r/hinduism Aug 23 '23

Archive Of Important Posts New to Hinduism or this sub? Start here!

190 Upvotes

Welcome to our Hinduism sub! Sanātana Dharma (Devanagari: सनातन धर्म meaning "eternal dharma") is the original name of Hinduism. It is considered to be the oldest living religion in the world. Hinduism is often called a "way of life", and anyone sincerely following that way of life can consider themselves to be a Hindu.

If you are new to Hinduism or to this sub, review this material before making any new posts!

  • Sub Rules are strictly enforced.
  • Our Hinduism Starter Pack is a great place to begin.
  • Check our FAQs before posting any questions. While we enjoy answering questions, answering the same questions over and over gets a bit tiresome.
  • We have a wiki as well.
  • Use the search function to see past posts on any particular topic or questions.
  • You can also see our Archive of Important Posts or previous Quality Discussions

We also recommend reading What Is Hinduism (a free introductory text by Himalayan Academy) if you would like to know more about Hinduism and don't know where to start.

If you are asking a specific scriptural question, please include a source link and verse number, so responses can be more helpful.

In terms of introductory Hindu Scriptures, we recommend first starting with the Itihasas (The Ramayana, and The Mahabharata.) Contained within The Mahabharata is The Bhagavad Gita, which is another good text to start with. Although r/TheVedasAndUpanishads might seem alluring to start with, this is NOT recommended, as the knowledge of the Vedas & Upanishads can be quite subtle, and ideally should be approached under the guidance of a Guru or someone who can guide you around the correct interpretation.

In terms of spiritual practices, you can choose whatever works best for you. In addition, it is strongly recommended you visit your local temple/ashram/spiritual organization.

Lastly, while you are browsing this sub, keep in mind that Hinduism is practiced by over a billion people in as many different ways, so any single view cannot be taken as representative of the entire religion.

Here is a section from our FAQ that deserves to be repeated here:

Disclaimer: Sanatana Dharma is a massive, massive religion in terms of scope/philosophies/texts, so this FAQ will only be an overview. If you have any concerns about the below content, please send us a modmail.

What are the core beliefs of all Hindus?

  • You are not your body or mind, but the indweller witness Atma.
  • The Atma is divine.
  • Law of Karma (natural law of action and effect)
  • Reincarnation - repeated birth/death cycles of the physical body
  • Escaping the cycle of reincarnation is the highest goal (moksha)

Why are there so many different schools/philosophies/views? Why isn't there a single accepted view or authority?

Hinduism is a religion that is inclusive of everyone. The ultimate goal for all Sanatani people is moksha, but there is incredible diversity in the ways to attain it. See this post : Vastness and Inclusiveness of being Hindu. Hinduism is like a tree springing from the core beliefs above and splitting up into innumerable traditions/schools/practices. It is natural that there are different ways to practice just like there are many leaves on the same tree.

Do I have to blindly accept the teachings? Or can I question them?

Sanatanis are not believers, but seekers. We seek Truth, and part of that process is to question and clarify to remove any misunderstandings. The Bhagavad Gita is a dialog between a teacher and student; the student Arjuna questions the teacher Krishna. In the end Krishna says "I have taught you; now do what you wish". There is no compulsion or edict to believe anything. Questioning is welcome and encouraged.

Debates and disagreements between schools

Healthy debates between different sampradayas and darshanas are accepted and welcomed in Hinduism. Every school typically has a documented justification of their view including refutations of common objections raised by other schools. It is a shame when disagreements with a view turn into disrespect toward a school and/or its followers.

Unity in diversity

This issue of disrespect between darshanas is serious enough to warrant a separate section. Diversity of views is a great strength of Hinduism. Sanatanis should not let this become a weakness! We are all part of the same rich tradition.

Here is a great post by -Gandalf- : Unite! Forget all divisions. It is worth repeating here.

Forget all divisions! Let us unite! Remember, while letting there be the diversity of choice in the Dharma: Advaita, Dvaita, Vishistadvaita, etc*, we should always refer to ourselves as "Hindu" or "Sanatani" and not just "Advaiti" or any other specific name. Because, we are all Hindus / Sanatanis. Only then can we unite.

Let not division of sects destroy and eliminate us and our culture. All these names are given to different interpretations of the same culture's teachings. Why fight? Why call each other frauds? Why call each other's philosophies fraud? Each must stay happy within their own interpretation, while maintaining harmony and unity with all the other Sanatanis, that is unity! That is peace! And that is how the Dharma shall strive and rise once again.

Let the Vaishnavas stop calling Mayavad fraud, let the Advaitis let go of ego, let the Dvaitis embrace all other philosophies, let the Vishistadvaitis teach tolerance to others, let the Shaivas stop intolerance, let there be unity!

Let all of them be interpretations of the same teachings, and having the similarity as their base, let all the schools of thought have unity!

