Why a Hindu temple is NOT like a Soho phone booth
Recently, an article in The Times (a supposedly quality newspaper), carried a story provocatively titled ‘Why is a Hindu temple like a Soho phone box? Must I draw you a picture?’ The article was written by one Terence Kealy, and was perhaps the single most vulgar Hindu-bashing article that has been carried by a mainstream British newspaper since colonial times. What is worse is that the piece had been written as part of the newspaper’s ‘Science Notebook’ column, and was therefore paraded as a rational and objective analysis, despite the fact that the article was written in a rather disorientated manner, and drew far-fetched conclusions based on thoroughly unscientific methodology.
Kealey began his article by drawing the reader’s attention to the fact that there are some Hindu temples that have erotic sculptures. “How can a religion be so pornographic?” Kealey asks in the closing sentence of the paragraph.
September 25th, 2006 at 11:21 am
Is a Hindu temple like Soho phone box?
http://vivekajyoti.blogspot.com/2006/09/is-hindu-temple-like-soho-phone-box.html
September 25th, 2006 at 11:28 am
The obscenity is in Kealey’s mind and not in the temple carvings. The evidence he presents for his conclusion is as tenuous as someone interpriting the act of a dignitary, such as the British head of state waving to the welcoming crowd, as an exhibition of her armpit. It is a pity that The Times has given the article a cloak of respectability under the title ‘Science Notebook’. The article should really belong to the pages of a porn magazine under the title ‘Filth’ to feed the minds of those so inclined.
September 25th, 2006 at 12:24 pm
The Article is not merely mischievous and deliberately insensitive but it shows the abysmal ignorance of the writer. Starting from Ananda Coomaraswamy, the great SriLankan historian and philosopher so many erudite scholars have written about the place of ‘eroticism’ in Hindu religious practices and in temple scuptures. The writer should show atleast one supportive learned author for his thesisis of ‘temples being brothels’ ! It is only a sick western mind, which can not focus on anything but genitals and sex in every image, sculpture or painting ( let alone in a human being)that can propose such stupid and offensive theory.
The man must be forced to withdraw and the Times must apologise for publishing this rubbish. One hopes it will not require any thing like the Muslim anger on some cartoons in a danish newspaper ome time back.
September 26th, 2006 at 1:18 am
It is a nice piece of information and thanks a lot for bringing to the notice of your readers. This information helps us all to be aware of what is happening around and also provide an opportunity to inform the publishers our views on that.
thanks once again
September 26th, 2006 at 12:59 pm
There are three ways to respond to this in my view:
1) Threaten to bomb, hold racist placards, shout and scream vile opinions
2) Criticise The Times for printing the article and leave it at that
3) Ask The Times to allow a Hindu Scholar to respond to the criticisms in the article, not a criticism of The Times for printing the article or the writer rather explain why there are “statues of naked females” etc.
I would go with the third possible response. Why? Because there is a clear misconception of what our religion/philosophy is about so we need to educate and enlighten that person/s.
September 26th, 2006 at 3:25 pm
This is the vile mind of Christian and that too a British, White racist. Anyway this would be exposed at number of sites in India.
After all their Pope uttered some Pornography the other day against Muslims and then the Spanish Aznar had the cheek and gall to ask Muslims for apology to Moorish rule in Spain, while it is a well known fact that Spain is the greatest mass murderer and cowardly cheat of the world whose vile uncivilized Christian animals wiped out entire civilizations like Maya, Inca, Aztec, and looted South America, Mexico, Africa bone dry.
It is our mistake that had India started backing the SCO and Iraq and other Asian countries (IFF AN INDIAN AND NOT AN ITALIAN BEEN RULING INDIA) these Christians would shut their mouths.
In fact, people should see the churches, specially in India where the so called “FATHERS” AND “NUNS” indulge in open Porno right on the alter
September 26th, 2006 at 8:13 pm
I take a very strong objection to the views of the writer especially in the last paragraph stating Temples of India as brothels. The author claims to present it in view of an anthropologist, his interpretations are based on Western scholars with abstract information developed as part of a cultural environment, beliefs and morals, It shows the inability of the author to comprehend the difference between sacred and sacrilegious objects. The author who is also Vice Chancellor of a University to present such an blasphemous article is deplorable It is pitiful that Times online chose to publish the paper such as this without any consideration to the sensitivities of Hindu Temple worshippers around the world.. Hinduism cannot be criticized with impunity either by the academic circles and the media. Many magnificent temples are coming up in various parts of the world and the author to make generalized statements: such as “a millennium ago the temples of India were brothels — they may have been more than that, but they were brothels too” is inconsiderate and blatantly egotistical. The author is ignorant about the Hindu iconology and his article reflects his negligence to study the higher perspective of images in Hindu temples. This article is outrageous and a direct insult to the Hindus.
