Hinduism

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

A gentleman, Pita brought this news item to our notice at a social networking site. The item was posted under the heading “Slokas on the Mount” in India View.

The article says that the Vatican has sanction the ‘inculturation’ of churches meaning the indigenisation of churches through “assimilating local culture and symbols in construction, layout, interior design, …”. This should not have come as a surprise but it did.

It should not have come as a surprise because Christianity itself took roots in an indigenisation process. All major festivals of Christianity coincide with the pagan festivals that were being celebrated by the early Roman society. It did surprise me because after that initial step of ‘inculturation’ Christianity for the last 2000 years has taken a rigid stand in even making minor adjustments to its set beliefs.

The article states that the process will be implemented in the 168 Catholic dioceses in India, and is already under way in 45 churches. One of the obstacles in the spread of Christianity has been its identification as a part of “Western” culture and therefore alien to Oriental indigenous cultures. Hence this move of the Christian Church is welcome. Many Indian Christians have a sense of belonging neither here nor there, and hopefully future generations of Indian Christians will not face this dilemma. The ‘inculturation’ also involves performing aarti in churches and this should go a long way in bridging the artificially created current religious divides.

The article quotes Nitya Chaitanya Guru as saying, “It is not totally baseless if Hindu leaders fear that ‘Indianisation of Christianity’ is meant to bring about ‘Christianisation of India’. I could not disagree with Nitya Chaitanya Guru more. Not only is this statement totally unfounded but it is meant to increase the existing religious divides.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Mixing politics with religion is undesirable but it inevitably happens. Religion affects an overwhelmingly large number of people and politicians cannot resist the temptation to manipulate the masses or to score brownie points using religion. The latest case is China’s refusal to issue visas to Hindus who wanted to visit Kailash Mansarovar this summer.

Mount Kailash is where Shiva resides. This mountain lies on the shore of the equally holy Mansarovar Lake. Since these sites lie high in the Himalayas they can be visited only in summer. Every year 12,000 Hindus make this pilgrimage in batches. Kailash and Mansarovar lie in Tibet, which was annexed by China in the 1960s and subsequently has been recognized by the international community as a part of China. Therefore China has to issue visas to the Hindu pilgrims, which it has been doing in the first week of April for many years. This year. However, it has refused to issue visas.

The official reason is that the Chinese office that processes the visas is situated in Lhasa, the capital of Tibet. Due to the Tibetan uprising in Lhasa in April the office had to be closed and then came the scheduled holiday time. So visas could not be processed. But the real reason is that China feels that India is sympathetic to the Tibetan cause and is retaliating in a show of strength. China has always had an axe to grind because India offered sanctuary to the Dalai Lama, the head of the Tibetan Buddhists. Now it is accusing India of severely curtailing the Olympic torch relay and not giving it the media publicity that China desired. It is also accusing India of not being severe enough with the Tibetans who organized peaceful protests against the Chinese government.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Most lists of Dashavatar include Buddha as the ninth avatar of Vishnu. Some include Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna, as the ninth avatar instead of Buddha. I have a problem with both.



Balarama was indisputably the avatar of Sesha Nag, the serpent on which Vishnu reclined in the lake of Kshirsagar, just as Laxman was the avatar of Sesha Nag during Rama avatar period. Hence to include Balarama as an avatar of Vishnu is anomalous.



The teachings of Buddha are quite divergent from Hinduism. If you ask any Buddhist, whether a follower of any ancient school of Buddhism or the neo-Buddhists who have converted from Hinduism after India’s independence, if he is a Hindu then you will be met with disbelief or contempt. No Buddhist considers himself or herself to be a Hindu. Yet there are many Hindus who consider Buddhism an offshoot of Hinduism – ridiculous but true.



The inclusion of Buddha as the ninth avatar of Vishnu was nothing but an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the massive conversions from Hinduism that were accompanying the sermons of Buddha. In fact Hinduism was perhaps at its worst at the time Buddha started preaching. Social exploitation in the name of religion was beginning to entrench itself and many of the Brahmin class were corrupt and greedy. No wonder there was disillusionment and Buddha found a ready following.



The reconciliation of the differences between Buddhism and Hinduism is even more amazing. The standard line followed in most scriptural texts is that Vishnu as Buddha intentionally preached false scriptures so as to prevent the demons from accessing the true faith and therefore preventing their salvation. If some humans were fooled into believing Buddha then it was an inevitable side effect.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

In Hinduism avatars are the incarnations of the supreme God. Traditionally Vishnu has ten major avatars known as Dashavatar, out of the later five are in human form. The Bhagavata Purana lists twenty-four avatars of Vishnu.



In my discussions on various forums on Hinduism I have come across the following conceptions of avatars.

