A Hindu temple and its properties do not belong to the government, the public or even the Hindu community — they belong solely to the residing deity, the Pradhana Devata. Historical arguments about coercion in temple land donations ignore the broader reality that all land ownership has evolved under different rulers. While institutions like the Waqf Board retain vast properties, temples face state control and encroachment, reducing them to mere revenue sources. This neglect betrays both the faith of past donors and the cultural heritage temples embody.
Latest Posts

Oppenheimer – An Open Letter to Christopher Nolan
As we pass the 2025 Oscars, Charu Uppal recalls the grand success of the movie Oppenheimer in the 2024 Oscars. In this open letter to the director Christopher Nolan, she points out how the movie conspicuously avoids showing the suffering of the Japanese people, barely mentioning the names Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Even more troubling is the decision to juxtapose the sacred Bhagavad Gita with an intimate scene — a choice that was neither accidental nor faithful to historical context. In an industry that does not shy away from showing violence, the film omits the human cost of the bomb while including a scene that offended millions. Creative freedom is vital, but so is cultural responsibility.

The Ghent School : Promoting a Better Understanding of India
The Ghent School, led by Prof. Balagangadhara, challenges colonial narratives that have shaped India's understanding of religion, caste, and culture. It argues that India's traditions differ fundamentally from Western religious frameworks, emphasizing rituals over doctrinal beliefs. The school advocates for decolonizing Indian social sciences by rediscovering indigenous perspectives and rejecting imposed categorizations. By understanding India's traditions on their own terms, it proposes a more nuanced approach to multiculturalism and identity.

The Number 12 – An Exploration across Cultures
In this essay, Dr. Koenraad Elst explores the profound symbolic importance of the number 12 across cultures, from the 12 Ādityas in the Vedas to the Olympian gods and the 12-starred EU flag. In ancient India, it represented cosmic order, as seen in the Ṛg-Vedic 'Riddle Hymn' describing a twelve-spoked wheel of Ṛta. Mathematically and geometrically unique, the twelvefold division underlies the structure of the Zodiac and the ancient Yajur-Vedic seasonal cycle.

