Category: Hindus’ History

Real origin of the Kashmir problem

 

From: Avnish Kashyap < >

 

Real origin of the Kashmir problem 

Jammu and Kashmir

 

For years before independence Kashmir head of state was Hindu. If Kashmir is a Muslim state, how did they appoint a Hindu king? Probably, all (the Hindustani) Muslims are Hindu converts due to Islamic invasions. This is my personal opinion. – Sarpeshkar

If World War III were to begin, most defense and political experts the most likely place will be Kashmir and between Nuclear powers India and Pakistan. Everyone seems to sense this, yet the two countries remain locked in a dangerous confrontation. The main flashpoint is Kashmir.

What are the origins of the problem and what keeps the fire of conflict raging?  Having no legal right to claim Kashmir but desiring it all costs, a belligerent and aggressive Pakistan has waged four very costly and unsuccessful wars on India seeking to wrest control of Kashmir from India by force. Pakistan’s greatest military and political supporter always has been America. Why?

Conflict is an expensive affair. Yet Pakistan with an economy that survives on handouts, grants and subsidies primarily from America and American allies.

Why would the world’s most powerful nation, which portrays itself as ‘The Champion of Freedom and Democracy’ support an incompetent, corrupt, theocratic, fundamentalist, terrorist, military regime with state of the art weapons and training etc. to continuously wage war on India, a peace loving secular democratic nation? Why?

Why in the name of fighting terrorism give Pakistan weapons that can only be used only against India such as aircraft with nuclear weapons delivery capabilities? Why?
This requires us to travel back in history before Indian independence.

Britain became an empire by being effective, in protecting and furthering her own interests at all costs, while being extremely polite and diplomatic. Britain’s interest was to retain indirect control of India even after independence. This is still done in many ways, but here we will only discuss the military one.

A weakened Britain backed by a powerful America did not want to leave a power vacuum in which communist Soviet Union and a possibly China could take control. So they proposed British bases and armed forces to be retained in India after independence. Indian leaders refused to allow the stationing of foreign troops

Jinnah on the other hand made a deal with the British, that if they partitioned India, and provided provide military and economic aid to Pakistan, then he would give free rein to the British to do as they chose. This was a major incentive for the British to partition India. Bengal and Kashmir were two strategic areas from which British and American forces could keep in check, both Russia and China.

In pursuit of their grand objectives, the Americans in 1954 chose Turkey, Iran and Pakistan as their defense partners to contain Russia and communism. In 1955 SEATO and CENTO was formed and had expanded to include UK and Iraq also.  In 1959. Massive American aid began gushing into Pakistan, turning a relatively small insignificant nation into a monster.

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Mountbatten, Nehru and Edwina

Inexplicably both India and Pakistan agreed to retain Britishers as Commander-in-Chief and Chiefs of Air and Naval Staff, of their respective armies, even after independence. Lord Mountbatten was appointed the Governor General of India.

Mountbatten, not Nehru presided over the proceedings of the Defense Committee of the Cabinet. Incredulously Nehru willingly handed over control of the security and defense of the country to the British. More shocking is the silence of all Indian leaders, the intellectuals and the general public on this matter.

The heads of the armed forces both of India and Pakistan which were commanded by British generals, were in a unique position to influence the course of the military action. The Attlee Government in the UK, Mountbatten and the British generals in India and General Gracey, British C-in-C of Pakistani army, conspired to stop India from making full use of its military strength to throw out Pakistani forces from Jammu and Kashmir or to attack Pakistan in 1947-48.
Recently unclassified British records reveal that, Mountbatten and his officers collectively projected to Indian leaders a deliberately exaggerated picture of India’s military limitations, vis-a-vis Pakistan. General Busher, C-in-C Indian Army, issued a directive on July 6, 1948, to General Cariappa in Jammu and Kashmir, that no major operation should be undertaken without approval of Army HQ. He forbade the use of the Indian Air force. Mountbatten further advised India to take the case to the United Nations.
Evidence by way of interviews and records of this conspiracy have been recorded by C. Das Gupta in his book War and Diplomacy in Kashmir 1947-48 by Sage Publications, New Delhi.

*गांधी वध क्यों* एक ऐसी पुस्तक

From Shriharsha Sharma < >

*गांधी वध क्यों* एक ऐसी पुस्तक

To call Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi ” Mahatma’ or great person, holy person is a not a mistake but a blunder, which is destroying Hindus and Hinduism and everything attached to glorious word Hindu for nearly a century since his arrival in British India from South Africa in 1915.

Mahatma is he who thinks, treats and acts with balance to treat and behaves equally with all as far as possible but Gandhi treated Muslims better and considered them superior and close to his heart for this you see his writings, actions and acts of appeasement throughout so it is correct to call him ‘ Duratma’ or evil person.

 

Gandhi polluted are devotional songs by adding the line ‘ ishwar allah tera naam’ in the bhajan, (so it is not worth singing any more). Then he advised and introduced reading of Qu ‘ran in Temples. He also asked Muslims to read and recite Gita and Ramayan in Masjids, Muslims not only ignored but laughed and mocked on this. Hindus read Qu’ ran in many temples (skanda987 thinks this is not correct.)

 

Non-Muslims must know the meaning of Allah. Allah is not synonymous to God. ‘Allah’ means God of Muslims only according to their Book.

 

Rajghat must be demolished and it must be replaced with the monuments of true sons and daughters of Bharatmata, not with those who destroyed Akhand Bharat and who gave us broken, partitioned, mutilated, divided, disfigured, depressed corrupt and chaotic Bharat.

 

