Ayodhya again,

27.9.2003.

Reports came via the news channels that the world famous Palestinian intellectual Edward Said, the author of the most popular book “ORIENTALISM”; expired in US. The author, though born as Palestinian was in fact a resident of US for yeas. His book “Orientalism” is well-known among scholars of the orient as a trenchant critic of the occidental teachings and understandings on the East specifically the Middle East cultures and people. Most post colonial studies about the East, cite and quote, Edward Said with approval and appreciation.

I have completed re-reading the book titled “Hinduism Re-consided” a collection of essays. One of them was by Gaya Charan Tripathi named ‘Hinduism through Western Glasses’ (12 pages. 121-132). The author resorts too extreme generalizations basing unquoted sources that were supposed to represent Western readings on Hinduism. Let us make it clear that many of the Christian missionaries and or linguists ib fact did not try to present Hinduism in its glory. Whatever attributes are ascribed to Christian West, in their depiction of Hinduism, by the author might justifiably, ascribed to him and many others of their own understanding of the West. In both cases, one could see a lot of bias, misunderstanding and misreading between each other. Surprisingly, Tripathi abstains from quoting any relevant source or author from the west in his support. Yes, he quoted Monier Williams; characterizing Hinduism as not a religion as the same is understood in west or western scholarship. At least Tripathi himself labours to claim that Hindism is not a religion in western sense.

I might go a little further and say that most of the north Indians intellectuals never understand the region and people of south of Vindhyas. For them India means the geographical area upto Narmada and Godavari and below south are just Madrassies. Most of India whether north or south do not recognise the forest dwelling tribes in their own areas as parts.

In todays condition the nomenclature ‘orientalist’ exactly fits the RSS and its parivar. They are the ones who adopted lock, stock and barrel, the attitudes and norms of the Victorian and Elizabethan mores and criteria. They exhibit an amazing similarity of ideas and practices of the medieval colonists. The Sangh never claimed any specific religious understanding of the ancients’ traditions and practices.       

The antics of VHP & Bajrang Dal in Gujarat society exhibit the inherent fascist nature of the Hindutva fundamentalists. The Hindu right divides the society between a supposed majority Hindu nation and minorities if not anti-nationals, half nationals. They will be considered as fully national only when unconditionally accept the tenets of the Hindu traditions as their own.

The ignorance, arrogance and stupidity taunted by Hindutva fundamentalists could be illustrated by their abusive attitude towards Kanchi Kamakodi Shankaracharya, Swamy Jayendra Saraswathy. They termed the seer as Shaivaite without bothering to know that Adi Sankara’s legacy is neither Shaivaite nor Vaishnavaite or any other deities. While propagating and expounding the fine points of extreme advaita, Adi Sankara allowed every known Hindu deity to be worshiped. He composed devotional poetry (hymns/stotra) in praise of all gods and goddesses. Calling him Shaivaite is the height of illiteracy, stupidity or plain defamation. It shows a pathetic understanding of what Adi Sankara stood for. It also shows the venom, the Hindutva right harbors against all those who are critical of Hindutva even so slightly. The whole Hindutva family was fulminating against secularism and secularists; the minority Muslims, Christians and those who claim their identities as dalits. The latest to be grouped with the above is the Kanchi Seer and Shaivaites. It seems that the Hindutva groups are yet to recognise and identify the Smarthas that is most widespread in the South India from millennia.   

 What is surprising that this idiotic interpretations of Hinduism by Hindutva goes unchallenged from most pious and learned people like the former President Venkatraman, former Prime Minister Narasimha Rao and many more, The ones like Togadias, Giriraj Kishores, Ashok Singhals had to be challenged to show their credentials to speak for all hindus before a learned audience. It is going to be a long fight to recover real and genuine values of Hinduism from the myths and fantasies perpetrated and propagated by RSS/BJP and Parivar.                      

There are credible historical evidences to maintain that there were innumerable sects spread all over the land from historical times. They fought each other for supremacy in the minds of the faithful. They even fought among within. They were vociferous and at times violent. Even during the periods of Bhakti movements, the most pious and peaceful ones in Indian history, at times did ahow antipathy towards other sects.

The other day, a news item said as against Togadia’s Trishul Deeksha the Alliance for Democracy, distributed copies of Bhagavad Gita among people. Was it real? Do these people believe that teachings of Bhagavad Gita encourage social harmony, communal peace, non-violence or secularism among different sects and or religions? It will be good to refer back to Togadia the international President of Viswa Hindu Parishad (VHP) His understanding on teaching of the message from Gita was explained in his last lecture in Mumbai exhorting his ardent followers to kill the enemies by hook or crock as is personified by Lord Krishna in Mahabharata. According to Togadia, in Mahabharata, the Lord Krishna did adopt many stratagems, not sanctified by Dharma, like killing of Drona, Karna, Duryodhana and felling of Bhishma. In the process the Lord was party to the demise of Ghatotkacha, Abhimanyu and five sons of Draupadi. Togadia is said to have continued that Lord himself used tricks to kill his own kith and kin beside the enemies. Togadia further said that it is well established that Muslims, Christians and others are enemies of Hinduism and therefore any stratagem to finish off them is sanctified the Lord and Dharma.  

