Skip to main content

Convert me too, please


Ghar Vapsi in Keral: Courtesy The Hindu
Converting to Hinduism is the latest fad in India, it seems.  It is amusing to watch people asking the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) or other organisations like the RSS to convert them.  I can now understand why many people converted from Hinduism to Islam in the heyday of the Mughal Empire.  There are some material benefits by joining the people in power.  In other words, for the first time in the history of independent India we have a party in power which resembles the Mughal Empire.  

30 Christians from 8 families in Kerala are the latest black sheep that have returned to their true family.  The Hindu reports that these families are “not traceable.  Local VHP organisers said they had been moved to another location.”  That’s interesting.  Is the VHP afraid that the converts will sell their religion yet again to a higher bidder?

The VHP and the RSS seem to be converting Hinduism into a commodity for sale.  I’m ready to buy it too.  Will they sell it to me?  I don’t need money. Convictions can never be bought or sold.  I don’t believe in gods and religions.  I trust my reason and imagination.  I have faith in my intuition.  Can the VHP buy my trust and faith?  Can it convince me why I should accept Hinduism?  If it can, I’m ready to be converted. 

In fact, I want to be converted.  I’d love some illusions provided somebody can convince me of their necessity.  I think illusions make life much easier.


Labels:

Comments

  1. Sunshine-struckDecember 22, 2014 at 1:09 PM

    I think illusions make life much easier.

    Don't they? Forget what's right or wrong. Just following what's convenient makes life easier. But, wish conscience can be convinced by it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 22, 2014 at 9:59 PM

    I think poverty and lack of education - are two reasons that VHP can carry on with their 'conversion deals' so easily. It's unfortunate and should be stopped at the earliest.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 24, 2014 at 7:17 AM

      When any Empire begins to expand it gets more support from people

      Delete
  3. FarahDecember 23, 2014 at 9:39 AM

    Your article reminds of the latest flick PK that i watched recently. True, religion has become a commodity to be sold and the promotional managers or sales people are doing their job pretty well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 24, 2014 at 7:22 AM

      I must watch the movie since many people tell me it's of my kind

      Delete
  4. Amrita SabatDecember 23, 2014 at 1:06 PM

    Well said Sir. PK n U have similar thoughts! It's extremely degrading for Indian society that such a conversion wave is sweeping across & the poor r mostly targets. Economic progress & proper education r much needed for all, to prevent sch irrational wave from spreading further.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 24, 2014 at 7:23 AM

      Indeed Amrita it shows how shallow everything from politics to religion is.

      Delete
  5. PriyaDecember 24, 2014 at 9:43 AM

    Illusions do make life easier. I sometimes wonder if illusions are all there is. The material benefits of joining people in power you've mentioned are also undeniable. I guess it's always easier to belong to a crowd, just which crowd is "better," I'm not sure...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tomichan MatheikalDecember 25, 2014 at 10:51 AM

      The group with the strongest power is the best to join, Priya. People are doing just that.

      Delete
  6. UnknownDecember 30, 2014 at 2:52 PM

    Such funny observations: In the first paragraph, you compare Modi's gov with Mughal empire by comparing conversions. According to you Muslims and now an alleged Hindu Gov are people in power. You conveniently forgot the fact that the British too ruled india and during their times in the guise of civilizing the natives they gave a free hand to Chiristian Missionaries for conversion. Have you not heard about "Sepoy Mutiny" and the immediate triggers for it. You heap all your blames on Muslims and Hindus and conveniently forgot what Christians did while in power!! Fantastic!! The fact is this: When in power, people will thrust their ideologies on you...Its the same everywhere and happens even if you are a christian\ islamic\hindu ruler....

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownDecember 30, 2014 at 2:52 PM

    You call the families which converted to hinduism as "Black Sheeps". Thats too derogatory a word Mr. You or I cannot judge them as black sheeps since these people have exercised their fundamental rights to go back to their religions. (Article 25 to 28 please check them out). And you should also try to go through the judgement by S.C. on Kodikkunnil Suresh Election Seat (M.P)Conversion case pls..It will open your eyes atleast.

