Week 194: Founder of Bangladesh, Historical Hindu Community in Armenia, Aesthetic
09/02/2023 - Modern Hindu Content
Welcome to Eternal Path! This week, we feature: an expose on the founding father of Bangladesh, a Hindu Colony in Armenia, and an Aesthetic!
History Highlight: Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
We’ve covered in many issues the plight of Bangladeshi Hindus (Week 1, Week 69, Week 166 ) and this week we are sharing a video around the real face of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, and his Hinduphobic past.
Diaspora Highlight: Hindu Colony in Armenia
Content adopted from (@localmathfanboy) [Full thread link here] and from Hindu Post.
Two Indian chieftains, named in Armenian records as Gisane and Demetr, who were expelled from a Kingdom for rebellion in Ujjain (now in Madhya Pradesh) fled with their clans to Armenia, during the reign of King Valarshak (149-127BCE). They were granted the province of Taron in western Armenia (now Turkey) and went on to establish the city of Veeshap. Hindu Gods were worshipped alongside native deities of the Armenians within the renowned city of Ashtishat, celebrated for its temples, before the emergence of Christianity.
Hindu Post writes that (sic) “We presume that the deities Gisane and his brother, Demeter must be the vrishni kula warriors Krishna and Balabhadra. Demeter is the Greek Goddess for harvest and Balabhadra with his halAyudha (plough-weapon) very much qualifies for the title Demeter.”
Below are snippets of what we know about them, their impact, and their unfortunate downfall in the 4th century CE once iconoclastic zealous Christians took over Armenia (with shades of what occurred in Mexico in our Week 193 issue).
From these passages, there is also an implicit conclusion that there were local Armenian converts to Hinduism, and given that Armenians in the pre-Christian era were likely pagans with exposure to Greek Gods and Zoroastrianism, there likely was a natural synergy for early local converts, along the same mold of the early Indo-Greeks.
It is very impressive that a Hindu community existed in Armenia for nearly 400-ish years before the onslaught of the Christians.
The last archaka (priest)/leader in the Hindu community was named Artzan (Arjuna) got wind some time in the late 3rd century/early 4th century CE that Christians were planning on destroying the temples of Gisane and Demetr. He amassed an army to fight off the Christians, and engaged in 1:1 battle with Christian princes.
Below are some snippets that mention the bravery of the local Hindus fighting the Christian hordes off bravely. Among the military tactics the Hindus used to fight off the Christians were: guerilla warfare, playing trumpets to scare the horses of the enemy hordes, and pursued them across mountain villages.
A key quotation from the above pieces reads: “let it be known that thought it is out of our power to conquer you, yet we prefer to die a glorious death-to-day in upholding the honor of our Gods, than to live and see their temples polluted by you.” During that time, one Hindu King in the employ of Christians, the vassal of Hashtayank, joined the Hindu army, making it nearly a fair fight. However, in later battle times, it became Hindu villagers versus trained Armenian soldiers and one by one, the temple priests and Hindu battalions fell. In one of the final battles 1038 Hindus were killed and prisoners stripped naked. In ensuing fights, depicted below, the Brahmins of the area fought the invaders to the death before being overpowered.
Unfortunately, as alluded to, Christianity, which came to Armenia in 66 CE, ultimately completely dominated the Armenian landscape. Even after these battles, the children of the Hindus captured by the Christians refused to give up Hindu traditions. However, as is the fate in all conquered races, by generation three, this resistance is generally wiped out, and so too was the memory of Armenia’s Hindu community.
Aesthetic: Bhutan Temple
Bhairabkunda Shiva Mandir or Daifam Shiv Mandir is the only Shakti Peetha in Bhutan and one of its most important Hindu temples.