All Roads Lead to Rome: Chronicle of Hindu Death Foretold
CHAPTER 1. A GARDEN ENVISIONED
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 4th Century CE
“At the moment when Constantine had supposedly seen the flaming cross, the vast majority of the empire was not Christian. It has been estimated that Christians made up as little as between seven and ten percent of the empire’s total population”.
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th Century CE
“At the moment when Nehru had his tryst with destiny the vast majority of the nation was not Abrahamic. In the 1951 Census Muslims were 35.4 million (9.8%) and Christians were 8.3 million (2.3%). Most importantly, less than 0.1% of the population spoke English which, over the coming decades, was to become the vehicle for the internal subversion of the Hindu cultural elite, paving the way for the nationwide Abrahamization that we are witness to today”.
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CHAPTER 2. THE FLOWER BED IS PREPARED: THE RIGHT SEEDS ARE PICKED
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 4th Century CE
“When Constantine first entered Rome in 312 CE, it might first have seemed as though little would change. ‘No man whatever should be refused complete toleration’ announced the famous Edict of Milan of 313, adding that ‘every man may have complete toleration in the practice of whatever worship he has chosen’.”
But
“…It was not what the bishops wanted. In deciding who to worship, congregations were not choosing between one god and another. They were choosing between good and evil, between God and Satan. To allow someone to follow a path other than the true Christian one was not liberty, it was cruelty. Freedom to err was, Augustine would later vigorously argue, freedom to sin — and to sin was to risk the death of the soul. “The possibility of sinning,” as one Pope later put it “is not freedom but slavery. To allow another person to remain outside the Christian faith was not to show praiseworthy tolerance. It was to damn them.”
“To oppose another man’s religion, to repress their worship – these were not, clerics told their congregations, wicked or intolerant acts. They were some of the most virtuous things a man might do. The Bible itself demanded it. As the uncompromising words of Deuteronomy instructed – ‘And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place’.”
“Christians of the Roman Empire listened. And as the fourth century wore on, they began to obey.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th Century CE – A Two Stage Process
STAGE 1 – THE NEUTRAL PLAYING FIELD
Article 25 of the Indian Constitution
“All persons are equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion subject to public order, morality and health.”
STAGE 2 – …AND A FIXED MATCH
“… In 1971, Periyar organized a superstition eradication campaign in Salem. In this conference, Rama’s image was taken in procession, and was beaten with footwear. Hindu deities were obscenely portrayed. The effigy of Rama was burned publicly. Posters revealing the lust of and the birth of the Hindu deities were found everywhere. Many other photos depicted naked idols and erotic scenes from mythology.” – Rev. S. Robertson (Swarajya, 2020)
“Who is this Raman (as Lord Ram is referred to in Tamil)? In which engineering college did he study and become a civil engineer? When did he build this so-called bridge? Is there any evidence for this?” – Former CM of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Karunanidhi (The True Picture, 2020)
“Only in Tamil Nadu you can see big temples which are Satan’s strongholds. There are no places like Tamil Nadu where there are temples, its towers, and palaces. Why has Satan targeted Tamil Nadu and made it his stronghold?” – “Brother” Mohan Lazarus (Swarajya, 2018)
“Muslims never got independence. After Independence, an enemy community was foisted upon the Muslims.” – Sharjeel Imam (YouTube, 2020)
“We need to convert all Hindus to Islam out of compassion because otherwise, they will keep burning in hell.” – Maulana Kalim Siddique (OpIndia, 2019)
“There is nothing called as a Hindu Religion. Punch them in their face couple of times, make them bleed, and help them understand the truth.” – Bishop Ezra Sargunan (Twitter, 2019)
“Hindus worship a stone as God and later claim that the stone has created them.” – Sebastian Seeman (IndiaFacts, 2014)
“Aap ka Bhagwan apne bete ko nahin pehchaan sakte toh mein takleef mein hoonga toh mujhe kaise pehchaanenge?”– Zakir Naik (YouTube, 2016)
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CHAPTER 3. THE SEEDS ARE WATERED
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 4th Century CE
“Constantine moved quickly to promote his new religion. The following year he said that the persecution of Christians was over. Tax relief was given to church lands, clerics were exempted from public duties, bishops were lavished with gifts and banquets.… The vast churches Constantine built were astonishing. This was about architecture — but it was also about intent. The funds for all this had to be found somewhere. Now Constantine turned to those accursed and foul people who had chosen to stubbornly ‘hold themselves back’ from Christianity and continue visiting their sanctuaries of falsehood – in other words, those people who would soon be called pagans. The means by which Constantine chose to take some of this wealth was simple – and humiliating: he demanded that statues be taken from the temples.”