September 26th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
This was my reply to the Times
19.09.06
The Editor - Please forward my letter Terence Kealy
Mr. Kealy I have read your article and note the contents. Your comments remind me of the 17 century Christians who came to India and did not understand the concept each has a capacity to reason and to reject or accept any religious proposal put forward by a so called divinely inspired authority.
I as a Hindu have this Freedom of Thought which the Abrahamic religions do not permit.
In the Temples in the South of India the statues which you deem to be pornographic is there for all to see. If you do visit the temples you also see parents with children of all ages visit the temples to pray.
Sex is the most and natural thing in the world without it there can be no procreation which a puritanical Christian can never understand.
Have you considered why the powers to be created the pleasures of sex for man and woman when they engage in it? Your God would have test tube babies I presume. You claim to be a scientist.
G.B is facing more pressing problems like the high birth rate of the UK Muslim population and their intolerance of other faiths.
I am attaching a report from a Hindu leader for your attention
3. A Director of the Hindu Council Offers Police Authorities a Hindu Perspective on the Fight against Terrorism
www.hinducounciluk.org
UNITED KINGDOM, September 7, 2006: A director of the Hindu Council in the United Kingdom, Jay Lakhani, gave a speech at the Metropolitan Police Authority’s hearing with faith communities on September 7 in answer to the Hindu perspective on the fight against terrorism. Lakhani said, in part, “This issue has arisen in the name of religion and only a religious solution can diffuse the serious threat it poses for the whole of humanity. Religions are a very potent force, either we harness them for the greater good or they can run riot in our society. The way the authorities are trying to address this issue is by ‘toning down religions’ and asking people of faiths to put greater emphasis on ‘common humanity,’ hoping that this will diminish the threat of violence. Though this seems to be a clever thing to do it is guaranteed to fail. An issue that has arisen in the name of religion requires a resolution that comes from religion, else it will keep resurfacing and w e has to resign ourselves to live from one critical alert to another! The resolution does not lie within the exclusivist ideologies of the Abraham faiths but within the Indic traditions. Religious Pluralism of the Hindus is the resolution. Hinduism does not like language like ‘tolerate other religions,’ neither is it too keen on the wordings often used in modern interfaith dialogue: ’show respect for other religions’ as this is a patronizing approach. What we want to see is acceptance that there can be many different ways of making spiritual progress. These include theistic, non-theistic and even the non-religious modes. This is what pluralism means. Only when religious pluralism is invoked and infused in our society through the education system can we hope to make religions the cohesive force in our society. Such ideas have to be pro-actively promoted in the field of religious education. This is the only long term solution. We need to have faith. Not faith in a God, but faith in mankind’s capacity of making sensible judgments after receiving such wholesome education.”
Finally there are more interesting positions other than the puritanical Christian missionary position please visit the temples - life is not about adopting postures as we can see from events in this world.
Regards
RVigneswaran
September 26th, 2006 at 10:13 pm
comments are welcome -please respond
September 27th, 2006 at 10:00 am
Someone should check the legal situation vis-a-vis the recent law related to “inciting racial hatred” and act upon it formally against the author and publisher.
A scholar of Vedas should be asked to respond to the article based on the four ‘purusharths’ of ‘dharma, artha, KAMA, moksha’ in which it proves that legitimate sex is as important as finance/commerce to keep the world going. Would it be the same reason that the Church does not allow the use of birth control methods???
September 28th, 2006 at 2:39 am
Like i keep mentioning, they would never say this about islam cuz they know what the response will be. Hindus should get the message…
September 28th, 2006 at 6:27 am
The notion that Hindu temples are brothels clearly illustrates the authors ignorance or malicious. Such ignorant individuals would similarly claim that the Kama-Sutra is a holy Hindu scripture! Hinduism has always advocated brama-charya; the abstinence from sexual prior to marraige and fidelity to one spouse after marriage.
