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Feb 12

6,000 Arrested in UAE for Residency Violations; Deportation in Process: Why Are Indian Liberals Silent?

For more than a week, liberals in our country have been outraging over the deportation of Indian illegal immigrants by the US government. Following this incident, the EAM issued a statement clarifying that the deportation of illegal immigrants by the US is not a new phenomenon. He even provided details on the number of Indians deported by the US over the past 12 years.

Image Source: News 18

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While some were outraged by the fact that they were deported, others were upset with the manner in which they were deported. There have been conflicting reports on this, with some news outlets suggesting that these immigrants were handcuffed during deportation, while others claimed that only those with criminal backgrounds or those posing a risk to public safety were handcuffed.

Regardless, right from the beginning I have been of the opinion that the manner in which an illegal immigrant is to be deported is a prerogative of the country deporting them. After all, these individuals entered the country illegally, which is a crime in most nations around the world.

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In the midst of all this, one particular piece of news escaped the attention of most of us. On February 3, it was reported that the UAE government had arrested over 6,000 expatriates who were staying in the country illegally. It is unclear how many Indians were among them.

The authorities stated that formalities had been completed to deport around 93% of those arrested. They also warned that legal action, including fines, would be taken against both violators and those who shelter or employ them. This crackdown on illegal residents followed a general amnesty announced by the UAE government from September until the end of December, allowing overstayers to voluntarily leave the country without facing legal action.

Image Source: ARN News

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Feb 10

Tamil Nadu Temple Bans Priests from Accepting Dakshinas, Sparks Outrage

Most of us are familiar with the strong aversion the ruling Dravidian party in Tamil Nadu has toward Sanatana Dharma. We have witnessed this on numerous occasions over the last few decades, particularly in the last 2–3 years since the current government came to power. Here is yet another news piece that reaffirms this.

This incident is from the Dandayuthapani Swami Temple in Madurai. On February 7, the temple administration, under the Tamil Nadu HR & CE Department, issued a circular prohibiting priests from accepting offerings placed by devotees on their plates.

This is the translation of the order issued in Tamil:

'At the Thandayutha Swamy Temple located on Netaji Road in Madurai, priests should not take offerings placed by devotees on the aarti plate. They should only take the money and deposit it in the money box; otherwise, strict action will be taken.'

The order also entrusts the temple bellmen with the responsibility of depositing these offerings into the temple treasury.

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Indu Makkal Katchi Condemns the Order

The order has sparked outrage among Hindu groups such as the Indu Makkal Katchi, which condemned it as blatant government interference in rituals integral to Hindu Dharma.

Solaikannan, the Madurai district leader of the party, expressed shock, stating that the priests at this temple receive no salaries from the TN HR & CE Department and rely entirely on the offerings placed by devotees for their livelihood. He further emphasized that the order is a direct violation of the Hindu Religious Endowment Act and warned that the party would launch a mass agitation if it is not immediately revoked.

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The TN government has a habit of meddling in Hindu affairs, and as I mentioned before, this is just one more instance in a long list of such interferences.

In April 2024, four priests at the Vanabadrakaliamman Temple in Coimbatore district were arrested for keeping donations left by devotees on puja thalis.

Please note the headline and strong wording, such as 'swindling devotee offerings,' provided by The Hindu to report this.

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Feb 6

The Growing Tensions in Thiruparankundram: What You Need to Know

On February 4, a sea of saffron descended on the southern Indian temple town of Madurai. In unprecedented scenes, thousands of protesters carrying saffron flags converged in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, yesterday, shouting slogans such as “Vetri Vel, Veera Vel, Kappom Kappom Skanda Malayai Kappom,” which translates to “Victorious spear, courageous spear, we will save Skanda’s mountain.” (Spear is Subramanya Swami's weapon)

Skanda is another name for Sri Subrahmanya, known as Sri Muruga in Tamil Nadu. Skanda also means “god of war.”

The protesters represented over 50 Hindu organizations, including the Hindu Munnani, the BJP, and the RSS.

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What exactly were they protesting?

The massive protest was organized against alleged attempts by certain Islamist groups to take control of the historic Thiruparankundram hill gradually. The hill is famous for the Thiruparankundram temple devoted to Subramanya Swami and is the first among the six holy abodes of Sri Muruga (Sri Muruga is the Tamil name for Subramanya Swami).

In recent times, there have been alleged attempts to rename the mountain as Sikandar Hill, after the Sikandar Dargah, which is also located on the mountain.

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History of the Dispute

The Dargah’s presence on one of the most revered sites of Tamil Hindus has been a matter of dispute for over a century. In 1923, the matter reached the court. After a legal battle that lasted over eight years, the British Privy Council which was the highest court of appeal, finally ruled in favor of the temple. The 1931 court ruling granted ownership of the hill to the temple, except for a portion of the hill known as "Nellitope" and the actual site of the mosque.

This should have settled the matter—and it did for several decades. However, in recent years, Hindus in the area have accused the other side of encroaching on the hill and deliberately trying to rename it Sikandar Malai (Sikandar Hill).