“…A market in plundered art developed and Christians braving demonic reprisals, took to levering out and selling statues that were particularly valuable.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th Century CE – A Four Stage Process
STAGE 1 : NEUTRAL APPEARANCE
Article 26 of the Constitution
Freedom to manage religious affairs subject to public order, morality and health, every religious denomination or any section thereof shall have the right —
(a) to establish and maintain institutions for religious and charitable purposes;
(b) to manage its own affairs in matters of religion;
(c) to own and acquire movable and immovable property; and
(d) to administer such property in accordance with law (Constitution of India, 2020)
STAGE 2 : SELECTIVE CONTROL OVER HINDU TEMPLES “FOR THEIR OWN GOOD”
The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act of 1951
“Where the Government have reason to believe that any Hindu or Jain public charitable endowment is being mismanaged and are satisfied that in the interest of the administration of such charitable endowment it is necessary to extend thereto all or any of the provisions of this Act and of any rules made thereunder, they may, by notification in the Fort St. George Gazette, extend to such charitable endowment the said provisions and thereupon the provisions so extended shall apply to such charitable endowment as if it were a specific endowment.” (Bare Acts Live, 2020)
STAGE 3 : SELECTIVE EXEMPTIONS AND AID FOR ABRAHAMICS
Hyderabad-based Chilkur Balaji temple archaka Sri Rangarajan asks —
“The State governments collect 23.4 per cent tax on the income of the temples including endowment administration tax (15 per cent), audit fee (2 per cent) and common good fund (2 per cent). That apart, money is also taken away from the temples for the Archaka Welfare Fund and other purposes.”
“But, such taxes and share in revenue is not collected from not a single church or mosque.”(The New Indian Express, 2019)
Annexure to the Report, National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities
“5. Facilitating Exemptions under Income Tax Act and Granting of FCRA Most of the Madrasas, which have applied for exemptions under various sections of the Income Tax Act, like 80 G etc. or for FCRA have a strong feeling that they are harassed and discriminated in these matters. As almost all the Madrasas depend on donations these benefits are crucial to their functioning. Granting these benefits to Madrasas will also enhance transparency and accountability, as these Madrasas then will have to maintain proper accounts and file required returns under these legislations.” (Minority Affaris, 2020)
Pilgrimage Aid, Andhra Pradesh
“The government of Andhra Pradesh has increased the financial assistance provided to Christian pilgrims by a significant margin, ANI has reported. Those with an annual income of less than Rs. 3 lakhs will now receive Rs. 60,000 for their pilgrimage to Jerusalem while others will receive Rs. 30,000. Earlier, they used to receive Rs. 40,000 and Rs. 20,000 respectively.” (OpIndia, 2019)
Honorarium for Pastors, Andhra Pradesh
“In August, the Reddy government issued another order to provide for an honorarium of Rs 5,000 per month for pastors. To know their numbers in the state for budget allocation and allowance disbursal, the government has asked the district collectors to enumerate the pastors through a survey.”
“While the process is underway, the government is preparing to fulfill other YSR Congress Party manifesto promises for the Christian community — like plots and house construction for pastors, and financial assistance of Rs 1 lakh for wedding of Christian girls, among others.” (The Print, 2019)
Stipends for Minority UPSC candidates
“The ‘Nai Udaan’ and ‘Naya Savera’ schemes of the Minority Affairs Ministry have been revised and the financial assistance for those qualifying the UPSC prelims has been increased from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh” — Union minister for Minority Affairs, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi (Hindustan Times, 2018)
Institutional Exemptions (Schools)
“The Supreme Court has exempted aided minority institutions from fulfilling their obligation to reserve 25% seats for social and economically backward children under the Right to Education Act”. (The Economic Times, 2014)
STAGE 4: “MISMANAGEMENT” OF TEMPLE FUNDS
Loot
“In Tamil Nadu, the HR & CE Department controls over 4.7 lakh acres of agricultural land, 2.6 crore square feet of buildings, and 29 crore square feet of urban land of temples. By any reasonable measure, the income from these properties should be in thousands of crores of rupees. The government, however, collects a mere Rs. 36 crores in rent” (Swarajya, 2015).
Cross Subsidy
“It is not farfetched to argue that the money that is being looted from Hindu Temples by various governments inevitably ends up funding minority specific schemes and doles that are handed out, with the explicit objective of securing minority votes in most cases.” (OpIndia, 2020)
Desecration
“In what looks like a case of complicity on the part of the Tamil Nadu police and the State Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, case diaries of 41 thefts of temple idols and invaluable artefacts have gone missing “mysteriously” (Swarajya, 2020)
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CHAPTER 4. INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS ARE BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 6th Century CE
“The savage tyrant was Christianity. From almost the very first years that a Christian emperor had ruled in Rome in AD 312, liberties had begun to be eroded. And then in AD 529, a final blow had fallen. It was decreed that all those who had laboured under the ‘insanity of paganism’ – in other words Damacius and his fellow philosophers – would no longer be allowed to teach. There was worse. It was also announced that anyone who was not yet baptized was to come forward and make themselves known at the ‘holy churches’ immediately, or face exile. And if anyone allowed themselves to be baptized, then slipped back into their old pagan ways, they would be executed.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th-21st Century CE
The Source: Thomas Macaulay, 1836
“Our English schools are flourishing wonderfully. We find it difficult, indeed at some places impossible, to provide instruction for all who want it. At the single town of Hooghly fourteen hundred boys are learning English. The effect of this education on the Hindoos is prodigious. No Hindoo who has received an English education ever continues to be sincerely attached to his religion. Some continue to profess it as a matter of policy. But many profess themselves pure Deists, and some embrace Christianity.” Thomas Macaulay’s Letter to Zachary Macaulay, 1836
The Prognosis: Ananda Coomaraswamy, early 20th Century
“The child is taken to school, and the first thing he learns is that his father is a fool, the second thing that his grandfather is a lunatic, the third thing that all his teachers are hypocrites, the fourth, that all the sacred books are lies!… We have learnt only weakness.”