Mahadev Shambhu – The Story of a Gram-Devata
This story by Rati Hegde, about Mahadev Shambhu, a Gram-Devata, captures the the reality of many such deities and their temples in India. It traces the socio-economic and cultural shifts that have shaped the ecosystem of these temples through the decades. The author paints a poignant picture of how duty and devotion have given way to reluctant obligation even as these deities continue to remain central to the Hindu faith.
Daily Feed
Varadaraja Perumal Temple – Kanchipuram (Part 2)
A temple where Lord Vishnu’s manifestation as Athi Varadar rises from his Anant Saras after every 40 years to bless his devotees
Decoding the idea of India
The essence of what defines India is due to how it was shaped in ancient times and not because of anything post-independence, as many would have you believe.
Da'wah, Discipline vs Dharma
The essence behind their teachings makes Abrahamic religions resort to violence leaving no room for contextuality or sensitivity.
Dharmik View on Human Birth and Grihastha Ashrama
Shashank Poddar throws light on the shastrik view and importance of grihashta ashrama in this beautifully researched piece.
Talaq – Divorce in Islam
Talaq (Divorce) literally means “undoing the knot”, but in Islamic law, it signifies the dissolution of marriage
Yoga Vasishtha
The sublime Vedantic text showcases how a young Rama was nurtured by his guru, Brahmarshi Vasishtha, to fulfill his future role.
Ban on Paśubali – A Judicial Blunder (Part 2)
An ignorance of sacred texts along with a loose argument has made the ban on Paśubali, an attack on Tantric worship.
Krishnavatara
Lord Krishna represents the ideal being whose virtuous qualities have long been ingrained in India's consciousness.
India’s Impact on French Thought & Literature
A brief survey of the impact that the discovery of Indian literature, philosophy and spirituality had on French thought and literary movements from the 18th to the 20th century.
8 reasons why Hinduism rocks in the new age
The openness and plurality of Hinduism make it an ideal religion for all times and especially in this age of reason and cosmopolitan societies.
Isopanishad
The Isopanishad with just 18 verses is the most power-packed text to begin our journey of svadhyaya.
Legacy of Muslim rule in India – Music & Architecture
The desire for a composite culture notwithstanding, the history of Hindu-Muslim encounters tells a story that modern Indians won't be comfortable with.
Daily Feed
Musings on Nation and Nationalism in Sri Aurobindo’s Light
Being committed to one's own nation is a stepping stone to greater realisations of finding the true self.
A Decade for Mandirs Volume II-Pragmatic Strategies for Restoring Hindu Temples
Sandeep Singh’s 'A Decade for Mandirs - Volume II' continues from his first volume, focussing on practical strategies for reclaiming and restoring Hindu temples. Singh critiques the state's deep-rooted anti-mandir bias and judicial meddling in temple matters. He advocates for reclaiming deity rights, respecting pujaris, and reviving cultural traditions. This volume is both a call to action and a detailed roadmap for Hindus to protect and rejuvenate their spiritual heritage.
Understanding Political Systems Of India – Part 2 – The Political Trajectory Of Post-Independent India
"Much of today’s normative ‘liberal democracy’ has clear theological roots and may not make sense outside the Western world. Universalising and secularising a theological theme may be problematic when applied to Indian culture. Independent India, ignoring indigenous political philosophy, inherited Western values, creating a story of contradictions clashing with the intensely traditional society of India."
In the second installment of the series titled "Understanding Political Systems Of India", Dr. Pingali Gopal brings us a summary of essays of Professor Bhikhu Parekh where he assesses post-Independent Nehruvian India.
Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister from 1947 to 1964, constantly looked at the West as a template for India’s future, rejecting the indigenous past. The article analyses the effects of implementation of Western political thought and primarily British laws in the Indian society which wasn't structured the same way as the West. When implemented in India, the institutions of Western law encourage just the opposite of what such laws are meant to do: a vengeful, spiteful, and ‘selfish’ citizenry. Instead of promoting a cohesive society, such laws encourage divisiveness and conflict in society.
“Rama of the Axe” by Ranjith Radhakrishnan – A Review
A comprehensive review of "Rama of the Axe" by Ranjith Radhakrishnan, and his treatment of plots and characters beyond what is mainstream, including but not limited to the protagonist Bhagwan Parashurama and the antagonist Kartyavira Arjuna.
Rama: King whose relationships suffered due to his status
Rama, the absolute king, carried a heavy mantle as His feelings for His wife, brothers and sons were crushed under the crown He never sought.
Age of Empires version 2.0
British and Islamic conquests of India were achieved through fundamentally different strategies and both continue to influence contemporary politics in India in different ways.
Myth as History, or History as Myth? – Analysis of How Ayodhya’s History is Depicted in BBC and NYT
The facts about Ayodhya are often obscured by Western media outlets by suppressing the Hindus' claim to the Ram temple.
A storyteller’s experiences with divinity
The tradition of storytelling is as old as Hindu culture with its immense impact having defined our very way of life.
Harsha of Kashmir, a Hindu Iconoclast?
In the rush to show how Islam wasn't alone in plunder, many a secularist has pointed the finger at King Harsha.
Suryanar Kovil, Kumbakonam – Part 1
The attraction towards a so-called modern outlook is hard to resist as one struggles to retain the traditions of one's ancestors.
The Good thief/Bad thief dissonance of Shashi Tharoor
The strange rationalisation by Shashi Tharoor of defending Islamic colonialism while criticising British colonialism is an exercise in fallacy.
Hindu View of Christianity and Islam – Part 2
Image-breaking is a contribution of prophetic religions who have never reflected deeply on the difference between form and the formless, between what is material and what is spiritual.