Ishwar Sharan's Blog, page 30

Shankaracharyas not to attend Ram Temple inauguration – Abhik Deb

“It is the duty of Shankaracharyas to ensure that religious scriptures are properly followed. … The scriptures are being undermined by carrying out consecration before the construction of the temple is complete. There is no reason for this rush.” – Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand of Joshimath All four Shankaracharyas—pontiffs of major Hindu maths—will not attend the inauguration […]

Ramachandra Guha and Hinduism: The panic of an old commissar – Aravindan Neelakandan

With the rejuvenation of Kashi, Kedarnath and Ayodhya, the party in power shows that the ancient nation and the modern state need not be antagonistic. What’s left for Nehruvians to do but panic and complain.  – Aravindan Neelakandan The imminent inauguration of the Ayodhya Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple seems to have perturbed the usual suspects. […]

Guha and Hinduism: The panic of an old commissar – Aravindan Neelakandan

With the rejuvenation of Kashi, Kedarnath and Ayodhya, the party in power shows that the ancient nation and the modern state need not be antagonistic. What’s left for Nehruvians to do but panic and complain.  – Aravindan Neelakandan The imminent inauguration of the Ayodhya Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple seems to have perturbed the usual suspects. […]

Aurangzeb’s bigotry and temple destruction must not be negated – Monidipa Bose Dey

As documented by court historians, 17th century contemporary foreign travellers and historians, it is very clear that Aurangzeb very blatantly implemented the theology of the Islamic state throughout his kingdom, with no scope for any kind of tolerance for his Hindu subjects. … Understanding Aurangzeb is important for understanding the Islamist psyche currently active across […]

Reclaiming Hindu religious places – Prafull Goradia

The poet Allama Iqbal had called Lord Rama “Imam-e-Hind”, and yet it took Hindus 45 years after independence before making a serious attempt to recover His birthplace. – Prafull Goradia Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while inaugurating the Swarveda Temple in Varanasi on December 18, rightly called for the restoration of cultural symbols hit by invading […]

In Ayodhya, the soul of a civilisation finds utterance – Vikram Sampat

To demonise the Brahmin, undermine Hindu faith, whitewash and act as apologists for Islamic bigots was a clear pattern of Nehruvian secular historiography. This stands delegitimised today. … It is truly an epochal moment when the soul of a civilisation long suppressed seems to be finally finding utterance. – Vikram Sampat As January 22 approaches, […]

How the Ayodhya Ram Temple became a mandir of the masses – Yudhajit Shankar Das

“The Ram Mandir movement wasn’t just a movement for any temple. It was a struggle for a temple at Janmabhoomi of Lord Ram, who is India’s identity. Over 3.7 lakh sacrificed their lives for this movement. Then there were years of court cases. … When the legal battle was won, it was decided that a […]

Anti-Semitism on American campuses can soon take a Hinduphobic turn – Utpal Kumar

It’s the same anti-Semitic force, currently in action on US campuses and elsewhere, that also targets Hindus in America by joining hands with the progressive, Left-wing, feminist, and ethnic minority groups, as well as Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ activists. In the name of Palestine, they seek the decimation of Israel and Jews. And in […]

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Anthropology matters as much as history – Alma Gottlieb & Ron Duncan Hart

The conflicting histories invoked by Jews and Arabs signals that a two-state solution is the only strategy that is both historically valid and culturally viable. – Alma Gottlieb & Ron Duncan Hart Who is indigenous to Israel and Palestine: Jews or Arabs? The answer depends on how we interpret history. Radically diverse starting points invoked by both […]

British Museum must return stolen jade artefact to Prayagraj – Farhan Ahmed Siddiqui

The terrapin, discovered at Allahabad Fort in 1803 during the excavation of a cistern, is carved out of a single piece of jade stone, and the artefact now adorns a corner of the British Museum in London. – Farhan Ahmed Siddiqui Reshadul Islam, a history buff from Prayagraj, wants the British Museum to return a […]