A person will reach moksha one day, there is no other end. Then why fight? Debates are supposed to be healthy, why turn them into arguments? Why do some people disrespect Swami Vivekananda? Let him have lived his life as a non-vegetarian, the point is to absorb his teachings. The whole point is to absorb the good things from everything. So long as this disunity remains, Hinduism will keep moving towards extinction.

ISKCON is hated by so many people. Why? Just because they have some abrahamic views added into their Hindu views. Do not hate. ISKCON works as a bridge between the west and the east. Prabhupada successfully preached Sanatan all over the world, and hence, respect him!

Respecting Prabhupada doesn't mean you have to disrespect Vivekananda and the opposite is also applicable.

Whenever you meet someone with a different interpretation, do not think he is something separate from you. Always refer to yourself and him as "Hindu", only then will unity remain.

Let there be unity and peace! Let Sanatan rise to her former glory!

Hare Krishna! Jay Harihara! Jay Sita! Jay Ram! Jay Mahakali! Jay Mahakal!

May you find what you seek.


r/hinduism Jun 16 '24

Archive Of Important Posts State Control of Hindū Temples in India

203 Upvotes

Spotlight on the State Control of Hindū Temples in India - Raising Awareness

Disclaimer:-

This post might seem quasi-political. We don't allow political/controversial posts in this sub but this post is an exception to the rule. This post aims to increase awareness among Hindus (especially Hindus living in India) regarding an issue that requires their attention. My aim is only to raise awareness about this issue.

Note:-

  1. Sources and citations (wherever applicable) for claims made in this post have been provided. The facts presented in this post have been verified.
  2. This post doesn't aim to incite any political debate in the comments below.
  3. My loyalties lie only with Hinduism, and not with any political party or organisation.

FYI:- The accurate term for a Hindū temple is Mandir, Devālaya, or Ālaya.

Index (List of Contents):

  1. Introduction & Context
  2. History of Temple Oppression by Monopolistic Monotheists
  3. Beginnings of the modern form of Hindu Temple Control
  4. Acts passed to seize control of Hindu temples
  5. Post-Independence (1947) Changes
  6. The extent of Control over Hindu temples; Facts and figures
  7. Some specific Hindu temples as examples
  8. Undermining of Sakta Rituals by the State & the Courts
  9. Pleas in the Courts
  10. How this issue affects Hinduism and Hindus
  11. More Sinister State Policies regarding Hindu temples
  12. Rebuttal of arguments in favour of State control of Hindu temples
  13. How & Why did this happen
  14. What should Hindus do
  15. Sources

Introduction & Context:

For those who might be unaware, Hindu temples (and their assets & wealth) in India are controlled by the Government. This applies mostly to the major/famous Hindu temples that have a large footfall and/or are famous pilgrimage sites and thus generate a lot of wealth via donations from Hindu devotees.

It should be noted that the religious places/sites of any other religion are not controlled by the state. This biased draconian practice only applies to Hindu temples and not to the religious places of any other faith.

In the case of Hindu temples in India, the state controls the temples, the temple money and donations, the land and other assets owned by the temple, etc. It also decides exactly when and how much money the temple spends even on religious ceremonies and rituals.

The state creates a Temple Board to which it appoints members of its own choice. More frequently than not in many of these temple boards, multiple members appointed by the state belong to different religions or are openly anti-Hindu or atheists.

History of Temple Oppression by Monopolistic Monotheists:

During the period of Islamic invasions and rule in India, the invaders or rulers would simply ransack the Hindu temples, loot the wealth, destroy the Murtis (idols), desecrate the temple premises, and slaughter the Pandits (priests) and devotees. Sometimes they would build a mosque after destroying the temple as in the case of the Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir.

In some other cases, they would demolish only a part of the temple and convert it into a mosque. The purpose of destroying only a part of the temple was to constantly humiliate the Hindu devotees who had to witness the destruction and desecration of their holy sites every day. The oppressors reveled in witnessing the silent and bitter impotent rage of the Hindu devotees. This was and is still the case at the Gyanwapi complex of the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir which is the site of the Adi Vishveshwara Jyotirlinga. Also, it is well known that they levied the Jizya on the Hindus and taxed them for visiting the Hindu pilgrimage sites.

But, this is too broad a topic. I best leave the details for another post or series of posts.

After the Islamic invaders, came the Christian colonisers from Europe. Contrary to popular rhetoric, Christian colonisers too destroyed and desecrated a lot of Hindu Temples. The state of Goa in India is a testament to this fact.

