Celebrate Diwali with Light, Love & The Divine Protector
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Why is Marxism turning homophobic?
Marxist movements have always aligned with groups seen as oppressed by capitalist regimes. On one side, progressive left voices (e.g., queer activists, gender-fluid theorists) proclaim ‘no binaries, no genders.’ On…
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The Horsemen Of Kanchi
For over 3,000 years, horses were imported into India. They were critical to govern empires and, therefore, were always in demand. But a little known fact is that horses are…
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How Afghan and Turkic Invaders Transformed Indian Warfare
We know that from the 10th century, horse‑breeding groups from Afghanistan and Central Asia invaded India in successive waves. The early invaders simply looted the gold‑rich temples of the land.…
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Were There Brahmins In South India 2,000 Years Ago?
We normally assume that Brahmins have been present in every corner of India for the last 5,000 years. But this is not true.
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When Brahmins Killed Kshatriyas and Kshatriyas Killed Brahmins
Anyone who reads the Ramayana and the Mahabharata carefully realises that both texts presuppose an event involving Parshuram, a Brahmin, who slaughters the Kshatriya kings. It is described as a…
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Three Dharmic Archetypes
Hindu mythology expresses personal transformation of leaders through three archetypes: Indra, Shiva and Vishnu. The worlds they create are Swarga, Kailasa and Vaikuntha.
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Shaped by Myth, Shaped by History
Indian history shapes Hindu myth and Hindu myth shapes Indian history.
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The Buddha and His Impact On Brahminism
Vishnu takes the form of Buddha to save animals from being slaughtered in Vedic rituals. Today, many Hindus get upset when told that Vedic rituals involved animal sacrifice. Clearly, Buddhist…
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Decoding Invisible Hunger and Fear
Where there is pursuit of food, there is hunger. Where there is hunger there is competition, collaboration, success and failure.
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Reality Of Imagination
Imagination exists, but cannot be measured, controlled or predicted. It is this imagination that separates humans from animals and plants.
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Ramayana: The World’s First Whodunnit
One of the most amazing things about the Ramayana — which makes it special — is that it is perhaps the world’s first mystery novel, a whodunnit. It is a…
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From ‘makhan-chor’ to rebel icon, MP’s recasting of Krishna echoes Gujarat’s warrior tradition
Many Sanatani Hindus do not like the idea of Krishna, the beloved of women. They prefer Krishna, the warrior, admired by men. Krishna allows such interpretations because we are looking…
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Legacy of Brahmi in Modern Languages
Why is the Ashokan script called the Brahmi script? Was it known so in Mauryan times? We do not know. Early scholars referred to it as “pin-man” script, then “Lat”…
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Stories Behind Diverse Calendars of India
India has many calendars; different communities use different calendars in different regions. Therefore, it is very difficult to create a single Indian calendar, even if it follows traditional rules.
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The Head On the Temple
On the top of many Hindu temples, one finds the image of a head looking down on the people below — his eyes protruding from its sockets, his mouth wide…
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The Hindu Idea of Pilgrimage
Temples are becoming tourist spots. Festivals are becoming experience centres. Local priests are eager to provide customer delight. Politicians are figuring out ways to make profit by ensuring their people…