“A single generation of English education suffices to break the threads of tradition and to create a nondescript and superficial being deprived of all roots—a sort of intellectual pariah who does not belong to the East or the West, the past or the future. The greatest danger for India is the loss of her spiritual integrity. Of all Indian problems the educational is the most difficult and most tragic.”
The Fruition: Kothari Education Commission, 1964
“Education needs to be transformed into powerful instrument of social change and closely linked to national development. This way we need strong universal and everlasting educational aims to achieve our lifegoals. Traditional aims and objectives were not considered by the commission and it has suggested (1) Education and productivity (2) Social and national integration (3) Education and modernisation (4) Social, moral and spiritual values (5) and Education about religion.”
“It is very clear that in a democratic country like ours, education is used as a means of socio-economic change and ah these can only be achieved through this most powerful instrument. In a world based on science and technology.”
“We can breathe in a traditional society, but we can’t live the life in it in the sense of term. In the fast running world, there is always struggle for existence. We can exist only when we go ahead by maintaining the progress of science and technology. ‘Indian society of today is heir to a great culture. Unfortunately, however, it is not an adequately educated society and unless it becomes one, it will not be able to modernize itself and to respond appropriately to new challenges of national reconstruction or take its rightful place in country of nations’. “
“Now, education should be accepted as a powerful means of social revolution.” (Archive, 2017)
Archive (January 21, 2017),
The Baptism: Right to Education Act, 2009
3. Right of child to free and compulsory education — 1 [(1) Every child of the age of six to fourteen years, including a child referred to in clause (d) or clause (e) of section 2, shall have the right to free and compulsory education in a neighbourhood school till the completion of his or her elementary education] (Legislative, 2009)
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CHAPTER 5. STUBBORN INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS ARE SPRAYED
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 4th Century CE
“Within 150 years of Celsus’s attack, even the Emperor of Rome professed himself a follower of the religion. What happened next was far more serious than anything Celsus could ever have imagined. Christianity not only gained adherents, it forbade people from worshipping the old Roman and Greek gods. Eventually, it simply forbade anyone to dissent from what Celsus considered its idiotic teachings. To pick just one example from many, in AD 386, a law was passed targeting those ‘who contend about religion’ in public. Such people this law warned, were the disturbers of the peace of the church and they shall pay the penalty of high treason with their lives and blood.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th Century CE – A SLOW DESCENT
“In 1927, under pressure from the Muslim community, the administration of the British Raj enacted Hate Speech Law Section 295(A).” Though this law cuts both ways, the reality of its application is clear since 1927. See this list (Wikipedia, 2020)
Meanwhile,
COMEDIANS
(Swarajya, 2020)
FILM-MAKERS
(Swarajya, 2020)
(First Post, 2015)
TV SHOWS
(OpIndia, 2020)
and BOOKS, INCLUDING TEXTBOOKS
(Outlook, 2006)
…continue to mock and denigrate the Hindu religion.
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CHAPTER 6. INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS ARE DECLARED THE ENEMY
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 6th Century CE
“This was no time for a philosopher to be philosophical. “The tyrant”, as the philosopher’s put it, was in charge and had many alarming habits. In Damacius’s own time, houses were entered and searched for books and objects deemed unacceptable. If any were found, they would be removed and burned in triumphant bonfires in town squares. Discussion of religious matters in public has been branded a “damnable audacity” and had been forbidden by law. Anyone who made sacrifices to the old Gods could, the law said, be executed. Across the empire, ancient and beautiful temples had been attacked, their roofs stripped, their treasures melted down, their statues smashed.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 21st Century CE
Himachal Pradesh Court Bans Animal Sacrifice, 2014
“No person will sacrifice any animal in any place of worship. It includes adjoining lands and buildings,” the two-judge bench of the court ruled late on Monday.
