Critique of the West in Indic literature and society

[vidya at cco.caltech.edu]

Every once in a while, INDOLOGY enters into a discussion in which the  
non-Indologist Indians get all worked up, embarassed and defensive,  
and that ever-present cobra of right-wing fundamentalism raises its  
hood. 


Dominik says:

> HT also brazenly promotes a dangerous right-wing fundamentalist 

> Hindu agenda.  Past editorials have promoted child marriage and are  
> often xenophobic.

I don't claim to represent HT or its editors. I don't even read the  
publication with any regularity. But I don't think the specific  
charges of right-wing fundamentalism and xenophobia really hold. I  
haven't read the editorial promoting child-marriage, but let me point  
out that child marriage is not necessarily a Hindu thing, much less a  
right-wing fundamentalist Hindu thing. The real right-wing Hindutva  
fundamentalists in India have other goals in mind. While it is  
important to recognize the dangers posed by right-wing  
fundamentalists of any religion, it is also important to first  
recognize who is really a fundamentalist and who is not.  


Yesterday I looked into the home page of HT on the web for the first  
time, and read about the temple they are building in Kuai island. The  
account of the ceremonies is enough to disprove charges of  
xenophobia. In addition to Sivacharya priests from Madras and  
Chidambaram, Sivaya Subramuniyaswami had a Hawaiian high-priestess  
and Kahuna priests participate with their own rituals. And this, just  
because there used to be an old Hawaiian temple at the same site  
centuries ago. Hardly evidence of xenophobia, is it?  


As I see HT and the Kuai Adheenam, they are just one group among so  
many Saiva groups all over the world. They seem to have a wealthy  
following in Hawaii and in southeast Asian nations, and that is a  
prime reason for whatever clout and influence they may enjoy. HT does  
not really represent Hinduism inspite of its "Hindu of the year"  
awards. In this matter, they are only about as much Hindu or  
non-Hindu as ISKCON is. As for dangerous right-wing fundamentalist  
Hindu agenda, it is absolutely no comparison to the right-wing  
fundamentalist Christian agenda represented by the rich and  
influential Pat Robertson and like-minded individuals and groups in  
the continental US. 



Regards,

S. Vidyasankar