Gopal Guru On October 14, 1956, Babasaheb Ambedkar, along with several hundred thousand “untouchables”, embraced Buddhism. The moral and ethical strength of Ambedkar’s embrace of Buddhism lies in its cultural and intellectual capacity to sustain among the ex-untouchables a growing association with it. Conversion as a cultural-intellectual movement that took off in October 1956 …
Pandit Iyothee Thass and the Revival of Tamil Buddhism
Bala J We may say that great minds think alike when two scholars who lived in two different times and places reach a similar conclusion on the same problem. The traditionally educated nineteenth century Tamil scholar, Pandit Iyothee Thass as well as the twentieth century western educated intellectual from Maharashtra, Babasaheb Ambedkar, embraced Buddhism …
Say a Big No to Diwali
[Received this article (slightly edited) via Karthik Navayan. Its original author is unknown. If any of our readers know about her/him, please let us know so that we can give due credit to her/him] Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them. ~ …
Countering Hindu Morality – A Tale of Conversion
Rahul Sonpimple “The history of India is nothing but a history of mortal conflict between Buddhism and Brahmanism”. ~ Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar. Once again, my city Nagpur will be the hotspot of two contrasting realities. One will be the show of arrogance by caste Hindus through their religious practices and other will be the …
Letter to the Prime Minister: Include Pali in Constitution of India
Please sign (inserting your name etc in the brackets) this appeal to the Prime Minister of India to include Pali, the ancient language, in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution by going to this site. ~ Letter to Hon. Prime Minister of India For Inclusion of Pali, ancient Indian language, in Constitution of India …
Political Philosophy of B.R. Ambedkar: A Critical Understanding (Part 2)
Dr. P. Kesava Kumar Continued from here. Assessing the Political Thought of Ambedkar About Ambedkar there are diverse opinions. Upper caste nationalists has tried to brand him as a ‘British agent’. For instance, Arun Shourie, the Hindu nationalist and the “intellectual hero” of the upper castes at the time of the anti-Mandal agitation and …
Caste and Caste-Based Discrimination among Indian Muslims – Part 8
Caste and Caste-Based Discrimination among Indian Muslims – Part 8: Firoze Shah Tughlaq’s Reign Continued from here. Masood Alam Falahi (Translated by Yoginder Sikand for NewAgeIslam.com) [Part 8 of Masood Alam Falahi‘s Urdu book Hindustan Mai Zat-Pat Aur Musalman (‘Casteism Among Muslims in India’)] ~ Sultan Firoze Shah Tughlaq, who succeeded Muhammad bin Tughlaq …
Caste and Caste-Based Discrimination among Indian Muslims – Part 6
Caste and Caste-Based Discrimination among Indian Muslims – Part 6: In the Period of ‘Muslim Rule’ Continued from here. Caste Struggle Masood Alam Falahi (Translated by Yoginder Sikand for NewAgeIslam.com) [Part 6 of Masood Alam Falahi‘s Urdu book Hindustan Mai Zat-Pat Aur Musalman (‘Casteism Among Muslims in India‘)] ~ With its philosophy of human …
Caste And Hinduism
Gail Omvedt (Written in November 2003) M V Nadkarni’s recent article “Is Caste System Intrinsic to Hinduism?: Demolishing a Myth”, (EPW, November 8, 2003) comes as a follow-up to his earlier article “Ethics and Relevance of Conversions: A Critical Assessment of Religious and Social Dimensions in a Gandhian Perspective” (Januay 18). Both articles show the fundamental stamp of Hindutva ideology, …