The Goa Inquisition

From: Mohan Natarajan < >

The Goa Inquisition

Dr. T. R. de Souza

“At least from 1540 onwards, and in the island of Goa before that year, all the Hindu idols had been annihilated or had disappeared, all the temples had been destroyed and their sites and building material was in most cases utilized to erect new Christian Churches and chapels. Various viceregal and Church council decrees banished the Hindu priests from the Portuguese territories; the public practices of Hindu rites including marriage rites, were banned; the state took upon itself the task of bringing up Hindu orphan children; the Hindus were denied certain employments, while the Christians were preferred; it was ensured that the Hindus would not harass those who became Christians, and on the contrary, the Hindus were obliged to assemble periodically in Churches to listen to prea! ching or to the refutation of their religion.”
“A particularly grave abuse was practiced in Goa in the form of ‘mass baptism’ and what went before it. The practice was begun by the Jesuits and was alter initiated by the Franciscans also. The Jesuits staged an annual mass baptism on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul (January 25), and in order to secure as many neophytes as possible, a few days before the ceremony the Jesuits would go through the streets of the Hindu quarter in pairs, accompanied by their Negro slaves, whom they would urge to seize the Hindus. When the blacks caught up a fugitive, they would smear his lips with a piece of beef, making him an ‘untouchable’ among his people. Conversion to Christianity was then his only option.”
The Goan inquisition is regarded by all contemporary portrayals as the most violent inquisition ever executed by the Portuguese Catholic Church. It lasted from 1560 to 1812. The inquisition was set as a tribunal, headed by a judge, sent to Goa from Portugal and was assisted by two judicial henchmen. The judge was answerable to no one except to Lisbon and handed down punishments as he saw fit. The Inquisition Laws filled 230 pages and the palace where the Inquisition was conducted was known as the Big House and the Inquisition proceedings were always conducted behind closed shutters and closed doors. The screams of agony of the victims (men, women, and children) could be heard in the streets, in the stillness of the night, as they were brutally interrogated, flogged, and slowly dismembered in front of their relatives. Eyelids were sliced off and extremities were amputated carefully, a person could remain conscious even though the only thing that remained was his torso and head.
Diago de Boarda, a priest and his advisor Vicar General, Miguel Vazz had made a 41 point plan for torturing Hindus. Under this plan Viceroy Antano de Noronha issued in 1566, an order applicable to the entire area und! er Portuguese rule :
“I hereby order that in any area owned by my master, the king, nobody should construct a Hindu temple and such temples already constructed should not be repaired without my permission. If this order is transgressed, such temples shall be, destroyed and the goods in them shall be used to meet expenses of holy deeds, as punishment of such transgression.”
In 1567 the campaign of destroying temples in Bardez met with success. At the end of it 300 Hindu temples were destroyed. Enacting laws, prohibition was laid from December 4, 1567 on rituals of Hindu marriages, sacred thread wearing and cremation. All the persons above 15 years of age were compelled to listen to Christian preaching, failing which they were punished.
A religious fatva was issued on the basis of the findings of Goa Inquiry Commission. It stated, “…Hereby we declare the decision that the conventions mentioned in the preamble of the fatva as stated below are permanently d! eclared as useless, and therefore prohibited.”

Prohibitions Regarding Marriages

  • The instruments for Hindu songs shall not be played.
  • While giving dowry the relatives of the bride and groom must not be invited.
  • At the time of marriage, betel leaf packages (pan) must not be distributed either publicly or in private to the persons present.
  • Flowers, or fried puris, betel nuts and leaves must not be sent to the heads of the houses of the bride or groom.
  • Gotraj ceremony of family God must not be performed.
  • On the day prior to a wedding, rice must not be husked, spices must not be pounded, grains must not be ground and other recipes for marriage feast must not be cooked.
  • Pandals and festoons must not be used.
  • Pithi should not be applied.
  • The bride must not be accorded ceremonial welcome. The bride and groom must not be made to sit under pandal to convey blessings and best wishes to them.
  • The poor must not be fed or ceremonial meals must not be served for the peace of the souls of the dead.
  • There should be no fasting on ekadashi day.
  • Fasting can be done according to the Christian principles.
  • No rituals should be performed on the twelfth day after death, on moonless and full moon dates.
  • Hindu men should not wear dhoti either in public or in their houses. Women should not wear cholis .
  • They should not plant Tulsi in their houses, compounds, gardens or any other place.
Following the law of 1567, orphans were kidnapped for converting them to Christianity.
On September 22, 1570 an order was issued that : l

  • The Hindus embracing Christianity will be exempted from land taxes for a period of 15 years.
  • Nobody shall bear Hindu names or surnames.
In 1583 Hindu temples at Esolna and Kankolim were destroyed through army action.
“The fathers of the Church forbade the Hindus under terrible penalties the use of their own sacred books, and prevented them from all exercise of their religion. They destroyed their temples, and so harassed and interfered with the people that they abandoned the city in large numbers, refusing to remain any longer in a place where they had no liberty, and were liable to imprisonment, torture and death if they worshipped after their own fashion the gods of their fathers.” wrote Sasetti, who was in India from 1578 to 1588.
An order was issued in June 1684 eliminating Konkani language and makin! g it compulsory to speak Portuguese language. The law provided for dealing toughly with anyone using the local language. Following that law all the symbols of non-Christian sects were destroyed and the books written in local languages were burnt.
The Archbishop living on the banks of the Ethora had said during one of his lecture series, “The post of Inquiry Commission in Goa is regarded as holy.” The women who opposed the assistants of the commission were put behind the bars and were used by them to satisfy their animal instincts. Then they were burnt alive as opponents of the established tenets of the Catholic church.
The victims of such inhuman laws of the Inquiry Commission included a French traveller named Delone. He was an eye witness to the atrocities, cruelty and reign of terror unleashed by priests. He published a book in 1687 describing the lot of helpless victims. While he was in jail he had heard the cries of tortured people beaten with instruments havi! ng sharp teeth. All these details are noted in Delone’s book.
So harsh and notorious was the inquisition in Goa, that word of its brutality and horrors reached Lisbon but nothing was done to stop this notoriety and escalating barbarity and it continued for two hundred more years. No body knows the exact number of Goans subjected to these diabolical tortures, but perhaps it runs into hundreds of thousands, may be even more. The abominations of inquisitions continued until a brief respite was given in 1774 but four years later, the inquisition was introduced again and it continued un-interruptedly until 1812. At that point in time, in the year of 1812, the British put pressure on the Portuguese to put an end to the terror of Inquisition and the presence of British troops in Goa enforced the British desire. Also the Portuguese power at this time was declining and they could not fight the British. The palace of the Grand Inquisitor, the Big House, was demolished and no trace of ! it remains today, which might remind someone of inquisitions and the horrors inside this Big House that their great saint Francis Xavier had commenced.
Dr. Trasta Breganka Kunha, a Catholic citizen of Goa writes, “Inspite of all the mutilations and concealment of history, it remains an undoubted fact that religious conversion of Goans is due to methods of force adopted by the Portuguese to establish their rule. As a result of this violence the character of our people was destroyed. The propagation of Christian sect in Goa came about not by religious preaching but through the methods of violence and pressure. If any evidence is needed for this fact, we can obtain it through law books, orders and reports of the local rulers of that time and also from the most dependable documents of the Christian sect.â€

मुसलमान राजाओं के हिन्दु प्रजा पर जुल्म।

From: Pramod Agrawal < >

What happened to the Hindus in Muslim Rules in Hindustan?

