Guest guest Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 I think it's going to be difficult to sort out the real from the unreal here. You might be interested in The Strangled Traveler: Colonial Imaginings and the Thugs of India by Martine van Woerkens http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/15312.ctl I haven't read the book; here's a quote from the above web page: " British colonists in 1830s India lived in terror of the Thugs. Reputed to be brutal criminals, the Thugs supposedly strangled, beheaded, and robbed thousands of travelers in the goddess Kali's name. The British responded with equally brutal repression of the Thugs and developed a compulsive fascination with tales of their monstrous deeds. Did the Thugs really exist [...]? [....] [The book tells] the real story of the Thugs. Many different groups of Thugs actually did exist over the centuries, but the monsters the British made of them had much more to do with colonial imaginings of India than with the real Thugs. " As far as modern-day issues go, I do periodically run across news reports from India of a parent or other adult " sacrificing " (or trying to sacrifice) a human (usually a child) to Kali. When the articles give details, it invariably looks like a case of mental illness. Certainly we see reports of equivalent tragedies in the West ( " God told me to do it " , etc.) That said, this topic has the potential to really run off the rails. I think we need to keep in mind that for many modern devotees of Kali, she is the Mother, she is the Ultimate Reality. She says: 'Take refuge in me; let go of your fear. Let me slay your illusion of smallness and separation, and you will merge into my infinite bliss. quoted from: /message/28046 , <IlluminatedCelestial wrote: > > I had a question on this, for historical clarification. > > Were all dacoits who worshiped Kali Robin Hood type figures in the East, or were they all considered selfish thieves? I was curious for there are a few articles that popped up on google about human sacrifice, and I do not believe it would be something condoned by a Kali tradition, from what I understand. I only understood animal sacrifices being done, at most. > > Thank you. > > > Jai Ma! > > Sincerely, > Christina H. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 Oh, this is by all means not an attempt to demonize Kali at all! I actually did research on the Cult of Thugee that had so many rumors spreaded about, and I have found that many modern-day Hindus found their depication an embarrassment. Now, I cannot comment further on the previous " thugs " prior to the ones during British Colonialism, but I have strong love for Ma Kali, and only strive to know her more and be guided by her wisdom. The ignorant see fear, I see liberation. If this thread came across as any other way, I sincerely apologize! I was just curious about the dacoits in context to the descriptor of the article, is all. :-) Jai Ma! Sincerely, Christina H. ---- msbauju <msbauju wrote: > I think it's going to be difficult to sort out > the real from the unreal here. > > You might be interested in > The Strangled Traveler: Colonial Imaginings and the Thugs of India > by Martine van Woerkens > > http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/15312.ctl > > I haven't read the book; here's a quote from the above web page: > > " British colonists in 1830s India lived in terror of the Thugs. Reputed > to be brutal criminals, the Thugs supposedly strangled, beheaded, and > robbed thousands of travelers in the goddess Kali's name. The British > responded with equally brutal repression of the Thugs and developed a > compulsive fascination with tales of their monstrous deeds. > > Did the Thugs really exist [...]? [....] [The book tells] the real > story of the Thugs. Many different groups of Thugs actually did exist > over the centuries, but the monsters the British made of them had much > more to do with colonial imaginings of India than with the real Thugs. " > > As far as modern-day issues go, I do periodically > run across news reports from India of a parent or other > adult " sacrificing " (or trying to sacrifice) a human > (usually a child) to Kali. When the articles give details, > it invariably looks like a case of mental illness. Certainly > we see reports of equivalent tragedies in the West > ( " God told me to do it " , etc.) > > That said, this topic has the potential to > really run off the rails. I think we need to > keep in mind that for many modern devotees of > Kali, she is the Mother, she is the Ultimate Reality. > She says: > > 'Take refuge in me; let go of your fear. > Let me slay your illusion of smallness and separation, > and you will merge into my infinite bliss. > > quoted from: > /message/28046 > > , <IlluminatedCelestial wrote: > > > > I had a question on this, for historical clarification. > > > > Were all dacoits who worshiped Kali Robin Hood type figures in the > East, or were they all considered selfish thieves? I was curious for > there are a few articles that popped up on google about human > sacrifice, and I do not believe it would be something condoned by a > Kali tradition, from what I understand. I only understood animal > sacrifices being done, at most. > > > > Thank you. > > > > > > Jai Ma! > > > > Sincerely, > > Christina H. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 Another interesting information: I have read it somewhere that most of these thugs (and not dacoits as there is a distinction in Modus-operandi) were Muslimsbut still worshipped Kali as their deity. Has any body else read this? On 11/13/07, IlluminatedCelestial <IlluminatedCelestial wrote: > > Oh, this is by all means not an attempt to demonize Kali at all! I > actually did research on the Cult of Thugee that had so many rumors spreaded > about, and I have found that many modern-day Hindus found their depication > an embarrassment. Now, I cannot comment further on the previous " thugs " > prior to the ones during British Colonialism, but I have strong love for Ma > Kali, and only strive to know her more and be guided by her wisdom. The > ignorant see fear, I see liberation. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 13, 2007 Report Share Posted November 13, 2007 It was something that I read, as well. I just think it is generally propaganda against Kali devouts, though no religion is beyond having twisted cults carried out in the name of religion - just think of the paranoid schizophrenics who started cults in the United States that resorted in many people getting killed. I heard some Westerners did similar propaganda with Jagaranatha (spelling?) with the chariot running people over propaganda; something that I am fairly certain was not true. It is where the English term " juggernaut " came from, if I am not mistaken. I will leave it at that though for I do not want to cause a dead-heat argument. I really am here to learn, and not to be a pest. ^^; Jai Ma! Sincerely, Christina H. ---- Aditya Kumar Jha <aditya.kr.jha wrote: > Another interesting information: I have read it somewhere that most of these > thugs (and not dacoits as there is a distinction in Modus-operandi) were > Muslimsbut still worshipped Kali as their deity. Has any body else read > this? > > On 11/13/07, IlluminatedCelestial <IlluminatedCelestial > wrote: > > > > Oh, this is by all means not an attempt to demonize Kali at all! I > > actually did research on the Cult of Thugee that had so many rumors spreaded > > about, and I have found that many modern-day Hindus found their depication > > an embarrassment. Now, I cannot comment further on the previous " thugs " > > prior to the ones during British Colonialism, but I have strong love for Ma > > Kali, and only strive to know her more and be guided by her wisdom. The > > ignorant see fear, I see liberation. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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