RIFLE RANGE BOY

Hindus in Hindu Rashtra(2023) Eighth-Class Citizens and Victims of State-Sanctioned Apartheid Author: Anand Ranganathan I felt as if I were listening to him debate on Indian internet television. For the uninformed, a debate in the Indian context differs from the BBC's 'Hard Talk' or a conventional debate in which one person is given the stage to speak while others listen. On these Indian shows, what we see on our monitors are multiple smaller windows, reminiscent of those in 'Brady Bunch' or ‘Hollywood Squares’, with everyone yelling at the top of their lungs simultaneously to make their point. With the rapid-fire speed of speech, often seen in speed debates, and the caustic choice of words, it is quite a spectacle. Everything is drowned out in the cacophony of each speaker's voice. Amidst all this, the anchor begins to argue at a higher pitch without turning off the guests' microphones. Sometimes, I wonder why the guests bother to attend at all.  Anand Rang...

The Myth of the Holy Cow (Original Version 2001) Author: D. N. Jha Twenty out of twenty-eight states in India have laws prohibiting the slaughter of cows. The consumption of beef has recently become a contentious issue, highlighted by incidents of cow vigilantes intercepting cattle transportation and the lynching of individuals who eat beef. Initially published in 2002, this book received considerable criticism upon its release. With the memory of Salman Rushdie's 'Satanic Verses' ban in 1988 still fresh in people's minds, the Hyderabad Court initially prohibited the book. There were even threats to the author's life for allegedly offending Hindu sentiments. Through his extensive intellectual discourse, the author endeavours to convince readers that abstaining from beef is not an ancient Hindu practice. He begins his discussion by asserting that beef and meat consumption were prevalent in the Vedic era. Animal sacrifices, including those of horses and cows, were com...

Awakening Bharat Mata: The Political Ideologies of the Indian Right By: Swapan Dasgupta (2019) History tells us of a time when Indian soft powers ruled beyond their lands. Indian (read Hindu) way of living was the only way to live to the East of the land irrigated by the Sindhu Saraswati river systems. The nearest advanced culture to them was the Persians. Now they had an issue pronouncing 'S'. They did not have 'S' in their spoken language but used 'H' in places occupied by 'S'. Hence, the people living around the Sindhu Valley became known as 'Hindus', and their way of living was Hindu. The perplexing thing is that from an era when the whole world was imitating their culture whilst the rest of the world was in the dark ages, at the time of its independence, it was a nation quite apologetic to its way of life and its history. What gave? Perhaps it was the repeated invasions and trans-generational traumas with a tinge of Stockholm Syndrome. Still...

Every living day is a new learning experience. Thanks to Hollywood and the various sci-fi movies they produced, Joe Public is cognisant of time travel, the concept of time, and the expansionary nature of the Universe. Still, we have a long way to go to be well-versed in these areas. It is mind-boggling how some ancient Indian scriptures, which some quickly label as unbelievable mythological tales, carry some of the most fantastic astronomical knowledge with them. Forget about their authenticity; the wisdom embedded in them warrants a second look. Perhaps these tall tales are mere side dishes to the main course that they serve. Let us not be swayed by unbelievable events that defy logic. Let us have the know-how to differentiate the trees from the forest. Two recent concepts that piqued my interest come from two stories mentioned in the Mahabharata, Srimad Bhagavatam and Vishnu Purana. They discuss time dilation and the cyclical nature of time. Legend had it that King Kakudmi had a mult...

How I Became a Hindu (1982, Third Reprint,2008) Author: Sita Ram Goel Trigger Alert. Readers' discretion is advised.   Sita Ram Goel, Ram Swarup, Koenraad Elst, David Frawley and publications linked to the RSS may not be hailed as literary marvels or considered literature pieces by the mainstream. Yet, the knowledge is there for all to scoop. The mainstream always labels right-wing writers as rabble-rousers out to tip the serenity of public harmony. Everything they say and write is painted in the same stroke, as venomous. I decided to look at one of Sita Ram Goel's early writings. For the uninitiated, Goel is revered as a formidable Indian historian, religious and political activist, writer, and publisher known for his influential contributions to the literature on Hinduism and Hindu nationalism in the late twentieth century. With his direct, unapologetic presentation of facts and provocative book titles, he has stirred the psyche of the Hindus and many Indians to look at India...

Benzaiten, Japanese equivalent to the diety Saraswati. Saraswati Pooja used to be a vital feature in our household in childhood. The highlight of the whole event was placing our textbooks and getting the blessings of Goddess Saraswati. Thinking we would perform better in studies with Her blessings was naive. Amma did not fail to gently remind us that praying would not make us pass exams. We needed to put in the hours and concentration. There was no substitute for education; it was our key to happiness. Every Saraswati Pooja reminds me of my childhood of respecting books and learned individuals, irrespective of their teaching styles or content. Then I questioned myself: Can smut be given the same recognition if presented in book form? With all the ill effects that come out of the web but nullified by all the good things it spreads, does it still qualify as a learning tool? I soon realised that the spirit of Saraswati is the zest of reinforcing to immerse oneself into the ocean of knowle...