Wednesday, 2 February 2022

Conversion and Indian Politics (Part 1)

 It is a well known fact that the conversion and the related social violence that arose from it and the various political changes that have been taking place in India made impacts on Indian history as well as on Indian politics for over 3000 years. In fact, these proselytizing controversies were not caused due to religion, but rather by a war of domination between racist and racist groups seeking to seize power.

 

Vedic Period, Dravidians, Buddhism and Jainism 

Before 1250 BCE, different ethnic groups have practiced various forms of worship in the region presently known as the Indian subcontinent. Many of these were forms of worship in various forms, such as natural worship, ancestor worship, idolatry or non-idolatry. The doctrine of religion did not develop here then. But between 1250 BCE and 650 BCE the Aryans migrated with cattle from West Asia (especially Persia, Mesopotamia, and Cappadocia) and settled in the Indus Valley and parts of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. There were various conflicts between them and the existing aborigines. It also featured cultural conflicts. Immigrant Aryans were literate and advanced in technique. In the course of the day they subjugated the aborigines through marriages, rituals, worship practices and many other stories and imposed their culture on them. This period was called the Vedic period. In many of their stories the Aryans were portrayed as heroes and the aborigines as villains. They did not dominate the southern parts of India during those periods. Then the ethnic problem developed among them and they were split into many divisions among them. Vaishnavism was repeatedly in thought of destroying Shaivism completely which created various conflicts and wars between Saivism and Vaishnavism erupted and thousands of people died every year. In that time, Buddhism was founded by Gautama Buddha in BC and was beginning to grow in India in 563 – 480 BCE. At the same time, the Jainism of Mahaveer began to grow. Many Saivists and aborigines converted to Buddhism and Jainism as they were attracted towards the principles of these two religions Buddhism & Jainism. From BCE 368 to 2nd Century CE, Buddhism and Jainism flourished in India more than other religions. After the 2nd century CE, the Vaishnavism and the Shaivism, who could not tolerate this, came together and unleashed violence against Buddhism and Jainism. Lakhs of Buddhists and Jains were killed. In the fear of them, many Buddhists and Jains converted back to Vaishnavam and Shaivism. Up to this time, there was only Dravidian worship, Buddhism and Jainism in the South region. In the 4th century CE, that is between 319 - 467 CE,  the Gupta Empire (Brahmin rule) was formed and was dominated by Aryans, including Vaishnavism and Saivism. Non-Brahmins were oppressed. Buddhism and Jainism were suppressed. During this period many epics were written and many earlier historical evidences were destroyed. Till this day, the Gupta Period has been rewritten by the Brahmins as the Golden Age of India. Even in the history of India they have put it in various syllabi of the Central Government as the best period in education till date. By 600 AD the influence of the Gupta Empire had spread from Northern India to Southern India. The Cholas who ruled in the south at that time had many trade and cultural relations with them. The Chola Kings were attracted by many things of Aryans such as their culture, stories, rituals, ceremonies and worship practices, the Chola kings included them in their empire and allowed them to spread their culture. Many of the aboriginal Dravidians and Buddhists here were forcibly converted. Those who refused fell by the sword. The Cholas carried this culture to Orissa, Malaysia and other South Asian countries by their warfare. After the successive kingdoms of Rashtrakuta, Bala, Chalukya, Pallava, Chola, Kalapirar and Vijayanagara in the North and South till 1279 CE, the change of regime took place as the Islamic invasion of the North after 1302 CE and Vijayanagara Empire in the South. 

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