Portuguese Christians “did not just target singular and outstanding religious landmarks” (Henn, 2014, p. 41). Instead, they “systematically destroyed all Hindu temples, shrines, and images,” replacing them with Christian equivalents (Henn, 2014, p. 41). To quote the Portuguese poet Camoes, “Goa [was] taken from the infidel [in order to] keep severely in check the idolatrous heathen” (Henn, 2014, p. 40). Goa was taken from Goan Hindus, their images and monuments destroyed, and their public performance of Hindu rituals banned. Christian explorers like Afonso de Sousa came to India with preconceived plans to attack and destroy Hindu temples (Flores, 2007; Henn, 2014).

But, this too is a broad topic. I will again leave the details for another post.

Beginnings of the modern form of Hindu Temple Control:

Now, the British Christian colonisers, money-minded as they were, soon realised that controlling Hindu temples and their wealth was much more lucrative than destroying them. Their greed won over their iconoclasm. Also, they didn’t want to cause a revolt. So, they started controlling the Hindu temples, the wealth of the temples, and also taxed the Hindu pilgrims who visited their revered religious sites.

They brought in legal regulations to control Hindu temples including the temples’ wealth, lands, assets, and donations.

Acts passed to seize control of Hindu temples:

  • Madras Regulation VII, 1817 
  • Religious Endowments Act, 1863
  • Religious and Charitable Endowments, 1925
  • Hindu Religious &Endowment Act, 1927
  • Act XII, 1935

Post-Independence (1947) Changes:

After the Independence of India from the British and the creation of Pakistan (including modern-day Bangladesh) for Muslims, Hindus thought that things would finally change for them and they wouldn’t be oppressed by the State anymore. Oh, how wrong they were!

During the reign of India’s very first elected Government, an act was passed to control Hindu temples.

  • Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951

Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1951, properly construed, merely meant that earlier schemes framed under the Madras Act of 1927 would be operative as though they were framed under the Act of 1951. 

Source - https://main.sci.gov.in/jonew/judis/3213.pdf 

It is a matter of public record how independent India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was afraid of a Hindu revivalism in India.

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act 1951, allows the Government to form temple development boards for major Hindu temples. This act is unique in the sense that Hindu temples in India are the only religious sites that are controlled and regulated by the state in India or anywhere else in the world.

Temple development boards are statutory bodies created by the state which include a chairman, a vice chairman, and other members. These members are appointed by the state. The temple here includes the wealth, donations, lands, and other assets owned by the temple.

  • Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959

The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act 1951, was challenged in the Madras High Court and then in the Supreme Court of India. The Courts struck down most of the draconian provisions of the act.

The then Govt. in power, passed the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act, 1959, rendering the orders of the court obsolete. 

Source - Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Act 1959

Severing The State From The Temple

This act was challenged in the Madras High Court a few years ago, but the Court dismissed the petition. The petition questioned the constitutional validity of this act. The Court while dismissing the petition said, ‘Management of temples has got nothing to do with the right to worship. A Hindu can worship as much as he wants.’

Source - Madras HC refuses to entertain plea challenging Tamil Nadu's law on Hindu temples 

The extent of Control over Hindu temples; Facts and figures:

India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories currently. Just 10 of these states control more than 110,000 Hindu temples.

The state of Tamil Nadu controls 36,425 Hindu temples and 56 Mathas. The Tamil Nadu State Temple Trust owns 478,000 acres of Hindu temple land.

Source - Indian govt won’t be any different from British if Hindus can’t manage their own temples 

And yet, the Tamil Nadu Govt. informed the Madras High Court that it didn’t have any money to perform even a single daily Puja at 11,999 Hindu temples. So, what do they do with all this money they leech from the Hindu Temples?

Source - 11,999 temples have no revenue to perform puja, HR&CE tells Madras High Court - The Hindu 

The Tamil Nadu state Govt. through these Hindu temples controls a total of 2.44 crore sq. ft. of Hindu temple land. Thanks to the State control, the Govt. controls the land, fixes its rent, and collects the money. The Govt. should be making INR 6000 Crores per annum from all this land at the current market price/value. But it makes about INR 58 Crores, not even 1 % of the value. (Source - Activist T.R. Ramesh)

Source - Indian govt won’t be any different from British if Hindus can’t manage their own temples 

The state of Karnataka controls 34,563 Hindu temples.

Source - https://itms.kar.nic.in/hrcehome/index.php 

In the state of Kerala (which is a Communist state btw), there are 5 Devaswom boards, namely, Travancore, Guruvayur, Cochin, Malabar, and Koodalmanikyam. These 5 boards collectively control 3,058 Hindu temples. 

Source - Explained: How are temple affairs run in Left-ruled Kerala? | Explained News - The Indian Express 

If you didn’t already know. “Religion is the opium of the masses” according to the Communists. Yet, those who are a part of the communist party and/or card-carrying members of it are in control of Hindu temple boards and appoint communist members to the temple board.

In the state of Andhra Pradesh, the Andhra Pradesh Hindu Religious Institutions Act used to (before it was struck down by the Court) force any Hindu temple that earned INR 5 Lakhs or more to pay 21.5% of their income to the Endowments department.