(The Guardian, 2014)
Tripura Court Bans Animal Sacrifice, 2019
“No person including the State shall be allowed to sacrifice any animal/bird within the precincts of any of the temples within the State of Tripura,” the order said. The bench directed all the district magistrates and superintendents of police of the state to ensure implementation of the order forthwith. (The New Indian Express, 2019)
The Karnataka Prevention & Eradication of Inhuman Evil Practices & Black Magic Act, 2017
7. Powers of entry, search etc.- (1) Subject to general or special orders issued in this behalf by the State Government from time to time the vigilance officer may within the local limits of area of his jurisdiction with the assistance of the police officer of his area,-
(i) enter and search at all reasonable times with such assistance, if any, as he consider necessary, any place in which he has reason to believe that an offence under this Act has been or is being committed;
(ii) seize any material, instrument or advertisement which he has believed that same has been or is being used for any act or thing which is in contravention of the provisions of this Act; and
(iii) examine any record document or material object found in any place mentioned in clause
(Department of Parilamentary Affairs, 2020)
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CHAPTER 7. INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS ARE DECLARED UN-PLANTLIKE
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 5th Century CE
“This was a grace and liberty that the Christians would decline to show to other religions when they gained control. In a little over ten years after the newly Christian Constantine took power, it is said that laws began to be passed restricting ‘the pollutions of idolatry’. During Constantine’s own reign it seems to have been decreed that ‘no one should presume to set up cult objects, or practice divination or other occult arts r even to sacrifice at all’. Less than 50 years after Constantine’s, the death penalty was announced for any who dared to sacrifice. A little over a century later, in AD 423, the Christian government announced that any pagans who still survived were to be suppressed. Though it added confidently and ominously ‘we now believe there are none’.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 21st Century CE
MRITYU BHOJ BAN
“Section 3: Prohibition of Mrityu Bhoj – No person shall hold or give or join or take part in a Mrityu Bhoj in the State. Whoever commits a contravention of the provisions of section 3 or instigates, abets or assists the commission of any such contravention shall be punishable with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.” — Rajasthan Prevention of Mrityu Bhoj Act, 1960
(Swarajya, 2020)
SABARIMALA RULING
“The bar on entry of women between age of 10 and 50 years is not an essential part of the religion,” CJI Deepak Mishra, 2018 (OpIndia, 2018)
DAHI HANDI RULING
“We would request the State to accordingly amend said Section 143B in respect of “danger performances” to include such other performances, viz. “Dahi Handi” – Bombay HC, 2014 (India Kanoon, 2014)
JALLIKATTU RULING
“clearly violates Section 3 and Sections 11(1)(a) & (m) of the PCA Act read with Article 51A(g) and Article 21 of the Constitution of India and hence exhibition or training them as performing animals be completely banned.” – SC Bench, 2014 (India Kanoon, 2014)
SHREE JAGANNATH RATH YATRA RULING
“Lord Jagannath won’t forgive us if we allow this year’s Rath Yatra.” CJI Bobde, 2020 (First Post, 2020)
PASHU BALI RULING
“[8] It is further highlighted that such practice based on superstition was being continued in different parts of India and Nepal. Now at Gudhima Temple, Nepal, this practice of animal sacrifice stands totally banned. Also, by a judicial order, the age-old tradition of animal sacrifice in the Temples in Himachal Pradesh stands prohibited. It must also be stopped in the State of Tripura, more so by the State Government.” Agartala HC, 2019 (India Kanoon, 2019)
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CHAPTER 8. ALL INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS MUST DIE
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 4th Century CE
“That all superstitions of pagans and heathens should be annihilated is what God wants, God commands, God proclaims!” – St. Augustine
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 21st CENTURY CE
Maharashtra Ordinance XIV of 2013
“to bring social awakening and awareness in the society and to create a healthy and safe environment with a view to protect the common people in the society against the evil and sinister practices thriving on ignorance and to combat and eradicate human sacrifice and other inhuman, evil, sinister, and aghori practices propagated in the name of so-called supernatural or magical powers or evil spirits commonly called black magic by conmen with sinister motive of exploiting common people in the society and thereby destroying the very social fibre of the society and for matter connected therewith or incidental to.” (The Metrognome, 2013)
From the Working Paper of MANS/ANS, the organization that spearheaded The Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013
“As human beings civilized more acceptable rules and regulations became necessary. As the human species civilizes into a more advanced and noble society, these rules and regulations or laws, which have regulated life of human societies, are modified whenever necessary from time to time. This evolution is still on. In our part of the world a large segment of the present society requires appropriate laws to protect them from unscrupulous members of society, which use misinformation and misguidance to cheat and harm them. To be more precise, at this moment of time in this part of the world superstitions exist in a very large extent in the majority of uneducated and educated strata of society. It is also a fact that there exist large number of people whose main means of livelihood is to misuse these superstitious beliefs and fill their own coffers. If societies have to be more civilized this situation has to be changed.” (Ideas, 2020)
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CHAPTER 9. FINALLY!! OUR GARDEN PLANTS GROW TALL AND STRONG
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 2nd Century CE
“It is clear from the moment the letter opens that Pliny is finding the Christians in his new province irksome. The ‘wretched cult’ of Christianity has been spreading there and affecting the worship of the old gods. ‘Not only the towns, but villages and rural districts too… are infected’ Pliny wrote. The temples of the old gods are becoming deserted.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th Century CE
TAMIL NADU
“Here is one such incident that took place in 2007 in Kanyakumari district and that would resonate in Thanjavur in 2018. However, unlike in Thanjavur, where the police forces were not yet inclined to stop the Hindus, in the Kanyakumari village, coincidentally or strategically placed police officials who happened to be Christians, violently stopped the Hindus.” (Swarajya, 2018)
NAGALAND
“Chaya confirms there are about 50 families in his village, and more in other Angami villages, who still follow the “original” religion of the Nagas.” (The New Indian Express, 2018)
KASHMIR
“But as this “Kashmirapura vasini” left, I wondered, what about her home on her land, Kashmirapura. My recent visits to Kashmir did hurt me to see the state of certain heritage structures that were once living temples.” (Swarajya, 2018)
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CHAPTER 10. DAMN! THE INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS WERE MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN OUR PLANTS
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 6th Century CE
“Christianity was caught in an impossible situation. Greek and Roman literature was sump of the sinful and the satanic and so it could not be embraced. But nor could it entirely be ignored either. It was painfully obvious to educated Christians that the intellectual achievements of the insane pagans were vastly superior to their own.
