The thing is, Hindu holy men don’t work out of an “office,” so the idea of a “Church” doesn’t really exist. The mandir is where the Gods of that temple live and there are priests to take care of them. When you go to the mandir you are going specifically for an audience (darshan) with that God. But your spiritual identity isn’t really bound to that mandir. This is totally different from the notion of congregational worship where the church actually is the spiritual heart of the community. Even the guru relationship is more analogous to a classroom than a congregation. Nowadays the notion of a guru is very specifically reserved for spiritual education because the education system has been formalized and Westernized, but historically the guru is just your teacher. He could be teaching you religious concepts, he could also be teaching you how to weave baskets, play the flute, or club people upside the head with a mace.

Like alot of people have said, it didn’t offend me either, but I’m glad someone is at least pointing out the significance of using that imagery. If nothing else, people might learn a bit more about Hinduism.

I’m probably one of a handful of Hindus in the 18-25 age group who actually identifies as Hindu and knows enough about it to defend it or answer questions if people have any.

But I’m not so myopic about the world to believe that even a majority of my “co-religionists” in my age group (or more likely, people who happen to have been born to parents with the same religion) are like me.

Hinduism, at least in this country, is never going to be as reactionary as Islam. Never. It’s just not going to happen.

These types of articles are not controversies.

But the community of disciples of specific gurus are a type of congregation. The guru-sisya culture has been existent in South Asia for thousands of years. Disciples have congregated in the guru’s ashram for thousands of years.

Anyway, I have just finished eating dinner with a family here in which the young bahu sat and ate while her husband served the entire family – including his bibi and bibi’s saas (his mother) – fresh hot rotis from the rasoi. And the patriarch (husband’s father), waited til all of us – including his wife and women in his family ate, then he ate. First time ever experience. All my previous experiences have been the bahu serving everyone – including serving the men first.

So I’m “coming around” to the idea of marrying a Desi guy afterall – any takers?

And can you cook?

A mandir is not a congregational site. A public place of worship =/= congregation in the sense that Abrahamic religions work.

Just the other day I was at an “environmental meeting” convened to address issues in the area. Some big names were there – Vandana Shiva (of whom I’m a fan) being one of them. Most of the people at the meeting were not locals and despite having good intentions (I hope), were completely out of touch with the ground realities of the area. These are city people who want to see the area cleaned and greened because they are EMBARRASSED that parts of India are like this. Instead of going to the locals and inquiring from them what they want and need and getting their input, they want to go ahead full force with “progress” that is not congruent with the socio-economic realities of the area, what to speak of the unique culture.

I have also found such attitudes to be prevalent here. So many times comments are written regarding “poverty porn” and how firganis write articles about elephants and cows in the streets, snake charmers, etc. It appears to me that “modern” Indians are EMBARRASSED of these ground realities of India.

Sure, those snake charmers can be annoying when they follow you around with that cobra in the basket but guess what – that is their way of making a living! At one point in time they were hired entertainers. Now their trade has been relegated to almost begging but what they do is nothing to be ashamed of.

Cow herding has been the backbone of Indian economy since the days of Krishna.

Elephant raising and training is also a bonafide means of earning a living.

There’s no reason to be embarrassed over these things and expect firganis to write articles about INFOSYS and the pubs of Bangalore.

Believe it or not, most tourists to India do not come here for the the great pubs and nightclubs. We can get that anywhere.

India has something other to offer than shopping malls, coffeee shops and “discos”.

If I were a poor Indian I would feel deeply hurt that my fellow Desis are ashamed of me and don’t want my story to be told.

As far as Hindusim being a religion only to be practiced alone and in one’s home – who’s fooling whom? Mandirs have been built here for thousands of years. Hinduism has a very strong congregational history.

Haryana se, PG

Read more Hobsbawm.

The entire world order is based on the assumption of the validity of “imagined communities.” “Imagined” doesn’t mean “fake,” it just means abstracted. People are capable of interacting with an entities larger than the maximally sized community that human cognition can handle (generally tops out at about 150-200 people) precisely through this abstraction. A “faith community” doesn’t stop at one specific church group. Where do you think the concept of “christendom” came from?

What’s funny is that someone who is actually trying to stick up for you and your religion is what offends you. The guy who’s got your back is somehow wrong. But the guy who takes the p*** out of you is OK? I just wonder what is wrong with Hindus sometimes that they would back up the very people who mock them and get their noses out of joint about people who are trying to stick up for them. It’s amazing, really. Or maybe not – perhaps that explains why India allowed itself to be ruled by, basically anyone who felt like it, for a thousand years.

AND Hinduism in general – in the US or here in India – is too chilled out to care, but I guess being easily offended is a necessary precondition for being a spokesperson for any religion?

Anyway, even if the other religions dominate the physical plane, we Hindus will always have eternity! It ain’t called Sanatan Dharma for nothing, you know!

What would you rather have – a bit of squabbling over a small bit of illusional “reality” or the entire universe for all eternity.

Peace out.