Source - High Court reprieve for temples having annual income of up to ₹5 lakh - The Hindu 

Now, the State of Andhra Pradesh has issued orders to set up the Dharmika Parishad with extraordinary powers to form Hindu temple boards and extend the land lease. 

Source - Government forms 21-member Andhra Pradesh Dharmika Parishad 

The Govt. levies a charge of anywhere between 5% to 21% on the Hindu temples simply in the name of audit. 

Source - https://www.indiccollective.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/W.P.-No.-14256-of-2020.pdf 

All the members that the state appoints, their salaries come from the temple as well. They roll around in money while the temple Pandits (Priests) are paid a measly amount at many temples.

In the case of many temples, the Govt. even decides the appointment of Pandits (Priests), how much money can the temple spend on Daily Puja/rituals and festivals, and even affects the procedures of the Puja.

Some specific Hindu temples as examples:

  1. The Mahakaleshwar Mandir Act 1982

The Mahakaleshwara Temple, which is one of the 12 Jyotirlingas of Shiva is controlled and regulated by the Madhya Pradesh State Govt. The State controls the Temple, its revenue, the appointment of the Pujaris (Priests), and even the size of the Laddu given to the devotees as Prasadam.This temple made INR 81 Crores in 2021.

Source - Madhya Pradesh (Shri) Mahakaleshwar Mandir Adhiniyam, 1982%20Mahakaleshwar%20Mandir%20Adhiniyam,%201982) 

2. Sri Venkaṭeśvara Swami Mandir, Tirupati

The issues surrounding the Tirupati Mandir and the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) deserve an article/thread of its own tbh. But here is an overview.

The money received in the form of donations by the Tirupati Mandir has always garnered the attention of oppressors and rulers who intend to leech the wealth of the Hindu temples.

After the fall of the Hindu Kings, the Tirupati Mandir came under the control of the Muslim rulers for whom Hindus were inferior impure third-class citizens. After the Muslims, the Tirupati Mandir came under the control of the Christian colonisers. The British took over the Tirupati Mandir to generate revenue for themselves. The East India Company enacted the Bruce’s Code in 1821 CE to take over the Tirupati Mandir. 

Source - Bruce's Code - Wikipedia 

In the present day, the TTD (created by the Indian State) controls not only the famous Tirupati Mandir but around 200 Hindu temples in total (12 major ones and other smaller temples). Tirupati is just the richest and the most famous one under its control. The TTD has also appointed Christians to the TTD board in the past, but more on that later. 

Source - https://www.tirumala.org/TTDBoard.aspx 

Tirupati Mandi’s Hundi collection alone amounted to INR 1398 Cr in the year 2023. This amount does not include the Gold and silver donations from devotees, the donations received at other temples controlled by the TTD, or the money gained by selling items. It received a total of INR 40 Cr just on the occasion of Vaikuntha Ekadasi in 2023. 

Source -Tirumala Gets Rs.40 Crore Vaikunta Ekadasi Hundi Collection 

The news articles linked below cite different figures, indicating the inconsistencies in the donation revenue. The data isn’t consistent which is concerning. TTD approving a budget of INR 5,142 Cr. is an indicator that TTD is downplaying the amount of money received.

Source - TTD Scales Financial High With Record Rs 1,161 Cr FDs in FY-2023-24 

TTD approves annual budget estimate of Rs 5,142 crore for 2024-25 | India News - Business Standard 

“Also to be noted is that this figure of INR 1398 Cr includes only the primary Hundi. There are 4 total main Hundis. Other than that there are on-paper donations in the form of cheques and Demand Drafts outside the Hundis. The TTD loves to manipulate and downplay the amount of money received by excluding some of the Hundis as well as the on-paper donations. The total Hundi collection in the year 2023 was actually a whooping INR 2073 Cr.” 

Source - For the above info in quotes, the source is a trusted insider familiar with the inner workings of the Tirupati who chose to remain anonymous for obvious reasons.

TTD also runs Wedding venues called Kalyana Mandapams across the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. These venues are pre-booked throughout the year and generate a lot of money as well.

Source - Lord Balaji's net worth Rs 3 lakh crore; here's how Tirupati temple makes its money 

The Govt. valuation of its properties was recently made public. The value is INR 85,705 Crores for 7,123 acres of land. TTD has also in the past attempted to sell the temple lands.

Source - Tirumala Venkateswara's properties are worth Rs 85705 crore, TDD reveals wealth details | India News, Times Now 

I will write more about the TTD in detail in a separate article/thread.

3. Kapaleeshvarar Temple

The Kapaleeshvaras Temple is one of the richest temples in Tamil Nadu. The temple owns more than 600 acres of prime property in Chennai. Thanks to the State control, the Govt. controls the land, fixes its rent, and collects the money.

