The history of religion in India

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  The culture history of India in general

Query on perspectives regarding Non Resident Indian supporters of Hindu revivalism and related issues

A dialog on H-Asia list, 26 oct 1995. Re. the psychological and social variables which characterize the overseas Indians who support the socio-political perspectives of the BJP. The thread also discusses Hindu fundamentalism.

On the milk drinking images

From a dialog on H_Asia List, 2 November 1995. The significance of the "milk miracle" that occured in late September 1995 when the milk which worshipers offered in spoons to images of Hindu deities was "being consumed" by the images. News reports of the miracle.

On modern religion

By Nanda Chandran, on the PhilOfHi list, 24 feb 1998. Counters notion that Buddhism and modern day Hinduism, not Upanishadic Brahminism, are the true religions of India. The difference between culture and religion.

South Asia Nobel laureate attacks Hindu nationalism

By Subir Bhaumik in Calcutta, BBC News, 28 dec 1998. India's Nobel Prize-winning economist, Amartya Sen, has launched an attack against the forces of Hindu cultural nationalism in India. Indian civilization is not fragile and can be exposed to outside influence without harm. West Bengal's ruling communists, who had organised the reception to honour Mr. Sen, oppose Hindu nationalism.

Christian Millenium Bugs Pro-Hindu Government

By Ranjit Dev Raj, IPS, 17 aug 1999. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a BJP 'moderate,' suggested that India celebrate the Christian millenium. But Hindu hawks in the shot down the proposal saying Christianity and the Gregorian calendar were 'alien' to India. Political leaders have accused missionaries of enticing impoverished and marginalised people into the Christian fold through educational activities and charitable health care.

Shankaracharya warns missionaries on conversions

The Grassroots Media Network, 25 nov 1999. The Shankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam Jayendra Saraswati Swamigal says Hindus would be forced to resort to reconversion if Christian missionaries persisted, in the name of religious freedom, with forcing people to change their faith, at the expense of ecumenicalism and amical social relations.

Becoming A `Servant Of God.' Devadasis are Dalit women sold into sexual slavery. Is this the end of a cruel tradition?

By Carla Power, Newsweek, 25 jun 2000. India can't seem to shake off a cruel tradition of its caste system. Religious duty often ends up as prostitution as many Dalit women leave to earn money in the brothels of Bombay. Sister Bridget Pailey does social work among devadasis in Karnataka: "The upper castes wouldn't drink from the same glass as a devadasi, but they make use of her body."

Hindus gather for mega festival. Pilgrims have travelled great distances braving the cold

BBC News Online, 8 January 2001. Tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims converge on the north Indian city of Allahabad where preparations are underway for the Kumbh Mela, or Grand Pitcher Festival, which takes place every 12 years and sees millions of devotees bathe in the Ganges to purify their sins.

Sikhism a separate religion, admits RSS

The Hindu, 17 January 2001. RSS admits Sikhs have a separate identity from Hindus. The decision to close this chapter comes after widespread resentment among the Sikhs and the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee, which had objected to attempts by RSS workers in Punjab to subsume Sikhism.