Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1922-05-20
Every Proposed AIi-lndia Move
.nent Has Broken on Rock OF
Religious Antagonism.
FORCE IN EVERYDAY AFFAIRS
Tangled Threads OF Numerous Re-
lloIons Are Entwined With Every
Fiber of lndia's life-Temple
Grounds Public Forum.

Washington.-"Indi and her prob
lens and movements cannot be UNDER
stood unless something Is known Of
the tangled threads of numerous re-
ligions that are entwined with every
fiber OF her life," says bulletin Is
sued from the Washington headquar-
tiers Of the National Geographic so
ciety. Religious antagonism has here.
tofore been the rock upon which every
proposed all-India movement has
broken up" continues the bulletin. .ul-
though the recently imprisoned lender,
Gandhl. has been able, in measure.
to enlist followers from some of the
most divergent of Indias 'jnrring
creeds.'
Religion is the soul Of Indian life,
the spice In an otherwise uncomfortable
existence. To the Hindu, Mohamme-
dan or Sikh, religion Is by no means
nominal but Is an actual force In
everyday affairs. Religious festivals
mark the changes of the year. The
temple grounds are the meeting places
OF the people and the forums of pub
lie opinion.
"Asceticism IL both subjectively and
effectively attractive and holy men
abound from the Himalayas, beloved
by kim's guru. to the tropical sea be-
side which Dravldinn temples raise
their gopurams and Christian churches
show their spires.
probably nowhere is religion used
with more profitable results by charla-
tans and impostors thnn in India. So
great a virtue Is charity that the very
rnountebank Is considered public
benefactor. The Moslem mentlicant
often lends real dignity to the digni-
fed word 'fakir.' But many holy
men are more faker than fakir.
Religion a Coat Of Many colors.
Nowhere else have men, through
religion, so detached themselves from
the passions and friyollties Of worldly
life. Nowhere has religion so seasoned
unmitigated misery. Nowhere has re-
llgion been the cloak for more blatant
beggary and disgusting deception. No
where is religion more potent po-
lltical factor.
More than two-thirds OF the peo-
pie of India are Hindus. Modern Him
dulsm grew out Of Brahmanism, and
is still called by that name. The
earlier belief was in one omnipotent
but impersonal Being. whose personal
manifestations were Brahma. the Gre
ator; Vlshnu. the preseryer md silva.
the destroyer and reproducer Brnhma
has few followers. Vishnu is wor-
SHIPPED by millions upon whose fore
heads Is painted device called the
namam consisting of vertical red
line inside U-shaped figure In white
clay. But the fhvefite god of many
Hindus Is silva.
"When Buddha gained followers In
India, the Brahmins accepted Buddha
as the ninth incarnation Of Vishnu and
by this compromise they 80 emascu-
lated the gentle fnith Of the Buddhists
that they drove Buddhism into Ceylon,
Burma md the Far East. so that the
religion Of the Hindu, modified by the
teachings Of Buddha, pervades India
from Benares to Con1eeveram and
from Kumbakonaln to Aliahabad.
"When the various Mohammedan
cOnquerors poured In over the north.
ern passes they brought their religion
with them. 30 TINT India has more
AIohammedans than Turkey ever ruled
and the assemblnge Of the faithful In
| the great mosque Of Delhi forms one
of the largest congregations Of the