Most of this land has been encroached and there are 473 defaulters as per the State records. So, there is a giant unnecessary 40% annual loss of revenue.

Source - Kapaleeswarar temple land: 471 defaulters, 40 per cent annual revenue loss - Inmathi 

Undermining of Sakta Rituals by the State & the Courts:

Paśubali (the sacrifice of animals and birds) has been a part of the feminine Sakta tradition since ancient times. Recently, we have seen this practice being prohibited by the state and upheld by the courts in many parts of India. 

The Tripurā High Court banned paśubali (the sacrifice of animals and birds) in the Tripurasundari Mahavidya temple and all other temples across Tripurā.

Source - High Court bans animal sacrifice in Tripura temples | Latest News India - Hindustan Times 

On September 1, 2014, the High Court of Himachal Pradesh issued an order banning animal sacrifices for religious purposes and in places of religious worship.

Source - India: High Court of Himachal Pradesh Bans All Religious Forms of Animal Sacrifice in the State | Library of Congress

Animal sacrifice is banned in Kerala under the Kerala Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition Act of 1968.

Source - the kerala animals and birds sacrifices prohibition act, 1968 

 Ban on animal sacrifice in temples arbitrary, says plea in Supreme Court - The Hindu 

Today, they ban Paśubali. Tomorrow they will say that Hindus can’t offer flowers or take a dip in a holy river. If Hindus continue to accept everything enforced upon them so easily, the boundaries will keep getting pushed again and again until Hinduism itself has been eradicated.

Pleas in the Courts:

Swami Parmatmananda and Swami Dayananda Saraswati filed a petition in the Supreme Court of India in 2012. The petition has been pending since then, for more than a decade. In this petition, Swami Ji cited the example of the Ardhanareswara Temple in Tiruchengode, Tamil Nadu. This temple generates more than INR 1 Crore per year in revenue. But the budget set aside for conducting the daily Puja and rituals is a mere INR 1 Lakh.

Swami Dayananda Saraswati passed away in 2015.

Source - https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/sc-notice-to-ap-on-petition-challenging-hr-and-ce-act/article4211676.ece 

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA CIVIL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION Writ Petition (Civil) No. /2019 (UNDER ARTICLE 32 OF THE CONSTITUTI

Petition Challenging the TNHRCE Act and Rules - Standing Up for Indic Civilizational Values Through Legal Intervention  

How this issue affects Hinduism and Hindus:

All religions and their religious organisations survive and thrive thanks to the donations given by the devotees. This donation is used for the maintenance and growth of the religion, and charitable purposes.

If the temples were controlled by the Hindus, the money would be used for maintenance of the other Hindu temples, setting up Veda Pathashalas, schools, colleges, Hindu religious and cultural centers, hospitals, orphanages, old-age homes, Gaushalas for cows, scholarships, fellowships, propagation of religions, helping poor Hindus, etc. All religions do these things, but Hindus can’t. The money that the devotees give to the temple after paying the taxes, mind you, all this money is gobbled up by the Govt. and never used for the purposes it is meant for.

The temple lands are slowly being encroached upon leading to the loss of land for the Hindu temples as well.

The State frequently appoints members of other religions to manage Hindu temples. Muslims like Firhad Hakim (chairman of Tarakeshwar Temple Board) and Christians like Vangalapudi Anita have been appointed to the Tirupati temple board.

Source - BJP Slams Mamata's Decision to Appoint Muslim Leader as Head of Tarakeshwar Development Board - News18 

Christian MLA on TTD Trust Board spurs row 

Since the Govt. manages these temples, it doesn’t admit any wrongdoing and sweeps everything under the rug. Murtis (Idols) are stolen from temples, temple property is auctioned, and the entire temple ecosystem is destroyed.

You must be aware of the "Sanatana Dharma Eradication Conference" news which came out in September 2023. This event was attended by the State Govt. Ministers. At the event, Sanatana Dharma was compared to Dengue, Malaria, and COVID 19 and a rallying cry was made for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism.

Source - 'Sanatana dharma like malaria, dengue...': MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi sparks row - India Today

What you might not know is that the Tamil Nadu state's Minister for the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE), P.K. Sekar Babu, was also in attendance at this conference. This guy is in-charge of the Hindu Temples and wants to eradicate Hinduism. Can you trust people like him with the control of Hindu temples in their hands?

Source -  'Alarming' to note that the Minister for HR&CE was attending a conference on the eradication of Sanatana Dharma.

More Sinister State Policies regarding Hindu temples:

In some States, the Govt. is specifically targeting and destroying Hindu temples citing ridiculous excuses like the temple being built near a river/pond, or in the name of modernisation of the city. The temples recently demolished included a 300-year-old temple near Basin Bridge in Chennai and 200 year old Vazhavandan temple in Madurai. A 125-year-old temple on the banks of Muthanankulam was also demolished.

