Taj Mahal: The Biggest Whitewash in Indian History?
I originally penned this essay in January ‘05 and it was included in one of the newsletters earlier this year. I am posting it separately here since it has evoked some interest:
“TAJ MAHAL - THE BIGGEST WHITEWASH IN INDIAN HISTORY?
Several issues back, I had included a piece on Taj Mahal where I had suggested that there is a lot that is unexplained about Taj Mahal and wondered whether we would ever know the truth?
Some weeks ago, I finished reading “Taj Mahal and the Great British Conspiracy” by Shri V S Godbole. www.hindunet.org/hindu_history/modern/godbole_taj1.html
My first reaction, after reading the book, was of disbelief and dismay. Disbelief that not one of our worthy historians and scholars had considered digging beneath the surface to uncover the truth. Dismayed at how little attention has been paid to discussing this issue in the mainstream media.
After reading the book, I decide to summarise the evidence that seems to suggest that the existing history of Taj Mahal is not entirely accurate. In his painstakingly done research, Shri Godbole makes the following points:
1. Architect: On the question of who built the Taj Mahal, there is very little agreement amongst various writers and travellers. Even the origin of the person (whether he was Farsi, Indian, Italian(!)) is disputed. The names that comes up most frequently though is that of Ustad Isa but as Shri Godbole points out, it is certainly a fabrication; there is no mention of him prior to the 19th century.
2. Time Taken and People Involved: Almost all the accounts quote Tavernier who says that the building took 20,000 people and was 22 years in the making. NB: This account differs considerably from Manrique (a Portuguese preacher) who was in India during the same time and only noticed 1000 people working there. Although Manriques testimony is not completely reliable either, the difference in numbers is too stark to ignore
One way of resolving the contradiction is that 22 years were taken and 20,000 people were employed to build the original Taj - NOT by Shahjahan but by Raja Mansingh. What Manrique saw (1000 people) was the “embellishment” that was ordered by Shahjahan to (i) formally complete the acquisition of the property and (ii) to change the character of the building by including Islamic motifs and style - e.g. by inscribing 14 chapters of Koran on it.
3. Badshahnama: Another mysterious omission in almost all the accounts of the Taj is the references that one finds in “Badshahnama” the official chronicle of Shah Jahans reign. Not only are references to it scant, the record makes no mention of any grand building newly constructed by Shahjahan during his reign the two most significant pages of the chronicles are often ignored by historians I presume because they are unable to verify the authenticity of the actual document itself. However, similar doubts about authenticity and accuracy can be raised about ALL historical records of that time this argument cannot therefore be the true reason to ignore the passages. Amongst other things, the passage clearly state that Raja Mansinghs “manzil” (not “zamin” as mistakenly quoted by some scholars) was acquired by Shahjahan
4. Architecture: The architecture of the building, when examined in detail and without bias, clearly reveals a number of features that are unmistakably “Hindu”. The points are too numerous to be listed and for the avid readers amongst you, I would suggest a read through the relevant chapters in the book.
5. Unexplained structures and underground chambers: Other than long corridors and rooms at several levels, these include moorings for pleasure boats (what purpose could they conceivably have in a building meant for mourning?). Several photographs, drawings and reports about the Taj are either still classified or are untraceable. No one quite knows when was the last time (or indeed the first time) that the monument was “surveyed” by the ASI (Archeological Survey of India).
Finally, a couple of minor points to round up the summary.
6. No extant blueprints or scale models of the building have been found to date - there is no mention about these at all except for a “story” about a wooden model that was supposedly built.
7. The only signature on the tomb is that of the calligrapher - was he the only person of note or the only important contributor to the structure? How is it that there is no mention of the designer or the architect or indeed even of Shahjahan? Is that realistic if a building of such grandeur was being constructed from scratch?
As far as I am aware, the government has not publicly responded to either Shri Godbole or Shri P N Oaks research (In fact, the Supreme Court in July 00 summarily dismissed a PIL petition by Shri Oak “to reestablish the truth and cultural heritage of our country”) http://www.tribuneindia.com/2000/20000714/nation.htm [PTI News item dated Jul 13, 2000]
To me, continued silence by the ASI and the government does not inspire confidence.
Either there is no mystery in which case there is no need for classifying material related to one of the finest buildings in the world OR - the “story” of the Taj is lot more complex and far less “romantic” than we all have been led to believe.
