This would appear to be a case of, as the kids might say - "New School Nikes, Old School Kicks". But one point absolutely must be made here - Mahmud of Ghazni was a warlord who fought and died of disease a millennium ago. He is, in a word - "history", a footnote. Cleaved to … Continue reading On The Taliban’s Enthusiasm For Mahmud Of Ghazni As Smasher Of Somnath
Pakistan
Islamic Influence On A Kalasha Rite
As we have previously asserted, the emphasis upon the Kalasha as some sort of 'More Pure' and 'Pre-Vedic' Hinduism is mistaken. There is no doubt that they - as with any other surviving Indo-European faith - do preserve very ancient and archaic elements indeed; however, the belief that this places them as an unadulterated "pre-Vedic" … Continue reading Islamic Influence On A Kalasha Rite
The War-Shrine Of Tanot Mata [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part III]
One of my criteria for judging whether a culture is spiritually healthy, is how it treats its religion. Is it something that is actively integrated? Into the culture, into the state, into daily life? Or is it merely something that is wheeled out in the manner of Easter in much of the West - a symbol, … Continue reading The War-Shrine Of Tanot Mata [Incredible Indo-European Holy Sites Series Part III]
On The Inspiration Of The Balochistan Hindus To The Modern Indo-European Devotee
We occasionally may feel that it is a bit difficult being of an Indo-European religion amidst the 21st century. In most of the world, we are minorities - and with the major exception of Hinduism, the faith(s) of our forefathers are near-extinct even despite some salient efforts at resurrective, revitalizing revanchism. Yet spare a thought … Continue reading On The Inspiration Of The Balochistan Hindus To The Modern Indo-European Devotee
On Adopting The Mantle of Myth – And Pakistan’s Perilously Pained Pretensions To Same
One of my favourite concepts from the field of 20th century comparative mythography has to be Eliade's notion of the Eternal Return. That idea that many rituals are, in effect, 're-enactments' of prior and supernal Mythic Events; which not only carry their more overt (and often quite ornate) beneficial purpose for the participants, but which … Continue reading On Adopting The Mantle of Myth – And Pakistan’s Perilously Pained Pretensions To Same