1) महमूद ग़ज़नवी —वर्ष 997 से 1030 तक 2000000, बीस लाख सिर्फ बीस लाख लोगों को महमूद ग़ज़नवी ने तो क़त्ल किया था और 750000 सात लाख पचास हज़ार लोगों को गुलाम बनाकर भारत से ले गया था 17 बार के आक्रमण के दौरान (997 -1030) —- जिन्होंने इस्लाम कबूल कर लिया, वे शूद्र बना कर इस्लाम में शामिल कर लिए गए। इनमे ब्राह्मण भी थे क्षत्रिय भी वैश्य भी और शूद्र तो थे ही।

2) दिल्ली_सल्तनत –1206 से 1210 —- कुतुबुद्दीन ऐबक —सिर्फ 20000 गुलाम राजा भीम से लिए थे और 50000 गुलाम कालिंजर के राजा से लिए थे। जो नहीं माना उनकी बस्तियों कीबस्तियां उजाड़ दीं। गुलामों की उस समय यह हालत हो गयी कि गरीब से गरीब मुसलमान के पास भी सैंकड़ों हिन्दू गुलाम हुआ करते थे ।

3) इल्ल्तुत्मिश —1236– जो भी मिलता उसे गुलाम बना कर, उस पर इस्लाम थोप देता था।

4) बलबन —-1250-60 — ने एक राजाज्ञा निकल दी थी, 8 वर्षसे ऊपर का कोई भी आदमी मिले उसे मौत के घाट उत्तर दो। महिलाओं और लड़कियों वो गुलाम बना लिया करता था। उसने भी शहर के शहर खाली कर दिए।

5) अलाउद्दीन_ख़िलजी —- 1296 -1316 — अपने सोमनाथ की लूट के दौरान उसने कम उम्र की 20000 हज़ार लड़कियों को दासी बनाया, और अपने शासन में इतने लड़के और लड़कियों को गुलाम बनाया कि गिनतीकलम से लिखी नहीं जा सकती। उसने हज़ारों क़त्ल करे थे और उसके गुलमखाने में 50000 लड़के थे और 70000 गुलाम लगातार उसके लिए इमारतें बनाने का काम करते थे। इस समय का ज़िक्र आमिर खुसरो के लफ़्ज़ों में इस प्रकार है ” तुर्क जहाँ से चाहे हिंदुओं को उठा लेते थे और जहाँ चाहे बेच देतेथे।

6) मोहम्मद_तुगलक —1325 -1351 —इसके समय पर तने कैदी हो गए थे की हज़ारों की संख्या में रोज़ कौड़ियों के दाम पर बेचे जाते थे।

7) फ़िरोज़_शाह_तुगलक — 1351 -1388 — इसके पास 180000 गुलाम थे जिसमे से 40000 इसके महल की सुरक्षा में लगे हुए थे। इसी समय “इब्न बतूता ” लिखते हैं की क़त्ल करने और गुलाम बनाने की वज़ह से गांव के गांव खाली हो गए थे। गुलाम खरीदने और बेचने के लिए खुरासान, गज़नी, कंधार, काबुल और समरकंद मुख्य मंडियां हुआ करती थीं। वहां पर इस्तांबुल,इराक और चीन से से भी गुलाम ला कर बेचे जाते थे।

8) तैमूर_लंग –1398/99 — ये दिल्ली पर हमले के दौरान 100000 गुलामों को मौत के घाट उतरने के पश्चात,2 से ढ़ाईलाख कारीगर गुलाम बना कर समरकंद और मध्य एशिया ले गया।

9) सैय्यद_वंश –1400-1451 — हिन्दुओं के लिए कुछ नहीं बदला, इसने कटिहार, मालवा और अलवर को लूटा और जो पकड़ में आया उसे या तो मार दिया या गुलाम बना लिया।

10) लोधी_वंश-1451–1525 —- इसके सुल्तान बहलूल ने नीमसार से हिन्दुओं का पूरी तरह से वंशनाश कर दिया और उसके बेटे सिकंदर लोधी ने यही हाल रीवां और ग्वालियर का किया।

11) मुग़ल_राज्य –1525 -1707 — बाबर — इतिहास में, क़ुरान की कंठस्थ आयतों,कत्लेआम और गुलाम बनाने के लिए ही जाना जाता है।

12) अकबर —1556 -1605 —- बहुत महान था यह अकबर महाशय चित्तोड़ ने जब इनकी सत्ता मानाने से इंकार कर दिया तो इन्होने 30000 काश्तकारों और 8000 राजपूतों को या तो मार दिया या गुलाम बना लिया और, एक दिन भरी दोपहर में 2000कैदियों का सर कलम किया था। कहते हैं की इसने गुलाम प्रथा रोकने की बहुत कोशिश की फिर भी इसके हरम में 5000 महिलाएं थीं। इनके समय में ज्यादातर लड़कों को खासतौर पर बंगाल की तरफ से अपहरण किया जाता था और उन्हें हिजड़ा बना दिया जाता था। इसके मुख्य सेनापति अब्दुल्लाहखान उज़्बेग, की अगर मानी जाये तो उसने 500000 पुरुषों को गुलाम बना कर मुसलमान बनाया था और उसके हिसाब से क़यामत केदिन तक वह लोग एक करोड़ हो जायेंगे।

13) जहांगीर 1605 –1627 — इन साहब के हिसाब से इनके और इनके बाप के शासन काल में 5 से 600000 मूर्तिपूजकों का कत्ल किया गया था और सिर्फ 1619-20 में ही इसने 200000 हिन्दू गुलामों को ईरान में बेचाथा।

14) शाहजहाँ 1628 –1658 —-इसके राज में बस इस्लाम ही कानून था, या तो मुसलमान बन जाओ या मौत के घाट उत्तर जाओ। आगरा में एक दिन इसने 4000 हिन्दुओं को मौत के घाट उतरा था। जवान लड़कियां इसके हरम भेज दी जाती थीं। इसके हरम में सिर्फ 8000 औरतें थी।

15) औरंगज़ेब–1658-1707 — इसके बारे में तो बस इतना ही कहा जा सकता है की, जब तक सवा मन जनेऊ नहीं तुलवा लेता था पानी नहीं पीता था। बाकि काशी मथुरा और अयोध्या इसी की देन हैं। मथुरा के मंदिर 200 सालों में बने थे इसने अपने 50 साल के शासन में मिट्टी में मिला दिए। गोलकुंडा में सिर्फ 1659 में 22000 लड़कों को हिजड़ा बनाया था।

16) फर्रुख्सियार– 1713 -1719, यही शख्स है जो नेहरू परिवार को वजूद में लाया था, और गुरदासपुर में हजारों सिखों को मार और गुलाम बनाया था।

