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DURGAKUND : SHRI DURGA TEMPLE VARANASI

SHE ——THAT IS, THE REAL PERSONAL GOD IN INDIA IS SHE . THIS SHAKTI OF THE BRAHMAN IS ALWAYS IN THE FEMININE GENDER .

THERE ARE COUNTLESS TEMPLES IN VARANASI ,the holy city of Hindus. There is a story behind every temple, there is some belief behind the construction of every temple.

THE CONSTRUCTION OF TEMPLES IN VARANASI IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS.

As soon as Varanasi got freed from the clutches of the Mughal Empire, construction of temples took place on a large scale. Many temples were built and renovated, in Varanasi by the Maratha rulers.

Kolkata emerged as a major trading city under the British rule, during this time many temples were built in Varanasi by the wealthy people of Kolkata. During that time a major temple built and renovated in Varanasi was Durgakund Temple.
Even today this temple is counted among the most prominent temples of Varanasi.

**The statue of Goddess Durga, built in the eleventh century, found in the Chaukhamba locality of Varanasi.** **This statue has been kept in the Bharat Kala Bhavan, Varanasi.**

**Durga Mandir and Kund 1829 AD** (**BHARAT KALA BHAWAN**)

DURGA TEMPLE AND DURGA KUND

This magnificent temple made of red stones has a square shaped pond next to it. This pond is a part of Durga temple itself. Because of being a part of Durga temple, this pond is known as Durgakund. Kund :- (Generally) A square shaped pond.

HISTORY OF DURGAKUND TEPLE

Undoubtedly it is one of the oldest temples of Varanasi. The mention of this temple is also found in Kashi Khand. It is believed that in ancient times the holy Ganges water used to come into the pond through a special drainage system in Durgakund.

Note: – This seems quite possible because in the famous Vishwanath temple of Varanasi the Shiva Linga was located in a small pond and in this pond the holy water of Ganga used to come into the pond through a special drainage system. This is described by James Prinsep in his book ~ Benares Illustrated.

STORY ABOUT THE TEMPLE’S ORIGIN

According to a story in Chapter 23 of Devi Bhagavata Purana, once upon a time in Varanasi there was a king named Subahu. King Subahu had a daughter. Her name was Shashikala.

When Shashikala became mature enough, his father King Subahu of Kashi eventually decided to organize a swayamvara for her marriage. Svayamvara was a system of marriage of princesses in ancient India. In which princesses themselves chose a man as her husband from a group of suitors. The men in the group were generally Princes and Kings. The meaning is self-evident from the word itself, svayam in Sanskrit means ‘self’ and vara means ‘groom’.

Kashi Naresh King Subahu later came to know that his daughter was in love with a forest resident prince Sudarshan, so instead of organizing a swayamvara, the king married her to Sudarshan as per the daughter’s wish.

When getting to know about the marriage, all the kings invited to the swayamvara got angry. They formed a united army and attacked the king of Kashi. When the King of Kashi(King Subahu) and Sudarshan prayed to Goddess Durga, she fought on behalf of the King of Kashi in the war. Goddess Durga defeated all the kings by her might. Thereafter, to express his gratitude to Goddess Durga, King Subahu got this temple constructed at this place.

There is another story regarding this.

According to the legend that after killing Shumbha-Nishumbha, Goddess Durga rested at this place after getting tired. Later, a temple was built by the king of Banaras in memory of the incident of Goddess Durga resting at this place.

MONKEY TEMPLE

How Durga Temple became famous as the Monkey Temple

The western media used to publish sensational news about India’s unique temples in great detail.

Western newspapers had published many pictures and articles about the large number of monkeys in this temple, due to similar reports, this temple also got the name of Monkey Temple.
The number of monkeys in the temple has reduced a lot, but still, this temple remains famous as the Monkey Temple among the foreign tourists.

**Interior view of the monkey temple at Benares, India, showing elaborately carved columns and doorways**. ( between 1890 and 1924)

MONKEYS OF DURGA TEMPLE AND SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

This incident dates back to 1888 AD. In those days there was a big outbreak of monkeys in and around the temple.

How is Swami Vivekananda’s birth related to Varanasi ??

Go read this blog post of mine to figure out-: https://nithinks.com/2022/01/11/vivekanandas-three-stories-that-can-change-your-life/

Swami Vivekananda was returning after having darshan from Durga temple. Suddenly a herd of monkeys started chasing him. Swami Vivekananda started walking faster, but the herd of monkeys did not give up on him. Swamiji almost started running after getting frightened by the herd of monkeys suddenly an old saint appeared.

He called out to Swami Vivekananda ‘Stop! Face the brutes!’ Swami Vivekananda stopped. He turned round and faced the monkeys. At once, they ran away. Swamiji also mentioned this story in his New York lecture.

Note :- Devotees used to give food items to these monkeys in the temple and due to this habit, they might have started chasing Swami Vivekananda in the hope of getting food items from him too.

This incident was small, but it brought a new twist in Swamiji’s life. Swamiji realized that he must not run away from adversity but face it firmly. As long as we keep running away from adversity, it keeps running towards us. But when we decide to stop fearing and face the problems firmly, then all the problems disappear.

DURGA TEMPLE AT PRESENT

The present-day building of Durga Temple was renovated by Maharani Bhavani Devi of Natori of Bengal province in 1760 AD. This temple is built in Nagara style. This is the most prominent style of construction of temples in North India.

@ Here in the place of the idol, THE MASK(MUKHDA) AND FOOTWEAR (CHARAN-PAADUKA) of the Mother Goddess are worshipped.

@ The red color of the temple depicts the incident of the KILLINGS OF KINGS who dared to face the mighty power of Maa Durga.

@ Although devotees visit this temple throughout the year but on the FOURTH DAY OF NAVRATRI, a huge crowd gathers for the darshan and worship.

@ The idols ofBaba Bhaironath, Lakshmiji, Saraswatiji, and Mata Kali are installed in separate temples near the temple.

@ There is a huge Havan Kund inside the temple, where daily Havans are held.

A month-long fair is held in the month of Savan, this fair is one of the major fairs of Varanasi.

Deadly attack on Sir Salman Rushdie and the spread of Islamic fundamentalism in South Asia.

“BEHEADING IS THE ONLY PUNISHMENT FOR THOSE WHO INSULT PROPHET MUHAMMAD” Rushdie’s writings feature South Asia’s Islamic fanaticism. What similarities and future threats are there in the present-day mortal attack on Rushdie and the slogans of splitting up in South Asia???

A couple of weeks ago the famous Novelist, Sir Salman Rushdie, was attacked by an Islamic fanatic who tried to kill him.

According to the New York State Police, around 11 a.m. at the Chautauqua Institution, in Chautauqua New York . A Muslim youth ran up to the stage and attacked Salman Rushdie with a knife.

The Muslim youth stabbed Salman Rushdie several times with a knife. Rushdie collapsed right there on the stage. He was immediately sent to the hospital. Doctors there said that Rushdie was completely covered in blood after the attack. According to media reports, Rushdie is seriously injured and is undergoing treatment. Doctors have performed surgery on him. According to the information, his health has already improved quite a lot and is gradually getting better, he has now been removed from the ventilator.

The attacker is 24 years old and has been identified. His name is Hadi Matar.

SALMAN RUSHDI

Salman Rushdie is an Indian-born British-American novelist. Known for his provocative writings on medieval thought and ideology of Islam. His novel, written in the early days, describes the stifling social environment of the converted Muslims of South Asia.

Note:- I consider Rushdie’s book “Shame” written upon the Muslims of South Asia to be equivalent to “Among The Believers” by V.S Naipaul. Both books depict the medieval behavior of the converted Muslims of South Asia. While Naipaul speaks very clearly in his writings, Rushdie attacks Islamic beliefs with the help of satire and imagery. How the seeds of Islamic terrorism were being planted in South Asia, which currently exports Islamic terrorism to the entire world, have been very well portrayed by both the authors.

