Comments by "Rutvik" (@rutvikrs) on "BJP sharpens attack on TMC over MP Mahua Moitra's comment on Kali" video.

I remember having this great conversation with a NRI stoner. The act of offering non vegetarian food( for Hindus), alcohol and narcotics( for Hindus, tribal and animist communities globally) is metaphysical not material. In simple words, Naga Sadhus/Shipibo shamans consume drugs ritualistically but can be fine if the ritual requires them to abstain. A stoner likes the rituals/tradition because it's a free pass to consume drugs. Stoners will not follow through abstinence for the sake of "authority". Liberals like Mahua conflate the two. It's neither liberalism nor traditional. It's a stance of convenience.
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@kankit230 did you even read my post or is it an issue with comprehension?
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@kankit230 1. If you read it, then the latter part, conflation of the intention of sadhu/shaman and a stoner is clearly addresses your point. You previously accused me of not reading. There is a text governing the methodology from puja to temples called agamashastra. This is followed regardless of sampradaya(Shakta, Vaishnava, Madhwa and even hyperlocalised dirties which are not worshipped by Brahmin priests but fall under Shakta). It clearly lays out the methodology and the spirit in which sacrifice(animal or vegetarian substitute like pumpkins) is to be made. 2. Vegetarianism was not bought in by traditionalist Brahmins or Vaishnavas. It was a byproduct of two movements specifically the Bhakti movement(via emphasis away from vyavaharika and subsumation of Samkhya and Purva Mimamsa) and a second wave by neo Hinduism like Arya and Brahmo samaj. The latter is particularly responsible for the current memetics of Hindu society (Idol worship is wrong, god is one and priesthood is inherently corrupt) due to the influence of Anglican and Protestant Christianity particularly. Opposition to Christianity led to prioritisation of Vedanta above others.
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@vemaraju i think a statement like me being lost should have at the very least a qualitative critique. I will refrain from personally criticising you because your understanding and interest is purely political. I urge you to read and understand before taking a strong stance.
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@vemaraju who is making a case for animal sacrifice? There is a difference between an observation and a normative statement. You clearly cannot make a distinction between the two. Work on your comprehension.
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@vemaraju so much projection in one comment 🤣
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@vemaraju you need help.
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@Nubbdy 1. I am not familiar with alcohol as an offering, but I presume there is sanction for it within the Shakta agamas. Bengal is not unique in the sense, even the temple of my family deity(Mylar Lingeshwara) in North Karnataka is offered both marijuana as well as alcohol. I have seen this at several temples of Karnataka, Maharashtra and even Kal Bhairav temple at Ujjain aside from my encounters with it in Bengal. I will ask around and reply if i find some information on this. However I do know this part that the much of the Bengali practice today is heavily corrupted even as far as 50 years ago. For example, the pandals(not the temples) serve chicken and other meats. In the tradition, only the sacrificed meat is to be served and other meats are not a part of it. Only fish, goat and buffalo(afaik) are to be presented as sacrifice. The current practice stems from the "secularisation" of Pujo which is now more of a cultural and a community/socio-political event than a religious or spiritual one. This informs people of "how liberal our religion is". 2. Mahua did not say that but her worldview is at the root of the statement. For example, the poster had no alcohol in it, it had Kali smoking a blunt(?)/cigarette(?). She infused alcohol into the picture, despite that never being part of the poster. So what is the implication? Cigarette/blunt is ok as Devi even accepts alcohol? Just to be clear, it's who is speaking and the context to which it was responded to, that is the problem. Ersatz second rate idea of liberalism. The stoner vs shaman/sadhu is a good framework to understand why there is an issue here. Non-Western ideas of divinity is not a carte blanche. Have you heard of any anti-theists turning up at Catholic churches to have a wine party because wine is acceptable in the tradition? A decent amount of non religious like me would view this as unnecessary provocation.
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