    ReplyDelete
  8. UnknownDecember 30, 2014 at 2:53 PM

    If conversion is your problem then why is the opposition silent when bjp talks about anti conversion bill ? They seem to loose the plot when they talk about anti conversion bill....there are legitimate and illegitimate conversions . the former is forced... Try to learn whether the people you addressed derogatorily as BLACK SHEEPS resorted to conversion voluntarily or were forced.... Dont jump the gun Mr.

    ReplyDelete
  9. UnknownDecember 30, 2014 at 2:53 PM

    You have also cited a report by a leading newspaper in your post. But have you not went through this report by the same newspaper: Umman Chandy's response when asked about ghar wapsis in kerala:
    http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Thiruvananthapuram/no-forced-conversions-in-kerala-chandy/article6722679.ece
    Please dont jump headlong and write a half baked post. Kala Pettennu Kelkumbole kayar edukkaruthu!! Its kerala and not north. People here are far more aware of things. The guys themselves approached the hindu organisations. They exercised their choice...... It was not coerced.. I come from alapuzha and have frequented harippad. I know people there: eventhough people fall into low income brackets they know their rights and no one can take them for a ride. this is the case in almost all parts of kerala barring few exceptions..... It is a response from a Chief Minister who is a Christian himself. So donot denigrate them by calling BLACK SHEEPS. It shows that you are really bothered about people who leave christianity and join other religion.

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownDecember 30, 2014 at 2:53 PM

    Coming to the commodity for sale part of your post: The christian missionaries here in chennai and everywhere are thrusting their materials upon house after house. I stay in chennai... ive found well dressed guys approaching me in front of connemara library, commissioner office, hospitals asking me funny questions like have two timed your partner, do you lie to your partner and are you truthful etc and come and attend some suvisheshams etc... Even if i say emphatic no s they still cling on and thrust pamphlets in my hands.Forcing me i mean ! Yes Constitution gives you the right to profess, practise and propogate ones religion. but prohibits assault on "freedom of conscience". I told them this but they kept repeating their part. I had to call police. This happened even during sunday mornings in our flats... We got so fed up that the association had to tell the ones who knock the doors of our houses to stay away or face arrest telling them firmly that if anyone is interested in christianity they will approach you and no need to thrust it upon us....

    ReplyDelete
  11. UnknownDecember 30, 2014 at 2:53 PM

    The fact is this: Religion is extremely personal... and problems begin when it is picked up by others in the public domain.... Every religon promotes their ideologies including christianity........... Now hindutva is visible since they are in power.... but work by christian missionaries too are going on pace and scale being different......

    Conversions happening in north in Agras ved nagar colony: by Dharm Jagran samiti are forced.... if you had written about them then i would have said it was forced conversions. but the ones which happened in kerala are not forced. People down south are smart, have great awareness and know how to exercise their choices within their limits.... but north is a mess....

    ReplyDelete
  12. UnknownDecember 30, 2014 at 2:53 PM

    So please donot heap blame on Hindus and Muslims alone..... Try to write balanced posts... and wait till you get a rounded picture about the thing which you are writing...... And I recommend you to read the writings of John Dayal he is a christian and has great views too...... He is more balanced....
    Try to be more balanced when you write ..

    John dayal would hate to live in an illusion like you. he is bold brave sensible and reasoned....... and will face the truth and fight against injustice and wont paint everything with same colour like you have done. its a blasphemy that i compared JD with you but its only for sake of difference.....