• Avatars are God in human form but without human qualities.
• Avatars are God in human form and take on human qualities.
• Avatars are legendary persons who have been deified.
• Avatars are created from a combination of many legendary figures.

For Hindus the last two definitions are inconceivable because the go against basic belief. Secular historians and sociologists have suggested these options because they base their opinions on evidence and not on belief.



Hindus argue about the first two options. The problem arises because the avatars exhibit both divine and human characteristics. Those who believe that avatars are divine go to great lengths to offer explanations for the human qualities. The fundamental problem seems to be a reluctance to accept that the Divine would take human characteristics. But there is a valid reason for them to do so.



In the most quoted verse of the Bhagwad Gita it is said that God descends to earth as an avatar in order to annihilate evil and thus restore the balance between righteousness and evil. But there is no doubt that God can do that without taking on an avatar. The reason for taking an avatar with human characteristics is to pass on the message that humans have the capacity to combat evil. But then there are times when the avatars use divine powers to kill demons.



In my opinion it is dangerous to make far-reaching generalizations. Each event must be taken in its proper context and appropriate lessons drawn

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Next to Ravana, Kaikeyi is presented as the most evil character in the Ramayana. She sent her stepson to exile and was responsible for her husband’s death. Since then parents have not named their daughter Kaikeyi.



I cannot accept that Kaikeyi was inherently evil. God used her as an instrument in His mission. Before Rama vanquished Ravana he had to exaggerate the differences between power, greed, arrogance and meekness, selflessness and humility. To do so he could not attack Lanka as the king of Ayodhya but had to do so as a simple human being. Therefore the drama of being exiled and cut off from Ayodhya was crucial to his plan. And he made Kaikeyi an unwitting partner.



Yet her behavior is out of character. Even in God’s Lila the niceties of realism have to be observed. Kaikeyi was a strong willed woman. She loved Rama more than she loved Bharat. So how could she so easily succumb to the wiles of Manthara? This question has not ceased to vex me. The only explanation I could provide was that God induced a temporary weakness in her so that He could execute His plan.



Then I read Ashok Banker’s series on the Ramayana. He has introduced events and characters not present in the popular version of the narrative. But he has resolved the issue of Kaikeyi’s character beautifully. Manthara is an agent of Ravana and versed in the dark arts. She drugs Kaikeyi to keep her in her room and transforms a slave to the splitting image of the queen. Then the slave, looking like Kaikeyi, acts out the events of that fateful night. Kaikeyi remains true to her character and her honor is maintained. This of course is Banker’s invention but how I hope this had been the truth.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Last month the Vatican newspaper published a list of seven deadly sins that were rampant in the modern world. These were genetic modification, human experimentations, polluting the environment, social injustice, causing poverty, financial gluttony and taking drugs. With the old seven deadly sins of lust, gluttony, avarice, sloth, anger, envy and pride, the total now becomes fourteen.



Sin and religion are inextricably linked, because one of the functions of religion is to keep people away from sin. In my understanding sins that require Divine punishment, such as the deadly sins, are those moral or ethical transgressions that cannot be covered under human law. The old seven deadly sins fit this description.



The new list of the seven deadly sins, however, is somewhat puzzling on several counts. One would expect the new sins to be a product of modern society. In fact the Vatican announcement said just that. But social injustice, causing poverty and financial gluttony are almost as old as human civilization. If one believes that these transgressions did not exist in feudal Europe when the power of the Vatican was at its zenith, then one is turning a blind eye to history. Environment pollution and taking drugs are punishable by law therefore need not be left to Divine retribution. To call genetic modification and human experimentations sins is myopic. It is a step back to the ages when Galileo was tried for heresy and had his eyes put out.



If the new seven deadly sins are baffling then the reasons for declaring them are more so. If the Catholic Church wants to stem its dwindling flock then it has to take a more inclusive approach to diversity rather than brand diversity as heresy. It needs to take a leaf out of Hinduism in this regard.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Christian myths have been handed down the last two thousand years virtually without change. In their original perspective they are so far removed from the concerns of modern young people that they are in danger of being forgotten.

Reverend Harrison of St. John’s Church at Hillingdon, London, has rewritten ten popular stories from the Bible in a way to make them more appealing to a modern audience. These stories include David and Goliath, the Garden of Eden, the Nativity, the Crucifixion, the Ten Commandments and Noah’s Ark.

In the Garden of Eden Harrison emphasizes Adam’s fixation on Eve’s beautiful body. This strikes a chord with our preoccupation with the female form be it in advertising or beauty pageants. Goliath is depicted as having lost because he was suffering a hangover from the previous night’s overindulgence. How often do our sports pages report that better teams have lost because key players began celebrating a bit too early. It is to the credit of the Reverend that he has published originals from the Bible alongside the makeover versions so that there can be no mistaking that his are changed versions.