17) नादिर_शाह –1738 भारत आया। 200000 लोगों को मौत के घाट उत्तर कर हज़ारों सुन्दर लड़कियों को और बेशुमार दौलत ले कर चला गया।

18) अहमद_शाह_अब्दाली — 1757-1760 -1761 —-पानीपत की लड़ाई में मराठा युद्ध के दौरान हज़ारों लोग मरे, और एक बार में यह 22000 लोगों को गुलाम बना कर ले गया था।

19) टीपू_सुल्तान —1750 – 1799 —- त्रावणकोर के युद्ध में इसने 10000 हिन्दू और ईसाईयों को मारा था एक मुस्लिम किताब के हिसाब से कुर्ग में रहने वाले 70000 हिन्दुओं को इसने मुसलमान बनाया था। ऐसा नहीं कि हिंदुओं ने डटकर मुकाबला नहीं किया था, बहुत किया था, उसके बाद ही इस संख्या का निर्धारण इतिहासकारों ने किया ।

गुलाम हिन्दू चाहे मुसलमान बने या नहीं,उन्हें नीचा दिखाने के लिए इनसे अस्तबलों का, हाथियों को रखने का, सिपाहियों के सेवक होने का और बेइज़्ज़त करने के लिए साफ सफाई करने के काम दिए जाते थे। जो गुलाम नहीं भी बने उच्च वर्ण के लोग वैसे ही सब कुछ लूटा कर, अपना धर्म न छोड़ने के फेर में जजिया और तमाम तरीके के कर चुकाते चुकाते समाज में वैसे ही नीचे की पायदान शूद्रता पर पहुँच गए।

जो आतताइयों से जान बचा कर जंगलों में भाग गए जिन्दा रहने के उन्होंने मांसाहार खाना शुरू कर दिया और जैसी की प्रथा थी,और अछूत घोषित हो गए।

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Now come to the valid reason for Rigidity in Indian Caste System

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वर्ष 497 AD से 1197 AD तक भारत में एक से बढ़ कर एक विश्व विद्यालय हुआ करते थे, जैसे तक्षिला,नालंदा, जगदाला, ओदन्तपुर।

नालंदा विश्वविद्यालय में ही 10000 छात्र,2000 शिक्षक तथा नौ मंज़िल का पुस्तकालय हुआ करता था, जहाँ विश्व के विभिन्न भागों से पड़ने के लिए विद्यार्थी आते थे। ये सारे केसारे मुग़ल आक्रमण कारियों ने ध्वस्त करके जला दिए। न सिर्फ इन विद्या और ज्ञान के मंदिरों को जलाया गया बल्कि पूजा पाठ पर सार्वजानिक और निजी रूप से भी प्रतिबन्ध लगा दिया गया। इतना तो सबने पढ़ा है, लेकिन उसके बाद यह नहीं सोचा कि अपने धर्म को ज़िंदा रखने के लिए ज्ञान, धर्मशास्त्रों और संस्कारों को मुंह जुबानी पीढ़ी दर पीढ़ी आगे बढ़ाया गया ।

सबसे पहला खतरा जो धर्म पर मंडराया था,वो था मलेच्छों का हिन्दू धर्म में अतिक्रमण / प्रवेश रोकना। और जिसका जैसा वर्ण था वो उसी को बचाने लग गया।

लड़कियां मुगलों के हरम में न जाएँ,इसलिए लड़की का जन्म अभिशाप लगा,छोटी उम्र में उनकी शादी इसलिए कर दी जाती थी कि अब इसकी सुरक्षा की ज़िम्मेदारी इसका पति संभाले, मुसलमानों की गन्दी निगाह से बचने के लिए पर्दा प्रथा शुरू हो गयी।

विवाहित महिलाएं पति के युद्ध में जाते ही दुशमनों के हाथों अपमानित होने से बचने के लिए जौहर करने लगीं,विधवा स्त्रियों को मालूम था की पति के मरने के बाद उनकी इज़्ज़त बचाने कोई नहीं आएगा इसलिए सती होने लगीं, जिन हिन्दुओं को घर से बेघर कर दिया गया उन्हें भी पेट पालने के लिए ठगी लूटमार का पेशा अख्तिया करना पड़ा।

कौन सी विकृति है जो मुसलमानों के अतिक्रमण से पहले इस देश में थी और उनके आने के बाद किसी देश में नहीं है।

हिन्दू धर्म में शूद्र कृत्यों वाले बहरूपिये आवरण ओढ़ कर इसे कुरूप न कर दें इसीलिए वर्णव्यवस्था कट्टर हुई, इसलिए कोई अतिशियोक्ति नहीं कि इस पूरी प्रक्रिया में धर्म रूढ़िवादी हो गया या वर्तमान परिभाषा के हिसाब से उसमे विकृतियाँ आ गयी। मजबूरी थी वर्णों का कछुए की तरह खोल में सिकुड़ना। यहीं से वर्ण व्यवस्था का लचीलापन जो कि धर्मसम्मत था ख़त्म हो गया। इसके लिए आज अपने को शूद्र कहने वाले ब्राह्मणो या क्षत्रियों को दोष देकर अपने नए मित्रों को ज़िम्मेदार कभी नहीं ठहराते हैं .

वैसे जब आप लोग डा. सविता माई(आंबेडकर जी की ब्राह्मण पत्नी) के संस्कारों को ज़बरदस्ती छुपा सकते हैं,जब आप लोग अपने पूर्वजो के बलिदान को याद नहीं रख सकते हैं जिनकी वजह से आप आज भी हिन्दू हैं तो आप आप आज उन्मुक्त कण्ठ से ब्राह्मणो और क्षत्रिओं को गाली भी दे सकते हैं, जिनके पूर्वजों ने न जाने इस धर्म को ज़िंदा रखने के लिए क्या क्या कष्ट सहे वर्ना आज आप भी अफगानिस्तान, सीरिया और इराक जैसे दिन भोग रहे होते। और आज जिस वर्णव्यवस्था में हम विभाजित हैं उसका श्रेय 1881 एवं 1902 की अंग्रेजों द्वारा कराई गयी जनगणना है जिसमें उन्होंने demographic segmentation को सरल बनाने के लिए हिंदु समाज को इन चार वर्णों में चिपका दिया।

वैसे भील, गोंड, सन्थाल और सभी आदिवासियों के पिछड़ेपन के लिए क्या वर्णव्यवस्था जिम्मेदार है? कौन ज़िम्मेदार है इस पूरे प्रकरण के लिए अनजाने या भूलवश धर्म में विकृतियाँ लाने वाले पंडित या उन्हें मजबूर करने वाले मुसलमान आक्रांता ?? या आपसे सच्चाई छुपाने वाले इतिहास के लेखक ??