And so in-part from self-interest, in-part from actual interest, Christianity started to absorb the literature of the heathens into itself.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 21st Century CE — Appropriation
“If a composer has used their own mental faculties to set lyrics composed by them to the tune, one can still appreciate it as art for art’s sake. This time, however, the album at the centre of controversy contains songs that have blatantly plagiarised Tyagaraja. (Swarajya, 2018)
“Sadhu Chellappaa audaciously claims, ‘Diwali, the festival of lights, is a Christian Festival; Animal Sacrifice is a Christian culture adopted by Hindus and Gayatri Mantra actually glorifies Jesus. The Vedas, the ancient Indian sacred writings had anticipated the coming of Christ’.“ (IndiaFacts, 2015)
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CHAPTER 11. BUT GARDENERS OF INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS TOO MUST DIE (JUST TO MAKE SURE)
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 5th Century CE
“Then they dragged Alexandria’s greatest living mathematician through the streets to a church. Once inside they ripped the clothes of her body then using broken pieces of pottery as blades, they flayed her skin from her flesh. Some say that while she still gasped for breath, they gouged out her eyes. Once she was dead, they tore her body into pieces and threw what was left of the ‘luminous child of reason’ onto a pyre and burned her.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 21st Century CE
From “…gōbrāhmaṇēbhyaḥ śubhamastu nityaṁ, lōkāḥ samastāḥ sukhinōbhavantu” to this –
“Another haunting video is when the police are escorting the Sadhus out to a bloodthirsty mob where one of the Sadhus can be seen latching on to the cop, hoping he’d be safe with the man in the uniform. However, the cop can be seen leading him to an open space where mob starts beating him and the cop just shakes his hands off, leaving the old man to die.” (OpIndia, 2020)
…AND THE SOIL REPLACED BY FERTILIZER
…in Chandni Chowk, 2019
“…the statues, fixtures, glass panes, etc., in the temple were smashed, curtains, etc., were burnt by the mob.” (OpIndia, 2019)
…in Kanyakumari, 2020
“Whenever a village becomes Christian-majority, the Hindu temples in the area are attacked.” (Swarajya, 2020)
…in Patna, 2019
“The Hanuman temple in Patna’s Phulwari was attacked and vandalized.” (TFI Post, 2019)
…in Mahabalipuram, 2018
“…posed for a picture with one leg on Shiva Linga, wearing slippers.” (Deccan Chronicle, 2018)
…in Jammu, 2015
“Islamic rebels raid Hindu temple; 6 killed, at least 25 injured” (YouTube, 2015)
…during Durga Puja, 2019
“incidents of violence, stone-pelting on procession as well as breaking of idols of Maa Durga” (OpIndia, 2019)
…in Balrampur, 2019
“a procession for Durga Puja Visarjan can be seen getting attacked by heavy stone-pelting” (OpIndia, 2019)
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CHAPTER 12. THE INDIGENOUS WILD PLANTS START RETREATING
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 6th Century CE
“They must have been a melancholy party. In AD 532, a band of seven men set out from Athens, taking with them little but works of philosophy. All were members of what had once been the most famous of Greece’s philosophical schools, the Academy. The Academy’s philosophers proudly traced their history back in an unbroken line – “a golden chain” as they called it — to Plato himself, almost a thousand years before. Now that chain was about to be broken in the most dramatic way possible: these men were abandoning not just their school but the Roman empire itself. Athens, the city that had seen the birth of Western philosophy was no longer a place for philosophers.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th CENTURY CE
“Exodus of Hindus from the Valley has not only led to the loss of homeland to an entire ethnic group, but the community has lost touch with its glorious past when great thinkers from across the Indian sub-continent, China and Tibet used to engage in debates with thinkers in the Kashmir valley before the arrival of Islam in 13th century which changed the religious and spiritual doctrine in the valley.”
“Uprooting of the entire minority community from Kashmir has perhaps been the greatest tragedy to have occurred in the history of post-Independence India and our present generation born and brought up in Jammu and other parts of the country are quite unaware of where they belonged to.” (Tribune India, 2015)
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CHAPTER 13. INDIGENOUS WILD PLANT-NESS BEGINS TO DISAPPEAR
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 6th Century CE
“And yet despite the horror of what Constantine was asking his subjects to do, there was little resistance. ‘To carry out his project into execution he did not need military aid’. His destruction emboldened other Christians and the attacks spread.
“In AD 529, the philosophers of Athens were threatened with the destruction of their entire way of life. The Christians were behind this – yet you will search almost in vain for the word “Christian” in most of the writings of the philosophers. It is clear that the philosophers didn’t leave immediately after the infamous law was announced. They seem instead to have lain low – not the mark of a cowardly man, in their philosophy but of a sensible one. Almost 200 years of aggressive Christianity had taught them the value of this. Philosophers, as one of them put it ‘should let sleeping beasts lie’ and ‘at such times of crisis, be careful to avoid clashes with the authorities and untimely displays of outspokenness’. But the sleeping beasts didn’t lie. On the contrary they began to roar with ever-increasing ferocity.”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 20th-21st Century CE — Silence
IN OUR CONVERSATIONS
“Silence is one of the potent vehicles of trans-generational trauma. The ills of the past — whether colonialism, racism, slavery or genocide — cast a shadow on the future of the families of the victim.” (The Patriot, 2019)
IN OUR TEXTBOOKS
“…that the history of India is the history of successive invaders “civilizing” the meek natives who are captives of evil, backward paganism, and who had no military, naval, or cultural achievements of their own.” (First Post, 2020)
IN THE MEDIA
“Civil society, media and the government of India have all remained mute spectators while this human tragedy of unimaginable magnitude has been unfolding right in their backyard.” (Dailyo, 2014)
IN OUR RECORDS
“However, it is both a civilizational necessity and imperative for what remains of Bharatavarsha to teach and remember always, the Hindu history of Pakistan.” (The Dharma Dispatch, 2020)
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CHAPTER 14. IN MEMORIAM
THE ROMAN EMPIRE, 5th Century CE – A Final Plea
“As the century drew to its close, the period of leniency ended. In the 380s and 390s rulings started to be issued with increasing rapidity and ferocity against all non-Christian ritual. In AD 391, the fervently Christian emperor Theodosius passed a formidable law. ‘No person shall be granted the rights to perform sacrifices; no person shall go around the temples; no person no person shall revere the shrines… Nor could anyone with secret wickedness venerate his household gods or burn lights to them or put up wreaths to them or burn incense to them. Then in AD 399 a new and more terrible law came. It was announced that if there should be any temples in the country districts, they shall be torn down and removed without disturbance or tumult.”
