Unapologetic Hindu

What are Essential Religious Practices (ERPs)? The doctrine of ERPs governs which religious practises are to be protected under Articles 25 and 26 of the Indian Constitution. The concept of ERPs first came into being with the case: The Commissioner, Hindu Religious Endowments, Madras v Shri Lakshmindar Tirtha Swamiyar of Shri Shirur Mutt (1954) wherein the Supreme Court had initially rejected the arguments of the Advocate General of Madras, who had suggested that the constitutional protection of religious practices be extended only to ERPs. However, by the time the judgement on the case Durgah Committee, Ajmer v Syed Hussain Ali (1961) was pronounced by the Supreme Court, the court opined that religious practices may sometimes include those that spring from ‘superstition’ or ‘unessential accretion’ and, hence, may not merit constitutional protection. Hinduism: Numerous Governing Texts Monotheistic religions often have one book that commands them as to how they may worship. Hindus, howe...

    The campaign against firecrackers will result in erosion of cultural values, traditions and the spirit of diversity.  It is high time we take pride in our festivals and protect our heritage. For centuries now, Bharat has been called a civilisational state that binds its people together with a shared consciousness, traditions and identity. In the backdrop of such an axiom, one can only guess the impact that the stoppage of traditions and festivals can have on the fabric of Indic identity. Diwali is one of the most-widely celebrated and hallowed festivals of India, the history of which can be traced back to the seventh century. One of the first mentions of the festival can be found in the  Skanda Purana , which mentions the lighting and holding of ‘ ulkas ’, which roughly translated into English would mean ‘firebrands’, ‘ diyas ’ or ‘fire falling out of the sky’.  This is of great significance to the interpretation of Diwali, since  ulka  fulfills al...