Essays on Hinduism and Islam

Religion and politics do not make as lethal a mix as Politics and violence

Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Gaffar Khan, Suu Kyi, The Dalai Lama were /are  staunch believers in their religion and examples of politics based on compassion and humane values. Then there are ‘Secularists”, Stalin, Mao, Jinnah, The US administration with their blend of secularism and politics. Ed extracts from TOI Secularists aren’t saints Madhu Purnima …

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Islam and Peace:Muslims must speak in one voice against extremism

An article courtesy  TOI, of  17 March. It is very very rare to see such frank opinions on extremists, root cause for extremism, especially when linked to a religion with more than its share of violence and man made tragedies. Even brave souls like MJ Akbar have not been so forthright in in voicing their …

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Top French honour for Pondy Sanskrit scholar

Top French honour for Pondy Sanskrit scholar Bosco Dominique | TNN BIRTHDAY GIFT: S Sambanda Sivacharyar, Sanskrit scholar and research assistant of French Institute of Pondicherry Puducherry: He has been working more than 10 hours a day for the past five decades, collecting palm leaf manuscripts in different scripts from various parts of country and …

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Aurangzeb :: The worst thing to happen to the “Idea of India”

Acceptance of the havoc created by Aurangzeb, and in general by other followers of orthodox Islam, is key to having a progressive dialogue to make movement forward towards religious harmony in India. This article refers to research conducted by Francois Gautier, by studying Mughal references archived in Bikaner Museum. The author then tries to link this with a case to muslims softening their stand on Babri Masjid, suggesting voluntary relocation of some key flash points such as the Babri Masjid, as a radical step by the community to win over the confidence of the hindus, who have over the decades and centuries been in complete acceptance of Islam and demonstrated this by adoption of the mystical Sufi traditions and saints as their own.