The Perils of Blind Faith and the Enduring Impact of Brahmin Vad in India

 

The Perils of Blind Faith and the Enduring Impact of Brahmin Vad in India

Face of The Religious Person or A Criminal

India, one of the world's oldest civilizations, cannot continue to take pride in its rich heritage while ignoring the regressive practices that undermine its progress. The detrimental effects of Brahmin Vad have plagued the country for thousands of years, as evidenced by the recent tragic incident at a Satsang where over 120 people, mostly women and children, were stampeded to death. This tragedy highlights the blind faith, or *Andh Vishwas*, that many Indians place in self-styled, poorly educated Babas. Such faith has even led India to elect a Prime Minister who has, in many ways, compromised the nation's future for decades.

Brahmin Vad has engineered societies to believe in practices that go against their self-interest. An example of this is depicted in the latest movie *Maharaj*, where society deems it a privilege for virgin daughters to sleep with the head priest of a Krishna temple, symbolizing their acceptance by Lord Krishna. Many believe that the Ramayana and stories about Krishna are fictitious creations of writers who projected their own sexual desires into these tales, which have since been widely accepted as religious texts. For instance, Krishna is portrayed as having 360 girlfriends, almost one for each day of the year, mirroring common male fantasies, much like the reference to 72 virgins in Islam.

Before the advent of TV, the internet, and other sources of entertainment, these stories were propagated by professional storytellers who traveled from village to village. Their narratives were often followed by *poojas* (rituals), elevating these stories to religious significance. Over time, these tales became deeply ingrained in people's religious beliefs. The storytellers and their successors, realizing the potential for wealth and power, built temples dedicated to these characters, encouraging people to visit and make offerings. This shift brought immense wealth to these religious institutions and created a submissive society that continues to exist today. The temples' accumulated wealth was used to gain political influence, as politicians needed votes and these institutions could deliver them in the name of God.

India, despite being one of the world's poorest nations, has the largest number of wealthy temples. This paradox demonstrates that even in the last 100 years, India has not moved far from its millennia-old mental conditioning. The movie *Maharaj* tells a story set 175 years ago, but the same practices persist today. Modern-day thugs like Bapu Asa Ram and Ram Rahim are in prison, yet they enjoy luxurious lives thanks to the politicians they supported while in power.

One might hope that education could solve this problem, but such optimism is often misplaced. Indians take pride in obedience and accepting the decisions of the powerful, a norm that has become ingrained over centuries. The recent stampede at a religious gathering, where permission was granted for 80,000 attendees but over 200,000 showed up, underscores the systemic failure to protect people. This event was organized in open farm fields without proper safety measures. What were these people expecting from the Baba that they couldn't find elsewhere? The failure of successive Indian governments and systems to uplift people's lives forces them to seek intervention from external sources that these Babas claim to connect with—similar to how Prime Minister Modi addresses the nation today.

The saddest part is that people believe in these claims, and Brahminvad is largely responsible for this brainwashing. If we arrest this Baba and subject him to hard labor in prison, it might deter other such thugs from exploiting people's faith. Unfortunately, this business model thrives as families with means invest in making these Babas popular, perpetuating the cycle of victimization.

India must confront and dismantle these deeply entrenched practices to pave the way for rationality, inclusiveness, and true progress. Only then can the nation honor its ancient heritage while embracing a future free from the shackles of blind faith and regressive ideologies.