    Try to read this too : http://www.thehindu.com/sunday-anchor/sunday-anchor-conversion-confusion/article6711663.ece

    ReplyDelete
  13. UnknownDecember 22, 2015 at 11:35 PM

    Conversion shouldn't be a problem as long as it is voluntary.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Adventures of Toto as a comic strip

  'The Adventures of Toto' is an amusing story by Ruskin Bond. It is prescribed as a lesson in CBSE's English course for class 9. Maggie asked her students to do a project on some of the lessons and Femi George's work is what I would like to present here. Femi converted the story into a beautiful comic strip. Her work will speak for itself and let me present it below.  Femi George Student of Carmel Public School, Vazhakulam, Kerala Similar post: The Little Girl
47 comments
Read more

Whose Rama?

Book Review Title: Whose Rama? [Malayalam] Author: T S Syamkumar Publisher: D C Books, Kerala Pages: 352 Rama may be an incarnation of God Vishnu, but is he as noble a man [ Maryada Purushottam ] as he is projected to be by certain sections of Hindus? This is the theme of Dr Syamkumar’s book, written in Malayalam. There is no English translation available yet. Rama is a creation of the Brahmins, asserts the author of this book. The Ramayana upholds the unjust caste system created by Brahmins for their own wellbeing. Everyone else exists for the sake of the Brahmin wellbeing. If the Kshatriyas are given the role of rulers, it is only because the Brahmins need such men to fight and die for them. Valmiki’s Rama too upheld that unjust system merely because that was his Kshatriya-dharma, allotted by the Brahmins. One of the many evils that Valmiki’s Rama perpetrates heartlessly is the killing of Shambuka, a boy who belonged to a low caste but chose to become an ascetic. The...
8 comments
Read more

The Little Girl

The Little Girl is a short story by Katherine Mansfield given in the class 9 English course of NCERT. Maggie gave an assignment to her students based on the story and one of her students, Athena Baby Sabu, presented a brilliant job. She converted the story into a delightful comic strip. Mansfield tells the story of Kezia who is the eponymous little girl. Kezia is scared of her father who wields a lot of control on the entire family. She is punished severely for an unwitting mistake which makes her even more scared of her father. Her grandmother is fond of her and is her emotional succour. The grandmother is away from home one day with Kezia's mother who is hospitalised. Kezia gets her usual nightmare and is terrified. There is no one at home to console her except her father from whom she does not expect any consolation. But the father rises to the occasion and lets the little girl sleep beside him that night. She rests her head on her father's chest and can feel his heart...
19 comments
Read more

Maveli in the Pothole Republic

Illustration by Copilot Designer I was trying to navigate the moonscape they call a ‘national highway’ when my shoe vanished into a crater big enough to host the G20 summit. Out of it rose a tall figure, crowned and regal, though with a slight limp. “Maveli!” I exclaimed. “Yes,” he said grimly. “Your roads are terrible. I thought the netherworld was bad, but this—this is hell on asphalt.” I helped him up. “Don’t worry, Maveli, our leaders say we’re heading toward becoming a global economic superpower. See, even Donald Trump is impotent before our might.”   Maveli frowned. “Yes, yes. I saw your leader guffawing in the company of Putin and Xi Jinping. When he’s in the company of world leaders, he behaves like a little boy who’s got his coveted toy.” “Are you a little jealous of him, Maveli?” I asked. “I have reasons to be, but I’m not. Let him enjoy his limelight. A day will come when history will put its merciless foot on his head and send him to his own Patala.” Tha...
8 comments
Read more

The Real Enemies of India

People in general are inclined to pass the blame on to others whatever the fault.  For example, we Indians love to blame the British for their alleged ‘divide-and-rule’ policy.  Did the British really divide India into Hindus and Muslims or did the Indians do it themselves?  Was there any unified entity called India in the first place before the British unified it? Having raised those questions, I’m going to commit a further sacrilege of quoting a British journalist-cum-historian.  In his magnum opus, India: a History , John Keay says that the “stock accusations of a wider Machiavellian intent to ‘divide and rule’ and to ‘stir up Hindu-Muslim animosity’” levelled against the British Raj made little sense when the freedom struggle was going on in India because there really was no unified India until the British unified it politically.  Communal divisions existed in India despite the political unification.  In fact, they existed even before the Briti...
16 comments
Read more