कोई भी ज़िम्मेदार हो पर हिन्दू भाइयो अब तो आपस में लड़ना छोड़ कर भविष्य की तरफ एक सकारात्मक कदम उठाओ। अगर आज हिन्दू एक होते तो आज कश्मीर घाटी में गिनती के 2984 हिन्दू न बचते और 4.50 लाख कश्मीरी हिंदू 25 साल से अपने ही देश में शरणार्थियों की तरह न रह रहे होते और 16 दिसंबर के निर्भया काण्ड,मेरठ काण्ड,हापुड़ काण्ड …………गिनती बेशुमार है, इस देश में न होते।

वैसे सबसे मजे की बात यह है कि जिनके पूर्वजों ने ये सब अत्याचार किए, 800 साल तक राज किया, वो तो पाक साफ हो कर अल्पसंख्यकों के नाम पर आरक्षण भी पा गये और कटघरे में खड़े हैं, कौन?.. जवाब आपके पास है..

 

शैतान तैमूर के कारनामे

From: Vivek Arya < >

 

शैतान तैमूर के कारनामे
डॉ विवेक आर्य
सैफ अली खान और करीना कपूर खान ने अपने नवजात बेटे का नाम नवाब तैमूर अली खान पटौदी रखा है। वैसे तो इन दोनों से अपेक्षा रखना बेकार है कि इन्हें यह मालूम होगा कि तैमूर नाम क्यों नहीं रखना चाहिए । मगर इनकी इस कारस्तानी के बहाने इतिहास में तैमूर आक्रांता द्वारा हिंदुओं पर किये गए अत्याचारों को लिखने का अवसर मिला। बहुत कम लोग जानते है कि इतिहासकार तैमूर को एक मज़हबी, जिहादी शैतान के रूप में वर्णन करते है।
 1399 ई. में तैमूर का भारत पर भयानक आक्रमण हुआ। अपनी जीवनी ‘तुजुके तैमुरी’ में वह कुरान की इस आयत से ही प्रारंभ करता है
 ‘ऐ पैगम्बर काफिरों और विश्वास न लाने वालों से युद्ध करो और उन पर सखती बरतो।’ वह आगे भारत पर अपने आक्रमण का कारण बताते हुए लिखता है।
‘हिन्दुस्तान पर आक्रमण करने का मेरा ध्येय काफिर हिन्दुओं के विरुद्ध धार्मिक युद्ध करना है (जिससे) इस्लाम की सेना को भी हिन्दुओं की दौलत और मूल्यवान वस्तुएँ मिल जायें। (1)
काश्मीर की सीमा पर कटोर नामी दुर्ग पर आक्रमण हुआ। उसने तमाम पुरुषों को कत्ल और स्त्रियों और बच्चों को कैद करने का आदेश दिया। फिर उन हठी काफिरों के सिरों के मीनार खड़े करने के आदेश दिये। फिर भटनेर के दुर्ग पर घेरा डाला गया। वहाँ के राजपूतों ने कुछ युद्ध के बाद हार मान ली और उन्हें क्षमादान दे दिया गया। किन्तु उनके असवाधान होते ही उन पर आक्रमण कर दिया गया। तैमूर अपनी जीवनी में लिखता है कि ‘थोड़े ही समय में दुर्ग के तमाम लोग तलवार के घाट उतार दिये गये। घंटे भर में १०,००० (दस हजार) लोगों के सिर काटे गये। इस्लाम की तलवार ने काफिरों के रक्त में स्नान किया। उनके सरोसामान, खजाने और अनाज को भी, जो वर्षों से दुर्ग में इकट्‌ठा किया गया था, मेरे सिपाहियों ने लूट लिया। मकानों में आग लगा कर राख कर दिया। इमारतों और दुर्ग को भूमिसात कर दिया गया। (2)
दूसरा नगर सरसुती था जिस पर आक्रमण हुआ। ‘सभी काफिर हिन्दू कत्ल कर दिये गये। उनके स्त्री और बच्चे और संपत्ति हमारी हो गई। तैमूर ने जब जाटों के प्रदेश में प्रवेश किया। उसने अपनी सेना को आदेश दिया कि ‘जो भी मिल जाये, कत्ल कर दिया जाये।’ और फिर सेना के सामने जो भी ग्राम या नगर आया, उसे लूटा गया।पुरुषों को कत्ल कर दिया गया और कुछ लोगों, स्त्रियों और बच्चों को बंदी बना लिया गया।’ (3)
दिल्ली के पास लोनी हिन्दू नगर था। किन्तु कुछ मुसलमान भी बंदियों में थे। तैमूर ने आदेश दिया कि मुसलमानों को छोड़कर शेष सभी हिन्दू बंदी इस्लाम की तलवार के घाट उतार दिये जायें। इस समय तक उसके पास हिन्दू बंदियों की संखया एक लाख हो गयी थी। जब यमुना पार कर दिल्ली पर आक्रमण की तैयारी हो रही थी उसके साथ के अमीरों ने उससे कहा कि इन बंदियों को कैम्प में नहीं छोड़ा जा सकता और इन इस्लाम के शत्रुओं को स्वतंत्र कर देना भी युद्ध के नियमों के विरुद्ध होगा।
तैमूर लिखता है-
‘इसलिये उन लोगों को सिवाय तलवार का भोजन बनाने के कोई मार्ग नहीं था। मैंने कैम्प में घोषणा करवा दी कि तमाम बंदी कत्ल कर दिये जायें और इस आदेश के पालन में जो भी लापरवाही करे उसे भी कत्ल कर दिया जाये और उसकी सम्पत्ति सूचना देने वाले को दे दी जाये। जब इस्लाम के गाजियों (काफिरों का कत्ल करने वालों को आदर सूचक नाम) को यह आदेश मिला तो उन्होंने तलवारें सूत लीं और अपने बंदियों को कत्ल कर दिया। उस दिन एक लाख अपवित्र मूर्ति-पूजककाफिर कत्ल कर दिये गये- (4)
तुगलक बादशाह को हराकर तैमूर ने दिल्ली में प्रवेश किया। उसे पता लगा कि आस-पास के देहातों से भागकर हिन्दुओं ने बड़ी संखया में अपने स्त्री-बच्चों तथा मूल्यवान वस्तुओं के साथ दिल्ली में शरण ली हुई हैं।
उसने अपने सिपाहियों को इन हिन्दुओं को उनकी संपत्ति समेत पकड़ लेने के आदेश दिये।
‘तुजुके तैमुरी’ बताती है कि ‘उनमें से बहुत से हिन्दुओं ने तलवारें निकाल लीं और विरोध किया। जहाँपनाह और सीरी से पुरानी देहली तक विद्रोहाग्नि की लपटें फैल गई। हिन्दुओं ने अपने घरों में लगा दी और अपनी स्त्रियों और बच्चों को उसमें भस्म कर युद्ध करने के लिए निकल पड़े और मारे गये। उस पूरे दिन वृहस्पतिवार को और अगले दिन शुक्रवार की सुबह मेरी तमाम सेना शहर में घुस गई और सिवाय कत्ल करने, लूटने और बंदी बनाने के उसे कुछ और नहीं सूझा। द्गानिवार १७ तारीख भी इसी प्रकार व्यतीत हुई और लूट इतनी हुई कि हर सिपाही के भाग में 80 से 100  बंदी आये जिनमें आदमी और बच्चे सभी थे। फौज में ऐसा कोई व्यक्ति न था जिसको 20 से कम गुलाम मिले हों। लूट का दूसरा सामान भी अतुलित था-लाल, हीरे,मोती, दूसरे जवाहरात, अद्गारफियाँ, सोने, चाँदी के सिक्के, सोने, चाँदी के बर्तन, रेशम और जरीदार कपड़े। स्त्रियों के सोने चाँदी के गहनों की कोई गिनती संभव नहीं थी। सैयदों, उलेमाओं और दूसरे मुसलमानों के घरों को छोड़कर शेष सभी नगर ध्वस्त कर दिया गया।’
सन्दर्भ ग्रन्थ
1. सीताराम गोयल द्वारा ‘स्टोरी ऑफ इस्लामिक इम्पीरियलिज्म इन इंडिया में उद्धत, पृ. ४८
2. उपरोक्त
3. उपरोक्त, पृ. ४९-५०
4.  क एम. आर. बेग :  पृ. १३
5. उपरोक्त
हिन्दू समाज कभी अपने बच्चों का नामकरण रावण, कंस आदि नामों से नहीं करता।  जबकि मुस्लिम समाज जिनके पूर्वज हिन्दू ही थे और जिन्हें बलात मुसलमान बना दिया गया था।  अपने ही पूर्वजों पर अत्याचार करने वाले, महिलाओं से बलात्कार करने वाले, जबरन धर्म परिवर्तन करने वाले तैमूर लंग, बाबर, अकबर, औरंगज़ेब, मुहम्मद गोरी, गजनी आदि के  नामों से अपने बच्चों का नामकरण करते हैं। इसे आप मूर्खता समझेंगे अथवा कुछ ओर……
#TimurwasTyrant
(चित्र 1- तैमूर लंग युद्ध में हिंदुओं के विरूद्ध लड़ते हुए।
चित्र 2- दिल्ली में कत्लेआम करने के पश्चात तैमूर द्वारा बनाया गया नरमुंडों का पहाड़।)