“The worshippers of the old gods pleaded eloquently with the Christian elite of toleration. The brilliant orator Symacchus wrote an appeal. First he begged the emperor to allow religious differences among his subjects…he observed that ‘each person had their own custom, their own religious rite and that mankind was ill equipped to judge which one was best since all reasoning is shrouded in ambiguity. He doesn’t ask for any curbing of Christianity. ‘We offer you prayers not a battle’ Symacchus may not have wanted a battle but a battle was precisely what the Christians saw themselves as fighting.”
“Rome’s ancient cults were collapsing. And yet though Symacchus lost — perhaps because he lost – his words still have a terrible power. ‘We request peace for the gods of our forefathers’ he had begged ‘Whatever each person worships it is reasonable to think of them as one. We see the same stars, the sky is shared by all, the same world surrounds us. What does it matter what wisdom a person uses to seek for the truth’?”
THE INDIAN REPUBLIC, 21st Century CE
Knock. Knock.
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REFERENCES
All Quotes about ancient Rome taken in their entirety from “The Darkening Age”, Catherine Nixey, 2017. I do not claim any credit for any part of that amazing writing or research.
Title inspired from Gabriel García Márquez’s “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”
Special Thanks to IndiaFacts, SwarajyaMag, OpIndia, Dharma Dispatch
All other essays and new reports are directly linked to from the text
Malhotra, R, & Jhunjhunwala, V. (February 10, 2006). Academic Hinduphobia. Outlook: https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/academic-hinduphobia/230142
Legislative, The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009: http://legislative.gov.in/sites/default/files/The%20Right%20of%20Children%20to%20Free%20and%20Compulsory%20Education%20Act%2C%202009.pdf
Maharashtra Gazette Ordinance XIV of 2013. (August 26, 2013)The Metrognome:
http://www.themetrognome.in/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/black-magic-ordinance-26.8.2013-English.pdf
Indiafacts Staff (January 6, 2014). Sebastian Seeman’s filthy abuse of Hindu Gods. IndiaFacts:
http://www.indiafacts.org.in/archives/sebastian-seemans-filthy-abuse-of-hindu-gods/”
The Economic Times (May 6, 2014). Supreme Court exempts aided minority institutions from 25% reservation.
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/services/education/supreme-court-exempts-aided-minority-institutions-from-25-reservation/articleshow/34726770.cms?from=mdr
The Guardian (September 2, 2014). Indian Court bans Animal Sacrifice: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/sep/02/india-court-bans-animal-sacrifice-hindu-temples
India Kanoon (August 11, 2014). Mrs. Swati Sayaji Patil vs State Of Maharashtra & Ors: https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/160214039/?formInput=dahi%20handi
India Kanoon (May 7, 2014). Animal Welfare Board Of India vs A. Nagaraja & Ors: https://indiankanoon.org/doc/39696860/
Sarkar, Saswati(December 22, 2014). The missing Hindus in South Asia and a conspiracy of silence Dailyo:
https://www.dailyo.in/politics/the-missing-hindus-in-south-asia-and-a-conspiracy-of-silence/story/1/1149.html
Venkataraman, Swami (June 18, 2015). “Swarajya” For Hindu Temples. Swarajya: https://swarajyamag.com/culture/swarajya-for-hindu-temples
Kishwar P Madhu, (January 13, 2015). Sorry Aamir, despite all the denials PK has an anti-hindu undertone. First Post: https://www.firstpost.com/bollywood/sorry-aamir-despite-all-the-denials-pk-has-an-anti-hindu-undertone-2041285.html
Haran B R(January 10, 2015). Christian missionaries target every single component of Hindu society, IndiaFacts:
Christian missionaries target every single component of Hindu society
YouTube (July 21, 2015). Islamic rebels raid Hindu temple; 6 killed, at least 25 injured : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQazyl4jNGM
Hakhoo Sumit (November 30, 2015). Kashmiri Pandits struggling to carry forward the legacy of Abhinavagupta, Tribune India:
https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/features/kashmiri-pandits-struggling-to-carry-forward-the-legacy-of-abhinavagupta-164511
YouTube (July 8, 2016). Disgusting hate speeches of Zakir Naik: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0WkqpPSXkw
Bhatnagar Suresh (January 21, 2017). Kothari Commission Recommendations And Evaluation Archive: https://archive.org/stream/in.ernet.dli.2015.112572/2015.112572.Kothari-Commission-Recommendations-And-Evaluation_djvu.txt
Swarajya Staff (September 16, 2018). Watch Christian Preacher Mohan Lazarus terms Tamil Nadu Temple As Satan Strongholds. Swarajya:
https://swarajyamag.com/insta/watch-christian-preacher-mohan-lazarus-terms-tamil-nadu-temples-as-satan-strongholds
Hindustan Times (April 30, 2018). Record 131 candidates from minority communities cleared UPSC, says Naqvi Hindustan Times: https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/record-131-candidates-from-minority-communities-cleared-upsc-says-naqvi/story-myUwZgMR82WM49Sk1rcAiL.html
Neelakandan Aravind (May 21, 2018). Church’s Curb On Thanjavur Temple Ritual Indicates The Shape Of Things To Come, Swarajya:
https://swarajyamag.com/ideas/barring-thanjavur-temple-ritual-by-the-church-indicates-the-shape-of-things-to-come
Dey Kallol (January 7, 2018). In Christian Nagaland, indigenous religion of pre-Christian Nagas withstands test of time The New Indian Express:
https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/nagaland/in-christian-nagaland-indigenous-religion-of-pre-christian-nagas-withstand-test-of-time-5010777/
Bhat Harsha(October 31, 2018). A Goddess Beyond Access: The Sharada Peetha That Lies Across The LoC Swarajya:
https://swarajyamag.com/culture/a-goddess-beyond-access-the-sharada-peetha-that-lies-across-the-loc
Konduru Laalithya (August 19, 2018). The Carnatic Christian Conundrum: It’s An Alarming Case Of Cultural Appropriation Swarajya:
https://swarajyamag.com/ideas/the-carnatic-christian-conundrum-its-an-alarming-case-of-cultural-appropriation
Deccan Chronicle (April 3, 2018). Chennai: Man shares picture with leg on Shiva Linga on social media, held: https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/crime/030418/chennai-man-shares-picture-with-leg-on-shiva-linga-on-social-media-h.html
OpIndia (1 September, 2020). We need to convert all Hindus to Islam out of compassion because otherwise, they will keep burning in hell: Zakat Foundation member: https://www.opindia.com/2020/09/zakat-foundation-council-member-maulana-hindus-convert-islam-burn-hell-radical-zakir-naik/
Twitter (June 12, 2019). https://twitter.com/HLKodo/status/1138686050711171073
The New Indian Express (November 25, 2019). Priest asks why governments impose taxes only on Hindu temples; Pawan Kalyan shares video: https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/andhra-pradesh/2019/nov/25/priest-asks-why-governments-impose-taxes-only-on-hindu-temples-pawan-kalyan-shares-video-2066644.html
OpIndia (November 19, 2019). Andhra Pradesh increases assistance for Christians travelling to Jerusalem and other Biblical places by whopping 50%:
Nichenametla Prasad (November 24, 2019). Jagan Reddy’s Christian politics is under fire for ‘burdening exchequer’ & ‘conversions’. The Print: https://theprint.in/politics/jagan-reddys-christian-politics-is-under-fire-for-burdening-exchequer-conversions/325407/
Deb Debraj (October 7, 2019). After 500 years, animal sacrifice stops at Tripurasundari Temple in Tripura: The New Indian Express: https://indianexpress.com/article/north-east-india/after-500-years-no-animal-sacrifice-at-tripurasundari-temple-in-tripura-what-devotees-head-priest-feel-6057560/
India Kanoon (September 27, 2019). Sri Subhas Bhattacharjee vs The State Of Tripura: https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/58095629/?formInput=animal%20sacrifice
OpIndia (July 1, 2019). Durga Mandir in Delhi’s Chandi Chowk vandalised, local residents post videos on social media blaming Muslim mob: https://www.opindia.com/2019/07/durga-mandir-in-delhis-chandi-chowk-vandalised-local-residents-post-videos-on-social-media-blaming-muslim-mob/
Shukla Abhinay (2019, December 23). Anti-CAA or Anti-Hindu? A Hanuman Mandir was vandalized by goons during Bihar protests, TFI Post: https://tfipost.com/2019/12/anti-caa-or-anti-hindu-a-hanuman-mandir-was-vandalized-by-goons-during-bihar-protests/
OpIndia (October 11, 2019). 8 attacks on Durga Puja and Dussehra processions in just 2 days, Durga idol vandalisation reported across India: https://www.opindia.com/2019/10/idol-vandalised-gaya-jehanabad-balrampur-pakistan-zindabad/
Sharma Nupur J(October 9, 2019). Balrampur, UP: Stone pelting at Durga Puja Visarjan procession as music was not stopped while crossing mosque, 8 arrested, OpIndia: https://www.opindia.com/2019/10/balrampur-up-stone-pelting-at-durga-puja-visarjan-procession-as-music-was-not-stopped-while-crossing-mosque-8-arrested
Srivatsava Mihir (December 9, 2019). Silence is no solution, The Patriot: http://thepatriot.in/2019/12/09/silence-is-no-solution/
Swarajya (January 22, 2020). Explained: What Exactly Happened At Periyar’s 1971 Salem Event That Rajinikanth Referred To:
https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/explained-what-exactly-happened-at-periyars-1971-salem-event-that-rajinikanth-referred-to