The author furthermore selectively presents controversial or misunderstood Hindus concepts. An arrogant Hindu could similarly conclude that Christians eat their God in a bizarre ritual called The Holy Communion. An arrogant Hindu could conclude that Moses never understood the 10 Commandments. He ordered the massacre of the creators of the Golden Calf after receiving the commandment ‘Thou Shall Not Kill’. There are fortunately very few arrogant Hindus and even fewer arrogant news paper editors!
Hinduism is based on the principle of spiritual democracy. This is embodied in the following Vedic quote: ‘The Truth is one; the sages describe It variously’. There is no Absolute Truth that must be accepted at the risk of death and the spiritual black-mail of eternal damnation. Hinduism has always been a FAMILY of INDEPENDANT denominations. Every Hindu follows a single denomination that best suits their spiritual needs. These denominations have formalised themselves as Saivism, Vaisnavism, Shaktism and Smartism.
This tolerant religious view has resulted in many individuals seeking alternate paths to the Divine. These paths, which may have included some strange practices, were never apposed due to the principle of spiritual democracy. These paths however often disappear over time or become ‘reformed’ into mainstream Hinduism.
September 28th, 2006 at 11:40 am
I think instead of complaining and feeling dimayed on this issue hear, we shioudl voicve our compalints as this is plainly offensive- the worst thing is that he is a vice chancellor of buckingham university so should have more tact and sense then to clearly write a offensive and inaccurate article and even worse for the times to publish it I have personally complained to the times and also would advise you all to send a complaint to him terence.kealey@buckingham.ac.uk- so he gets the message.
September 29th, 2006 at 6:50 pm
In a way I am glad he has made these comments.
I think Hindus have been living in the comfort zone for far too long.
I see Hindu paintings of Radha Krishna in erotic poses, kissing poses etc right across India and every temple and homes and Navratri venue!
Why is this acceptable?
Krishna was only 8 years old when he took the clothes of the Gopis and danced with them. But paintings falsely show him as an adult or a young adult!
Oh don’t get me wrong. I want people to express their anger and complaints but lets express it at our own people as well. Its time to rip up all those false Radha Krishna love pictures.
When a nonHindu looking at this visual symbol of Hinduism and of Krishan,
they start to assume the worst about our religion.
They don’t all have time to read up or look for deep and beautiful hidden meanings!
Hindus themselves don’t have time, so why should we expect nonHindus to?
Do you know what that leela is about?
Please share if you do know.
This guy in the Times is not the first to glorify the Temples in Khajuraho.
Infact our very own Hindu authors glorify these buildings as temples which I don’t think they are.
They are more like a one mans dream, one mans art, one mans desire to immortalise the love he experienced in his life time, a one mans worship of love, beauty and sex which he portrays in the only form he knew how.
What greater respect can be given to his passion then in the form of a temple!
So here stands this visual icon of Hinduism in all its glory. If this was a Christian church what would go through your mind?
Also he is not the first English to look at the sexual aspect of our religion. Does anyone remember Dan Cruickshank in his TV series Around the world in 80 Treasures? He went to many countries and found something wonderful to look at. When he went to India he only found sexual arts, sexual temples etc as treasures!!
How come no up roar was made then?
Was it because it was put in a respectable way?
A land so rich in all its heritage and art and this other idiot only finds sex in India.
No complaint to the BBC went out at this.
This ‘scientist’ in the Times discovers similar treasures in India and puts it in a blunt manner and we are all upset about it.
Im sure youre all aware of the many other abuses. The list is too long to mention.
Jai Shree Krishna
September 29th, 2006 at 10:49 pm
Our Gita is about being a warrior. Our gods are sybolized using sexual imagery. If you are an animal, all you see, smell, hear is food and eater. On occasions you smell a phermone and life is rapturous for until the heat is gone.
Now I place before you a pair of lovers. You, having an animalistic mind, jump to vlaues as monogamy, decency, erotica, taboo, etc. Or perhaps you remember that photo of your parent when they were young and gazing at each other. Or perhaps you remember you wife (or husband) and the thrill of first love. Or perhaps you remember a youthfulness now lost to wisdom or tiredness. Is the picture any different after your mind has played with it so much?
As a child I asked what the Kama sutra was about and my dad told me it was one man’s interpretation.
Now i’ve grown.
Isn’t all of being always being defined by one person (each of us)? A professor who wants his religion to be seen as the best will say - brothel. An Indian with self awareness may say the same. (After all the shiva lingum is in the yoni.) A deeper person will see life in creation. Yet deeper, Yin and Yang . Yet deeper one soul playing two roles to amrit.