Shredding Colonial Narrative Is Key to Rewriting India’s History

From: Mohan Natarajan < >

Dear all

An excellent article from Neelakantan, who co-authored the book ‘;breaking India’ Neelakantan may be aware that the missionaries called Nadars as ‘outsiders’. They said that Nadars came to

Tamilnadu from Sri Lanka – please refer to the book By ‘umari kasivelu’

But we require lot of Neelakantans, Malhotras, Swamys, Kasi velus etc, to expose the British treachery. Please disseminate

Mohan

==

Nadar Controversy Shows Why Shedding Colonial Narrative Is Key To Rewriting India’s History

Aravindan Neelakandan – December 21, 2016, 7:50 pm

Nadar Controversy Shows Why Shedding Colonial Narrative Is Key to Rewriting India’s History

SNAPSHOT

 

Only when our curriculum is formulated on the basis of local histories and Indic resistance movements to colonialism, evangelism and social stagnation, that real history can be put on record.

It is as ever interesting to note the kind of insensitivity and cultural illiteracy that the so-called ‘progressive’ and ‘secular’ academics and generally Delhi-based old media exhibit, every time there is a sensitive issue arising from the south.

It was so with Jallikattu, and now it is so with CBSE deciding to not teach the controversial portions of history regarding the Nadar (a Tamil caste) women. The Huffington Post India reports, “CBSE Removes From Textbook a Section On Nadar Women’s Struggle For The Right To Cover Their Breasts”. The News Minute (TNM) website states that “CBSE says Nadar women’s historic struggle to cover their breasts ‘objectionable’”. While the TNM news story claims that some DMK and AIADMK MPs objected to the relevant, controversial portion, the Huffington Post India is totally silent on the objections raised by the parties.

Both the news reports do not forget to provide the narrative that was found objectionable by the Nadar community itself.

This is what the Huffington Post India said:

“In Travancore, lower-class women were not allowed to wear clothes that covered their breasts and shoulders. Baring their chests was meant to be a sign of respect to the higher-classes. Many from the Nadar community embraced Christianity and started to wear long cloths and eventually started emulating the kind of clothes that higher-class women wore.”

This is from the TNM news story: “In May 1822, the subordinate caste Shanar women (later known as the Nadars) revolted against the common practice of lower caste women leaving their upper torso uncovered. Local custom allowed only upper caste women to do so in those days. The Shanar women chose to defy the same inspired by Christian missionaries. From 1822-1859, a long struggle ensued that subjected them to assault by Nairs in public places on many occasions. The government was hence forced to intervene in the matter, and in October 1859, issued an order permitting the Shanar women to wear a jacket or cover their upper bodies in any manner but unlike that of their upper caste counterparts.”

For an outsider, it may even look that the reason this particular passage has been removed by the BJP government is because it involves the Christian missionaries empowering a subjugated community. However, one should remember that the passage was found objectionable by the influential and powerful Nadar community itself. Those who know the local history of the events will at once find that the Christian narrative of ‘missionaries empowering communities subjugated by upper caste’ is an entirely cooked up colonial evangelical construct.

So, what is the truth?

The first objection is to the depiction of Nadar community as being subjugated or a subordinate community. It should be remembered that the first Protestant church in the area in question was built on a land donated by a Nadar. This clearly shows that the Nadars were not slaves but land owners and could donate their land as they wished. Surely, they were not uncivilized slaves as missionaries like Caldwell wanted the colonial subjects and evangelical donors to believe. It is this propaganda which was fiercely resisted by even the converted Nadars of the day, which has been used as historical data by the establishment.