Is it that the Government is willing to remain silent for the sake of “communal harmony” (read Muslim appeasement) and for the sake of continued tourist interest (which might possibly wane if it turned out that the Taj was actually not a monument to true love but a building usurped by force)?
Or is the government fearful about the Muslim backlash if the building that has been proudly trumpeted as representing the best of Islamic art not only turns out to be Hindu but also with a dirty history of lies and forceful occupation behind it (far removed form the romance and mystery that has come to be associated with it)?
Finally, a link to another excellent analysis: http://www.stephen-knapp.com/question_of_the_taj_mahal.htm
Related Link: http://www.satyashodh.com/Taj_Mahal.htm
Hi,
That article was good. Even I am interested in delving deep into these stuff. Could u suggest me some links and more specificalle any links with RSS feeds.
Comment by Anonymous | November 10, 2005
Thanks. I intend to put a list of links to some interesting sites but havent got around to doing it. Chk this around December ‘05
Comment by Jai Hind | November 14, 2005
hello.
your comments regarding the fact that there were no scale models built id wrong..ihav in my possion the worlds seconed biggest scale model of the taj mahal.it is in australia..i hav pictures.. my email address is sahirsingh@hotmail.com
Comment by Anonymous | December 4, 2005
can u explain who then made islamic scriptures on taj mahal if it was supposedly hindus temple???
Comment by Anonymous | December 17, 2005
Here is some more, With images & documents:
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/true_story_of_the_taj_mahal.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/was_the_taj_mahal_a_vedic_temple.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/question_of_the_taj_mahal.htm
This will tell you Taj Mahal was exist before Shah Jahan existed.
Who encarved the Kuaran or other sits, Just google for SarJahan purchaing & remodeling.
Comment by Anonymous | December 18, 2005
My comments:
Remove the question mark from the title. We want to assert that it is the biggest whitewash in Indian History.
Taj Mahal and the Great British Conspiracy: Please add this book lists all the information on Taj Mahal available during 1784 to 1984. Godbole concludes that the British knew the truth about Taj Mahal for a long time but suppressed the truth for their political reasons.
The seven points
1 Architect: I did not say that the name Ustad Isa is a fabrication. This remark was made in 1965 by Sir Mortimer Wheeler, former Director General of Archaeological Survey of India. (Splendours of the East, pp 154-165)
2 Time taken and people involved: Your argument suggests that in your opinion, one has to make sense of Tavernier’s statement 20,000 men worked for 22 years. why? Because he was a European!
We should have the courage to say that this sentence is meaningless.
Please emphasise the dates.
Until 1889 no one had been specific about the dates of various voyages of Tavernier.
In 1889 Dr translated Tavernier’s book from original French into English and studying in depth gave the details of all the voyages of Tavernier. From this it is clear that Tavernier came to Agra only twice, in the winter of 1640-41 and in 1665.
Now, Historians tell us that Mumtaz, the lady of Taj died in 1631 and construction of Taj began immediately. But then Tavernier could not have seen the commencement of Taj Mahal.
Shahjahan was dethroned and imprisoned in Red Fort by his son Aurangzeb in 1658.
Tavernier came to Agra in 1665. He could not have therefore seen the completion of Taj Mahal.
THIS truth is being deliberately ignored by ALL historians.
3 Badshahnama: Persian text of this document was published by Asiatic Society of Bengal in 1867.
It was compiled by two Muslim Maulavis. During the British Raj some British officers translated from Persian into English, Babur-nama, Humayun-nama, Akbar-nama and Ain-e-Akabari and Tazuk-e-Jehangiri. Why did their curiosity stop there?
So, why has Badshahnama not been translated into English for 141 years. Even Pakistanis have not dared to do this. How can they? Badshahnama clearly states that Shahjahan grabbed Raja Mansingh’s palace for burial of his wife.
4. Architecture: Way back in 1934, Prof Claude Batley of J J School of Arts, Mumbai had remarked, ” The fact that such planning is certainly indigenous to India can be traced in the layout of the simplest temple, in the magnificent temple-town plans of South India and in the various Indian mediaeval town layouts as reflected in the design of such a comparatively modern Indian town as Jaipur.”
A tomb does not fit in the layout of a temple. It is out of place.
5 Unexplained structures and underground chambers: Please make this simpler. There are two huge basements under the Main terrace. These cannot be seen from the garden, but can be seen from the riverside. They were noted by the English painters Thomas and William Daniells in 1789 when they visited Taj Mahal.