THE REASON FOR THE FATAL ATTACK ON RUSHDIE

THE TALIBAN WHEN THEY SAY SOMETHING, THEY DO IT . THEY THREATEN TO KILL PEOPLE AND THEY DO IT . BUT WHEN WE SAY WE WILL PROTECT YOU , WE OFTEN DO NOT — Jelani popal , afghan government official

The attacker attacked Rushdie with the intention of slitting his throat.

The attacker considers Rushdie to be an ENEMY OF ISLAM According to him, Rushdie is accused of blasphemy and such a person has no right to live according to Islamic law. Salman Rushdie has been a target of Islamic fundamentalists ever since the publication of his book “Satanic Verses”. In 1989, Iran’s religious leader Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against Rushdie, calling the book “Satanic Verses” an insult to Islam. On February 14, 1989, the fatwa to kill Rushdie was officially announced on Radio Tehran by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini saying that the book was “blasphemous against Islam”.

WHAT IS FATWA

The decree issued on any issue related to Islam on the basis of Quran and Hadith is a fatwa.

According to media reports, Hadi Matar was not under the influence of the fatwa.
So was he making an easy way to enter Paradise by killing a GUSTAKH E NABI. GUSTAKH E NABI KI EK SAJA SIR TAN SE JUDA. ‘Beheading is the only punishment for those who insult Prophet Muhammad.’

But take not friends

From their ranks Until they flee

In the way of God (From what is forbidden). And (in any case) take No friends or helpers

But if they turn renegades, Seize them and slay them Wherever you find them;

From their ranks…..

(Quran, 4.89)

The attack on Salman Rushdie is not just an attack on a human being. It is an attempt to suppress a strong and loud voice against fundamentalism. The concept of modern world is not only from modern electronic devices, ideas like democracy, coexistence, space for opposing views, multiculturalism are the foundation of the modern world. If any person rejects or attacks these ideas of modern times, then his medieval thinking is a threat not only to the present but also to the future.

So, how will the attack on Rushdie, who raised his voice against Islamic fundamentalism in South Asia, affect the countries in South Asia?

“There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is the prophet of Allah.’ Such is the cry which electrifies 250 millions of the inhabitants of this globe. Such is the cry which thrills them so that they are ready to go forward and fight for their religion, and consider it a short road to Paradise to kill Christians and Hindus and unbelievers. Dr Theodore Pennell Missionary Doctor at Bannu , Among the wild tribes of the afghan frontier 1909

THE IMPACT OF THE ATTACK IN SOUTH ASIA

This attack will have far-reaching consequences in the converted Muslim-majority countries of South Asia. Like mushrooms, Islamic seminaries spread across South Asia will leave no stone unturned to justify the attack on Salman Rushdie.

The attack on Salman Rushdie is being promoted as an Islamic victory and this propaganda will continue. With the help of Hadi Matar’s jihadi image, youth will be inspired for jihad.

Describing any Islamic terrorism act in the world as jihad, giving martyr status to jihadis is an old custom of madarasas of Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh. Presently these madarasas are engaged in the production of human bombs day and night like a sucide bomb factory.

Any kind of question mark on the beliefs of Islam falls under blasphemy.

Beheading the person who put the question mark is a holy act like worshiping God for Muslims. Medieval Islamic beliefs, such as the beheading of a non-religious person, a blasphemer, are rapidly spreading across South Asia again. Incidents of beheading are happening not only in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, but also in the Hindu-majority country of India, dozens of people have been beheaded by Islamic extremists in just the past few months.

Nowadays, whether it is a virus, or ideology, it cannot be limited in one scope. 9/11 is the best example of this. The revival of the Islamic practice of cutting throat in South Asia is a warning bell for the whole world. The goal of Islamic fundamentalists is very clear. The killing of any non-religious person remains a guarantee of paradise.

At the same time, countries who believe in the democratic values of the world have so far been unsuccessful in even deciding the definition of terrorism. It seems impossible to defeat Islamic terrorism without all the democratic countries of the world coming and together.

BRITISH RULE AND BANARAS (VARANASI)

In this post I would like to mention some of the major buildings, institutions, built in and around Benares under the East India Company and the British rule, which are still in existence and which are a major part of the daily life of the people of Banaras from the time of its construction till the present.

BRITISH RULE AND BANARAS

Declaring the rule of the Nawabs and the Rajas administratively unsuccessful, the Company took Banaras under its control in 1781.

The magistrates posted on behalf of the company started taking care of the governance of Banaras. On behalf of the company, in 1788, a young man, Jonathan Duncan, was appointed as the Resident and Superintendent of Benares. The management of the mint house was also taken away from the hands of the Raja of Banaras. From 1794 onwards, the British civil and criminal courts also started functioning.

BITTER MEMORIES OF BANARAS (VARANASI)

Learning a lesson from the “Benaras – Rebellion”, Duncan refrained from any interference in the religious rules and regulations of the Hindus. In 1781, the people of Banaras revolted against Warren Hasting who insulted Raja Balvant Singh of Banaras. This rebellion was more commonly known among the British people as “Benaras slaughter” because a large number of British soldiers were killed in this rebellion. If you don’t have any idea about the “Benares rebellion” consider reading this post of mine — https://nithinks.com/2020/08/14/benares-rebellion-15august-1781/

GOVT. SANSKRIT COLLEGE BENARES

By the end of the eighteenth century, the British thought of opening a Sanskrit college in Banaras.

Kashi Nath, the first Acharya of Sanskrit College, wrote a letter to the East India Company officials regarding Sanskrit College .

In 1791,Duncan also wrote a letter to the officers of the Company regarding the establishment of Sanskrit College at Benaras.

Duncan moved from Banaras to Bombay in 1795 but remained associated with the Sanskrit school for life.
Sanskrit College initially had eight teachers and about 200 students.
In the early days of Sanskrit College, only the rituals, traditions and religious beliefs related to Hindu religion were taught in the curriculum, due to this almost all the teachers and students of the college were Brahmins.

Expansion of Sanskrit College

In 1846 Dr. J.R.Valentine was appointed as the principal of the Sanskrit College. In 1852 the new building of Sanskrit College was completed and Sanskrit College was given a new name — Queen’s College.

The new building was designed by Major Kittu. Built in Gothic style, this building is made of the Chunar sandstone.

Renowned scholar Bapu Dev Shastri teaching Indian astrology to his students at Queen’s College. (1870)

SAMPURNANAND SANSKRIT UNIVERSITY

With the special efforts of the “then” Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Dr. Sampurnanand, this college got the status of a university and this college’s name was changed from “Queens College” to, “Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya Varanasi“. In 1974, the name of this university was changed for one last time to Sampurnanand Sanskrit university .

Unlike before various subjects related to Hindu religion, culture and civilization are taught here. At present there is also a museum and Saraswati Bhavan Library in the premises of the university.

Sampurnanand University Archaeological Museum :- Most of the items in this museum were found in the excavation of Sarnath by Major Kittu. (Sarnath is a holy place for Buddhists). Sarnath is located at a distance of about ten kilometers from the main city of Varanasi. Gautam Buddha gave his first sermon here which is known as the turning of the Dhamma Chakra)

Saraswati Bhavan Library :- Thousands of manuscripts, and rare ancient texts are stored in the Saraswati Bhavan Library.

Note: – At present there is an intermediate college near Sampurnanand University which is also called Queen’s College, please do not get confused between these two.

Tomb of Lord Cornwallis

The tomb of Lord Cornwallis is located in Ghazipur city, about 84 km from Banaras.

Cornwallis served during the American Revolution as a Major General. Governor General Lord Cornwallis, who is widely known for his administrative reforms was also called the father of civil services in India. Lord Cornwallis died on 5^th October 1805 in Ghazipur. He probably died of smallpox. British stones have been used in the construction of his tomb. At present, the tomb of Lord Cornwallis is located in Gorabazar, Ghazipur. GORABAZAR (Colony of white people). The British bungalows, kothis in Ghazipur city were located at this place, due to which the local people used to call this place by the name of Gorabazar.

**The unfinished monument to the Marquis Cornwallis at Ghazipur**

Painting of the Cornwallis tomb under construction by Sita Ram, who was working as a painter in the East India Company.
This painting was made in 1814-15 by Sita Ram during his journey from Patna to Banaras.