Hindu myths have always been in a process of evolution. The originals found in the epics and the Puranas are considerably varied in themselves. Later every writer of note has molded these stories to suit the social compulsions of the times. I have written earlier on this theme earlier in The Rewriting of Mythsand The Makeover of Pururava. Though Hindu purists have decried these changed versions of scriptural tales, the fact of life is that if you do not change then you die. It now remains to be seen how the Christian purists react.

The blog is in response to a news article Vicar rewrites 10 most famous Biblical stories.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Holi is a time for letting ones hair down and a number of songs celebrating Holi are legion. Bollywood, the Hindi movie industry, has come up with songs that have become a part of Holi folklore.

Rang Barse, the most popular Holi song ever is from a 1981 film Silsila, meaning The Affair. It starred some of the greatest actors in the industry. The closest friend of the hero dies in a plane crash leaving behind a pregnant girlfriend. The hero is obliged to forsake his girlfriend to marry his friend’s so that she is not shamed. Years later the hero meets his girlfriend who is also now respectably married. But old flames are kindled and an affair blossoms. During the course of the affair the lovers and their spouses and some friends get together to celebrate Holi. Bhang, an intoxicant, is traditionally consumed during Holi, andthe hero drinks too much. This is the setting for the song, which cuckolds the husband and celebrates the lover. I give below the translation of the lyrics. The Hindi lyrics are available at Lyrics and Song.

The colors are flowing and the lady with the scarf is getting drenched, Who has sprayed you with colors and wet your bodice, It is the colorful reveller! The colors are flowing and your scarf is drenched.

The dinner is set out in a plate of gold, But it is the lover who eats while the husband looks on helplessly.

A mouth freshener is prepared with cinnamon and cloves, But it is the lover who chews on it while the husband looks on helplessly.

The bed is laid out with fragrant flowers, But it is the lover who sleeps on it while the husband looks on helplessly.

It is Holi! The colors are flowing and your scarf is drenched.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Working at my desk today I noticed three red-letter days on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd of March. 20th is Id-e-Milad, a Muslim holiday, 21st is Good Friday, a Christian holiday, and 22nd is Holi, a Hindu holiday. India perhaps is the only country in the world where these three important days of different faiths are all public holidays. And this speaks volumes of the way Indians have assimilated diverse cultures and religions.

But this is not what has prompted this blog because these three occasions are public holidays every year. I was amazed at the coincidence that they fall on consecutive days. It must be remembered that each falls on different dates each year according to the Gregorian calendar. In my memory it is the first time they are occurring on consecutive days. During the extended week end Indians would do well to ponder over how important it is to maintain communal harmony and to participate in religious occasions of other faiths. Meanwhile here is a brief write up on the three holidays.

Id-e-Milad is observed as the birth and death anniversary of the Prophet Mohammed. It falls on the twelfth day of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic Calendar. During the twelve days preceding Id, sermons on the deeds of the Prophet are delivered in mosques.

Good Friday is observed as the anniversary of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. It falls on the Friday before Easter. This is a day of mourning.

Holi essentially celebrates the onset of spring. In most parts of India it is celebrated by applying colors on each other. The name derives from that of the she-demon who was burnt in the flames when she tried to kill the devotee Prahlad.

Posted by Harsh Nevatia

Sabarimala is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. From November to January devotees undertake an arduous 41-day pilgrimage to the shrine. Women between the ages of 10 and 50, which is between puberty and menopause, are not allowed to participate. In ancient Hindu societies women were considered unclean during their menstrual cycle and hence were isolated during that period. This notion was perhaps then valid because of the inadequacy of personal hygiene products. Today, this is not the case, and therefore most of the restrictions have been done away with. The restriction on worship however remains.

In most temples there is no ban on women entering. Women are aware of this restriction and generally comply willingly. However in Sabarimala the restriction is an enforced one. Women have been regularly arrested for trying to enter the temple precincts, the latest incident occurring in November last year. This prompted the Indian Young Lawyers Association to file a case in the Supreme Court challenging the ban. The Travancore Devaswom Board, which is the duly constituted governing body, claimed that it had statutory authority to form the rules and regulations and was upholding age old religious practices in not allowing women to enter. They have provided some reasons. The State of Kerala, where the temple lies, was also made a respondent. It made ambivalent statements in an attempt to defend both vote banks. It said that it decried discrimination against women, but at the same time the scholarly reasons for the ban need to be understood. Hence it proposed the setting up of a committee that would examine if the ban confirmed to the principles and philosophy of Hinduism.



A single judge heard the case on March 7, 2008, and referred it to a three-judge bench considering the far-reaching consequences any judgment will have.