These are seen in the book of Sleeman in 1844, In Vincent Smith’s book of 1911. And yet NOT ONE historian has questioned the purpose of these? And why are they still blocked today?
No 6 and 7: Please delete these. There are more important points you can add.
Please please DELETE this paragraph: “Either there is no mystery . in the world.”
Other paras also need to be deleted.
Comment by V S Godbole | June 29, 2008
One additional point.
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) confesses
We understand that the ASI are under political pressure to keep quiet. But even then they had made a confession. In 1982 they published a booklet called Taj Museum.
On page 4 they say The site selected for the burial was an extremely pleasant and lofty land situated to the south of the city on which till then stood the mansion (Manzil) of Raja Mansingh which was at that time in possession of the latters grandson Raja Jaisingh.
Common sense should tell us that what is being paraded as Taj Mahal today is nothing but Raja Mansinghs Palace being misused as a tomb of Mumtaz.
Nothing can be clearer.
And who are the authors of this booklet? Dr Zia-uddin Ahmad Desai and H K Kaul
That my friends, is in short, the biggest whitewash in Indian History.
If you want to know more please read my book “Taj Mahal : Simple Analysis of a Great deception”.
My E mail I.D. is v.godbole3@ntlworld.com
Comment by V S Godbole | June 29, 2008
Relitix: Abuse of religious faith for political agenda / gain / interest:
The controversies on origins of Taj, Qutub can be resolved easily once we understand the global phenomenon of religious vandalism, [Relitix] - that is, usurping other faith’s buildings and constructions, practised by Muslims, or Mohammedans; and some retaliation in Spain-Portugal by the Catholics –who also copied it in Qusko (Inca Capital, in Peru, S America).
Mohammedans religious vandalism started from the beginning of Islam in Pagan Arabia with Qaba, spreading to East mainly in Hinnd (India) & to West in Turkey (Istanbul) & Spain-Portugal.
Examples: Qaba, Hagia Sophia, Marttand-Kashmir, Taj Rajput-mahal, Babri-Ram-Temple-mosque, Ayodhya, Mathura, Kashi & 100s of temples in Hinnd (India). Starting with Bhadresvar, Dhruv-stambha-Jain Temple in present-day called Qutub, Jaunnpur, Ahmedabad, Sirkej, Butwa, Madu, Gaur, Kalburga, Gwalior, Futtehpur Sikri, Adhai-din-ke-Zompra, Ajmer & so on.
It is a total myth that Mohamedans built mosques at the place where Hindu temples stood before. A mosque does not need much building construction, just creation, or hacking out of an open space! It would be obviously a very illogical and wasteful endeavour for any of Mohammedan conqueror-by-force to pull down the whole temple and re-build it using the same material;as it would have been much simpler and straightforward to plunder the gold and other ornaments of the temples sanctum-sanctorum, level it into a court-yard, and you have a mosque!, 100s of mosques made not builtout of plundering existing temples, or cathedral bear testimony to this religious vandalism by Mohamedans.
This myth or ludicrous idea of pulling down a temple and re-building a mosque by reusing the same material was conceived and perpetuated by gullible-and-cunning experts on Architecture of the Imperial British, who had dynamited marble bath tubs from palaces –and had once put Taj Mahal on auction at a reserve price of Rs 1.25 lakh –to be broken down and quarried away to Europe by the successful bidder! Lucky for Hinnd that there was no bidder.
In his book History & Indian Architecture [I have its 1876 edition] James Fergusson has gone to great trouble to deny Hindus the credit of their Architecture, design and sculpture, sympathetically awarding credit to their Semitic-brother Moslems from whom the Englishh East India Company had stolen the Raj! He makes ludicrous claims like, Mohammedans dismantled Hindu temples and re-erected –like Lego bricks,– and what a tremendous prodigious skill the Hindu architects-stonemasons-sculptors-builders must have– they all fitted perfectly!
Also by searching Kuwwat-al-Islam Mosque on Google (use the same spelling) one can preview for FREE– pp 689-693 in an Annual Yearbook [1989] on Islamic Art & Architecture Supplement to Muqarnas to Ayyubid Metalwork with Christian Images. [ISBN 1090 04 08962 4].
