Hinduism is making a comeback, in a big way. Well, it never left, but there is a rejuvenating interest which, to this author, is a trifle disturbing…
Back then, when I was done bumming around wasting my life, followed by a stint at rehab for alcoholism, and after which I started freelancing, I lived and still do in a town called Rawang, on a floor above a shop lot. Right below is this place selling Hinduism related prayer items, like sambrani, also known as Dhuno, benzoin resin, or in Malay, kemenyan.
In simpler term, it’s a goddamned fragrant coal.
Apart from the dreadful feeling that one day a fire might break out there is that comfort in knowing that – it wouldn’t matter if I’d be either original or crispy – at least I would smell holy. What really struck me about this shop was the varieties of sambranis, when it used to be just only one type back in days. Evidently, there are two main groups now, namely Paal Sambrani (natural resins) and Computer Sambrani (artificial resins). Don’t ask, and no, it has nothing to do with AI.
The Newfound Enthusiasm for Hinduism
Why am I talking about that? Well, lately I have been noticing a certain uptrend among the Indian communities in Malaysia, namely the Hindus. They seemed to be pretty excited about their religion, almost everyone I know seemed to be going for temple tours or even pilgrimages to some “holy places” in India.
I mean, there seemed to be a rise in the enthusiasm for Hinduism more than what I experienced growing up in the conservative plantations, where each “estate” would have several temples, usually branched out because someone dreamt about it or have quarrelled with the original temple and end up with sequels and remakes. One estate we lived in had up to five temples: one big central place of worship, and others being mini-me, R2D2s and Ewoks.
Sanadhana Dharma and the Hit Men
First and foremost, there will always be a disclaimer from certain quarters that Hinduism is not a religion, especially for those who have just rediscovered it. It’s supposed original name is Sanadhana Dharma. It means eternal order/ law. Usually to understand the philosophy, to know the rituals, to go into the subconsciousness, blah, blah blah, one needs to be a follower of the gurus of their choice, which is a more popular approach than just personal relationship with the creator which is my family’s preference.
These gurus are not exactly priests, mind you, though some do function like one. They are also like spiritual brokers cum teachers, or worshippers’ consigliere on all matters god, universe, subconsciousness, or whatever. Anyway, I asked the Chatgpt to list the most famous Hindu gurus who are now, you know, trending. It gratefully responded and did a lot of asterisking while at it (ones in parenthesis are my own comments):
Certainly! India has a rich tradition of spiritual leaders and gurus who have influenced countless lives. Here are some **contemporary** Hindu gurus who are well-known:
- **Sadhguru (Jaggi Vasudev)**: Founder of the Isha Foundation, Sadhguru is renowned for his teachings on yoga, mysticism, and inner engineering (really, no kidding). He actively engages in social and environmental initiatives.
- **Shri Shri Ravi Shankar**: A prominent spiritual leader, Shri Shri Ravi Shankar is recognised both in India and globally. His teachings emphasize meditation, stress reduction, and holistic (from the word whole, not hole) well-being.
- **Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma)**: Known for her unconditional love, Mata Amritanandamayi Devi, affectionately called “Amma,” is famous for her motherly hugs (really) and spiritual guidance.
Damn… I know those names. For all the wrong reasons. For one, that Jaggi guy has been mired in controversy for a long time. Yes, each link has different stories about the trouble he has been in, perhaps with a bit of inner engineering.
Aside: Mocking Hindus can be confusing to both the mocker and the intended victim. I mean, which sect, cult, God, goddess, followers, students are you going to offend anyway? It’s like using shotgun to shoot mosquitoes, and if you do hit one, the other group of mosquitoes would be happy it’s not them. End of aside.
How about the other guys, that Shri Shri Ravi Shankar? I don’t know who he is, but having two “Shri”s in his name must have worked wonders to his self-esteem. Alas, again, he too is no stranger to controversies. He once claimed to have rejected the Noble Prize, which he denied later. Yes, some commentators did make fun of his double Shri, hinting that perhaps he should award himself a third Shri, which is awesome only it will sound like his name is being greeted by crickets.
And that Matta lady? Well, lets put it this way, one of the devotees, an Australian, got out of the cult and wrote a book titled Holy Hell: A Memoir of Faith, Devotion, and Pure Madness. Crikey!
The Resurgence?
Back to issue in hand. The resurgence of Hinduism. Yes, resurgence, because it used to be thriving historically before the Abrahamic religions started stomping all over the globe. The Hindus here like to brag, sharing their selective knowledge of history, on how the Hindu kingdom had once flourished in this region.
Once.