The second objection has been that the textbook is not recognizing one of the foremost figures who really fought for the rights of Nadars in Travancore. To a Nadar, or for that matter any person living in Kanyakumari district, that one can write the valiant social history of Nadars without referring to social reformer Ayya Vaikundar is to say the least, unthinkable.

To understand these objections, one needs to comprehend the complex social conditions that colonialism and social stagnation brought to South Travancore. What actually happened during this troublesome period in the history of Travancore, has been brought out by local historians in a detailed study published in 2010. The study titled ‘Shoulder Cloth Riots: Known Falsehoods and Unknown Truths’ (Tamil) authored by veteran community historian Ganesan Nadar and renowned epigraphist S Ramachandran, and published by South Indian Social History Research Institute (SISHRI), has brought out the reality of this much-distorted social event.

On the one hand, the British regent compelled the Travancore government to pay the British Rs 8 lakh annually as protectorate. This resulted in the Travancore government levying new taxes. In 1807 CE alone Rs 18,523 was collected as palm tree tax. Communities like Ezhavas, Channars, Cherumars, Chambavas and Pulayas had to pay individual head tax for individuals in the age of 16 to 60 years. And under this tax, Rs 1,63,000 was collected annually. The government exempted Nair, Vellala, Muslim and Kanmala communities from paying these taxes. Then in 1815, the then Travancore regent Col Manroe made an announcement that the converted Shanars need not pay the tax levied on them by the state to pay through physical labor at the temple. On the other hand, he lowered the market price of food grains. But he refused to proportionately lower the taxes the paddy producers had to pay. This made the landed class, Vellalas, get frustrated with impotent anger.

Thus, various factors were slowly evolving, deepening the social fault lines rather than harmonizing and easing them. At one point, an internal social confrontation became inevitable. Because of these cumulative events, the anti-Christian, particularly anti-London Mission sentiments, started rising in the psyche of the Nair-Vellala community. A small conflict between converted and non-converted Shanars at a small village in Travancore, regarding tax payment to the Travancore state, transformed into a major anti-Christian riot. Christian Shanars were perceived as traitors who were disobeying the native state with missionary support. There is no doubt that the results of such riots were simply on the very lines calculated by the missionaries.

Does all this mean that the indigenous social system lacked the ability to transform itself towards social justice? That would be the crucial question regarding the shoulder dress revolt.

Ayya Vaikundar (1809-1851), a social reformer and spiritual warrior, venerated by the people of Kanykumari district as the Avatar of Maha Vishnu himself, appeared on the scene now. Ayya Vaikundar condemned the birth-based discriminations, economic exploitation and more importantly perceived the whole causal chain of events which were deepening the social divisions and aggravating the exploitation of the weaker sections of the society. The genius of Ayya Vaikundar has not been properly recognized in the history of Indic spiritual cultural and social renaissance. Usually the history of modern Indian renaissance starts with Raja Ram Mohan Rai.

But here was Ayya Vaikundar, who reformulated the traditional leadership role of his own community, but at the same time collected the oppressed sections of the society without any discrimination and forged an alliance against the casteist-colonial state of Travancore. He brought together not only the Nadars, but almost every community that suffered from colonialism: from Barbers to Mathva Brahmins – Ayya Vaikundar lists in his work 18 communities then oppressed in the Travancore state. He created a powerful alliance for social justice and spiritual conservation of Indic traditions. He made them drink from the same well and dine together. In fact, the shoulder dress revolt has more to do with Ayya Vaikundar’s socio-spiritual revolution than the missionary enterprise.

Perhaps, Ayya Vaikundar was the first Indian philosopher-saint to make this critique of colonial historiography and wanted Indians to formulate their own framework for studying these problems. For example, after terming the British as the ‘white demon’, Ayya states:

  • This alien Nazarene (British) had destroyed human worlds elsewhere.
  • He had destroyed the ethical lives of Chanars who led a life valuable and virtuous.
  • He destroyed their names, their ability to do charity and their social infrastructure
  • He simply sucked their life energy out of them.

What Ayya Vaikundar intuitively understood centuries before, the curriculum framers of CBSE could not even comprehend. Instead, they borrowed the colonial data and repeated faithfully the colonial-evangelical narrative. Only if the framers of our curriculum start looking into the local histories and local Indic resistance movements to colonialism, evangelism and social stagnation, that they can write proper history – the real holistic history of this nation that is diverse in forms and united in the spirit.

 

Bangladesh Minority Right Forum (BMRF)

From: Sachin Karmakar < >

Miseries of Bangladesh Hindus began with plantation of communal politics in Bengal by British in 1905. Bengal was divided in two parts: East Bengal with 60% Muslim and 40% Hindu population, and West Bengal with 80% Hindu and 20% Muslim population. Hindu population is sliding down from 30% in 1947 to 23% in 1970 and 9.5% today. Exodus is a daily phenomenon in Bangladesh like all other Muslim country, there are hardly any precedence where non-Muslims has lived long in a Muslim country.


Pre-Pakistan 1946 referendum turned into mass communal riot, which spread all over East Bengal and caused million Hindus death. Massacre of Hindus continued even after creation of Pakistan in 1947. In 1964 riot erupted again with a rumor of theft in a Kashmir-e- shrine, where beard of Mohammed was preserved. The rumor later turns into false and provocative for instigating riot in Pakistan. Muslims needs no issue for destruction/torching of Hindu temple and deities, they will do so unstill the last Hindu lives Bangladesh or converts to Islam.


The most discriminatory racial law “Enemy Property Act” was promulgated in 1965 by General Ayub Khan for making Hindus landless and homeless in their ancestor’s land. Prior to 1965 Hindus owned over 80% agricultural land and 70% urban land. Hindus made most sacrifice in 1971 liberation war, the genocide caused three million deaths of which 80% or more are Hindus. Out of quarter million rape victims, 95% are from Hindus community. Ten million people mostly Hindus (90%) were driven out to India during 1971 war, the exodus of Hindus never stopped and still continues in Bangladesh.


After such a great sacrifice of Hindu community in 1971, the mindset of majority Muslims didn’t change in independent Bangladesh. Secular constitution of 1972 was circumcised by General Ershad in an Islamic flavor with Islam as state religion. He began broadcasting AZAN in the television, Friday as weekly holiday and Red Cross into Red Crescent.


Bangladesh has setup network of madrasa and Islamic institution all over the country under the curtain of moderate Muslim country to train thousands Islamic foot soldier every year as a preparation for Islamic revolution. Existence of two big non-Muslim country Myanmar and India around always generates energy for Jihad in Bangladesh?