CHUNAR FORT OR CHUNAR GADH OR CHUNAR GUR

**Artist: Hodges, William ( DATE :-1787)**

The Chunar Fort is one of the oldest and most important forts in India. Evidence exists that the fort of Chunar was once under the control of Vikramaditya, the majestic king of Ujjain in 56AD. This fort has also been under the control of Prithvi Raj Chauhan. Sher Shah Suri made this fort his residence in 1538, during which a pavilion was also constructed by him here. The Mughals have also had authority over this fort for a long time.

After the Battle of Buxar in 1764, this fort came under the control of the British. Warren Hastings also took refuge in this fort during the rebellion in Banaras. After coming under the control of the East India Company, some British style bungalows were also built in this fort.(I think all these facts are probably enough to prove why this fort is considered important.)

Rediscovery of Lion Capital and how it strengthened India’s freedom struggle.

LION CAPITAL:

THE LION CAPITAL IS THE CROWN (TOP) OF THE ASHOKAN PILLAR found at Sarnath in Varanasi. During the archaeological excavations at Sarnath, in 1905 the Ashokan Pillar, the fragments of the 32-spoked wheel and the Lion Capital were unearthed. Today the remains of these findings are kept safe in the Sarnath Museum.

The credit for the discovery of Lion Capital goes to Mr. Oertel.

Ashokan Pillar is a statue of about seven feet. Its shape is like a blooming lotus. It is also considered to be bell shape.

In this idol, four lions are depicted in an aggressive posture sitting back to back. In the center of the statue is the shape of a round abacus, on which four animals, lion, elephant, horse, and bull are engraved. A wheel with 24 spokes (Ashoka Chakra) is made in between each of these animals. The total number of wheels is four which is obvious as there are 4 animals.

To understand Lion Capital, it is necessary to have brief information about Ashokan Pillar, Sarnath, and Emperor Ashoka. Therefore, the necessary information related to this topic is given below.

Sarnath:- Sarnath is the place where Buddha gave his first sermon later known as Dhamma Chakra Parivartan. (turning the wheel of dharma). It is located a few kilometers away from the main Banaras(Varanasi).

WHO WAS ASHOKA

DE VA NAM PI YA SA A SO KA SA MEANS “BELOVED OF THE GOD “

Ashoka has been addressed with the same name on the inscriptions and pillars received as mentioned above. Ashoka Raja Address is found in Brahman Purana, the meaning of Ashoka Raja — a king who does not have any grief.

A FEW FACTS ABOUT ASHOKA:

@ Ashoka was the most prolific king of the Mauryan dynasty. He ruled from 269 BC to 232 BC.

@ He extended the boundaries of India to Hindukush in the north, Mysore in the south, Bangladesh in the east, and Persia in the west.

@ Emperor Ashoka is ranked among the greatest kings of the world, not just for conquering regions and boundaries, but also for establishing a welfare state.

@ Ashoka was probably the first emperor of the world to talk about human rights.

@ The credit for spreading the teachings of Buddha all over the world also goes to Emperor Ashoka.

ASHOKAN PILLAR OF SARNATH

The shaft is the cylindrical platform on which the Lion Capital is placed. Four large fragments of the pillar were found in the excavation.

The pillar was excavated by Mr. Oertel in 1904 -05.

The cylindrical shaft was built from Chunar sandstone and the shaft is estimated to have been about 50 feet tall. This sandstone is still used extensively in construction work in Banaras and Mirzapur (Chunar).

Please read my post for detailed information about Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath, Lion Capital. This post mainly targets how the Lion capital strengthened India’s freedom struggle. https://nithinks.com/2021/11/22/ashokan-pillar-its-history-and-importance/

What was the purpose of building Ashokan Pillar

ASHOKA’S WARNING IS ENGRAVED ON THIS PILLAR . Ashoka was troubled by the disruptive elements in Buddhism. The Ashokan Pillar at Sarnath was erected around 250 BC to give a clear warning to monks and nuns trying to divide Buddhism. This warning is directly from Ashoka,(King of patliputra, at present Patna) so it seems appropriate to call it an ordinance.

A huge Buddhist monastery was located in Sarnath, in which about 1500 Buddhist monks and nuns lived, undoubtedly this warning was given to these people.

Lion Capital as the National Emblem of India

The Government of India adopted the Lion Capital as the National Emblem on 26^th January 1950.

Ashoka Chakra on the National Flag of India

The National Flag of India was adopted in its present form on22^nd July 1947. The Ashoka Chakra in the center of the national flag of India, is also taken from the Lion Capital found at Sarnath.

Ashokan Pillar, Lion Capital before India’s independence

The Lion Capital was adopted as the national emblem of India and the Ashoka Chakra on the abacus also got a place in the National Flag after the independence of India, but the indelible impression of this Lion Capital was inscribed in the hearts of millions of Indians since 1905. Due to the Lion Capital being declared the National Symbol of India, it soon moved out of the history books and found a place in the Civics books.

Lion Capital’s Rediscovery and Historical Significance

DURING THE EXCAVATIONS AT SARNATH 1905, the ruins of Ashokan Pillar were found a few footsteps away from Moolgandha Kuti Vihar. Undoubtedly, the top of the pillar(Lion Capital) is a unique example of ancient Indian art. Soon the ancient history of India was lit up with the influence of the Lion Capital. The Ashokan Pillar, described by XUANZANG, and built by Ashoka, regained its prestige once again after being buried in the ground for nearly 700 years.

This rediscovery had far-reaching consequences.

@ The Ashokan Pillar told that the Golden Age of India was not just a mere fantasy. The pre-Islamic era of India was an era of glory.

@Western historians believed that the civilization of Greece was the highest ranking civilization in human history, but the teachings of Buddha, the history of the welfare state of Ashoka were now in a position to challenge this fact.

XUANZANG AND INDIA

XUANZANG came to India from the Silk Route (silk route) during the reign of Harshavardhana between 627-643 AD.

Banaras as described by Xuanzang :-

“The people of Banaras were very rich and their homes were full of valuables. The citizens of Banaras were very civilized and had a special love for education. The yields were very good and the trees were laden with fruits.”

Can such a description of any city and citizens be considered as a backward civilization during 627-643 AD?

@ The discovery of ancient Indian history among the nationalists of India led to tremendous development of the spirit of nationalism. Ashoka Pillar and Buddha’s teachings are abundantly mentioned in the writings and texts of almost all the prominent leaders who participated in India’s independence movement.

@ Christian missionaries who were involved in the business of conversion in India, were now facing a lot of difficulties to convert Hindus by calling them backward because the glorious history of Hinduism was affecting crores of Hindus. The famous American scholar and littérateur Mark Twain came to India and then to Benares in 1897. During his visit to Banaras, he has also mentioned that their were many Christian missionaries involved in conversion in Banaras.

@ The curiosity to know about India increased not only in Indians but also in western countries, it was against the prevailing belief in which Hindu civilization was portrayed as a defeated and helpless civilization.

@ The sense of non-violence, equality, and tolerance, which is seen in Gandhi’s philosophy was not new, but all these elements were included in the Hindu culture of India for thousands of years.
Peace, coexistence, and fraternity have been incorporated as an essential factor in India’s foreign policy after independence and remain an essential part of foreign policy even today. FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SUBJECT PLEASE VISIT :- https://nithinks.com/2020/12/03/hindu-philosophy-and-the-importance-of-peace-9-11-1893-9-112001/

Even today, whenever I see the Lion Capital in the Museum of Sarnath, one subject immediately catches my attention — the use of geometry in the construction of the Lion Capital.

VARIOUS TYPES OF GEOMETRICAL SHAPES like drum, disc, circle, have been used in this 7 ft idol. The spokes of the wheels are of uniform division, the roundness of the lion’s face is commendable, seeing all this, one thing becomes very clear that the people of India not only had a concrete understanding in geometry in250 BCbut that they also applied this knowledge of theirs while crafting sculptures and also in their day to day life.

The development of mathematics is a continuous process, the society sticking to the old ideology, conservatism can never contribute to the field of mathematics.