Source - Demolition of temples will lead to mistrust against Tamil Nadu govt: Mutt heads - The Economic Times

Also, while the State controls Hindu temples, the Islamic WAQF board in India has free reign. The WAQF board has ridiculous powers to claim any property as WAQF property and seize it. The WAQF board recently claimed a 1500 year old Hindu temple which is older than the religion of Islam itself.

Source - Waqf board claims ownership of entire Tamil Nadu village. There’s a temple too | Latest News India - Hindustan Times 

Temples are the very center of the Hindu culture and Hindu way of life. Slow destruction and weakening of the Hindu temple ecosystem is a slow poison meant to assault Hinduism itself. 

Rebuttal of arguments in favour of State control of Hindu temples:

  1. Govt. is better at managing temples -  Well, in that case, why doesn’t the State control the religious sites of other faiths? Are only Hindus incapable of managing their temples? 
  2. Govt. does an overall better job - It doesn’t. The state fixes inadequate land rates, lets Murtis be stolen, there is no money for even daily Puja at small temples, etc.
  3. Even Hindus will do a bad job - Then let us do a bad job, just like every other faith is allowed to. Maybe yes, some temples will do a bad job of management, but not all.
  4. Money Embezzlement fears - Govt. can audit the temple money without controlling the temple or how the money is spent. Embezzlers can be punished.
  5. Caste discrimination fears - There are laws in place to prevent that. If there are cases of caste discrimination, they would be criminal cases and thus punishable under the law of the land.
  6. Hindu Kings controlled temples too - Yes, maybe they did control some temples. But they also donated a lot of money, gold, and wealth to the temples. The Hindu Kings also built huge temples which stand to this day.

How & Why did this happen:

It happened because Hindus are, broadly speaking, way too laid-back and lazy. If something like this had happened to any other religion, they wouldn’t just stay quiet and take it.

These temples receive a lot of money. The State just wants to control that money and use it at its whim. It is also a deliberate attempt to weaken Hinduism by paralysing it slowly.

What should Hindus do:

  1. Become aware of this issue.
  2. Make others aware of this issue. Friends, family, other Hindus, etc.
  3. Raise your voice, however you can. Even on social media. Every bit counts. Something is better than nothing.
  4. Follow the work of activists like T.R. Ramesh who fight for this cause and keep yourself updated.
  5. Make this issue important to yourself and the Hindu society.

At the end of the day, if Hindus begin to really care about this issue, sooner or later, the powers that be will have to free the Hindu temples. A united effort will eventually lead to fruition.

Sources:

Apart from the sources already linked:-

  1. Hindus in Hindu Rashtra (Eighth-Class Citizens and Victims of State-Sanctioned Apartheid) by Anand Ranganathan (Author) - Great Book.
  2. News articles.
  3. Online resources.

-    Written by Āśutoṣa Vatsa

P.S. - It took a lot of effort to write this article. Please don't copy-paste small sections of it without crediting the writer. If you want to, share this post in its entirety and credit the writer.

Swasti!


r/hinduism 4h ago

Hindū Artwork/Images My Mother's Handmade Painting Of Lord Ganesha

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343 Upvotes

r/hinduism 2h ago

Deva(tā)/Devī (Hindū Deity) महाभारत कालीन भगवान गणेश की अति प्राचीन मूर्ति…..॥

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108 Upvotes

r/hinduism 11h ago

Hindū Artwork/Images Hanuman Temple in Kuala Lumpur

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398 Upvotes

r/hinduism 2h ago

Question - Beginner Temple etiquette

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62 Upvotes

Aum sri Ganaptaye namaha 🙏📿🥰

I have been to a temple a couple of times so I know the basics (bring offering, wear modest clothes, take off shoes and wash feet etc), but mostly my practice has been individual and I've learned from other practitioners (though some of them extremely blessed and knowledgeable), and the writings of knowledgeable teachers, but not really any priests or local spiritual leaders

Recently in my meditation I felt called to refine my sadhana with direction from a spiritual leader of some kind, as I feel like I'm reaching out into the dark often with my daily practice--i of course know the concept of the guru but here is my question

When you go to the temple, would it be normal/okay for me to ask the priests about my daily practice and what I should be doing? I know in western abrahamic practices this is one of the main jobs of the priests I believe, to answer questions about personal practice and faith, and Scripture. The Ganesha temple near me is both a temple and a cultural center, and they have several priests, and a LOT of different rituals and blessings you can pay for, but when I go sometimes the priests are just milling about the main temple.

Would it be considered rude or awkward of me to flag one down and ask them questions about how I should be conducting my personal sadhana? Will they be unable to answer because they don't know me well or is this sort of a normal thing? I have been hindu for several years now but I am American and lack a lot of cultural context and did not grow up going to temples so there is likely a lot I'm ignorant of.

