct was to turn towards Islam and identity politics; always a perfect opportunity for orthodox religious zealots to cash in when there was a geopolitical crisis. Feeding the collective fears of Muslims, invoking the memory of the Prophets time the orthodoxy pursued their religious mission turning peoples shame into fear a useful weapon to keep the masses under control.

What the outrage industry does further exploits this fear of people using the rise of right-wing political parties, conservative politicians and sentiments as fodder to prove their narrative of the Oppression Olympics of Muslims worldwide. Muslim and non-Muslim communities demanding answers for Arab expansionism, invasions, conquests, Turkic-Mongol pillage and plunder in history, put the outrage industry in a corner so they build this ecosystem of ABCEs (abroad-based conflict entrepreneurs) funded by the military-industrial complex always looking for a war and disgruntled billionaires like Soros wanting to be key players in geopolitics.

The Muslim world never having self-introspected for centuries lap up the narrative of oppression and turn on the critics of Islams regressive practices, literally terming them as traitors who have declared war and tried to shut them down with the constructed and misleading term Islamophobia.

In India the Khan Market outrage brigade of elite Muslim liberals has made it common to label every dissenter within the Muslim community as a house nigger and non-Muslim as a Sanghi or bhakt (used derogatively to manipulate and malign issues such as CAA, the NRC, Triple Talaq, Uniform Civil Code, Article 370, Agniveer scheme, farming laws, etc). The more the outrage industry puts perimeters around the Indian Muslim minds, the more they rely on left-leaning, anti-Hindu, anti-India portals such as The Wire, Quint, News Laundry, Scroll, etc publications invested in breaking India up.

In return, the 18 crores 90 lakh Muslims (2011 census) firmly believe in the majority of Hindus hostility, thus enforcing a moral code on its own Muslims strictly, pressurising them to show loyalty to the community (Ummah) rather than the nation (India).

The outrage cabal practises psychological and intellectual self-deceit by amplifying incidents against Muslims ferociously feeding into the global narrative of Indian Muslims targeted by Hindus and the global agenda of keeping India embroiled in its fault lines. Simultaneously, the Indian Muslim mind entangled in the victimhood narrative censors crimes of their own Muslims against Hindus or even Muslims feigning ignorance.

Anyone trying to objectively create a bridge between the two mistrusting communities due to this lopsided media shenanigans is loathed and termed a traitor to the Muslim cause (Darul Islam). Because of the advent of technology and millions of Muslim households now picking up smartphones and having access to the Internet, the influence of the outside world is increasingly forcing many to rethink, relearn, unlearn, and criticise what is fed to them.

The outrage industry closes ranks and punishes those who step out of the line Islamic reformists have paid dearly time and again with their lives too for attempting to herald in change.

It will require tremendous rethinking, and some out-of-the-box strategies to come up with to cope and stay many steps ahead of this psy-ops war in the 21st century.

The rest is here:

The Outrage Industry - The New Indian