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Jan 12

Rebuttal to 'The Guru and the Politician: The Broken Spirit Behind the Spiritualism Industry'

Yesterday, I came across an article with a curious title in The Indian Express. This write-up, titled 'The Guru and the Politician: The Broken Spirit Behind the Spiritualism Industry,’ was published on January 8, 2025.

At a glance, I could tell it was a negative piece about the recent meeting between the Honorable Home Minister Amit Shah and Sadhguru, which took place on January 4th.

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What was "controversial" about this meeting?

On the surface, this was a non-controversial meeting (see the image). The Home Minister and Sadhguru briefly mentioned their interaction on X. What could anyone possibly have against this?

I read through the article once and then again, checking if the author made any valid conclusions. Clearly, he didn’t. And if he was trying to, he failed miserably.

The article begins with a sarcastic tone, referring to Sadhguru as a 'celebrity spiritual guru' while mentioning that the interaction was about the 'role of Indian spirituality in transforming our society.' The author adds that such affinity between religious gurus and the political class "unsettles" him and makes him skeptical about the "spiritual industry."

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Is Sadhguru, a Hindu religious leader?

Before proceeding further, I should mention that Sadhguru does not associate himself with any religion, although he is widely seen and considered a “Hindu guru." The sacred spaces at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore are open to followers of all faiths. In fact, there is a 'Sarva Dharma Sthambha' (see the image) at the entrance of Dhyanalinga, with symbols of nine major religions inscribed upon it, embodying the spirit of spirituality beyond sectarianism.

Therefore, calling Sadhguru a 'religious leader' would be grossly incorrect. The appropriate term to use would be 'spiritual leader.' Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation never differentiate between individuals based on their faith. This approach aligns with the principles of Sanatana Dharma, which does not differentiate between human beings based on their faith. It is important to note that Sanatana Dharma predates the concept of religion as we understand it today.

Sadhguru has a massive following not only in India but also in the Islamic nations of the Middle East and Christian countries of Europe.

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Jan 6

Kerala Communists Target Temple Traditions Yet Again: Call for Abolition of Shirtless Entry in Temples

Do you know what the biggest political discourse in Kerala has been over the past week? At a time when the state is rapidly heading towards bankruptcy and unemployment rates are peaking, the Communist Party is worried about men entering temples shirtless.

They want this tradition to be abolished.

Amused? You should be!

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It all started 5–6 days ago during the inauguration of the Sivagiri pilgrimage, attended by the Kerala Chief Minister and other politicians.

During the session, Swami Sachidananda, the president of the Sri Narayana Dharma Sanghom, which manages the Sivagiri Mutt, remarked that some of the temples under the Sree Narayana Trust still require men to remove their shirts while entering. He stated that this tradition needs to be abolished.

Let’s remember that he was referring to changing a tradition in temples managed by the Sree Narayana Trust.

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The Kerala Chief Minister, who spoke after this, clearly seemed to have found an opportunity to once again target temple traditions. He supported the Swami’s suggestions, adding that he hoped not only temples under the trust but also other temples would adopt such ‘progressive measures.’

In no time, this topic snowballed into a major controversy, with leaders from both sides of the political spectrum voicing their opinions for and against these remarks.

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Nov 14, 2024

Kerala Devaswom Board Violates Centuries-Old Tradition at Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple

A couple of days ago, the Kerala state government-managed Devaswom Board violated a long-standing tradition at Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple.

Udayasthamana Pooja is considered the most important and dearest of all poojas at the Guruvayur temple. For centuries, the Udayasthamana Pooja has been observed on the auspicious day of Ekadashi, also known as Guruvayur Ekadashi during the Malayalam month of Vrishchikam. This year’s Guruvayur Ekadashi falls on December 11th, 2024.

However, this year, the Devaswom Board deviated from tradition by scheduling the Udayasthamana Pooja on November 12th, citing concerns about managing increased crowds during the upcoming Sabarimala festival season in December.

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Why the deviation?

The board's bizarre justification is that the festival would make crowd control difficult. They specifically mentioned that the 'nada' (sacred door of the deity) needs to be opened five times during the pooja, posing logistical challenges during the peak festival period.

The Guruvayur Tanthri (chief priest) vehemently opposed the change and approached the court against the Devaswom Board's decision.

While the court sought the board's response, the latter proceeded with the Udayasthamana Pooja on November 12th, bypassing the centuries-old tradition of conducting it on December 11th

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Significance of Ekadashi in Vrishchikam

Ekadashi in the month of Vrishchikam holds immense spiritual significance, as it marks the day of the deity's consecration centuries ago.

Notably, it was Adi Shankara Acharya who structured the Udayastamana Pooja at the temple for this auspicious day.

Udayastamana literally translates to sunrise to sunset or dawn to dusk. The ritual consists of 15 continuous special poojas in addition to the daily rituals (poojas).

However, the state temple board has now broken this centuries-old tradition, disrupting a most sacred ritual.

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