Titles MASDJID on page 689, column 1 you will find the stark admission: [observations in brackets supplied]
The continuous history of the Mosque (M.) begins with M. Kuwwat-al-Islam in Dihli [Dutch publisher!], founded immediately after the Muslim conquest in 587/1191. There are however records of mosques founded earlier e.g. under the Abbasid Caliphate in Sind by small communities [suggesting their powerless minority status and creative construction, as against use of violence, or destructive force. This only proves that the Hindu hosts afforded religious freedom to minorities in the secular tradition or way of life that is Hinduism!], of Muslim Traders especially in Gudjerat [phonetic D for Dutch!] and the Malabar coast [what a tragic disaster that turned out to be!]; and by individual Sufi pirs who gathered small communities around them [Hindu hosts also patronised alien beggars!]. The remains of these are mostly too exiguous to be of value in a general statement. Recent explorations by M Shokoohy, not [then] published [see links to Bhadresvar below], have revealed a few structures [!] a century or two before the conquest, at Bhadreshwar in Gudjerat. These, in common with the first structures of any fresh conquest of expansion, are constructed from the remains of Hindu Buldings [read temples, the same myth of construction recurs!],; in the case of mosques built after a conquest [small communities of Muslim Traders suddenly becoming conquerors 200 years in advance of any conquest?!] there has been deliberate pillaging of Hindu or Djayn temples [the correct word surfaces] as an assertion of superiority as well as for the expediency of the use of material already quarried [temple-rubble?]
And of local impressed [exploited under threat of death] labour before the arrival of Muslin Artisans [another myth: the same Hindu artisans could be converted by force under threat of death to convert the vandalised temple!]. Examples of this are cited for different regions of India s. v. Hind, vii, Architecture, in Vol III. P441 above. (It should be pointed out that the practice of pillaging the buildings of conquered is known in India in the case of Rival Hindu kings also)[What a ludicrous claim! In any event the basis of such pillaging cant be religious vandalism, perhaps digging the palaces the conquered to search for concealed wealth and treasures may be the limit.]
Where a mosque is actually constructed on the plinth of a destroyed Hindu building, (e.g. M Kuwwat-al-Islam at Dihli, Atala M. at Djawnpur) the kibla (prayer-direction to Mecca) will probably not be accurately located and the original cardinal West made to serve the purpose
Myth # 1. There was no construction, only destruction and defacement.
Myth # 2. There were no Muslim Artisans, as thinking of anything but Allah is taboo in Islam!
Fact # 1. All vandalised-Hindu-temple-mosques can not be used by Mohammedans for prayer, because the dont face Mecca, –although very few actually CAN do so, as the facing Mecca concept was based on the idiom of flat earth! This is probably why lateer the Mughals started burying their dead in such vandalised places: temples-or-palaces, the glowing example being Taj-Rajput-Mahal.
So there is no dispute that Qutb complex was Jain temple.
See how Mohammedans squeamishly describe Bhadresvar: (Bhadreshwar) Sola Khamba Mosque at https://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7604 and a bogus Shrine of Ibrahim at http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.jsp?site_id=7603
Moahammedanism has never claimed much creativity other than breeding more Mohammedans!
The Spanish solution to Islamic religious Vandalism!!!
But the Mohammedans [Moors] also got the taste of their own medicine in Spain where all mosques have been re-converted back to cathedrals or churches, without much pseudo-’secular’ fuss. [Read the Reconquista below]
Mezquita de Córdoba: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mezquita
Built over the remains of a Roman Temple from 600 A.D. as a Christian Visigothic church, the Mezquita (”Aljama Mosque”) was refashioned as a mosque, 784-987 A.D. In 1236, Cordoba was recaptured from the Muslim army by King Ferdinand III of Castile and the mosque was reconsecrated as Christian church. Alfonso X constructed Villaviciosa Chapel and the Royal Chapel & Enrique II rebuilt the chapel in the 14th century.
Similarities between the Mohammedan-vandalism of Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya), Istanbul, Turkey; –and Taj Mahal:
This church of the Divine Wisdom, the first church of Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya) was planned by Constantine the Great and its construction was begun during the reign of Constantius, his son and successor, who built it between the years 337-361 A.D.
On the Turkish Conquest of Constantinople (now Istanbul), Sultan Mehmet The Conqueror entered the city on 29 May 1453 and lead the first Friday prayers and ordered it be converted into a mosque. Four minarets of the building were placed at different times after the Conquest. For almost five hundred years after the Turkish Conquest the church Hagia Sophia was used as the imperial mosque of Istanbul, until 24 October 1934, when by the order of Kemal Atatuk, Hagia Sophia was declared a national monument and converted into a museum.
