Devdutt Pattanaik’s recent framing of “Brahmins as secret Muslims” and his analogy between Brahminical and Islamic ways of life rests on several contestable historical, textual, and sociological assumptions that can be systematically challenged. The “secret Muslims” thesis collapses very different histories and concepts into a single polemical frame. A counter‑narrative can be built by takingContinue reading ““Brahmins as secret Muslims”: Devdutt Pattnaik’s hodge-podge he tries selling as exotic delicacy”
Tag Archives: India
The European Union (EU): a “tin-pot republic” in stark contrast to India’s sophisticated and enduring political Union?
The ongoing Russo-Ukraine War has badly exposed the fragility and instability of the political unity and integrity of Europe and NATO. Watching the scenes and debates inside the European Parliament makes one suspect that the Union is rapidly fraying at its seams which may give way anytime soon. As an Indian looking at the theContinue reading “The European Union (EU): a “tin-pot republic” in stark contrast to India’s sophisticated and enduring political Union?”
“Is there a case for Religion?”: Well… no, not to India and not in the Western sense
https://open.substack.com/pub/jimpalmerauthor/p/is-there-a-case-for-religion?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email I read the Op-Ed above with amused interest… interest because matters of Religion always have stoked my curiosity; and amused because I’m reminded of two old sayings — “The more things change, the more they remain the same” and “What goes round always comes around”. Religion went out of fashion and favour for theContinue reading ““Is there a case for Religion?”: Well… no, not to India and not in the Western sense”
“Were there Brahmins in South India 2,000 years ago?”… Why Devdutt Pattnaik is dead wrong .
Here is a column that Devdutt Pattnaik wrote in The Deccan Herald : Were there Brahmins in South India 2,000 years ago?: https://www.deccanherald.com/opinion/were-there-brahmins-in-south-india-2000-years-ago-3726957?utm_source=mail&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=socialshare Here below are a few “nuggets” from the above article; QUOTE: We normally assume that Brahmins have been present in every corner of India for the last 5,000 years. But this isContinue reading ““Were there Brahmins in South India 2,000 years ago?”… Why Devdutt Pattnaik is dead wrong .”
“The Death of the Brahmin-Liberal”: M. K. Sudarshan – a new book published (Blue Rose Publishers (India/ UK): just out on retail bookstores and online outlets! Order Now and gift a copy to family and friends this Deepavali !
My newly published book is just out in the bookstores! Please find the links below . You can book your order by clicking any one of the online retail outlets. BLUEROSE STORE:https://blueroseone.com/store/product/the-death-of-the-brahmin-liberal AMAZON:https://www.amazon.in/dp/9373100432 FLIPKART:https://www.flipkart.com/product/p/itme?pid=9789373100432 ************ ABOUT THE BOOK The book’s central thesis is that the balanced and principled “Brahmin-Liberal” ethos embodied by Srinivasa Sastri—marked by civility,Continue reading ““The Death of the Brahmin-Liberal”: M. K. Sudarshan – a new book published (Blue Rose Publishers (India/ UK): just out on retail bookstores and online outlets! Order Now and gift a copy to family and friends this Deepavali !”
Peter Turchin, “Manu-Smriti” and the “distress” of “Elite Overproduction” looming over India – (Part 3 of 3) CONCLUDED
Let it not be misunderstood that today in the Democratic Republic of India, any body — not even an obscure, even maybe obscurantist writer like me — would be foolhardy enough to argue for the Manu Smriti to replace the Constitution of India. That would be sheer political sacrilege today in India… No, none ofContinue reading “Peter Turchin, “Manu-Smriti” and the “distress” of “Elite Overproduction” looming over India – (Part 3 of 3) CONCLUDED”
Peter Turchin, “Manu-Smriti” and the “distress” of “Elite Overproduction” looming over India – (Part 2 of 3)
The Varnashrama system, as described in Manusmriti and other ancient texts, was structured fundamentally to organize society based on vocational aptitudes and duties, aiming to maintain social order and harmony in accordance with cosmic and moral laws (dharma). (Chapter 1.88-91). This system classified society into four main varnas: Brahmins (priests and teachers), Kshatriyas (warriors and rulers),Continue reading “Peter Turchin, “Manu-Smriti” and the “distress” of “Elite Overproduction” looming over India – (Part 2 of 3)”
Peter Turchin, “Manu-Smriti” and the “distress” of “Elite Overproduction” looming over India – (Part 1 of 3)
In June 2023 — around the time that the terrifying storm of havoc caused by the Corona Virus abated, Peter Turchin, an American social-scientist published a book with a title as terrifying as the great Pandemic itself. The book “End Times: Elites, Counter-Elites, and the Path of Political Disintegration” https://a.co/d/6tKhBYZ very soon attracted the attentionContinue reading “Peter Turchin, “Manu-Smriti” and the “distress” of “Elite Overproduction” looming over India – (Part 1 of 3)”
An interesting exchange of views with “Eepa” on which language Hanuman spoke to Sri Rama when they met for the very first time – (Part 2 of 2) CONCLUDED
Eepa’s unique perspective still did not stop me from persisting in the other more pedestrian question for which too I pressed him for an answer: What could have been the language in which Hanuman spoke so impressively that it absolutely captivated Sri Rama ? “யார் கொலோ இச்சொல்வின் செல்வன்?” (“Who is this prince of words?”) InContinue reading “An interesting exchange of views with “Eepa” on which language Hanuman spoke to Sri Rama when they met for the very first time – (Part 2 of 2) CONCLUDED”
The fake Voter-ID: A British legacy of Balkanising India
Reading the below summary (please scroll down below to read ) makes me feel very sympathetic to Sri. Amit Shah or for that matter anyone who occupies the Home Minister of India seat. I now understand with much greater clarity than ever before how British Colonialism must bear full responsibility for India’s stupendous and enervatingContinue reading “The fake Voter-ID: A British legacy of Balkanising India”