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Why paganism in Europe died, where polytheism in Asia survived? (fedia.io)

submitted 3 days ago by ryujin470@fedia.io to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

23 comments fedilink hide all child comments

It's surprising that pagan religions of Europe have disappeared, but polytheistic religions of Asia (especially India) survived and are still widely followed there. Why?

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[–] Achyu@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 days ago (1 children)

temple that is often visited by Muslims

Sabarimala?

[–] velox_vulnus@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

No, this temple is in Tulu Nadu. Since you're a Malayali, you must know about Bappa Beary, a Muslim trader from Kerala?

The temple built by him is called the Bappanadu temple. It is not only a Hindu temple, but also a Tulu folk-religion temple for Koragajja (Koraga + ajja), and also a Durga temple, I think. Bappa's descendants are still invited to the ceremony, even to this day.

I know that Tulu Nadu is now a bastion for the BJP/Bajrang Dal/RSS ecosystem thanks to sanskritisation, but this was not the case 40 years ago.

About Sabarimala, I don't remember properly, but our family head was supposed to refrain from eating meat, wear a black lungi and plan a long-distance pilgrimage to Sabarimala to pay visit to the celibate God Ayyappa. I've been told that he had a lowly birth, and that Brahmins are trying to appropriate this God too - this information might be incorrect though.

[–] Achyu@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Since you're a Malayali, you must know about Bappa Beary, a Muslim trader from Kerala?

I haven't heard of it. Thank you for sharing information on it.

Regarding Sabarimala, it's a shrine for Vaavar:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vavar

refrain from eating meat, wear a black lungi and plan a long-distance pilgrimage to Sabarimala to pay visit to the celibate God Ayyappa

Yep.
No meat, no footwear, no shaving, no swearing, no alcohol or similar material etc. It's seen positively by many because it helps reduce alcoholism in some of the believers. I had a distant relative who'd be totally different during Mandalakaalam vs other times.

I've been told that he had a lowly birth, and that Brahmins are trying to appropriate this God too - this information might be incorrect though.

I've heard similar things too. That it was a tribal or buddhist diety that has been appropriated