@halleyji So here is an interesting story from a place close to my hometown.

Long ago, during when Goa was undergoing strife a Saraswat Brahmin family migrated to coastal Karnataka and moved to an interior place. They brought with them an amsha of their kuladevi. 1/ @halleyji They were given land by the Jain landlord of that area for the Brahmin was able to cure an ailment in the landlord's family with the gandha and tIrtha offered to the Kuladevi. 2/

In chapter 2 of @jsaideepak 's book, he draws our attention to the concepts of Modernity and Rationality that were used by the European colonizers as whetstones for validity of concepts and practices. Interesting to see this normative inversion with respect to Lindy's Principle. You might have come across statements like "This is the 21st century. Why are you still sporting a religious mark on your forehead?". The hidden assumption here is that sporting religious marks is a pre-modern practice. So, why are you, being a sane person, still following it?

"Who dictates what is allowed? Hinduism is not Abrahamic. We don't have central Pope" is a statement one often gets to hear these days. Usually made by people who want to justify their own modernistic interpretations of shastras.

So what's wrong with the statement? Well, Hinduism does contain within its Aegis numerous Sampradayas, each of which have their own unique set of rituals, methods of interpreting shastras. Each of those panthas have their Gurus and Siddhas whose acharas and vicharas inform those of its adherents.

Then why bring in Radha-Krishna, Bhang etc? You cannot selectively choose and interpret. Those references were given in the book to indicate that "Fringe Hindus" are hypocrites. So please spare the BS.

https://twitter.com/WannabeVicharak/status/1329707912055320576

There is a serious problem when intellectuals, no matter which wing, try to justify their hedonisms by citing lIlA-s of Devatas. If you want to use Shastras as pramANa, know the auchitya of its application as well. Bhagavan Shankara consumed the terrible hAlahala.

This is no longer restricted to Convent schools anymore.

When a colleague brought this point in a rooted Hindu school, he was informed that they have a CBSE directive against bursting of crackers & they're obliged to pass it on to students.

https://twitter.com/Manyaaar/status/1329435036198768640

So is there any point complaining about what the convents do, while such diktats are being enforced from the top?

Let us not beat around the bush here. We know well that our enemies don't want us to celebrate our festivals. So no surprise if they push negative propaganda.

When you think about it, there was no way 6th Dec 92 would have been possible without the blessings of the Deva-s.

Another pair of Karasevaks narrated their story.

Their group of 140 people start from Mangalore on 23rd November and are the first batch to reach Ayodhya. 1/ The group consists of not only men, but about 40 women. They carry with them half kg of Poha and Jaggery for their journey - only to be used for emergency. Otherwise the VHP had made arrangements for their food. 2/

Was listening to an interview of a Kar Sevaka from my community. Man got married in Aug '92. He had previously been to Rama Janmabhumi a couple of years ago and witnessed Mulayam Singh's police shooting at the Kar Sevaks. 1/ Since he was newly married, he agreed to sponsor a person to go to Ayodhya in his stead.

But as December approached, he wasn't content sitting at home, so he too left.

Reached the Janmabhoomi sthan in the wee hours of 6th December. 2/

On the topic of Historic fiction: I guess an author should be allowed the liberty to add minor modifications while retelling an actual history iff
1. It enhances the experience of Rasa within the reader/viewer.
2. It does not subvert the original narrative. At best the modifications should be embellishments that heightens the aesthetic experience.
Modifications done in order to promote ideologies are the worst.

GS Sardesai, in his Vol.1 of the New History of Marathas mentions the role of the Mahanubhav cult and its founder Chakradhar in destabilizing the Orthodoxy in the Yadava Kingdom, which eventually resulted in the deaths of both Chakradhar and Hemadri. The death of Hemadri resulted in the disorder in the empire due to breakdown of civil services which made it easier for Alauddin Khilji to capture Devagiri. He was also helped by the Mahanubhav agents

I admire Godse. He saw that the Duratma was taking the country for a ride with his saintly halo and fasting-unto-death threats, & took him out. After taking Duratma out, he handed himself over, and in the courts, he justified his actions in clear terms. His defense spooked Cha-Cha so much that it wasn't made public. He fully accepted the consequences of his actions and didn't beg for mercy. There's something admirable there.

However Godse & Gandhi were Heroes under two different Moral universes.

One of the striking aspects of modernity is the reduction of the available categories. Eg: In the Hindu epistemology, Pratyakśa, Anumāna, Śabda were considered to be valid means of knowledge (Pramana). Modernity operates only within Pratyakśa, Anumāna, foregoing Śabda 1/ In Haidt, Joseph and Graham's Moral Foundations Theory, there are six moral foundations (Care, Fairness, Liberty, Loyalty,Authority,Sanctity) as the set of moral foundations defining the morality of a society. Modernity operates only within the Care, Fairness & Liberty. 2/

Off late there is a whole genre of fiction that's based on portraying the aitihAsika and paurANika material within a "realistic framework". Authors use various tropes to explain away the fantastical/magical/divine episodes from itihAsas and purANAs 1/ This is perhaps not a very new genre. Stalwarts such as K M Munshi, S L Bhyrappa, Narendra Kohli, who have dabbled with this genre. K M Munshi's Krishnavatara series tells the story of a brave cowherd who realizes his potential and decides to fight the ... 2/

There are typically complaints about lack of Hindu material on the internet which we can use to teach our kids. As a father of a two year old, I would like to disagree. There are some committed individuals who have been developing great content for Hindu kids. A thread 1/ First up a big shoutout to the folks at @VyomaLabs : Their Shishugeetani, a collection of Rhymes in Sanskrit cover prayers to Devas, numbers, vehicles, varnamala and even translations of popular English Rhymes (Twinkle twinkle, Johnny Johnny): sanskritfromhome.in/course/sisugit… 2/

Just finished re-reading the chapter on "Anti-Hindu Laws in Goa" from "The Goa Inquisition". I suppose it was @by2kaafi sir who once said
Maru:Sword :: Preta:Law.

Truer equivalence hasn't been made. It is perfect. The Portuguese followed the Carrots & Sticks approach.
Sticks - Destroy temples, prevent their upkeep. Drive out influential Hindus. Make it difficult for Hindus to lead a normal life. And snatch away orphans. Making women forcefully listen to Christian doctrine

So after yesterday's verdict, what will be the outcome if an oppressed member of the Hindu community moves the court demanding access into the Garbhagudi? Remember, the courts for all its virtue signalling over freedom of speech, and "dissent is safety valve" will waste no time in throwing out someone who dissents against them.

From "Skin in the Game"
Mediocristan: Domain where the effects of a random event are contained, and don't have an impact on the System.

Extremistan: Domain where effects of random event impact other entities in the system, & in worst case bring about ruin of the entire system. Examples for Mediocristan:Deaths due to drowning in the Bathtub, crossing roads. Examples for Extremistan: Deaths due to Epidemic Disease, Terrorism.
Thus while % of people dying due to drowing in Bathtubs might be higher than % of people dying due to Ebola, the latter is risker

Met our neighbor's kid who is studying in 7th standard. They are having exams now. He finished Social exam today. Asked him what do they teach.

"History is the most difficult one. Too many kings to learn about"

Which Kings I asked him 1/ "Mughals. Akbar the great who was the strongest. But there are others. There is Babue, Humayun, Akbar, Jehangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangazeb." 2/