March-22 Boudhik Yojana
6th March Samachar Sameeksha: Lavanya: victim of Evangelical Terror
Lavanya, a 17-year-old student, consumed poison and died. In a recorded video, she was seen making a statement before dying. In it, she is saying that she was harassed by a woman in charge of the hostel she stayed in—a Catholic nun.
She had also stated that two years ago she was asked to convert to Christianity.
Aspersions have been cast on the family. The girl's stepmother was rudely asked by a reporter why they were making a hue and cry over the conversion issue now when they could have done the same two years ago.
To this heartless question, a visibly-upset and agitated mother pointed out that it was now that they have lost their child.
The sequence of events is as follows:
Ø The girl secures first rank in the school in SSLC. She is asked if she would convert to Christianity. She as well as her family refuse.
Ø Subsequently, after Covid lockdown is eased and school reopens, the girl joins the school a little late. Now, she gets inexplicably overloaded with work — from locking the gates of the hostel, maintaining accounts to bearing scoldings from the nun.
Ø During the Christmas holidays the girl, though a Hindu, was forced to stay back in the hostel of the Christian institution. She wanted to go back to her family, but the Christian management cited education as a reason and forced her stay in the hostel during a Christian festival. This could be construed as illegal confinement of a minor. The religious angle is too obvious.
Ø Further, the fact that the girl clearly says in the video that she wanted to go back home and did not want to stay in the hostel during the holidays clearly shows that the girl preferred the family atmosphere to that of the hostel.
Ø In the video, the girl could be heard mentioning a male hostel warden. Why did a girls' hostel have a male warden? Was he a Catholic priest too? This is another question arising out of this video.
Ø The fact is the girl was given an offer to convert. She refused and then harassment started. She committed suicide because of harassment. Therefore, the sequence shows a strong possibility of refusal to convert as the point of origin of the troubles for the girl.
However the whole Evangelical ecosystem has got into an overdrive to protect the institution and eventually the Church. It is short memory of public that this being one of the suicides of students in Missionary schools is being discussed as if first of it’s kind.
The whole of Electronic media has tried to downplay the conversion angle and tried to defame the family. It just shows how much is the Church deeply entrenched into the ecosystem and cannot be brought to justice similar to Father Franco’s rape case.
https://swarajyamag.com/ideas/forced-religious-conversion-kills-a-child-in-tamil-nadu-again
13th March Boudhik: Moplah Jihad
Introduction
The Moplah genocide of Hindus is hardly taught in our history books and the Khilafat movement leading up to it are shamelessly whitewashed. In our history books, we are often told that the Khilafat movement was one where Hindus and Muslims fought together to oust the British.
The Moplah Hindu Genocide, or the Malabar Rebellion, or the Mappila Rebellion, or the Moplah Riots refer to a series of incidents in the history of mankind, where Hindus were not only butchered, but the entire incident was either wiped out from history in entirety or twisted to fit a pre-decided story.
Essentially, the Khilafat movement was launched by Indian Muslims to support the preserve the authority of the Ottoman Sultan as Caliph of Islam following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire at the end of the First World War. It was aimed at Islamic dominion over India, by destroying the British empire, with support from the Ottoman Empire (which was eventually exterminated in late 1922). Indian Muslims were essentially fighting for the Caliph of Islam.
Who were Mapilla & Why they revolted for Jihad ?
The term “Mappila” is from Malayalam and translates to “honoured/great child,” referring to all the “guests” or invaders to Kerala, especially in the Malabar region. Mappilas were some of the earliest Muslims settled in South Asia, and had a direct connection with Arabs, through spice trade routes with the Gulf.
Till 1498, the Mappilas lived & grew their trades in the region, due to the tolerance shown by Hindus. During this period, inter-faith marriages between Hindus & Muslims were common, and many Hindus converted to Islam due to marriages (whereas there is no account of Mappilas converting to Hinduism).
On the arrival of Europeans like Vasco da Gama in 1498, Mappilas were side lined, their trade & commerce squeezed, and Arab trade routes curtailed. Mappilas were not entitled to inherit any lands, which were owned by Hindus. Mappilas were shown no tolerance by European imperialists, who persecuted them commercially and otherwise, leading to a growing animosity in the Mappilas towards Hindus, who they started to see as their rivals, as well as towards Europeans.
Because of this trade politics shown by Portuguese, then Dutch (1656), then British (1662), then French (1775), led to militancy and religious fanaticism in Mappilas, who were now landless & poor & persecuted by Christian lords. During the reign of Hyder Ali (1782) and Tipu Sultan (1799), the Mappilas gained some prominence, but the hatred towards Hindus, sown by Islamic invaders, took permanent ground.
