The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-04-19
INDIA'S RELIGIONS POLIT.
fCALLY SIGNIFICANT

Washington, DC, April lin
dia and her problems and move
ments cannot be understood un:ess
something is known Of the tangled
threads Of numerous religions ti;a.
are entwined with every fiber OF
her life" says a bulletin issued
from the Washington, d. c., head
quarters of the National Geograph-
ic Society. Religious antagonism
has heretofore been the rock upon
which every proposed all-Indja
movement has broken up" con-
tinues the bulletin. although the
recently imprisoned leader, Ghandi,
has been able, in a measure, to
enlist followers from some Of the
most divergent of India's 'jarring
creeds.
Religion Il Spice to the Indian
Religion is the soul Of Indian
life, the spice in an otherwise un-
endurable existence. To the Hin
du. Mohammedan 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 is both subjectively
and effectively attractive and holy
men abound from the Himalayas,
beloved by Kim's guru, to the tropi~
cal sea beside which Dravidian tenn
pies raise their gopurams and
Christian churches show their
spires.
Proba bly, no where is religion
used with more profitable results
by cllarlatans and imposters than
in India So great a virtue is char
ity that the very mountebank is
considered public benefactor. The
Moslem mendicant often lends real
dignity to the dignified word "fak-
ir.' But many holy men are more
faker and fakir.
Religion Coat Of Many Colors
Nowhere else have men, through
religion, so detached themselves
from the passions and frivolities of
worldly life. Nowhere has religion
so seasoned unlnitigated misery. No
where has religion been the cloak
for more blatent beggary ana dis
gusting deception. Nowhere as re-
ligion more potent political fac
tor.
More than two-thirds of the peo-
pie of India are Hindus. Modern
Hinduism grew out of Brahman-
ism, and is still called by that
name The earlier belief was in
one omnipotent but in1personal be-
ing, whose personal manifestations
were Brahma, the creator; Vishnu
the preserver; and silva, the De-
stroyer and Reproducer. Brahma
has few followers Vishnu is wor-
shipped by millions, upon whose
foreheads is painted device call.
ed the namam consisting Of a YER
teal red line inside a U-shaped fig
ure in white clay. But the favor
lite god Of many Hindus is silva.
Conquered Buddhism by Compro-
mise
When Buddha gained followers
in India. the Brahmins accepted
Buddha as the ninth incarnation Of
Vishnu and by this compromise
they so enlasculated the gentle
faith of the Buddhists that they
drove Buddhism into Ceylon, Bur-
ma and the Far East, so that the
religion of the Hindu, modified by
the teachings Of Buddi1a, pervades
India from Benares to Conjeevera1n
and from Kumbakonam to Allaha-
bad.
when the various Mofamme-.
dan conQuerorS poured in over the
northern passes they brought THEN
religion with them, SO that India
has more Mohammedans than Tur-
key ever ruled and the assemblage
of the Faithful in the Great
Mosque of Delhi forms one of the
largest congregations of the fol-
lowers of Mohammed to be found
anywhere. The sensitiveness Of
this Moslem group over alleged in
suits to the Khalif or Sultan of
Turkey has done much to compli-
cate world politics. With more than
sc million Mohamnedans within
its boundaries, India ranks at the
top of the list Of Moslem lands.
But Indian Mohammedanism is
strongly tinged with Hindu culture
and has lost much of the militant
quality which distinguished it in
the days of Baber and Akbar.
Sikhs an Offshoot
The Sikhs broke away from the
orthodox Hindu faith under the
leadership of Nanak, who was born
in the Punjab. near Amritsar. the
capital city Of the Sikhs, in 1869.
Sikhs means disciple and these
schisnaticS once worshipped their
Gurus, or teachers. but later trans
ferred their devotion to the Granth.
or holy book which proclaims their
faith and principles. The Sikhs
abolished caste, that curse and
blessing of Hindu society. and their
militant ardor has given them q
standing out Of all proportion to