Category Archives: GOD & ME

Shivaism and Vaishnavism: Two Different Religions That Became “One” — The Untold Story of How Hinduism Was Constructed For most of India’s long history, Shivaites and Vaishnavites were never part of a single religious identity. They lived separately, worshipped differently, and in many eras actively opposed one another. The neat packaging of both groups underContinue reading “Hey Ram or Why Ram?”

Hinduism asked the seeker to drop the Self. Psychology, that came much later, spoke of the Ego.Somewhere in that linguistic and philosophical translation, India lost the essence of its own wisdom. In the Upanishadic context, the Self — the limited identity, the “I” that clings to separateness — was to be dissolved into the vast ocean of Brahman, the ultimateContinue reading “The Confusion Between Self and Ego: India’s Spiritual Misunderstanding”

The spiritual evolution of India can be traced through two monumental phases of thought — the Vedas and the Upanishads. While both are pillars of Hindu philosophy, they stand on two different banks of the same river — one chanting to the gods above, the other seeking the god within. The Vedas, composed between 1500 and 1000 BCE,Continue reading “When Ritual Became Realisation: The Journey from the Vedas to the Upanishads”

Throughout human history, the male genitalia have transcended cultural and religious boundaries, serving as potent symbols of life force, fertility, and creation. Their depiction in ancient art and architecture reflects a shared human recognition of the generative power inherent in masculinity, independent of any singular religious tradition. In ancient Egypt, the god Min epitomized fertilityContinue reading “The Universal Symbol of Life: Masculinity and Male Genitalia Across Ancient Civilizations”

Across civilizations, birth has never been seen as a mere biological event. It has always carried a deeper moral, spiritual, or cosmic meaning. Every religion, in its own way, tries to answer a single human ache — what brought me here, and for what purpose? In the Indian Mind In the Indian traditions, birth is notContinue reading “Why We Are Born: A Civilizational Reflection”

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Indian Hindus were embracing modern education, rational thought, and scientific reasoning. A growing number even took pride in identifying as atheists, seeing faith as something to outgrow in the march toward progress. Yet, paradoxically, it was the unwavering religious fervor of Indian Muslims that rekindled a spiritualContinue reading “How Indian Muslims Rekindled Hindu Religiosity”

Walk into any grand temple in India, and you’re struck by the beauty, the rituals, the devotion. But look closer, and a subtler reality emerges: temples have long served not just God, but rulers—and sometimes, the rulers’ agendas. Across centuries, religious devotion and political strategy have walked hand in hand, and understanding this interplay revealsContinue reading “Temples: Sacred Spaces or Political Tools?”

Isn’t it strange that cows, despite not being called “divine” or “holy” in any Hindu scripture, are treated like walking gods in India — free to block roads, interrupt traffic, and occasionally bless political campaigns — while the boar, one of Vishnu’s ten avatars, is seen as filthy and untouchable? So the animal that saved theContinue reading “The Holy Cow and the Filthy Boar: India’s Selective Divinity”

In recent years, a strange idea has taken deep root in the Indian Hindu psyche — that protecting one’s religion is part of one’s dharma. The average devotee now believes that safeguarding Hinduism from perceived enemies is not just a moral duty, but a sacred obligation. The slogan “Save Sanatana Dharma” has become a rallying cryContinue reading “Who Said Protecting Hinduism Is Part of Your Dharma?”

Hinduism is often praised as a religion of pluralism — a tradition that celebrates diversity, philosophy, and harmony. But a closer look at its history reveals a deeper paradox: Hindu peace has rarely existed without an “other” to define itself against. This “other” has taken different forms across centuries — caste, religion, and politics —Continue reading “Without an ‘Other,’ Can Hinduism Truly Exist?”