During the period 1821-1921, there were 51 militant outbreaks of the Mappilas. These outbreaks were not fueled just by agrarian discontent or commercial interests but were waged in the spirit of Jihad, against everyone they saw as their opponents mainly Hindus.
The Mopla genocide was minutely planned, with the chain of events set in place with the introduction of Moplah Muslims in the state, who started the mass conversion racket.
Support to Khilafat by M.K.Gandhi and asking Hindus to die without a fight
The support of the Indian leaders to the Khilafat movement (1919-1924) was a blow that India perhaps never recovered from. The Khilafat movement was one by Indian Muslims to support the Caliphate in Turkey. Essentially, the Indian leaders, especially Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi thought that by extending support to the Khilafat movement, he would get Indian Muslims to fight against the British and participate in the non-cooperation movement. He thought that Indian Muslims would join the nationalist movement if he supported their demand for an Islamic caliphate.
Genocide of Hindus – History that every Hindu must not forget ever
What followed after M.K. Gandhi’s stand was mindless fanaticism by the Moplah Musalmans that resulted in the brutal murder of over 10,000 Hindus, the rape of thousands of Hindu women and the desecration of temples that Hindus held sacred. During the Malabar massacre in 1921, the Moplah Muslims went on a murder frenzy killing Hindus in the most brutal manner.
25th September 1921: A day when 38 Hindus were slaughtered and thrown in a well by Muslim mob demanding a Caliphate in Malabar: On the 25th of September 1921, on the barren hillside between Thuvoor and Karuvayakandi in North Kerala Chambrassery Imbichi Koithangal, one of the Khilafat leaders, held a rally with over 4,000 of his followers. During this meeting, more than 40 Hindus were caught hold of and taken to him with their hands tied behind their backs. 38 were murdered. 3 of the 38 were shot but the rest were beheaded and thrown in the Thuvoor well.
Convert to Islam or get killed : Mappilas didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer; and when the proud Hindu, even while facing death in its face would refuse to convert, they would slice the throat of the victim at that very moment. On 9 November 1921, in a place called Vallikunnu, the Mappilas burnt around a hundred houses of Hindus. The bodies of Hindu men and children were dumped in the river.
The Tuvvur well incident : The Tuvvur well incident is something that needs as much attention as the Wagon Tragedy. The Muslim rioters confined captured Hindu men and lined them up near a well in a place called Tuvvur. Each one of them was asked whether they were ready to convert to Islam. Those who were not ready to abandon their dharma were decapitated and thrown into the well.
Hindu temples razed
Not only the Hindus were killed and forced to flee, but close to 100 Hindu temples were also destroyed by Islamists during the genocide. On 9 November 1921, in a place called Vallikunnu, the Mappilas burnt around a hundred houses of Hindus. The bodies of Hindu men and children were dumped in the river.
One of the authentic references to the Moplah riots is found in the book of Diwan Bahadur C. Gopalan Nair. In the he book titled “The Moplah Rebellion 1921”, Nair mentions, “There is hardly a village that has not its temple, in the majority of villages there is more than one, and almost every temple in the rebel area has been desecrated.” He further added, “No statistics have been compiled, but the number of temples destroyed or desecrated must exceed 100. The number is probably large, but for obvious reasons the Government have purposely refrained from attempting to collect accurate figures.”
Reaction on Mopla
While Congress and its top leaders kept mum on the genocide of Hindus, it was Vinayak Damodar Savarkar that first raised his voice. He was one of the first ones to describe the Moplah rebellion as an anti-Hindu genocide through his semi-fictional novel Moplah.
Dr Ambedkar says: “The (Khilafat) movement was started by the Mohammedans. It was taken up by Mr Gandhi with tenacity and faith, which might have surprised many Mohammedans themselves. There were many people who doubted the ethical basis of the Khilafat movement and tried to dissuade Mr Gandhi taking any part in the Movement the ethical basis of which was so questionable.” (Pakistan or Partition of India, pages 146,147).
Dr Ambedkar wrote in his book, “The Hindus were visited by a dire fate at the hands of the Moplas. Massacres, forcible desecration of temples, foul outrages upon women, such as ripping open pregnant women, pillage, arson and destruction— in short, all the accompaniments of brutal and unrestrained barbarism, were perpetrated freely by the Moplas upon the Hindus until such time as troops could be hurried to the task of restoring order through a difficult and extensive tract of the country.”