THE ATTITUDE OF INDIANS towards mathematics at that time clearly shows that the society used to accept new ideas quite easily. This is a clear indication that how new ideas of Gautam Buddha and Mahavira ( Mahavir Swami, the twenty-fourth Tirthankara of Jainism, were a contemporary of Buddha. Jainism has more emphasis on non-violence than Buddhism.) were easily accepted in the society without much opposition.

PRESENTLY THE LION CAPITAL adorning the museum of Sarnath, is a symbol of the ever-moving and dynamic Hindu culture and civilization. Millions of people every year who come to see this Lion Capital in this museum will undoubtedly have a wonderful infusion of the spirit of nationalism in their hearts. You will feel proud of your history. It can be expected that future generations will also be inspired by this experience for centuries.

IS AAMIR KHAN A ISLAMIC FANATIC ?

ISLAMIC FANATIC

The term Islamic Fanatic was used by the Britishers to refer to Muslims who lived in India and whose activities were entirely under the control of the Muslim religious priests and were always engaged in jihad(Islamic Holi War) against non-Muslims.

FANATIC

A person who is very enthusiastic about something and may have extreme or dangerous opinions (especially about religion or politics)

AAMIR KHAN

Aamir Khan is a popular actor of India, but in recent years he has been in discussion most of the time, due to his anti-Hindu activities and statements. Aamir Khan never hesitates in conversing with people associated with ISIS, the most dangerous Islamic organization in human history. On the other hand, Aamir Khan is afraid of living in a secular country like India? This kind of double standard, hypocrisy gives rise to doubt in the hearts of Hindus.

Why is Aamir Khan accused of being a Islamist fanatic ?

During his Hajj pilgrimage a few years ago, Aamir Khan was seen talking with people who support Islamic terrorism in Pakistan. Due to these photos, Aamir Khan was accused of supporting Pakistan and Islamic extremists. There was tremendous opposition to Aamir Khan on social media.

Hajj :- Hajj pilgrimage is the fifth pillar of Muslim religion. The pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city of the Muslim people, is called Hajj. According to Muslim belief, every Muslim must perform Hajj once in his life.

***Mecca – Muslims congregate at the shrine of the kabba in mecca. They kiss and touch the black stone as they circle the kabba dressed in white to symbolize purity .***

But main stream media came out openly in support of Aamir Khan. The print media was flooded with articles and columns in favor of Aamir Khan. Electronics media also started showing many discussion programs in favor of Aamir Khan. Due to this, the opposition against Aamir Khan on social media increased further more.

The nexus of Indian media and Pakistani terrorists was exposed by the arrest of Ghulam Nabi Fai in America. Since this incident, there is a perception of the common people in India that the media is a puppet of Islamic terrorist organizations and creates propaganda against India. To know the truth of the media of India, see this blog post of mine which describes the scenario in great detail:- https://nithinks.com/2019/04/30/rag-darbariparivardarbari-mobile-phone/

WHAT WAS THE MATTER

Muslim actor Aamir Khan was seen meeting with Pakistan’s Tariq Jameel, singer Junaid Jamshed, famous cricketer Shahid Afridi. All of them are famous personalities of Pakistan and they have a large number of followers but there are a few points all of them have in common-:

a. All were members of Pakistan’s infamous radical organization Tablighi Jamaat.

b. All of them not only believe in radical Islam but also have a hatred towards other religions and are known to ridicule of other religions from time to time.

Shahid Afridi sharing his hatred towards Hindu religion with people during a TV show

Maulana Tariq Jameel trying to show how Islam is superior to Hinduism

The Pakistani government is not only the biggest exporter of Islamic terrorists, but Islamic terrorism is an essential part of Pakistan’s foreign policy. Pakistan has been using Islamic terrorism against India for decades. Tablighi Jamaat organization has close links with all the hardline and dreaded Islamic terrorist organizations in the world and its main task is to spread terrorism in India.

T.J

TABLEEGHI JAMAAT “preaching party”

History of Tablighi Jamaat

Tablighi Jamaat was founded in the 1920s by Maulana Muhammad Ilyas Kandhlavi in Mewat (India). Maulana wanted to run this institution on the lines of British Institute of Education. The main objective of the Jamaat was to spread religious education based on Hadith (the most sacred Islamic book after Qur’an).

Presently Tablighi Jamaat has spread across 150 countries. At present Jammat, Deoband, Madrasa, all are well connected with each other and the only goal of them is to spread Islam.

In several institutions a graduate who has completed his studies must spend a certain time-often up to two years in tabligh work before he gets his degree.

“Refutation” of the other, “false” religions is of course an element of tabligh. THE WORLD OF FATWAS OR THE SHARIAH IN ACTION .

Using the famous Muslim personalities of the world especially the ones in South Asia as an Islamic role model, Tablighis believe in conversion and for this they ridicule the beliefs of other religions, especially of Hinduism.

Aamir Khan’s behavior has also been found similar to that of a Tablighi Jamaati. Aamir Khan makes fun of Hindu deities, Hindu beliefs in his films, but when it comes to Muslim beliefs, like a staunch Muslim, he stands with full reverence. Aamir Khan even appears to be silent on matters such as the Islamic traditions which are now being opposed by modern Muslims like triple talaq, halala, burqa.

Aamir Khan’s double standards create suspicion among Hindus. Isn’t Aamir Khan playing the dirty game of conversion by taking advantage of India’s democracy, freedom of expression?

THE MILITANT FACE OF THE TABLIGHI JAMAT

Tablighi Jamaat is not just an organization that converts people of other religions into true Muslims.

The main task of Tablighi Jamaat is to prepare the world’s most cruel, bloodthirsty and violent Islamic terrorists. And the biggest example of this is– ABU MUSAB AL ZARQAWI.

a. The most brutal Islamic terrorist organization in human history is ISIS. (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) ABU MUSAD AL ZARQAWI, who laid the foundation of this organization, took his education to become a “Good Muslim” in the Tablighi Jamaat of Pakistan. This organization coined a new definition of terror and cruelty.

b. At present, considering the Islamic method of Tablighi Jamaat as dangerous, this organization is also banned in many Islamic countries. Surprisingly, the main countries that have banned Tablighi Jamaat as a dangerous Islamic organization are Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan.

c. On 13th February 1995, a report was published in Pakistan’s newspaper The News was about the close links between Tablighi Jamaat and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen. The statement of a Harkat-ul-Mujahideen member was also published in the report.

d. The name of Tablighi Jamaat in India came into the spotlight a couple of years ago in 2020 when its members termed the corona vaccine as anti-Islamic and carried out fatal attacks on doctors, nurses who vaccinating the people at many places across India.

Sardar Patel had spoken in very clear words while addressing the Muslims of India.

To Indian Muslims, I want to ask only one question. In the recent all India Muslim conference, why did they not open their mouths on the Kashmir issue? why did you not condemn the action of Pakistan? these things create doubts in the mind of people. So as a friend of Muslims, I want to say a word and it is the duty of a good friend to speak frankly. It is your duty now to sail in the same boat and sink or swim together. I want to tell you very frankly that you can not ride on two horses. select one horse whichever you like best. Those who want to go to Pakistan can go there and live in peace! Let us be here in peace to work for ourselves…… 6 January 1948

These words are true even today. The Muslims of India have to understand that their interests can never be anti-national. Aamir Khan’s mysterious silence on the genocide of Hindus in Kashmir, mocking the religion of Hindus, while respecting the orthodox and medieval customs of Muslim religion also gives rise to natural doubts in the hearts of Hindus. It would be better if Aamir Khan broke his silence on these subjects and cleared the doubts of Hindus.