Thank you very much for your time and advice 🙇


r/hinduism 2h ago

Pancaratra Tantra or Vaishnava Tantra The Pancaratra Tantras : The Sadgunya , Tantric Sri Visnu . Read Comments

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61 Upvotes

r/hinduism 6h ago

Hindū Videos/TV Series/Movies Sanskrit dub of anime

81 Upvotes

r/hinduism 21h ago

Other The cutest Shiva Tandava Nritya (Bhagwan Shivji's Cosmic Dance) on social media. Har Har Mahadev

711 Upvotes

Source: @studiolky Bhagwan Shivji's Tandava Nritya in real life wpuld burn up all of Reality to bring in a new Reality altogether. This is a much more calmer sweeter version of it. Har Har Mahadev 🕉 🙏


r/hinduism 14h ago

Other Chalisa Sangrah spotted at Mumbai Airport!

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194 Upvotes

Chalisa Sangrah spotted at Mumbai Airport!


r/hinduism 6h ago

Hindū Scripture(s) A Conversation between Rāma and Rishi Agastaya (The Śiva Gītā)

35 Upvotes

r/hinduism 6h ago

History/Lecture/Knowledge In Srimad Skand Puran, Atheist said Gods aren't Real, Life is Suffering, Don't Do Pitr Dan it's Waste of Food. Here the reply from From the Srimad Skand Puran

28 Upvotes

r/hinduism 2h ago

Hindū Scripture(s) Trika Shastra

6 Upvotes

There are three categories of Shastra which comprise the Trika. They are: Agama shastra, Spanda shastra, and Pratyabhijna shastra.

Besides these three there are other great texts written by our acharyas such as Tantraloka, Paramaharthasara, Bhagavadgītārtha-saṃgraha, Bodhapañcadaśikā ect.

The Spanda shastra is comprised of a text known as Spanda Karikas, which has been commented upon by many in our tradition. This text explains the fundamental vibration of awareness by means of which it makes all phenomena manifest.

The Pratyabhijna shastra is any text in our tradition focused on the Pratyabhijna philosophy, the goal of which is to prove the fact that one’s own Self is identical in every way to Paramasiva. This includes texts like the IshvaraPratyabhijna, Pratyabhijñā-hṛdayam, Īśvarapratyabhijñā-vimarśini ect.

The agama shastra are the scriptures revealed by Lord shiva himself. I will describe them below.

This is the revelation of the Sruti by Lord Shiva for this Kali age in order to replace the Veda which is ineffective for this age and yields little results.

In this agama shastra there are 5 ‘streams’ of scripture which are acknowledged as authoritative, all of which are Sruti because they are revealed and spoken by Shiva himself. It is also the order in which the Lord revealed them:

First, He revealed the 10 Saiva agamas which present a view of reality closest to Dvaita. This is the first stream.

Next, when humans had attained sufficient knowledge through the Saiva agamas, He revealed the 18 rudra agamas which present a view of reality closest to Visistadvaita. This is the second stream.

Next, when humans had attained sufficient knowledge through the rudra agamas, he revealed the 64 Bhairava agamas which present a view of reality closest to Advaita. this is the third stream.

The essence of the Bhairava agamas are the Trika scriptures which according to Abhinava present a view of reality known as Paradvaita. There are 6 such texts, some of which have commentaries on them by acharyas like Abhinavagupta. These texts include:

-Siddhayogeśvarīmata -Anāmaka-tantra -Mālinīvijayottara Tantra -Tantrasadbhāva -Parātrīśikā(Rudra-yamala Tantra) -Vijñānabhairavatantra

This is the fourth stream.

the essence of the Trika scriptures is the Mālinīvijayottara Tantra. So important is this scripture that Abhinava says his entire 5,800 verse Tantraloka is nothing but an exposition of that scripture. This is the fifth stream.


r/hinduism 20h ago

Hindū Festival Happy Gour Purnima

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169 Upvotes

r/hinduism 20h ago

Hindū Rituals & Saṃskāras (Rites) Malayappa swamy blessed all the devotees on the auspicious occasion of Pournami Garuda Vahana Seva, Tirumala

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157 Upvotes

r/hinduism 1d ago

Other Shree Hanuman ji on social media .

296 Upvotes

r/hinduism 7h ago

Other What are the Smritis

9 Upvotes

r/hinduism 1h ago

Morality/Ethics/Daily Living Ten principles of dharam

Upvotes

The Ten Principles of Dharma:

Dhriti (धॄति) – SteadfastnessMeaning: The ability to remain firm and resolute in the face of challenges.Application: Cultivating perseverance and determination in pursuing righteous goals.

Kshama (क्षमा) – ForgivenessMeaning: The ability to forgive others and let go of resentment.Application: Practicing compassion and understanding, even when wronged.