Annie Besant described the events in her book ‘The Future of Indian Politics’ as: “They murdered and plundered abundantly, and killed or drove away all Hindus who would not apostatize. Somewhere about a lakh of people were driven from their homes with nothing but the clothes they had on, stripped of everything. Malabar has taught us what Islamic rule still means, and we do not want to see another specimen of the Khilafat Raj in India”.
References:
https://www.opindia.com/2021/09/what-mk-gandhi-said-moplah-genocide-of-hindus-1921-support-khilafat/
Dharma dispatch series of article on Moplah Jihad.
20th March Charcha: Hijab controversy
Hijab controversy has erupted in Karnataka and is showing it’s head all over the country. It is even echoing on international platforms with anti-India foreign media taking potshots on India’s religious freedom.
Hijab is a veil worn by certain Muslim women in the presence of any male outside of their immediate family or sometimes by men, which covers the head and chest.
The Qur'an instructs both Muslim men and women to dress in a modest way, yet there is disagreement on how these instructions should be followed. The verses relating to dress use the terms khimār (veil) and jilbāb (a dress or cloak) rather than ḥijāb.
Essential Tenets of Islam
Shahada (Faith)
The declaration of faith in one God (Allah) and His messenger (peace be upon him).
Salah (Prayer)
The ritual prayer required of every Muslim five times a day throughout their lifetime.
Zakat (Almsgiving)
The act of giving a portion of a Muslim’s wealth to those in need throughout their lifetime.
Sawm (Fasting)
The act of fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
Hajj (Pilgrimage)
The sacred pilgrimage to Mecca required of every Muslim at least once in their lifetime if it is within their means.
This puts to rest the question of allowing Sikh students with their head-gear (pagadi) inside the educational institutions as wearing a pagadi is one of the core tenet of Sikh faith.
Hijab in Quran
Hijab is not specifically mentioned in Quran however it talks about men and women dresses.
In the Qur'an, the term hijab refers to a partition or curtain in the literal or metaphorical sense. It is a screen of some sort that partitions an individual from another.
It is important to clarify that only the wives of the prophet had to enforce this type of hijab. The hijab of the prophets wives, were extra due to the fact that they were the wives of the Prophet.
"And when you ask [his wives] for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts".
Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 53
In our modern interpretation nowadays, we commonly refer to the hijab as the scarf Muslim women wear on their heads, but this is not necessarily the same term used in the Qur’an. The term for head covering in the Qur’an is known as ‘Khimar’.
The khimar originates from the trilateral verb `khamara', which means `ghatta' meaning to conceal, hide, or to cover something.
“Let them wear their Khimar over their juyub” which is their chest. From this verse we understand that the believing women are instructed by Allah SWT to wear the Khimar and to then drape it over their chests.
when Allah SWT revealed these verses and used the word Khimar in the Qur’an, to not then confuse the two styles of Khimar, Allah instructed the believing women to bring the fabric to their front by drawing their khimar over their chests, as a covering.
“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to bring down over themselves [part] of their outer garments. That is more suitable that they will be recognised and not be abused. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.”
Surah Al-Ahzab, verse 59
Wearing the headscarf is one form of hijab, but men often forget that hijab is much more. The Quran commands men to not stare at women and to not be promiscuous. The Quran (Chapter 24, verse 31) instructs men to observe modesty: “Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.”
Institutional rules
When you join an institution you agree to obey the rules of the institution. Even in some companies it is mandatory to follow a particular dress code, be it formals or even coat and tie. The employee agrees to follow these rules within the institution. When Muslim girls are asking for wearing Hijab inside educational institution they are trying to impose their religious rules on the educational institution. Agreeing to this demand is opening the floodgates for radical Islam to run secular institutions as per their rules which is not agreeable for a free democracy.
The best approach would be to go to an institution where such rules are followed instead of creating a controversy.
27th March Katha: Sant Tukaram
Who was Tukaram?
Tukaram, also known as Sant Tukaram, was as an Indian poet and saint in the 17th century. He was one of the saints of the Bhakti movement in Maharashtra who composed the devotional poetry, Abhanga. His kirtans aka spiritual songs were devoted to Vithoba or Vitthala, an avatar of Hindu god Vishnu. He was born as the second of three brothers in the village of Dehu in Maharashtra. His family owned a money-lending and retailing business and was also engaged in trade and agriculture. As a young man, he lost both his parents. The tragedies in his personal life continued as his first wife and son also died. Although Tukaram married for the second time, he didn’t find solace in worldly pleasures for long and eventually renounced everything. He spent his later years in devotional worship, and composing kirtans and poetry. He also studied the works of other saints, including Namdev, Ekanath, Jnanadev, etc.