RESOURCES:

ISIS THE STATE OF TERROR ~ JESSICA STERN AND J.M BERGER
TALIBANISATION OF PAKISTAN FROM 9/11 TO 26/11 AND BEYOND ~ AMIR MIR
THE WORLD OF FATWAS OR THE SHARIAH IN ACTION ~ ARUN SHOURIE
GOD’S TERRORISTS THE WAHHABI CULT AND THE HIDDEN ROOTS OF MODERN JIHAD ~ CHARLES ALLEN
HATRED’S KINGDOM HOW SAUDI ARABIA SUPPORTS THE NEW GLOBAL TERRORISM ~ DORE GOLD
THE COLLECTED WORKS OF SARDAR PATEL

RAJGHAT BRIDGE ~ A WITNESS OF CHANGING TIME

RAJGHAT VARANASI

The oldest remains of Varanasi city have been found in the Rajghat area itself. From the remains found in the excavations by archaeologists, it appears that there were human settlements here EVEN BEFORE 800 BCE. In the excavation at Rajghat, many Punch marked coins and black earthenware have also been found. From these articles it is concluded that-:

Before the foundations of Mauryan Empire were layed (The Mauryan Empire, formed around 321 B.C.E. and ended in 185 B.C.E), Varanasi city was already completely established in Rajghat.
Various coins received before the Mauryan Empire period show that by that time Rajghat had already made a lot of progress in the field of trade.

RAJGHAT IN HINDU RELIGIOUS TEXTS

Ancient Banaras near Rajghat is also mentioned in religious texts of Hindus, Buddhist and Jain.

The confluence of rivers (SANGAM) is considered very sacred in Hinduism, in the Rajghat area is the confluence of the Ganges and Varuna rivers. At one place in the RIGVEDA (written around 1500-1000 BCE) there is a mention of the river VARNAVATI. Varnavati is very likely the ancient name of Varuna river. The area between Varuna and Asi river was later known as Varanasi.

UTTAR PATH , BADSHAHI SADAK , GRAND TRUNK ROAD

A very important and historical route passes through Varanasi (Rajghat area) which we know today as Grand Trunk Road. This road starts from Chittagong in Bangladesh and goes through Lahore to Kabul in Afghanistan.

During the Mughal period it was known as BADSHAHI SADAK. It was the backbone of India’s trade during the reign of CHANDRAGUPTA MAURYA. (The very first ruler of The Mauryan Empire ~ 321-297 BC)
The description of this route is found at many places in the ancient texts of the Hindus. It is also described in the Mahabharata, back then this route was known as UTTARPATH. The Indian Grand Trunk Road portion is also a part of the ambitious Golden Quadrilateral project.

A NEW FAITH

According to a Jataka story, Gautam Buddha after attaining enlightenment in Gaya came to a place called Sarnath in Varanasi by this route itself and gave his first sermon.

MUGHAL EMPIRE AND RAJ GHAT

The Rajghat area was known as Bag-Badshah during the Mughal period. During this period, except for the construction of some graveyards, mosques, no remarkable construction work is seen in this area.

During this period only mosques were built by demolishing Hindu temples whose ruins are still present today. If you want to know more about such temples and mosques then please visit this blog post of mine:- https://nithinks.com/2021/12/06/the-search-for-hindus-lost-temples-in-the-city-of-templesvaranasi/ For almost 600 years, there was no such construction in Raj Ghat which could be mentioned or is worth mentioning.

HISTORY OF INDIAN RAILWAY

In 1853, rail service was started in India by the Britishers. After the First War of Independence in 1857, the British people came to know about the importance of postal services, Telegram and railways. An excellent postal system, and means of transport were needed to control this vast territory.

The British wanted such a modern means of transport in India that can transport them to any part of the country, within 24 hours. They thought, this was important to suppress rebellions if any of them are started. Undoubtedly this was possible only through railway.
Hundreds of big and small bridges were constructed in the country while the railway network was being layed down. At the same time, the construction work of the railway bridge over the Ganges river in Varanasi was completed.

**RAJ-GHAT BENARES**
**TEMPORARY PONTOON BRIDGE AT THE RAJ -GHAT** . (1869)

Before the construction of Dufferin Bridge was completed, there used to be a temporary pontoon bridge at the Raj Ghat. During the rainy season, it was removed when the water level of the river Ganges rose.

**‘Views of Benares, from the River Side’ taken by Brajo Gopal Bromochary in 1869**.

* SOME INTRESTING FACTS RELATED TO RAJGHAT BRIDGE *

@ It is a two-floor bridge. It was the first bridge in the Indian sub-continent, which had a railroad both on the top and the bottom.

@ The construction of the bridge started in 1882 AD and was completed in 1887 AD.

@ The cost of construction of this bridge was Rs 750,000. This was a huge amount in the 1880s.

@ The length of this bridge (Rajghat to Padav) built on the river Ganges is 1048.5 meters.

@ Being situated in the Rajghat area of Varanasi, this bridge has been known by the local people as “Rajghat bridge” since its construction. Even today the local residents know it by the name of Rajghat bridge.

O.& R. R. C⁰ — This bridge was built jointly by the engineers of Oudh (Awadh) and Rohilkhand.

THE DUFFERIN BRIDGE – This bridge was inaugurated by Lord Dufferin on 16th December 1887 AD. From that day onwards this bridge was named the Dufferin Bridge.

Malviya Bridge :- After independence, on 5 December 1947, the name of this bridge was changed to Malviya Bridge after Madan Mohan Malviya.

**There are stairs leading from the Kashi railway station to the ghat.** (**towards the river Ganges**)

**A small bridge like structure(can be clearly seen in the image above) has been created for the convenience of rail passengers so that they can go** directly from the bridge to the Kashi railway station. Even today this bridge like structure is in use by pedestrians and cyclists.

**There were always gunmen stationed here to protect the bridge during the British Raj.**

A book named “Dufferin’s Bridge” was published from Banaras in 1887 AD, only 50 copies of this book were printed. In this book, plan maps and some other important information related to the bridge was mentioned.

BRITISH RAJ AND RAJ GHAT

In 1781, the people of Varanasi revolted against the East India Company and hundreds of British soldiers were killed in this rebellion, many of them were killed in Padao and Ramnagar (near Raj Ghat). If you don’t have any Idea about Benares rebellion then I will recommend you to read this blog post of mine where I have mentioned all the details about it that I could possibly find :- https://nithinks.com/2020/08/14/benares-rebellion-15august-1781/
The British had to bear heavy losses in the first freedom struggle of 1857 as well. Learning from these incidents, the British avoided any kind of interference in the religious affairs of the Hindus.
On the other hand Hindus also viewed any British action with great suspicion.

Hindus were not happy even at the time of the construction of this bridge, many Hindus believed that the Ganges river holds the status of the most sacred river in Hinduism and the British wanted to humiliate the Hindus by building a bridge over it.

It was believed by many that the construction of this bridge could enrage Ganga Maiya and spread an epidemic. In order to deal with these problems, the British requested the king of Banaras to explain to his subjects that Hindu religion would not be harmed in any way by the construction of the bridge, and instead it would make the lives of the pilgrims much easy. Initially there was opposition, but gradually the voices of the protest subsided and the people of Varanasi accepted this new change.

Who was Bankim Chandra Chatterjee? And what was his contribution in the freedom struggle?

After the independence of India, whatever research work has been done on the topic of freedom struggle of India, has been mostly motivated by political selfishness. The diabolical alliance of Nehruvian and Marxist historians have never given any place to the nationalist ideology and the staunch nationalists in the textbooks. Marxists and Nehruvian, who believe in person worship and boot licking, tried hard to marginalize Bankim Chandra, a man rich of such a versatility.

LIFE INTRODUCTION

BANKIM CHANDRA CHATTERJEE was born in a prosperous Bengali family on 27 June 1838 in NAIHATI, BENGAL. He was a writer, poet, novelist, essayist, journalist etc. Basically he was well-versed in all aspects and genres of literature, Bankim Chandra made full use of his talent for the service of the nation.

The British rule had created a new class in India – the middle class. They had their own problems, the dilemma of these problems is also visible in the literature of Bankim Chandra. Bankim Chandra was probably the first littérateur to connect deeply with the public. Prior to this, literature was either purely religious or a fashionable status symbol to the elite class of the society. The credit for the democratization of literature in India goes to Bankim Chandra.

POLITICAL AND SOCIAL CONDITION OF INDIA AT THAT TIME

1. In those days India was going through great turmoil. The East India Company (E.I.C) was trying to capture the power in India. The Islamic empire was on the verge of collapse. The hope of building a Hindu nation once again, was in the dust with the defeat of the Maratha and Sikh empires. There was an atmosphere of chaos all around.

