India’s oldest Socialist Weekly!
Editor: Dr. G.G. Parikh | Associate Editor: Neeraj Jain | Managing Editor: Guddi
Mosques were built by sailors during the lifetime of the Prophet, since the 7th century, along the coasts of India. The most famous of these is the Cheraman Juma Masjid in Kerala’s Thrissur district, widely believed to be the oldest mosque in the subcontinent.
On the many stories about Sita’s sons. Two Articles.
In north India, Diwali commemorates the return of Ram, while south India celebrates the defeat of Narakasura. Western Diwali involves a business-related renewal and in eastern India, the focus shifts to ancestor worship. These varying traditions underscore the diversity of Hinduism across different regions.
The Ramayana is projected as a battle between men—Ram and Ravana. Women here play a subordinate role; the victim is Sita. In doing so, we forget the other warrior-women we encounter in the epic, of whom at least four are on Ravana’s side, defending him.
The earliest images depicting stories of Shiva’s marriage and conflicts with demons such as Andhaka and Ravana were carved about 1,500 years ago at the Jogeshwari caves in North Mumbai and on the Elephanta island off South Mumbai.
“Caste Tales They Don’t Tell Us”; Also: “Dalit Mythology”
Ganesh projects an image of affluence and abundance indicated by the elephant-head and the potbelly. But we also have the image of contentment: the snake is not eating the rat and the rat is not eating the sweet.
The Ramayana has been retold by several communities and several people over a period of 2,000 years and over a region that spreads over 5,000 miles. Scholars have found the Ramayana retellings even in faraway places such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Gandhi famously argued that Bhagavad Gita needs to be seen as a metaphor of internal war, and has nothing to do with violence. Western scholars argue that the book promotes violence. To understand this contradictory view, we need to examine what is the problem to which Krishna offers a solution.
When people refer to Indian “tradition” they assume it was fixed for thousands of years. But that is not true. Hindu wedding rituals contain ideas from Harappan and Vedic times, to practices that came with the Greeks, Sakas, Kushan, Huns, Turks, Afghans, Persians, Arabs, even Europeans. Over time, the concept of marriage changed as did the rituals.
Janata Weekly is India’s oldest independent socialist weekly.
Ever since its founding in 1946, Janata has voiced its principled dissent against all conduct and practice that is detrimental to the cherished values of nationalism, democracy, secularism and socialism, while upholding the integrity and the ethical norms of healthy journalism. For more than seventy years now, week after week, it has continued to analyse the changes taking place in the country and the world from a socialist standpoint, and thus promote the spread of socialist ideology in the country.
Address: D-15, Ganesh Prasad, Naushir Bharucha Marg, Mumbai- 400007.
Help us increase our readership.
If you are enjoying reading Janata Weekly,
DO FORWARD THE WEEKLY MAIL to your mailing list and
invite people to subscribe for FREE!