In a secular worlds largest democracy in 21st century, this should be the just & proper fate of all monuments identified as Mohammedan religious vandalism up and down the country that is INDIA TODAY! And a religion claiming to be peace should have no objection to that!
The alternative would be The Spanish solution of the majority in any socialist democracy!
Comment by Deshbondhu | June 30, 2008
*** COMMENT COMBINED ***
shantanu, controversy is created by people who have some vested interest or power seekers.i was the biggest critic of the âtaj mahalâ. i felt that shahjahan had wasted public welfare funds and money on a wasteful monument and even my brother shared the same feelings. my brother after his marriage visited the taj mahal at agra on a honeymoon. there he discussed his views with a number of tourist guides who were mostly hindus. they were angry with him and scolded him for being stupid . they said â because of taj mahal agra is getting a lot of employment ,we can make two ends meet in agra because of the monument.otherwise what does this barren piece of land have to create employment. this monument is like a temple for us though we r hindusâ
***
shantanu,creating a controversy is easy but seeking truth is a bit tough for the human mind.we easily write a blog about various monuments built in delhi on hindu temples.how will we react if a story comes up about how the red fort in delhi was built after capturing the ashram of a great hindu saint ??the fact that we have celebrated all our independence day from that monument. we voted as indians to get taj mahal as seven wonders even if it was rumoured by a small section to have been built on a hindu temple. they say âfaith is the most powerful fictionâ
Comment by tarique | October 5, 2008
Tarique: Pl. read all the comments above (and the original post) whenever you have the time.
I would be really interested in your response…
Comment by B Shantanu | October 5, 2008
*** COMMENT COMBINED ***
shantanu i think i have already covered all aspects even before i have read these posts.i think creating a controversy on taj mahal or qutub minar will harm hindu employment in the same way as muslims got affected due to hurriyat fundamentalism in kashmir valley.besides nobody is exactly sure about what exactly transpired during that part in history. yet i m a born optimist and can say that invasions however bloody or wrong brought new ideas and techniques.even in destruction or reconstruction they laid the foundation for a new world order.lets not get carried away here by religious sentiments. it will lead us nowhere and leave us with a deep pain in our heads.
***
âreligion is the opium of the massesâ- karl marx
Comment by tarique | October 5, 2008
Shantanu,
I honestly think that you should do a lot of introspection as to what you really want to achieve through this blog site of yours (Satyameva Jayate). Be ruthlessly honest and sincere with yourself.
Is your objective really to improve things, relationships, atmosphere in a constructive way around the people in India (which for sure I fail to see how through any, yes any, of your blogposts)?
However one thing that VERY CLEARLY stands out in all your Posts as well as your Comments is that they mostly help only to create rift, disharmony and issues.
You deliberately create issues where there are none. You don’t encourage love and forgiveness, instead you justify revenge and hate. You only write things that kind of defends and justifies the wrongs of some.
Aren’t such posts only destructive in nature? Are they not fomenting hate and creating only ill feelings one against the other.
I don’t want to judge you, but can’t help being tempted very strongly to believe that this is exactly what you want through this Blog site.
Comment by Conscience Matters | October 5, 2008
@ Conscience: You came late to the party (in a figurative sense) so let me share with you why I started this effort…
I started the blog to understand a bit about Hinduism, about Indian culture, religion, history and politics. All of these are contentious issues and have no easy answers…
So one has two choices: Not to ask the hard questions and pretend everything is hunky-dory…or ask the hard questions and try and find the answers through discussion and debate..
To some this activity might look an utter waste of time…to others, it may look like a deliberate attempt to “create rift, disharmony and issues.”
I dont think it is worthless and I certainly don’t do this to create trouble (unless you consider seeking truth as leading to trouble)
But we as a society cannot progress unless we understand each other…and to understand each other, one does - at least occassionally - have to ask hard questions…and a sign of maturity is to address those hard questions without descending to the level of gutter-politics. Would you disagree with that?
Trying to ask hard questions may not appear to be “constructive” but only to those who are afraid of what they might unearth…I am not afraid of the “truth” - however unsettling it might be….which is why for example, I do not hesitate for a moment to admit that the way Hinduism is interpreted and practiced leaves much to be desired…
But in any case why should the “truth” scare or upset people? Why should a discussion about Taj Mahal and its history sour things and create hatred?