2.India had become an island under Islamic rule. Cut off from all over the world. The progress of science and the industrial revolution had completely changed the western world but unfortunately India was still in medieval times. In the western world, literature was playing an important role in awakening the common people, whereas in India literature was still limited to religious books. The Hindu civilization which once made seminal contributions in the field of trigonometry, algebra, arithmetic, music, art and literature had forgotten all its glory in Islamic slavery.

3.The Hindus watched the changing circumstances with a defeated sense of self, engulfed in despair. India was gradually moving out of the hands of one imperial power and going into the hands of another imperialist power. Bankim Chandra Chatterjee appeared in such dire circumstances like a beacon of light, new energy was infused among the Hindus, and a great race which was sleeping for centuries rose again against the imperialist powers with full force.

Major works

Anand Math, Durgesh Nandini, Devi chaudhrani, SitaRam

Bankim Chandra and Anand Math

Undoubtedly Anand Math is the best work of Bankim Chandra.

The novel describes the Sanyasi rebellion of 1773 in Bengal. It depicts the valor and sacrifice of the agitators who challenged the British. The famous song BANDE MATRAM which is also the national song of India was mentioned in this novel itself. The translations of Anand Math are available in almost all the major languages spoken in India. Generally people are well acquainted with the name of the book Anand Math, but only for the reason that the song described in this book later became the national song of India, however there are many ideas in this book which became the main basis of India’s freedom struggle but are still known very less.

Answers to many questions, doubts related to Indian civilization and culture can also be obtained from this book.

BACKGROUND OF THE ANAND MATH (The Abbey Of Bliss).

Around 1770 there was a terrible famine in Bengal. Millions of people died due to this famine. The famine was so terrible that many people started eating trees, leaves, etc for the survival. This tragedy was penned by British officer Wilson Hunter in his book, The Annals of Rural Bengal.

Along with the famine, many diseases also started spreading like Cholera, tuberculosis and smallpox. People started to succumb to the diseases. Family members were leaving the patient alone. Taking advantage of such a time, thieves, swindlers, dacoits were engaged in robbery.

Even in such dire circumstances, the ruling class was not in a mood to provide any concession to the common people, they kept increasing the tax. When seeing such a painful situation, the monks of Bengal blew the trumpet of rebellion against the ruling class. The heroic saga of the revolutionaries who challenged the British rule is the basis of the novel Anand Math.

WHY DO WE CALL OUR COUNTRY AS MOTHER LAND ?

” It is the country and no mortal mother ” — cried Mahendra. ” We own no other mother,” retorted Bhavananda ; “they say, ‘the mother and the land of birth are higher than heaven.’ We think the land of birth to be no ether than our mother herself. We have no mother, no father, no brother, no wife, no child, no hearth or home, we have only got the mother.

In Valmiki Ramayana, the most sacred book of Hindus, in two lines of verses, there is a mention of Shri Ram describing the birthplace as more sacred even than the heaven. Bankim Chandra has told the youth the glory of the mother land by referring to this holy book. Bankim Chandra has clarified that the first duty of every Hindu is to try to free his mother land from foreign invaders.

WHY WERE HINDUS DEFEATED BY MUSLIM INVADERS ?

” Maharaj, why have the gods grown offended with us ? For what fault have we been beaten by the Mussulmans ? “
” The gods are not averse ” said Satyananda. ” In warfare you have defeats as well as victories. The other day we were victorious, to-day we are worsted. It is the final victory that is worth the name. I am sure that Vishnu who has ever been so kind to us with his conch, disc, club and lotus will prove as kind again. We will have to carry through the vow which we have taken with the touch of His sacred foot. If we fail, eternal Hell shall be our lot. I have no doubt about our ultimate success, but we have to recognise that, as no work can succeed without divine grace, so too is human enterprize necessary for everything. The reason for our defeat is that we have no arms. What can sticks and spears do before cannons, guns and shot ? So we have been beaten because we were wanting in enterprize. What we have now to do is to see that we may not lack those arms in future.”

Weapons are needed to resist the invading forces. Victory cannot be achieved by talking empty peace. To make his point accessible to the common man, Bankim Chandra took the help of Karma Yoga of Gita. Taking recourse to the teachings given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna in the Gita, he gave his views on violence and non-violence in detail. Bankim Chandra, while giving his opinion in clear words, said that if a person tries to kill you, then killing such a person is the very first act of non-violence. In this way, Bankim Chandra has also tried to give evidence of the failure of the first revolution of 1857 in his statement.

REINTERPRETATION OF HINDUISM

I shall explain the position to you as great men have understood it. The True Faith does not consist in the worship of 330 million deities ; that is only a base religion of the masses. Under its influence the True Faith, which Mlecchas call Hinduism, has disappeared. The true Hinduism is based on knowledge and not on action. This knowledge is of two kinds, subjective and objective. The subjective know- ledge is the essential part of the True Faith, but till you have objective knowledge the subjective knowledge can never grow.

In very strict and harsh words, Bankim Chandra has focused the attention of the general public towards the evils of Hindu religion. According to him, because of the defeat of Hinduism, many distortions have come, which are absolutely necessary to be resolved. He says that the worship of 33 crore deities is not following the real Sanatan Dharma. This sort of religion is a fallen religion. In Hinduism the primacy of knowledge has been accepted.

Influence and Inspirations

Clear impressions of Bankim Chandra Chatterjee are visible in the nationalist ideas of Swami Vivekananda, Arvind Ghosh, Sachindra Nath Sanyal etc.

The formation and functioning of Anushilan Samiti, the nursery of revolutionary activities in India, was also based on the ideas of Bankim Chandra.

Taking Bankim Chandra’s interpretation of Gita as the basis, Arvind Ghosh presented his own interpretation of Gita.

GURU DHAM YOG TEMPLE VARANASI

Varanasi, the holy city of Hindus, is also called the CITY OF TEMPLES in fact there are innumerable big and small temples in Varanasi. VARANASI HAS BEEN THE CENTER OF YOGA AND TANTRA PRACTICE SINCE ANCIENT TIMES. During the Mughal period, idol-worship and yoga practice remained inactive. Under the rule of Marathas, once again the traditions related to Hindu religion were restored. Many new temples were built in Banaras during this period. E.I.C ~ The East India Company’s dominance was established over Banaras from 1781, but the construction of temples continued unabated.

Presently one such temple is the Yoga Mandir in Gurudham locality of Varanasi. This temple is famous for its unique architecture.

RAJA JAI NARAYAN GHOSHAL

This temple was built by Raja Jai Narayan Ghoshal of Khedderpur (Bengal) in 1814. He is also credited for starting the system of modern education and for establishing many schools in Varanasi.

Raja Jai Narayan Ghoshal was a man of great vision. He was the first to recognize the turning point of time during the rule of the East India Company. Raja Jai Narayan Ghoshal was interested in the modern European education system, he was influenced by it. During his stay in Varanasi, Raja Jai Narayan Ghoshal found that the condition of Hindu education system is very pathetic. Hindu education has remained confined to religious knowledge only. The Hindu education system was almost completely destroyed during the Mughal period. Jai Narayan Ghoshal established a school in Varanasi in 1814 along with the Yoga Mandir. This school is known as Jai Narayan Ghoshal Vidyalaya.

Octagonal architecture of the Yoga Mandir in Guru Dham(top view). The design consists of four concentric octagons of different sizes. The different octagons have been shown with different color and the entrance is shown at the top in the image. ***The orange colored octagon is the boundary of the temple whereas the red, green, blue colored octagons are the three floors of the main building.***

TEMPLE STRUCTURE

As I mentioned earlier the structure of Guru Dham temple is octagonal. The structure of the temple immediately caught my attention, I was thinking that at that time was there any special custom in Banaras to make buildings, wells etc. related to Hindu religion in octagonal shape??? The reason for this was that I have seen many octagonal wells in temples, dharmshalas built by the Marathas in Benares in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. So, there could be a possibility of this statement of mine being true, but of course I can be wrong as well as there is no concrete evidence on which I can claim so. For more information about this subject please visit :- https://nithinks.com/2022/05/31/the-agony-of-the-ancient-wells-of-one-of-the-oldest-routes-in-india/

**WINGED LION**

Bishop Haber had mentioned in his letter that Jai Narayan Ghoshal was also influenced by the teachings of Christianity due to being in contact with Mr. Kori, the priest of Banaras. This can be clearly seen in the construction of the Yoga Mandir of Jai Narayan Ghosh.

