@Vichaar_Manthan - kudos to you, and mainly to Drishti Mae (@Drishtii_ ), for this thoughtful conversation on her journey from Islam to the Hindu tradition ππΌ
Though raised in a relatively moderate Muslim family in the UK, Mae said she was raised with constant fear of hell, a hatred for Hindus, and a whole bunch of other mysogynistic, patriarchal ideas that she could not question without being pushed back or punished.
Being a brave, intelligent, and persistent lady she found a way out. While learning about Greek and Hindu philosophies, the Hindu tradition resonated with her due to its pluralism and the nuanced spiritual guidance it offers while encouraging questions.
Mae said she was not only embraced by the Hindu community but was also elected to lead the @nhsf_uk ππΌππΌππΌ
In a media world rife with #Hinduphobia it's refreshing to hear about an ex-Muslim's POV and how she found a home in the Hindu tradition. ππΌ
Mae is arguably more Hindu than most Hindus having chosen to be one consciously based on study and research.
In today's world there are serious consequences for critiquing Islam, esp as an ex-Muslim, and therefore Mae's courage is commendable. ππΌππΌππΌ
Credit also goes to the host and @Vichaar_Manthan for a level headed conversation despite the loaded topic. ππΌππΌππΌ
It brings tears to my eyes that I'm struggling to process the review because of how far removed my POV is from that of my ancestors
I feel the heavy burden of colonization followed by a thoughtless, misguided system of 'education'
The freedom that we achieved in 1947 seems superficial and we seem to have used this to continue the cultural erasure started by the colonizers but now on own own terms π
Sept 30 is #OrangeShirtDay in Canada. Many wear an orange shirt to work or school, to remember the 150k indigenous kids who were forcibly enrolled at English residential schools that separated them from their families and culture. Many were also abused. π
In British India, indigenous institutions continued to suffer and independence unfortunately didn't reverse the trend but arguably led to faster decline of culture and languages as English and a European POV dominated.
What the Canadian indigenous kids suffered was at a whole different level but Indians' should also recognize their own post-colonial trauma, much of it self-inflicted π
On top of denying how Brahmin privilege is systemically absent or has been reversed, you contributed to scapegoating of Brahmins who are a small minority that has been at the receiving end of populist politics in India for decades especially in the South which you focused on.
You focused too much on Rao and her personal circumstances and wealth. You only named Brahmin last names. From the article an unfamiliar reader would get the impression that endogamy and discrimination were exclusive to Brahmins. Isn't this patently untrue?
@Isabelwilkerson - in your @nypl interview from Aug 5 you spoke for several minutes about the Hindu caste system as one would expect given the book's title.
You said caste discrimination is sanctioned by religion. Isn't it more a corruption of Manu smriti?
@Isabelwilkerson@nypl When the interviewer asked about inspiration for social reform you made it sound like US has been Hindus' inspiration. But we had reformers before Europeans set foot in N America, eg Annamacharya in S India.
In the several minutes you spent on India, why didn't you think it was important to talk of drastic progress in just a few generations, and the reservations system that is affirmative action on steroids.
My first #AmishTripathi book. And first time reading a book in this genre.
But I found the writing to be mediocre. The writing had too many anachronistic references like handlebar moustache, cancer, people calling themselves Indians, etc.
Grammatically too sometimes what should've been one sentence is split into two. Maybe this is a style of writing but I find it odd.
The plot is a bit predictable. And there are many political points made clearly aimed at today's politics which makes the story seem less authentic.
Overall, I'm impressed enough to look out for more such books in the genre and from #AmishTripathi.
#Modi 's presence at #RamMandir bhoomi pooja should be used also as an opportunity to celebrate the nation's respect for the rule of law. The sorry episode of December 6 and subsequent riots should be condemned unequivocally.
#Islamists#Leftists and other #Hinduphobes are already sharpening their pencils to smear and vilify Hindus and India. These bigots should be defanged by the PM through a clear condemnation of the disputed structure's demolition.
After all as PM what's central to his role is law and order. And as a BJP leader, too, it's an opportunity to start moving BJP away from #Islamophobia which cannot be denied in the party.