Why should a discussion about Jamia Nagar anger make someone angry? and why should an attempt at understanding aggressive Christian evangelism in India create “rift”?
“Conscience”: The “rift”, “disharmony” and “issues” that you talk about are already there…I did not create them…and I don’t want to pretend that they don’t exist…
I dont have to write this blog…I have a family and a job and enough other occupations to keep me busy…but somewhere deep inside, it troubles me that people do not want to ask questions and/or discuss “issues” openly…
I strongly feel an open discussion and freedom to air discordant views is your best guarantee against deep social divisions, alienation and social unrest…
But you don’t have to agree with any of this…
I respect your right to disagree…Likewise, I expect you to respect my right to express my opinions freely…You of course have a choice of not reading this blog or the comments.
Finally, here is a list of my last 15 posts….Please help me understand how they have helped “create rift, disharmony and issues” or how they are “fomenting hate and creating…ill feelings one against the other”
*** Last 15 Posts ***
What is stopping you from joining active politics?
âBiharnomicsâ Examined
âThree Hundred Ramayanasâ & âThe Jewel of Medinaâ
The amazing story of pointReturn
The painless way to build a 125Ă125 banner ad
Wâend Reading: Truth about Gujarat, Contacting Voters & an Unusual Call-Centre
Jamia Nagar: A dangerous cocktailâŚ
Excerpts from âArt of Warâ
Are politicians irrelevant in the post-modern era?
Alaskonomics and Bihar - Part I
This is how China treats its religious minorities
A tribute to Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma
Why are Christian Missionaries targeting India - III
Comment moderation policy relaxed
The ârightâ and the âleftâ - Shaping the debate
Comment by B Shantanu | October 5, 2008
To Shantanu:
I don’t think you really need to justify anyone your stand. Especially the use of words “disrupting harmony” etc only come into picture when a Hindu tries to speak out loud, but when someone exposes ‘misdeeds’ by Hindus in Kandhmal, Karnataka - it becomes exposing the fundamentalism in Majority Hindus!
I know this is irrelevant to the article, but is certainly relevent to few comments I have seen here.
I want to site an example how words “peaceful” “communalize” are misused by media and majority of people, 2-3 days back I was watching Times Now where Arnab (Times Now person) said to BJD guy “100s of christians are killed in kandhamal” when BJD guy interrupted saying “people from other religions have died too” Arnab said “let’s not communalize this issue”
I find few comments in same shape here.
Comment by Hemant | October 6, 2008
I agree Hemant
Hindus were kind and good enough accomadating and adjusting with most of the religion of the world. When Hindus ask for their rights and accomodation in their country,is troubling all over the world. Its always easy suggesting calming down to good people rather than locking horns with fanatics. That is what Conscious Matter is doing here, suggesting us to put down our rights, culture and religion. Some people have adjusted with us because of our silence,now they cannot tolerate when we ask, complain and protest. They want us to be mute spectators.
I wonder what kind of advice he has for other than this site. why is he so unrest? Hmmm.. When some ones start criticising, its a hint we are getting stronger. They will start preventig us from examining the evidences. That is what I can understand.
Readers please understand its time for examining the issues, we dont want tomorrow thing runs down over head, and someone says, ” hey! you never paid attention!”
We have become alert, conscious and concerned. We have all rights to do that for preserving our culture, traditions and religion.
Comment by Indian | October 6, 2008
*** COMMENT COMBINED ***
shantanu , talking about hinduism, i sincerely feel that it is one of the best religions in the world. a hope for the future humanity in many aspects.hinduism has the right base to show the world the true path.yet i feel hinduism has been badly let down by the brahminical caste politics. the ‘caste system’ is the ghost haunting india for many centuries. it is no hidden fact that most muslims and christians and buddhists were hindus at one time. what we r thinking as a religion divide today has its deep roots in the ancient caste system. first came the aryan dravidian divide as a curse. then came the muslim, christian , buddhist conversions in our country. it happened in the past and continues to happen even today.why ?because upper caste hindu politics were only interested in maintaining their status quo and not how much they were hurting many sections of deprived hindu society. hindutva in india needs a deep introspection on the caste system.the new generation hindus will have to stand up and explore it honestly. rabble rousing brigades like VHP or bajrang dal are not a solution. infact they are creating more rigid rebels within indian society.i feel the new generation hindus will have to learn to sacrifice their previlages and comforts and share it with deprived class hindus. the best way to counter conversions is to do one more better than the missionaries.and it can be done because ‘governance’ in india is mostly hindu. try it. believe me it will set an example for the rest of the world to follow.india has more resources than the rest of the world.with all my heart ,i want to see this sacrifice aspect in upper caste proud hindu youths.if this happens some day , my true heartly feelings say ‘hinduism’ will have the most positive influence on the world scenario.