GURU DWAR AND WINGED LION

The main gate is built into the wall. (GURU-DWAR) Guru is used in a wide sense in Hindu culture. Guru means teacher, elder, and is used to offer respect to someone. On both sides of the main gate there are statues of a lion-like figure. The Winged lion represents Saint Mark the Evangelist, patron of Venice. Saint Mark the Evangelist of the Republic of Venice was the heraldic symbol of the patron saint of the Republic.

The Gurudwar is built on one side of the octagonal wall, apart from this the gates built on the remaining seven sides are named as Saptapuris.

Saptapuris:- According to Hindu religion, these seven cities are very holy and salvific.
1.Kashi
2.Ayodhya
3.Mathura
4.Maya (Haridwar)
5.Dwarkadham
6.Avantika (Ujjain)
7.Kanchi

According to the belief of Hinduism, Kashi is the most sacred amongst all of them. Within Kashi there are different localities named after the other 6 cities. It is said that if a person is not able to travel to the other Puris (holy cities), then he should visit the localities named after these Puris in Kashi itself and this would be equivalent to visiting the other puris as well.

Jai Narayan Ghoshal was an advocate of Western education and had friendly relations with the people of the Christian missionaries of Varanasi. English language, British History and Bible were also a part of the school curriculum in the school founded by Jai Narayan Ghoshal. The cross ~ the holy icon of Christianity, is clearly visible on the gate above.

When entering through the Guru Dwar (main gate) there are two small temples- Each one of them having an idol of a hindu deity one of the deity was Lord Hanuman(left), however I was not able to identify the other deity(right).

PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THE THREE FLOOR OCTAGONAL BUILDING OF THE YOGA MANDIR

The construction of the temple is based on the philosophy of attainment of God from the Guru and then the attainment of Yoga zero from God. Many historians believe that the construction of this temple is based on the Samkhya philosophy of Kapil Muni. The stairs leading from the ground floor to the first floor are built on the lines of human Kundalini (Spine, coiled snake) and Nadis. (Nerve, Blood Vessel, Pulse) According to Shaiv Tantra, the power of every human being is stored in kundalini .

**Manuscript painting of a yogin in meditation, showing the chakras and the three main nadis**.

First Floor(The ground floor):-

There are 32 stone pillars outside the sanctum on the bottom most floor of this temple and there are 24 pillars inside the sanctum. The building has four doors. This floor has always been idol-less.

Second Floor:-

There are narrow roads Kundalinuma (coiled snake)from outside and inside to reach the second floor of the building. It is believed that an idol of Radha-Krishna was installed on the second floor. But now these idols aren’t there.

Third floor:-

This is the last floor of the temple. The roof of this floor is circular. The third floor of the temple symbolizes the SHUNYA (space).

A corridor leads forward from the three-story octagonal building. At the end of the corridor comes a verandah. The floor of the verandah is made of stone. On both sides of this floor there are figures like small houses.

The total number of these house-like figures is seven. The ceiling of the first and last rooms is circular whereas the roofs of the other five houses in between the first and the last one are conically shaped.

On the opposite side there must have been similar figures, except one, all the others seem to have been destroyed. Going a little further, there is a European styled building and this is the last structure present inside the temple.

The unique temple built by Jai Narayan Ghoshal was in a very dilapidated condition a few years ago. Because of its religious and spiritual importance, it was declared a monument of national importance in 1987. In 2007, it was taken over by the Uttar Pradesh State Archaeological Department and they got it renovated. From 2016 it has been opened for the general public. Its restoration work has not been completed yet. But now its condition is much better and for this the archaeological department deserves great credit.

HOW DID NUPUR SHARMA EXPOSE RADICAL ISLAM

Who is Nupur Sharma? And why suddenly this name is in the headlines?

Nupur Sharma is a politician associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party and was it’s spokesperson. When a Muslim man ridiculed about Hinduism during a debate on TV, in response she raised the issue of the age of Muhammad’s wife Ayesha at the time of her marriage with him. Later Nupur had also apologized for her statement, keeping in mind the sentiments of the Muslims. To avoid controversy, BJP expelled Nupur from the party.

A quick response was seen across the country regarding this incident, where most of the Hindus were seen standing in favor of Nupur, while the Muslims of the country showed deep resentment towards Nupur. Soon the Muslim protests turned into violence and there were several incidents of stone-pelting across the country. Soon, some Muslim countries also gave rhetorical reactions to this trying to show as if they were the messiahs for the followers of Islam.

Is Nupur responsible for Muslim violence?

Blindly jumping to the conclusion that Nupur Sharma is responsible for the violent protests by Muslims across the country is a diversion from the truth. In recent times, stone pelting has been used by Muslims as a weapon against non-Islamic people. There were also incidents of firing on security forces by Muslim mobs at many places. So, Islamic fundamentalism is responsible for the violent protests of Muslims, not Nupur Sharma.

Few months before the incident

Many temples were attacked by Muslims on Ram Navami, the holy festival of Hindus.
Tableaux taken out by Hindus in Muslim-majority areas were attacked and it was argued that passing of Hindu tableaux in Muslim-majority areas disrespects Islamic belief (Idol-worship is haram in Islam). If you want to read more about this topic please visit this blog post of mine :- https://nithinks.com/2022/04/27/islamic-fundamentalism-methodology-and-their-goals-in-the-context-of-india/

Your Lord inspired the angels with the message: ‘I am with you. Give firmness to the Believers. I will terrorize the unbelievers. Therefore smite them on their necks and every joint and incapacitate them. Strike off their heads and cut off each of their fingers and toes.” (Koran 8:12)

Terror of Namazi Army

Looting, desecrating the shrines of other religions has become a symbol of Islamic power, solidarity. After offering prayers on Friday, the worshipers are on the road armed with stones, non-Islamic people, their houses, their commercial property, their religious places, their democratic symbols (national flag, buildings of national importance) everything is on their target. Non believers especially Hindus, Christians can’t even think of passing through Muslim areas on Fridays, this fear is what they regard as their victory.

Who is Ayesha and what is her importance in Islam

AYESHA WAS THE THIRD WIFE OF MUHAMMAD (the founder of Islam). She also had a major role in writing the Islamic historiography. Forty-four years after the death of Muhammad, she had done all the work of propagating Islam. Her most important contribution is considered to be in the writing and compilation of hadith. Ayesha herself has narrated many incidents related to the life of Muhammad in the hadith.

What is Hadith?

The Quran is the holiest religious text of Muslims. Muslims believe that the Quran is the book of Allah. Every word of the Qur’an is a statement of Allah. Whereas hadith is a collection of the events that Muhammad experienced in his life. According to Islamic teachings,
The Hadith describes the habits, actions, and sayings of Muhammad. Thus the book hadith is considered as the second holiest book after Qur’an by the Muslims. There are six different collections of hadith.

AISHA NARRATED :

(The example of this statement by Nupur during the TV debate became the subject of controversy).

The Prophet engaged me when I was a girl of six years. We went to Medina and stayed at the home of Bani-al-Harith bin Khazraj. Then I got ill and my hair fell down. Later on my hair grew (again) and my mother, Um Ruman, came to me while I was playing in a swing with some of my girl friends. She called me, and I went to her, not knowing what she wanted to do to me. She caught me by the hand and made me stand at the door of the house. I was breathless then, and when my breathing became All right, she took some water and rubbed my face and head with it. Then she took me into the house. There in the house I saw some Ansari women who said, “Best wishes and Allah’s Blessing and a good luck.” Then she entrusted me to them and they prepared me (for the marriage). Unexpectedly Allah’s Apostle came to me in the forenoon and my mother handed me over to him, and at that time I was a girl of nine years of age. (Sahih Bukhari volume 5, book 58, number 234)

Why was there a controversy when Nupur did not present any wrong or made up facts?