Anyway, in Malaysia, according to Wiki, Hinduism is the fourth-largest religion. “About 1.78 million Malaysian residents (6.3% of the total population) are Hindus, according to the 2010 Census of Malaysia. This is up from 1,380,400 (6.2% of the total population) in 2000,” it noted.
It makes sense why Hinduism is the fourth. Malays, the majority among the races here, are all Muslims; then there are those from other races who are Muslims too.
Apart from that, you have the Christians (including Catholics and other denominations), which, like Star Trek’s Borg, tend to “assimilate” members from other races (except Malays, of course, right? Though, there have been some sneaky evangelists).
The thing is, they all can be pretty evangelical, depending on the group, the moderation of their practice, denomination, the cults, etc.. Also, there is the default factor here in Malaysia where, in the case of Islam, if you marry into one family, there’s conversion involved. Now, don’t drag me into this “forced to” thingy. When you are head over heels in love with a Muslim gal or dude, you know what you are in for and are prepared for it. Well, if your spouse converted after you are married, then, again, you should have known what you are in for and are prepared for…like any marriages.
Next of course is Buddhism, which is claimed to be atheistic or nontheistic; choose your pick. But the thing is, a large number do worship Buddha himself directly. Imagine, the chief of a group of thieves shows them plans to rob a bank, but they rob him instead after the heist. Poor comparison, but you get the idea.
Also, we should not forget that our constitution says “belief in God,” so you better grab one faith, or god, and hang on to your citizenship.
The Split and Splinters
Anyway, thanks to the influence of marriages and evangelism, Hindus in Malaysia have been losing their fellow worshippers pretty quickly – many Hindus in the country have been pac-manned by other faiths. Then, you have the splits among the Hindus themselves, there are the Saivism, the Vaishnavism, and the strictly “guru” followers (see above).
As mentioned, the interest, nay, the zeal for anything and everything Hindu in Malaysia has been rising also no thanks the influx of Hindu products, like those multi-fragrance flammable sambranis, among others – the advertisements of which get tremendous airplay especially over at the Tamil radio stations.
I will not say the resurgence is a cause for concern, but one thing is for sure. It is not going to help with the unity of the Indian folks here, already split apart for so many reasons. Then, the now so-called various “cool” gurus are pulling the youths and old farts this way and that. What is it about them that is appealing to the contemporary Hindus?
Well, to answer that question, this article here even starts with a standfirst saying, “Despite many gurus and babas implicated for crimes including murder, rape, tax evasion, and fraud, Indians continue to flock to self-styled godmen.” You can read further about the rise of these figureheads there and why India’s Hindus are crazy about them, especially as one of them, Baba Gurmeet Singh, has written, produced, and directed five films starring…Baba Gurmeet Singh. Dude, of course, was later accused of rape by a female disciple. Sigh.
The Hindutva Influence
These things, the mess, are there in India, and to see that the Hindus here are following them, swearing by them, even forgoing the temple idols in favour of these self-elevated human beings – many of whom as mentioned above are complicit in various crimes and disgusting acts – is not only worrying but is going to make the image of this community in this country – already mired in gangsterism and labelled as loud, obnoxious drunks – look a lot more pathethic.
Yes, the influence is strong in India – partly thanks to the Hindutva infused government running the country, to the point where the other religions in India are screaming persecution, like the Muslims in Varanasi or the Christians in Karnataka. The image of Muslims as terrorists is slowly fading away, for me at least, as I started viewing the dangerous precedents set by those said Gurus and some of those Hindus feared by the followers of other faiths.
Why am I bitching about this, knocking on my own background, as my birth certificate still says that I am a Hindu? Simply put, I am always reminded of the terrible tragedy that occurred in our history, in this country, that is related to race and religion. We have not been there again, just some friction now and then – usually triggered by the oh ever so helpful politicians.
And speaking on behalf of the Malaysian Indian and specifically the Hindu community, I would say, moderation is the way to go. One need not be sceptic, agnostic, or whatever label I carry for myself, but continue to know, and be empathetic of the other communities and their faith, respect them, and it will be reciprocated. Many of our own relatives and friends have converted to other faiths, and they will, sooner or later, yearn for our relationship. We can’t let this faith divide and split us apart.
In fact, this entire country can’t afford that as we learned from the history. Despite the so-called raging enthusiasm, we are too small – the Hindus here – and it’s easy for us to crash and burn. Especially if you live above the shops selling sambrani. – NMH
A movie buff, as opposed to film connoisseur or aficionado, because the last two words are hard to spell, Rakesh has been in the field of writing for more than two decades and hopes that one-day movie “buff”ing is lucrative enough to afford him a Batmobile, the Michael Keaton one.
Facebook Comments
Facebook Comments