Mythologist | Author | Speaker | Illustrator
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Articles
Did arrival of Muslim invaders a thousand years ago destroy Hindu culture?
Published on 31st May, 2017, on www.dailyo.in . The arrival of Muslim invaders a thousand …
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Articles
What is Tamil Veda?
Depending on who you ask, you will find one of three books identified as the Tamil Veda, locally known as Dravida Veda or Tamil Marai…
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From a name to an opinion
A great way to engage in conversation with people is to ask them for the meaning of their name…
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Articles
Historians too should share the blame for the rise of religious radicalism
It is easy to blame radical politicians and religious leaders for igniting the spark. But let’s not forget those who fuel the fire…
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Articles
The big question: Is yoga for power or fitness, wisdom or devotion?
Today, any understanding of yoga is often obscured by a grand media war to dominate the discourse on yoga…
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Can I be a Hindu and still an atheist?
Since no one can actually define Hinduism, the simple answer is: yes…
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Articles
Romeo squads? Let’s rename them after Kichaka or Dandaka
This worldview that locates the hermit over the householder, and men over women, dominates the Hindu right, though in keeping with contemporary thinking, celibacy is no longer linked to the occult. Instead it is linked to service…
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Articles
Dharma in the forest
Both in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, we are left to wonder which space is more cruel: the forest or the human settlement…
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Articles
Imagining a nation’s past
Government imaginaries are usually of two types: reforming imaginaries and reclaiming imaginaries…
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Articles
Is Hinduism the same as Hindutva?
A crude, but useful way to understand the relationship between Hinduism and Hindutva is to study Hindu history…
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Articles
The Roadside Shrine
In India, a temple, a mosque or a church can appear just about anywhere and become a pilgrim spot…
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Is a Hindu prayer different from a Christian or Muslim prayer?
Prayers exist in a mythic worldview, and depending on the worldview, the nature of the prayer is different…
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Articles
CNN’s Believer: Reza Aslan’s show on Hindu mendicants is bigoted no matter how you look at it
The author and TV host has been criticised for his feature on India’s Aghoris…
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Articles
The House of the Superstar
Temples are built for heroes and heroines, by their fans in our country. Are these fans, or devotees?…
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Articles
Fear of female fantasy
Let’s tell tales celebrating women’s desires, such as where Shakti demands Shiva satisfy her; and he does…
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Articles
The Celebrity and the Troll
Becoming a celebrity means you have to accept that you will be trolled. It’s part …