Early Life & Marriages
Tukaram was born in 1598 or 1608, in a village named Dehu in Maharashtra, India, to Kanakar nd Bolhoba More, as one of their three sons. In 1625, he lost his parents. During this time, his elder brother left for Varanasi, seeking spiritual salvation. His sister-in-law also died during this period. His first wife was Rakhama Bai, who, alongside their son Santu, died in the famine of 1630–1632. Tukaram then married Jijabai who helped him set up a small shop in his village.
Life After Family Deaths
After the deaths of his parents, Tukaram’s financial condition worsened so badly that his lands yielded no revenue. His debtors also refused to pay. He became disillusioned with life, left his village, and disappeared into the nearby Bhamnath forest. There, he stayed for 15 days without water and food. It was during this time that he understood the meaning of self-realization. Although Tukaram returned his house after his second wife found him and pressed him to come along with her, he now had developed ‘vairagya’. After the incident, he reconstructed a temple that was in ruins and began to spend his days and nights performing bhajans and kirtans. He studied the devotional works of popular saints like Jnanadev, Ekanath, Namdev, etc. and eventually began to compose poems.
Guru Upadesh aka Spiritual Guidance by the Guru
As a result of his whole-hearted devotion, Tukaram was rewarded with Guru Upadesh. According to him, he had a vision in which The Guru visited him and blessed him. His guru took the names of two of his predecessors, Keshava and Raghava Chaitanya, and advised him to remember Ramakrishna Hari always. Tukaram once also had a dream in which the famous saint Namdev appeared and advised him to compose devotional songs. He told him to complete the remainder of the five crores and sixty lakhs poems out of the one hundred crores which he had intended to create.
Literary Works
Sant Tukaram composed a Marathi genre of literature called Abhanga poetry which fused folk stories with spiritual themes. Between 1632 and 1650, he composed ‘Tukaram Gatha,’ a Marathi language compilation of his works. Also popular as ‘Abhanga Gatha,’ it is said to include about 4,500 abhangas. In his gatha, he had compared the Pravritti aka the passion for life, business, and family with Nivritti aka the desire to leave the worldly honors and practice self-realization to attain individual liberation or moksha.
Widespread Fame
Many miraculous events occurred during Tukaram's life. Once, he was performing bhajans in the village of Lohagaon when a Brahmin named Joshi came to him. His only child died back home. The child was brought back to life by the saint after he prayed to Lord Pandarinath. His fame spread throughout the village and neighboring areas. He, however, remained unaffected by that. Tukaram advocated Saguna Bhakti, a practice of devotion in which God’s praises are sung. He encouraged bhajans and kirtans in which he asked people to sing praises of the almighty. As he lay dying, he advised his followers to always meditate on Lord Narayana and Ramakrishna Hari. He also told them the importance of Harikatha. He considered Harikatha as the union of God, the disciple and His Name. According to him, all sins are burnt and souls are purified by just listening to it.
Social Reforms & Followers
Tukaram accepted devotees and disciples without discriminating on the basis of gender. One of his female devotees was Bahina Bai, a victim of domestic violence who had left her husband’s home. He believed that when it comes to serving God, caste does not matter. According to him, “pride of caste never made any man holy”. Shivaji, the great Maharashtrian warrior king, was a great admirer of the saint. He used to send him costly gifts and even invited him to his court. After Tukaram refused them, the king himself visited the saint and stayed with him. According to historic texts, Shivaji wanted to give up his kingdom at one point. However, Tukaram reminded him of his duty and advised him to remember God while enjoying worldly pleasures.
Death
It was on Phalgun Krishna Dwitiya, Sant Tukaram left for heavenly abode i.e Vaikuntha. It is celebrated as Tukaram Beej. His disappearance bores similarity with Sant Kabir who also vanished without leaving any trails.
Legacy
Tukaram, who was a devotee of Vithoba or Vitthala, an avatar of Lord Vishnu, composed literary works that helped extend the Varkari tradition to pan-Indian Bhakti literature. The famous poet Dilip Chitre summarizes the legacy of the saint between 14th century and 17th century as transforming "language of shared religion, and religion a shared language”. He believed that it was saints like him who brought the Marathas under one roof and enabled them to stand against the Mughals.
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