These statements were said by Ayesha and are stored in the hadith, so why is there controversy over it?

Till now not a single Islamic religious leader could muster the courage to come forward and say that Nupur’s statement is wrong.

According to Ayesha, she was married to Muhammad at the age of six. And when she was nine, she went to live with Muhammad.

How can Nupur’s quote of Ayesha be an insult to Islam?

The real problem is the superiority concept of Islam.

So fight them until there is no more Fitnah (disbelief non Muslims) and all submit to the religion of Allah alone (in the whole world).” (Koran 8:39)

For Muslims who believe in fundamentalist ideology, to be a true Muslim, it is not only enough to believe in Islam, but it is also necessary to have hatred towards other religions. If you want to read more about this topic please visit this blog post of mine:- https://nithinks.com/2022/06/04/what-does-freedom-mean-to-indian-muslims/

Under Islamic rule-:

Every Muslim should have a feeling of hatred towards other religion, while people of other religion should respect this feeling of Muslims.
Every Muslim should get the freedom of openly discussing the shortcomings, superstitions of other religions and he should get the right of making fun of non-Islamic religion because considering other religions as inferior is one of the basic elements of Islam.
Islamic customs, culture, holy books can not be questioned by any non-Islamic in any way, if he does so, his head would be cut off according to Islamic law.

See, not just in India but the Muslims all around the globe should understand one thing clearly that medieval thinking is of no use in modern times. If you make spreading hatred towards other religions a necessary part of your own religion, then the followers of other religions will also become bound to make their attitudes also the same towards you. Today, when the world is becoming so much global, such thoughts can be very dangerous.

So, will these modern Muslims be able to ask this question from the Mullahs and the Maulanas?

Islam is such a religion in which there has never been any change with time, nor has there been any reform, as a result, the believers of Islam face problems in reconciling with other religions. When these people started targeting Nupur Sharma, the Islamic fundamentalists forgot that now everyone has access to every single bit of information which they have.
Muslim religious leaders are facing great difficulty in answering the questions of the so called ‘non-believers’ for them. Generally a common Indian Muslim looks to the Maulavi of the madarassas, the Maulana of the mosques, for the interpretation of Islamic scriptures, these mullahs administer the madrasas, mosques like they are the one and only true speakers and are sitting as a contractor of truth. Nupur Sharma has also presented a direct challenge to the leadership of modern Muslims by raising the question, now it has to be seen whether Muslim organizations answer the questions by calling themselves modern Muslims or keep silence as usual from the fear of Mullahs, Maulanas.

What does freedom mean to Indian Muslims?

MODERN INDIA AND THE CONCEPT OF FREEDOM

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments By narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

These lines are composed by the great Indian poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore. In these lines, he has depicted the pain of a subordinate country, a country that has been subjugated by another one and made a slave. The poem delivers the message of humanity, it tells us there is love for truth and knowledge, it tells us the history of Indian culture of devotion to truth and knowledge, and requests the Supreme Lord to maintain a graceful gaze on the country. There is nothing in this poem that hurts any religion nor there is something that hurts the sentiments of the religious group of any kind. And everyone excepts this except……., The Indian Muslims. For them, it does hurt their religious sentiments because the words used in this poem do not match the Islamic culture they want.

It has also been clearly explained in the constitution of India that India is a secular country. According to it, the state will not promote any religion, and the government will treat all religious groups equally and provide them with equal opportunities.

Islam is an imperialist ideology of Arabia and has its own terminology.

“When you clash with the unbelieving Infidels in battle, smite their necks until you overpower them, killing and wounding many of them. At length, when you have thoroughly subdued them, bind them firmly, making (them) captives. Thereafter either generosity or ransom (them based upon what benefits Islam) until the war lays down its burdens. Thus are you commanded by Allah to continue carrying out Jihad against the unbelieving infidels until they submit to Islam.”

Most of the Muslims in India feel that the secular constitution of India is against the basic spirit of Islam. Most Muslims believe that the so-called BOOK OF HEAVEN ~ AASMANI KITAB (KORAN) is supreme.

1 .THEY WANT FREEDOM FROM INDIAN CONSTITUTION:-

The Muslims of India want any dispute to be resolved according to Islamic law, which is not possible in a progressive, democracy. Imagine that tomorrow if all religions like – Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Parsi, and Buddhist start demanding special rights for their religions, then what kind of disorder will spread in the society. The entire constitutional structure of India will collapse and the whole country will become a victim of anarchy. To keep the country united, it is a must to maintain the supremacy of the Constitution. Muslims believe that the constitution is man-made and they draw inspiration from the Koran. Not only this, Muslim organizations and religious leaders also advocate for the followers of other religions to accept the supremacy of Islam.

2. THEY WANT FREEDOM FROM NON-ISLAMIC RULE

Many Muslims of India are still living under the illusion that other Muslim countries will help them, especially the Gulf countries, in converting India into a Muslim nation. Good education, clean drinking water, and better hospitals are never a part of Muslim demands. A true Muslim feels that the root of all his problems is the rule of non-Islamic people, as a result, he opposes the democratic system and democratic government every time, everywhere.

MADARASAS:-

Maulana has the right to solve people’s doubts on religious-related issues. All these Maulanas, Maulvis are educated in madarasas. The curriculum of madarasas has been running unchanged since the time of Aurangzeb(a ruthless Islamic ruler in the history of India who is known to have destroyed tonnes of Hindu temples, built mosques from temple ruins, and imposed jizya tax on Hindus.) In addition to religious education, madarasas also claim to have modern education for show, but that is only to deceive the government agencies. In fact, madrasas are just the nurseries of fanatical ideology which are only creating hatred in the society.

They believe that Sharia is the only solution to all the problems.

Most of the Muslims of India describe Aurangzeb’s rule as the Golden Age of Islam. Muslims are of the view that according to Islamic law, Islamic state must be established over India because the native Hindus here are a defeated civilization, an inferior race and it is necessary to have superior rule over them.

They try to show that they are more Muslim than actual Muslims:-

When women from some Muslim countries were protesting against the mandatory requirement to wear the niqab, Muslim girls from the Indian state of Karnataka were protesting across the state demanding permission to wear burqa in classrooms.

Hamid Ansari, the 12th vice president of India, had also advocated the establishment of Islamic Courts in every city of India. How dangerous such expressions can prove to be for a country, made by a person who has held one of the highest constitutional posts of the democratic system. Isn’t this the formation of a parallel government on the basis of religion? How justified is the demand for a separate judiciary on the basis of Islamic laws in a democratic country? Will it be limited to the separate judiciary only? Recently, the Madras Court has expressed concern over Muslim intolerance. In one incident, people from areas where Muslims were in majority wanted that other non-Islamic religious activities such as religious processions of Hindus should be banned as it hurts their religious sentiments.
Can the country, which has been a victim of Islamic terrorism for centuries, face Islamic terrorism again? The Muslims of India should understand one thing clearly that after the partition of India-Pakistan on religious grounds, the Muslims who have accepted to live in India, have to accept the democratic system of India. India is not an Islamic nation. And two types of law systems, that too one based on the interests of a single religious group can’t coexist in a country, it is everyone’s responsibility to maintain the supremacy of the constitution.

TO INDIAN MUSLIMS I WANT TO ASK ONLY ONE QUESTION. in the recent all-India Muslim conference, why did they not open their mouths on the Kashmir issue? Why did you not condemn the action of Pakistan? These things create doubts in the mind of people. So as a friend of Muslims, I want to say a word and it is the duty of a good friend to speak frankly. It is your duty now to sail in the same boat and sink or swim together. I want to tell you very frankly that you cannot ride on two horses. Select one horse whichever you like best. Those who want to go to Pakistan can go there and live in peace! Let us live here in peace to work for ourselves……

Sardar Patel 6th January 1948

Sardar Patel’s words are equally true even today. Nation is supreme. And respecting the sovereignty of the nation is a must. The Muslims of India will have to accept the nation as paramount.