***
shantanu, if u closely follow the map of india u will notice that the areas where âhindusismâ is at its weakest or where hindus face the maximum threat from terrorists,maoists and other rebel groups,u will notice they are regions where agriculture is very scarce or it is a barren hilly region. for example kashmir, north east,the tribal dry forest regions of orissa and chattisgadh,and even neighbouring nepal.it shows a deep ancient connection between fertile agricultural land and hindu religion. my study of indian geopolitics reveals that hinduismâs strongest survival depends on a strong agricultural base and land reforms that do justice to weaker sections of hindu society. more than concentrating on conversions a proud hindu must raise his voice against farmer suicide, which is the single biggest threat to hinduism.i think all industrialisation taking place on fertile agricultural lands must be strongly opposed if u want to save hindu culture and religion.multinational taking over this land will only be interested in profit making and not bother about the large damage to hindu culture.i may be grossly wrong in my assesment about the dangers but this is what i found in my opinion.look at the gross amount of heavy industries put up in western europe to compensate for lack of agricultural land closely. today u will find most churches empty and family values almost non existent.mind u i m not against heavy industrialisation of india, but against the use of agricultural lands in industry and special economic zones being set up today. if u take a probing note most industries and âSEZâsâ are eyeing our agricultural lands. there is danger lurking and we are being diverted to other smaller issues.
Comment by tarique | October 6, 2008
Shantanu, thanks for clarifying. I sincerely wanted to caution so that one doesnot go overboard, as Hindu radicals and fundamentalists have always done.
@ Hemant
Lets be honest. When did anyone suggest that Hindus shouldn’t speak out loud. The question is in which manner is this speaking out loud done… by raping women?… by burning down houses?… by hacking people to death. Since when did Hindus get this right to take law into their own hands.
I myself had watched that program on ‘Times Now’ in which the BJD MP Jay Panda said that Hindus had also been killed. And Arnab had to say not to ‘communalise’ only because earlier Jay Panda himself was asserting that it is not a communal issue rather an ethnic problem.
Secondly, Jay Panda did not elaborate how that Hindu (only one actually) got killed. Very conviniently he chose not to mention that the Hindu caretaker of the Christian orphange was killed by the Hindu mobs themselves.
How selective are we in our writings and talking.
Comment by Conscience Matters | October 6, 2008
a hindu farmer commits suicide but u rarely hear about him converting to other faiths.i think it proves to a large extent my study and opinion about fertile agricultural lands being the biggest safeguard of hinduism.a tribal with no stakes in land gets easily attracted to missionary activities.
Comment by tarique | October 6, 2008
religion is not about invasions or destroying temples or conversions. i describe religion as ‘ a social system among humans that replaces a ‘failed’ social system’.the more u try to assert ur religion by false pride the more harm u will do to ur existing social system.
Comment by tarique | October 6, 2008
@Conscience
See how easily you got it wrong? That exactly was my point. You say “And Arnab had to say not to âcommunaliseâ only because earlier Jay Panda himself was asserting that it is not a communal issue rather an ethnic problem” but it was Arnab who first said “100s of christians are killed in kandhamal”. If Arnab really was so concerned as he said “let’s not communalize this issue” he should not have first said “christians are killed”.
You see, when a Hindu says “I believe in Ram’s existence and I won’t allow you to tamper with Ram Sethu” it easily becomes “Hindu Fundamentalism”. Similarly when a mob attacks Ganesha Visarjan or Durga puja, we say a local political act and nothing to do with “peace loving” minority around that region, then why don’t we say same in Kandhmal context? For example why don’t the media say “some miscreants attacked poor christians to cash in tribal votes” why do all of you (you also implied same in your comment) say “Hindu fundamentalists are killing people” ? why not say “Hinduism religion doesn’t teach these, people who are doing such grave acts are not Hindus”
Its very easy to forget agony of us Hindus and keep blaming us in the name of (p)secularism….
Comment by Hemant | October 14, 2008