If a fool acts a fool we should not be surprised. If a fools fool prints his foolishness we should not be surprised. We should look within ourselves, see what this means to us, how does this inform us, and how do we grow closer to god - we learn from the fool. But we should certainly try to educate the fool and those that follow him.
How do you educate members of the most murderous religions that maybe their religion is not so good? How do you educate the kids thinking Maoism that Mao killed so many innocents? But this is what we must do. I read an article of a man in Burma who was amazed that a man like MLKing existed. I suspect he did not know of Gandhi. Whose responsible - those that sit by and say to each his own. But if you think education means a guerrilla war on the other, they already know that.
hariaum, nkv
September 30th, 2006 at 12:53 pm
Perhaps terance kealy should concentrate on his own religion (christianity) and write about christian priest peodophile and child molesters and christian missionaries commiting attrocities in poor countries instead of writing on hindu temples which he doesn’t know anything about.
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:38 pm
Or better yet, perhaps he can dislodge the judgement of baseness from his own soul - not something christianity will help him with.
Hariaum
October 2nd, 2006 at 8:52 pm
If similar comments were made about other religion than fatwa would have been declared against Mr Keeley and copies of Times would be burning in the streets of London.Only hindus BEING PEACE AND LOVING PEOPLE dont belive in such violence.
Mr Keeleys mind is sick and he should resign from his post.
October 5th, 2006 at 10:53 pm
This guy Kealey - his points are quite weak and seem to consist more of his own opinions, prejudice and fantasies than anything else.
I hope all of you write to the Times regarding this article.
October 6th, 2006 at 2:45 pm
I’m very sorry if I am repeating anything said above, but unfortunately I havent had the time to read through everyones comments. Perhaps erotic sculpture and engravings on hindu religious sites/ temples are the product of a way of thinking which actually encouraged sexual acts between man and wife/ god and godesses - to a) produce human life in the most natural way possible, b) to show love for one another (which is an emotion we should a revere and hope to attain in our lives for another human soul) but also to find god through what has be recognised in ancient cultures through the joy of lovemaking and orgasms - where one can reach a trance like state. Or perhaps it was just the art of the times and not taboo in terms of the way that the religion or social midset has evolved.
October 14th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Universities are known as seats of learning. But could Birmingham’s ‘Varsity justify that title when its head is intellectually and academically of the above level, and is not only a patient of incurable advanced myopia but is suffering from day-blindness too?
Mr. Kealey, you have wondered, how could religion be so pornographic? You are right, it cannot be. And, believe us, ‘Hinduism’ too is not. What you have seen is not Hinduism but depiction of life of flesh and carnal pleasures: life sans Dharma (religion). Such persons are in fact bi-legged animals: in your words, “scientists (who) are materialists and distrust spiritual accounts”.
Such a life is outside the parameters Dharma, totally devoid of it. Thus, through the carvings and the sculptures spoken of, people like the writer are reminded thereby to guard against transgressing it. “Outside Dharma, you shall become animals like them”, is their visual message.
Those, as per your statement, who give the explanation that Hinduism has harnessed sex in the service of mysticism, are equally myopic, uninformed and congenitally micro-cephalic – possibly the “we scientists” group.
Had this been an advertisement of ‘their ware as brothels always have”, towns, villages and streets of those places would have become centres of shameless lechery, libido and debauchery where groups of playboys and girls would have been seen raking about in the open. But they are not. One only sees some ‘materialist scientists’ Vice-Chancellors of Britain doing ‘research’ for their shabby articles!
Sexuality, Sir, in ‘Hinduism’ is not a sport, but is a limited religious duty, a sacrament. Householder’s life is for fulfilling his Dharmic duties enjoined for him, which includes releasing oneself from Pitru Run, debt of one’s ancestors. Not sexual sport, but Brahmcharya and control of the sense organs is one of the prime principles of ‘Hinduism’.
October 16th, 2006 at 4:55 am
For Swami Ramdevji’s upcoming US tour itinerary write to renusharma10@hotmail.com
May 18th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I was shocked that the Times would even publish something so blatantly anti Hindu! I complained straightaway and we all should.
May 19th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Did not expect this from you, “the Times”. Shame on you.
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:10 am
this mofo should get shanked and shot like van gogh, he would never write such things about a mosque and muslims bending over for allah 5 times a day.