The True Picture (January 22, 2020). Five Occasions in Recent Past When Periyar’s Followers Insulted Hindu Deities and Rituals: https://www.thetruepicture.org/five-occasions-periyar-followers-insulted-hindu-deities-rituals/
YouTube(2020, January 17). Sharjeel Imam Students Activist JNU | Day 32 AMU Protest Against CAA NRC NPR : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkoiaxnbXcw
Article 26 (October 1, 2020). Constitution of India: https://www.constitutionofindia.net/constitution_of_india/fundamental_rights/articles/Article%2026
Bare Acts Live (July 27, 2020). Madras Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951, Bare Acts Live: http://www.bareactslive.com/TN/tn953.htm
National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities (October 1, 2020). Minority Affaris: http://www.minorityaffairs.gov.in/sites/default/files/volume-2.pdf
(February 18, 2020). Misusing funds from Temples and spending crores on Mosques and Churches is the hallmark of Nehruvian secularism:
Subramani M R(2020, February 29). Tamil Nadu: 41 Case Diaries Of Idol, Jewels Thefts Go Missing; RTI Activist Alleges Police Complicity In Madras HC, Swarajya:
https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/tamil-nadu-41-case-diaries-of-idol-jewels-thefts-go-missing-rti-activist-alleges-police-complicity-in-madras-hc
Wikipedia (September 9, 2020). Hate speech laws in India: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hate_speech_laws_in_India#Case_List
Swarajya (July 16, 2020). Why Selectively Target Hindu Gods? The Saga Of Indian Stand-Up Comics Apologising After ‘Hurting Sentiments’: https://swarajyamag.com/analysis/why-selectively-target-hindu-gods-the-saga-of-indian-stand-up-comics-apologising-after-hurting-sentiments
Neelakandan Aravind (May 8, 2020). Anti-Hindu Propaganda In Tamil Films Has Been Tolerated For Far Too Long, Patience Of Community Seems To Be Running Out Now, Swarajya: https://swarajyamag.com/culture/anti-hindu-propaganda-in-tamil-films-has-been-tolerated-for-far-too-long-patience-of-community-seems-to-be-running-out-now
OpIndia(June 29, 2020). Netflix’s film “Krishna and His Leela” kicks up controversy over its Hinduphobic content insulting Lord Krishna:
Department of Parilamentary Affairs (October 1, 2020). Department of Parilamentary Affairs: http://dpal.kar.nic.in/pdf_files/46%20of%202017(E).pdf
Pawariya Arihant (August 31, 2020). Why Rajasthan‘s ‘Prevention of Mrityu Bhoj Act‘ Is Outrageous And Needs To Go, Swarajya:
https://swarajyamag.com/politics/why-rajasthans-ban-on-mrityubhoj-is-outrageous-and-needs-to-go
First Post (June 18, 2020). ‘Lord Jagannath won’t forgive us if we allow Rath Yatra this year’: Supreme Court stays procession due to COVID-19 pandemic: https://www.firstpost.com/india/lord-jagannath-wont-forgive-us-if-we-allow-rath-yatra-this-year-supreme-court-stays-procession-due-to-covid-19-pandemic-8497351.html
Ideas (2020, October 1). Anti-Superstition Legislation: https://ideas.repec.org/p/ess/wpaper/id5455.html#:~:text=After%20a%20long%20and%20gruelling,the%20new%20Chief%20Minister%20Hon.
OpIndia (2020, April 20). Palghar lynching: 110 including 9 juveniles arrested for murder of two Sadhus and a driver where police acted as mute spectator:
Neelakandan Aravind(May 25, 2020). Bharat Mata Shrouded: Don’t Be Surprised By What Happened In Kanyakumari; Hindus Of District Have To Bear Evangelist Aggression Day In, Day Out Swarajya: https://swarajyamag.com/politics/bharat-mata-shrouded-dont-be-surprised-by-what-happened-in-kanyakumari-hindus-of-district-have-to-bear-evangelist-aggression-day-in-day-out
Sharma Ruchir Jr (July 23, 2020). White Mughals, Whitewashing, Whitesplaining: The neo-colonial manipulation of our history by its self-appointed gatekeepers, First Post: https://www.firstpost.com/art-and-culture/white-mughals-whitewashing-whitesplaining-the-neo-colonial-manipulation-of-our-history-by-its-self-appointed-gatekeepers-8630481.html
Balakrishna Sandeep (March 10, 2020). The Forgotten Hindu History of Pakistan is Just a Pause: A Finale, The Dharma Dispatch:
https://www.dharmadispatch.in/culture/the-forgotten-hindu-history-of-pakistan-is-just-a-pause-a-finale
Sanghamitra (2018, July 26). Read the stunning arguments made by People for Dharma’s lawyer to protect traditions of Sabarimala, Opindia:
Read the stunning arguments made by People for Dharma’s lawyer to protect traditions of Sabarimala
Swarajya (January 22, 2020). Explained: What Exactly Happened At Periyar’s 1971 Salem Event That Rajinikanth Referred To:
https://swarajyamag.com/news-brief/explained-what-exactly-happened-at-periyars-1971-salem-event-that-rajinikanth-referred-to
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