As part of continuous intimidation Muslims demolish Hindu temple-deities in regular basis and randomly rape and force convert their girls. The most significant part is all political party unity against Hindus during atrocities are witnessed. Government institution and major political parties observe silence over incident. Police behave very democratic in support of the crime to please its majority community by remaining silent observer. Precedence of arrest and charge sheet is very rare.


So far, the West has shown no interest in diminishing Hindu community of Bangladesh like they have shown in Syrian, Libya, Lebanon & Bosnia.

BMRF (Bangladesh Minority Right Forum)
Dhaka. December 18, 2016.

 

When Will the Church Apologize for The Goa Inquisition?

Catholic Church Apologizes for Rwandan Genocide:

When Will It Do So for The Goa Inquisition?

 

Shefali Vaidya – November 26, 2016, 9:04 am

 

SNAPSHOT

Among the comparatively milder measures of the Goa inquisition were forbidding more than 42 Hindu customs, including wearing the sacred thread, the tilak on the forehead, greeting people with a Namaste and removing of slippers outside a place of worship.

 

The palace has been razed to the ground. Hordes of chattering tourists walk over the site now, clicking selfies against the massive white-washed facade of Saint Catherine’s Church in Old Goa. Children crowd around an ice-cream cart. Couples canoodle under an ancient banyan tree nearby. No traces remain of the dreaded ‘Vhodle Ghor’ or the ‘Big House’ as it was referred to in hushed tones by the terrified people of Goa, except a few moss-covered blocks of laterite stones that lie scattered in the grass. Those stones are the only surviving witnesses of the bloodiest chapter in Goan history — that of the Goa Inquisition.

Return to the ruins of the Palace of The Inquisition in the evening, after the last busload of tourists has departed. Sit a while on a laterite block as the sun goes down. If you are sensitive enough, you can still hear the terrified screams of hapless victims being tortured inside the ‘Vhodle Ghor’ by the Inquisitor’s court. In 1560, the erstwhile palace of Adil Shah, the sultan of Bijapur, in Old Goa was turned into a terrible torture chamber with the addition of a chapel, the residence of the inquisitor, more than 200 windowless prison cells and many torture chambers.

Not many people outside Goa know about the terrible Goa Inquisition. The Inquisition was introduced in Goa in 1560 by the then Portuguese king Joao III at the behest of Francis Xavier, the Jesuit monk whose mummified remains lie in a Church just across the road from the site of the Palace of Inquisitions. Inquisition lasted in Goa till 1812 – a period of more than 250 years! It was temporarily abolished in 1774 by the relatively moderate Marquis De Pombal, but was reinstated promptly in 1778 after his fall from grace. Under the inquisition, thousands of people, both men and women, were arrested on charges of heresy and subjected to inhuman torture. Many were burnt alive at ritualistic public spectacles known as autos-da-fe.

The court of inquisition was set up as a royal tribunal, headed by a judge answerable only to the king based in Lisbon. One of the first acts of the inquisitor’s office in Goa was to forbid public practice of the Hindu faith. Hindus were forbidden to worship their Gods and Goddesses in public. In 1566, a vice-regal order prohibited Hindus from constructing temples or repairing old temples. In 1567 the Portuguese started destroying Hindu temples. In Bardez district alone, more than 300 temples were razed to the ground and Churches built in their place.

All Hindu rituals including marriages, thread ceremonies and cremations were banned by law. All people above 15 years of age were forced to attend Christian preachings. The palace of inquisition became a torture chamber for Hindus, Jews, Muslims and even for converted Christians who clung to their Hindu customs and traditions. More than 42 Hindu customs were considered heretical, including wearing the sacred thread, wearing a tilak on the forehead, greeting people with a Namaste and removing of slippers outside a place of worship.

Historian Alfredo de Mello describes the Goa Inquisition as a collection of ‘nefarious, fiendish, lustful, corrupt religious orders which pounced on Goa’. According to François Pyrard de Laval, a Frenchman who lived in Goa between 1608-1610, the Goa Inquisition was more severe than the one practiced in Portugal. The most authentic account of the tortures of the Goa Inquisition comes from another Frenchman, a doctor named Dillon, who was imprisoned at the palace of the Inquisition. He describes his experiences in his book ‘De Relation L’Inquisition De Goa’. The translation of this book is a part of the famous Goa historian A. K. Priolkar’s seminal work on the subject.

For me, the Goa Inquisition was not just a sterilized remote term to be read in history textbooks. My own family had borne the brunt of the Inquisition. My ancestors had to leave behind their village, their land and all their wealth to save their faith. As their original village Nagoa was destroyed by the Portuguese under the religious command of the fanatical Jesuit priests, my family moved to Cuncolim and started a new life. They made a choice to not surrender their faith. Some others chose otherwise. Converting to Christianity meant official patronage and a good life. The Court of Inquisition guaranteed “protection” to Hindus who converted to Christianity and gave them rights over the lands of people who had chosen to leave their homes rather than convert to Christianity.

In 1583, all temples in my own village of Cuncolim were destroyed by the Portuguese army under direct orders from the court of Inquisition. The proud warriors of my village were not ones to suffer in silence. They led an armed rebellion on 25 July 1583 against the Portuguese. Five Jesuit priests and 14 local converts were killed in the attack. Enraged by this, the Portuguese sent a massive army that burnt and pillaged the village and unleashed unspeakable atrocities on the people. The local warriors still did not give up. They merely hid in the surrounding forests and attacked the Portuguese forces using guerrilla tactics. The Portuguese then tried to be cunning. They invited the leaders of the revolution for talks at a nearby fort and in a stunning act of treachery, sixteen unarmed chieftains were brutally massacred by the Portuguese. Only one escaped by jumping into the river. The sacrifice of the chieftains of Cuncolim is still remembered in Goa as its first ever freedom struggle.

The effects of the Goa Inquisition are felt in Goa till today. There are families torn forever into two, one branch still carries the ancestral Hindu name while the other bears a Christian name. Churches exist where temples once stood.

A few days ago, the Catholic Church apologized for its role in the horrific 1994 genocide in Rwanda. A church statement officially accepted that its members planned, aided and executed the genocide, in which more than 800,000 people were brutally massacred. In 2015, Pope Francis had apologized for the “many grave sins” committed by the Church against the indigenous people of South America while speaking in Bolivia. Before that, his predecessor, Pope John Paul II had apologized to the Muslims for the crusades and to the Jewish people for the anti-Semitism of the Catholics that had aided the holocaust and for the involvement of the Church in African slave trade.

When will the Catholic Church apologize for the terrors of the Inquisition it inflicted upon the people of Goa?