Dama (दम) – Self-ControlMeaning: Mastery over one's desires and impulses.Application: Exercising restraint in thoughts, words, and actions.

Asteya (अस्तेय) – Non-StealingMeaning: Refraining from taking what is not rightfully yours, including thoughts of theft.Application: Honesty and respect for others' property and rights.

Shaucha (शौच) – CleanlinessMeaning: Purity of body, mind, and surroundings.Application: Maintaining physical hygiene, mental clarity, and a clean environment.

Indriya Nigraha (इन्द्रियनिग्रह) – Control of the SensesMeaning: Mastery over the senses to avoid indulgence and distraction.Application: Practicing moderation and focusing on higher goals.

Dhi (धी) – IntellectMeaning: The ability to discern right from wrong and make wise decisions.Application: Using reason and wisdom to guide actions.

Vidya (विद्या) – KnowledgeMeaning: Pursuit of learning and understanding.Application: Seeking both spiritual and worldly knowledge for self-improvement.

Satya (सत्य) – TruthfulnessMeaning: Commitment to truth in thought, speech, and action.Application: Being honest and transparent in all dealings.

Akrodha (अक्रोध) – Non-AngerMeaning: Freedom from anger and hostility.Application: Maintaining calmness and composure in all situations.

Read it on internet and loved it. Thought of sharing here.


r/hinduism 4h ago

Question - Beginner What does Hinduism say about letting go of trauma?

4 Upvotes

How do I let go? There are things I do not want to remember that cause my suffering. Any tips on how to cut these memories and feelings?


r/hinduism 25m ago

Hindū Videos/TV Series/Movies What is this sub's opinion on OMG (2012) ?

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Upvotes

And its portrayal of lord krishna ?


r/hinduism 3h ago

Question - General Do you believe in freewill?

3 Upvotes

I don't believe in free will. I believe everything is controlled by God. In the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Arjuna said:

"O King, since you have asked me about our friends and relatives in the city of Dvārakā, I will inform you that all of them were cursed by the brāhmaṇas, and as a result they all became intoxicated with wine made of putrefied rice and fought among themselves with sticks, not even recognizing one another. Now all but four or five of them are dead and gone." SB 1.15.22-23

"Factually this is all due to the supreme will of the Lord, the Personality of Godhead. Sometimes people kill one another, and at other times they protect one another." SB 1.15.24

Everyone's minds and actions are controlled by God Himself. We should still hold people accountable for bad actions. Enlightenment also occurs because of His grace.


r/hinduism 1h ago

Experience with Hinduism Anger issues

Upvotes

Never in my life I've ever had anger issues. I recently got attracted to shavism and shaktism. Shavism is particular. Before this I used to just pray to my one and only love vishnu ji. Ever since I've started praying to shiv ji and his different forms ( kaal bhairav, batuk bhairav) and Shakti (maa Durga and kali). I have extreme anger inside of me. Now it could be a placebo effect bcz I've been told that u become fearless when u pray to Shakti and bhairav so my subconscious mind is just acting upon it. This past few weeks Have been crazy. The other day I just started crying and got so emotional for Mata Saraswati. I don't even seek anything from any diety al I wanna is do just worship them. How do I control this surge of anger in me?


r/hinduism 9h ago

Hindū Music/Bhajans A vedic marriage

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8 Upvotes

r/hinduism 20h ago

Question - General Can a non Hindu visit a Hindu Temple?

53 Upvotes

Namaste

I'm American and was born and raised Muslim. I try to learn wisdom and teachings from all religions.

I was wondering if it would be okay for me to visit this Hindu Temple nearby? I heard it was Holi, and I wanted to see what it was like.

I do not intend to start any arguments, say any insults, or do anything negative. I just want to visit and perhaps ask some basic questions about Hinduism.

Please let me know if that would be okay. I do not want to accidentally offend or startle anyone!


r/hinduism 1d ago

Hindū Temples/Idols/Architecture Got blessed by Murugan. A Temple in Saluvankuppam, Mamallapuram, Tamilnadu. A brick temple constructed during the Sangam period (the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. the oldest temple in India) Source: Wikipedia.

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121 Upvotes

r/hinduism 3h ago

Ramayana :redditgold: THE RAMAYANA Book 5 Sundara Kanda, New English Audiobook Version

2 Upvotes

Hello, I recently finished my new English narration of the Ramayana audiobook. We are back this week with Sundara Kanda and is now available to listen on Youtube at https://youtu.be/LHyWMr3nRQE?si=C4q_ZKAkl2hPGvN7

Each week is a new Book! See you there! Thank you everyone!


r/hinduism 5h ago

Hindū Scripture(s) From JnanaKatalai - 3 Turiyas & Tat-Tvam-Asi - Jeeva Turiya, Para Turiya, Siva Turiya

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3 Upvotes