2019 / Articles
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What Puranic historians won’t accept
Published on 18th September, 2019, in The Hindu A study has shown that there is no evidence of Steppe genes in Harappa according to analysis of DNA found in Rakhigarhi. This has led to the claim that Harappan civilisation was…
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Harappan and Aryan Roots of Rig Veda
Published on 15th September, 2019, in Mid-day DNA studies are now showing that Harappans did not have genes of steppe pastoralists (Aryans). But these Aryan genes are found in about 30 per cent of the Indian population. This means the…
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The Shudra Inside Us
Published on 15th September, 2019, in Bangalore Mirror Bureau The gesture of namaste means to salute the divine within people. It is also a gesture of humility, humiliation, submission and petition before power. Namaste between equals has the former meaning…
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Mythology of Harappa
Published on 8th September, 2019, in Mid-day The Harappan civilization thrived between 2500 BCE and 1900 BCE, lasting six centuries, existing 4,000 years ago. In these cities, we find seals with images that give a tantalising glimpse of a mythology…
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How we are motivated by Kama and propelled by Yama
Published on 6th September, 2019, in Economic Times Shiva is called the destroyer because he destroys our desire–Kama, and he destroys death itself–Yama. Kama is associated with life, and Yama with death. Shiva destroys both the desire for life and…
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Giving in the Hindu culture: Dakshina, daan and bhiksha
Published on 1st September, 2019, in Mumbai Mirror Giving in Hindu society can be categorised in three ways: dakshina, bhiksha and daan. Dakshina is repayment. Bhiksha is alms. Daan is charity. But meanings are often confusing, as people use the…
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Hells of Garuda Purana
Published on 1st September, 2019, in Mid-day The Garuda Purana is one of the 18 Puranas composed by Ved Vyasa in order to explain Vedic principles. It was in a forest called Naimisha, where the narration happened for the first…
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The spoked wheel
Published on 24th August, 2019, in Mid-day The spoked wheel is an important symbol in India, especially since the image is an integral part of our national flag. This wheel is considered to be Ashoka’s Dharma Chakra and is associated…
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Aryavarta
Published on 24th August, 2019, in Mid-day The word ‘Aryavarta’ has become quite popular. There are novels written about it, tele-serials based upon it, and it is increasingly being associated with an extremist Hindu vision of the past. But, the…
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Playing cards to win whimsical Lakshmi
Published on 23rd August, 2019, in Economic Times The word ‘Lakshmi’ comes from the word ‘laksh’ which means target. Inanimate objects don’t have targets: a rock has no target, the river has no target, clouds have no target, but all…
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Welcoming Lakshmi through service, yagna
Published on 18th August, 2019, in Mumbai Mirror. Arthashastra, or economics, is today linked with Chanakya, even though he himself claims his knowledge to have come down from Shukra, the guru of Asuras, and Brihaspati, the guru of Devas. Since…
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Equating Paganism With Hinduism
Published on 11th August, 2019. in Mid-day Christian missionaries used the word ‘pagan’ and ‘heathen’ to derogatorily describe all non-monotheistic pre-Christian religions that indulged in nature and idol worship. Hinduism came under this category. Today, many Hindutva followers want to…
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Business in life is successful when it gets repeat orders.
Any business in life is successful when it gets repeat orders. Published on 9th August, 2019, in Economic Times What makes a temple successful: success being measured as the number of people who worship there. There are numerous temples in…
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Varuna in Iran, Indra in India
Published on 4th August, 2019, in Mid-day Varuna is known today as the god of the sea and Indra as the god of the rain. Varuna is associated with saltwater, located on the ground, and Indra is associated with freshwater,…
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Dharma focuses on empathy, not justice
Who is a Hindu? Published on 4th August, 2019, in Mumbai Mirror Once upon a time, there were two friends in a school. They were the best of friends and they promised to share everything with each other. After they…
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Two Prophets, two visions
Published on 28th July, 2019, in Mid-day The Old Testament of the Christian Bible tells the story of two prophets: one is Jeremiah and the other is Ezekiel. Jeremiah is called the Weeping Prophet. He lived in Jerusalem and mourned…