Indeed, from Akbar's time (reign: 1556-1605) forward, Mughal rulers treated temples lying within their sovereign domain as state property; accordingly, they undertook to protect both the physical structures and their Brahmin functionaries. At the same ti me, by appropriating Hindu religious institutions to serve imperial ends - a process involving complex overlappings of political and religious codes of power - the Mughals became deeply implicated in institutionalised Indian religions, in dramatic contra st to their British successors, who professed a hands-off policy in this respect. Thus we find Akbar allowing high-ranking Rajput officers in his service to build their own monumental temples in the provinces to which they were posted, as in the case of the Govind Deva Temple in Brindavan, patronised by Raja Man Singh.7 (See Figures 8 and 9.)
Akbar's successors went further. Between 1590 and 1735, Mughal officials repeatedly oversaw, and on occasion even initiated, the renewal of Orissa's regional cult, that of Jagannath in Puri. By sitting on a canopied chariot while accompanying the cult's annual car festival, Shah Jahan's officials ritually demonstrated that it was the Mughal emperor, operating through his appointed officers (mansabdar), who was the temple's - and hence the god's - ultimate lord and protector.8 Such actions in effect projected a hierarchy of hybridised political and religious power that descended downward from the Mughal emperor to his mansabdar, from the mansabdar to the god Jagannath and his temple, from Jagannath to the sub-imp erial king who patronised the god, and from the king to his subjects. For the Mughals, politics within their sovereign domains never meant annihilating prior authority, but appropriating it within a hierarchy of power that flowed from the Peacock Throne to the mass of commoners below.
Such ideas continued in force into the reign of Aurangzeb (1658-1707), whose orders to local officials in Banaras in 1659 clearly indicate that Brahmin temple functionaries there, together with the temples at which they officiated, merited state protecti on. "In these days," he wrote in February of that year,
information has reached our court that several people have, out of spite and rancour, harassed the Hindu residents of Banaras and nearby places, including a group of Brahmins who are in charge of ancient temples there. These people want to remove those B rahmins from their charge of temple-keeping, which has caused them considerable distress. Therefore, upon receiving this order, you must see that nobody unlawfully disturbs the Brahmins or other Hindus of that region, so that they might remain in their t raditional place and pray for the continuance of the Empire.9
OYE JATIN YOU ARE VERY FOND OF ASKING QUESTION? I APPRECIATE. by Truth Finder on Apr 16, 2007 11:03 PM | Hide replies
Question by Jatin Haldankar.
Now just one question..out of context why dont you allow non muslims to have place of wordship in Saudi Arabia ... they way non Muslims has extended you the courtesy to have mosque in thier holy cities and at times ,also allowed to build them by destroying thier holy place..
Reply
First of all, he has to ask this question with the Saudi Government not to me. This is childish question and mischieviously always put by RSS GANGS AND GOONS. Some of the reasons I will tell you. They were the Idol worshippers before the Islam. There were temples and Idols in Saudi Arabia. When the Islam came to Arabia and when they learnt about Islam. Islam teaches them One God, Supreme, Powerful, Al-Mighty, Creator and Sustainer. He has no shape, no form, there is nothing like to unto Him. When they learnt and got the Truth. They felt it is use less to pray these idols because:
1.Foolish to worship these man-made objects.
2. Worshiping these gods they cannot think, move, and speak.
3. They cannot save themselves and cannot protect others.
4. They cannot mend if broken.
5. They cannot clean as birds do SHIT on them as we see Hanuman, Shivaji and other idols/statues on the squares.
6. Children play with them like toys, its happened some times in the Home, Children play with these gods as toys.
7. Lastly they think the good men/women cannot be their God. The God is above all these worldly, creatures and maters. Unseen, Absolute, eternal, Powerful, Utmost and final qualities no body can match.
After realizing the simple truth, they destroyed; throw all these Gods out of their land. So they do not want this filth/illeteracy/blind-faith again. These are the simple reasons.
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RE:OYE JATIN YOU ARE VERY FOND OF ASKING QUESTION? I APPRECIATE. by wada pav on Apr 17, 2007 12:28 AM 1. Birds also shit on mosques, can allah stop it ? 2. when babri masjid was destroyed, did allah protect it ? 3. if masjids are broken can they mend themselves? 4. what is the evidence that allah can speak , move, think ? what is the evidence that allah exists ? its just a assumption. 5. what if we declare that islam is fake and decide to throw islam out of india , just like saudi throw idol worshippers out ?
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RE:OYE JATIN YOU ARE VERY FOND OF ASKING QUESTION? I APPRECIATE. by Truth Finder on Apr 17, 2007 12:56 AM WADA PAV STARTED AGAIN FOOLISHNESS. WE DID NOT WORSHIP TO MOSQUES ( MASJID ) MASJID A PLACE OF WORSHIP NOTHING MORE THAN THIS. IT SHOWS YOU HAVE THE SERIOUS ILLNESS, BAD CONSCIENCE, LACK JUDGEMENT, CANNOT DIFFERENTIATE. IT IS CALLED MADNESS. GO TO A NICE DOCTOR AND TAKE MEDICAL TREATMENT. OTHERWISE YOU WILL DO SUICIDE AND YOUR CHILDREN WILL SUFFER AND YOUR COMMUNITY LAMENT AND SUICIDE. HI DEAR KAISI LAGI.
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You Asked For It. -Reply to Jatin Haldankar - Why there is no temple in Saudi Arabia by Truth Finder on Apr 16, 2007 11:01 PM | Hide replies
Question by Jatin Haldankar.
Now just one question..out of context why dont you allow non muslims to have place of wordship in Saudi Arabia ... they way non Muslims has extended you the courtesy to have mosque in thier holy cities and at times ,also allowed to build them by destroying thier holy place..
Reply
First of all, he has to ask this question with the Saudi Government not to me. This is childish question and mischieviously always put by RSS GANGS AND GOONS. Some of the reasons I will tell you. They were the Idol worshippers before the Islam. There were temples and Idols in Saudi Arabia. When the Islam came to Arabia and when they learnt about Islam. Islam teaches them One God, Supreme, Powerful, Al-Mighty, Creator and Sustainer. He has no shape, no form, there is nothing like to unto Him. When they learnt and got the Truth. They felt it is use less to pray these idols because:
1.Foolish to worship these man-made objects.
2. Worshiping these gods they cannot think, move, and speak.
3. They cannot save themselves and cannot protect others.
4. They cannot mend if broken.
5. They cannot clean as birds do SHIT on them as we see Hanuman, Shivaji and other idols/statues on the squares.
6. Children play with them like toys, its happened some times in the Home, Children play with these gods as toys.
7. Lastly they think the good men/women cannot be their God. The God is above all these worldly, creatures and maters. Unseen, Absolute, eternal, Powerful, Utmost and final qualities no body can match.
After realizing the simple truth, they destroyed; throw all these Gods out of their land. So they do not want this filth/