11.7.2003.

For the last few weeks a fantastic farce is being enacted in the name Ayodhya dialogue. The Kanchi Seer was in the centre of the stage. There were a good lot of speculations in the media. The latest bout started with celebration of 50 years of Peedharohanam by the Seer. The seer is a known supported of RSS & VHP when has the junior seer under Swami Chandra Shekharendra Saraswathy. The initiative to enact the new farce came from the Prime Minister, A.B.Vajapeyee, who earlier occasion promised to solve the Ayodhya tangle, but failed to start a dialogue, as there was no response from parties concerned. Whatever might have been the behind scene activities, the Kanchi Seer took upon himself to re-start the dialogue. At first, the RSS parivar favoured the seer’s efforts but when speculations gained currency, the RSS started spelling out their conditions, for a dialogue with All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). It re-iterated its original stand of un-conditional handing over of the Babri Masjid lands to the VHP. The VHP also was strident with denunciation and abuse of the Kanchi Seer, for his supposed favorable offer to the AIMPLB. They fulminated against the seer as being a Shaivaite (which is not true) and therefore not entitled to say in a Vaishnavaite issue i.e. Ram Janma Bhumi temple. Not all vaishnavites but only Ramananda Pandhies hold the right to decide on a Ram Temple.  

It will be interesting to know, when the Ramananda Pandhies were formed in historical time. The claim will be frivolous if it was found that this was later to the Babri Masjid.   

It is disheartening to note that no ardent devotee of the Kanchi Seer came forward in the press to refute the VHP canards against the Seer. May be, the devotees also were feeling that their Seer has compromised on the Ayodhya temple issue.

12.7.2003.

Looking back at the high strung drama enacted with knowledge and support of BJP specifically Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the Prime Mnister, one wonders at the audacity of the ruling junta to claim that initiative taken by Kanchi Shankaracharya, is that of a well meaning religious leader on his own and not at the prompting of the PMO. Whom are they trying to convince? The ruling BJP at times took a stand that RSS & VHP are separate in identities and both might take independent policies that might even in contravention with that of BJP. This also failed to click since, all those concerned are in attendance in RSS jamboree at Kanyakumari and thereafter in Chennai offering obedience at the feet of the RSS Sar Sangh Chalaks. The so called Uchadhikar Samiti of the VHP is where the RSS top brass shines today. The RSS meetings meeting with the PM and DPM are eloquent enough to show that all are in thick as theaves to hoodwink and mis-lead the Hindu masses, with poised arrows of communal and fundamentalist ideas of theirs.    

ASIAN AGE of 19 & 20.6.03 news features about VHP getting angry with Kanchi Sankaracharya for his reported plan to settle Ayodhya temple issue. There is nothing authentic except some rumors. According to VHP the Kanchi Seer is not and cannot represent Hindus as a community and he cannot go about with a plan without getting it approved by VHP which claim the role sole of representation of all hindus. Also according to VHP leaders, Kanchi Sankaracharya is a Shaivaite and therefore do not qualify to meddle in the construction of a Vaishnavaite temple. Once the Prime Minister Vajpayee contented that the construction Ram temple in Ayodhya is a national issue meaning concern of all sections of Indian nation. Now the VHP comes with the idea that the issue is exclusive to Vaishnavaite alone. However, a majority of hindus are either Shaivaites, Smarta and or Devi bhaktas. Vaishnavites are part of Hindus but not a majority. The temple was a hindutva issue not accepted all hindus.   

The narrow mental make of the people constituting the VHP leadership show clearly the motive behind denigrating the Kanchi  Seer. They are too sectarian who cannot claim any representative character of the Hindu community as a whole. The outburst against the Kanchi Seer is a sure sign that the VHP is an obscurantist group disrupting communal harmony, even making out a discriminating statement, differentiating  Vaishnavaite, Shaivaite etc. Such statements are extremely harmful to te unity of the nation.

First was Hindus against other minorities, then Hindus against all secularists. Now Vaishnavaite against Shaivaite. They might not be aware that even among Vaishnavaites there are different groups worshiping Krishna and not Rama. Where will all these end up? Even the VHP may not know.

The VHP contention that Ram temple is some exclusive issue for Vaishnavaites, not all but the sect called Ramananda Pandhies exposes its real intentions. The have not only divided the nation Hindu and non-hindu; religious and secular but Hindus into Vaishnava and Shaiva and many others. Then Vaishnavaites are seperated as Ramanandis and others. However, the VHP did not give us the methods to identify each sects whether by birth, temple going practices or their ancestry. No questions and no answers. But some where some one will raise these questions and demand answers from Ram Temple Zeelots.