Inculturation – Crime, corruption and cunningness of Catholic Church

Cardinal Oswald Gracias was one of the brains behind the designing, printing and releasing of the “Indian Bible” which contained hundreds of sacred verses usurped from Hindu texts such as the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Mahabharata and the Bhagwat Gita.

The motive was to cheat the gullible masses and covertly lure them to follow Christianity. At the time of the Indian Bible’s release in June 2008, the Cardinal had stated that this Bible, made in India and for Indians, would bring the word of God closer to millions of people, not only Christians.

Yet the very same Cardinal Oswald Gracias stoutly denied any knowledge about this Indian Bible at the press conference held immediately after the interfaith dialogue on 12 June 2009 in Mumbai. So much for Catholic honesty! Ironically, the Cardinal is a founder patron of the Global Foundation for Civilisational Harmony (GFCH). Even during the interfaith dialogue, the Cardinal and other Catholic leaders, including the representative of the Vatican, denied the ‘inculturation’ charges against them and put the blame on other denominations of Christianity. Their ‘honesty’ regarding the Indian Bible was exposed during the press meet; what follows is an exposure of their honesty regarding inculturation techniques

 

 

Secular Melmaruvathur

 

Melmaruvathur Adhi Parasakthi Temple is situated on the Chennai-Trichy National Highway (NH45) in a place called ‘Melmaruvathur’, which is approximately 95 kms from Chennai. This is ‘believed’ to be the sacred abode of 21 Siddhars (Saints), male as well as female from different religions (!) and their “Jeeva Samadhis” (meaning the spots where they have attained ‘siddhi’ leaving their human forms, while living still as holy spirits) are believed to be inside the premises over which the temple has been constructed.

 

Starting as a Temple built by Sri Bangaru Adigal, who is called as “Amma” by his devotees with reverence and affection, it has diversified itself into many fields of ‘charity’ such as education and health. Goddess Adhi Paraashakthi herself is believed to have performed many miracles through Bangaru Adigal’s “Oracles” (‘Arul Vaakku’ in Tamil) and that is hwy he is devotionally addressed as “Amma” (Mother). This place is totally ‘secular’ in the sense that people of all caste, colour, creed, gender and religion are allowed to enter the sanctum sanctorum and perform pujas to the presiding deity of Parasakthi. The full name of the Temple is “Suyambu Arulmigu Annai Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam” and Shri Bangaru Adigal has millions of devotees. (Ref: http://www.sakthipeedam.org/siddharpeetam.html ).

 

 

Christian Achirupaakkam Hillock

 

Going from Chennai to Melmaruvathur, one has to cross a place called ‘Achirupaakkam’ (after Chingleput and Madurantakam) where one can see the huge slogan “Mariye Vaazhga” (long live Mary) written on a hillock. Moving closer, a huge statue of Jesus on a Cross will be visible on the top of the hillock. It is more than five years since the Catholic Church encroached upon the hill and took it over.

The Catholic Church has built a prayer house at the top and placed a statue of Mary inside it; this Mary is called “Mazhai Malai Maadhaa” (Rain-Hill Mother). The Church also laid a stairway from the basement by digging the ground, breaking the rocks and rearranging the boulders. In between it constructed two arches, one with the slogan “Mariyin vazhiyil manitham malara” (“Let humanism blossom by the path of Mary”) and the other identifying the place as “Arputha Nagaram” (Miracle Town).

The hill falls under the Pallipat Panchayat and the porumboke land on the hillock comes under the control of the Forest Department. A huge Church is under construction and all these conquests, constructions and occupations are illegal and unauthorized, but achieved with the connivance of government authorities who have been “taken care of” by the Catholic Church.
 

 

Hindu Achirupaakkam

 

The Achirupakkam town is situated opposite to the hillock and inside the town a famous ancient Shiva Temple is located. The Temple is called as Pakkapureswarar Temple and the presiding deities are Sundaranayagi (female deity) and Atchikondanathar or Pakkapureswarar (male deity). The ‘Sthal Purana’ (temple history) goes like this: It is said tha Bhagwan Shiva once set out on a mission in a chariot to destroy the Tripura demons, more commonly known as Tripurasamharam. Bhagwan Shiva forgot to think about Bhagwan Vinayaka who has to be worshipped by all before commencing any kind of work for success. In view of this it is said that the axle (‘Achchu’ in Tamil) of Bhagwan Shiva’s chariot broke here and hence this Sivasthalam came to be known as ‘Achirupakkam’(‘Achchu-Itru’ meaning ‘Axle-broken’). It is also said that the axle of a Pandiya King’s chariot also broke down here as he was bringing soil from the Ganges for building a dam across a river. Kannuva Munivar and Gowthama Munivar are said to have worhshipped Bhagwan Shiva at this Sivasthalam and Thirugnaana Sambandhar had composed and sung a Thevaram Hymn praising the presiding deity. (Ref: http://www.shivatemples.com/index.html ).

 

There is also a Shiva temple (Pasupathiswarar Temple) on the concerned hillock, which will be visible from this Pakkapureswarar Temple. One Swamiji, who used to stay there in the temple, had replaced the main deity Shiva with Bhagwan Muruga inside the sanctum sanctorum and placed the Shiva Linga in the Artha Mandapam, outside the sanctum sanctorum. On the way to the Shiva / Muruga Temple, a small Vinayagar Temple was also there, which was later brought down by the priest, as he could not climb the hill twice a day due to the difficult terrain, in the absence of proper pathway.

 

Initiative from a few individuals

 

A few good samaritans from Madras, who are involved in renovation of dilapidated temples for years, have raised funds and laid some 27 steps from Vinayagar Shrine up to the Shiva Temple, while the actual requirement from the basement is 500 steps. The laying of steps was undertaken by the local Reddiyar community due to the involvement of these individuals, with the permission of the central forest department. Shri Anbazhagan, the son of Shri Bangaru Adigal, had helped with the construction of few more steps later (each step costing Rs.5000/- made and brought from Mysore) and he also organised for the Karthigai Deepam festival once.

 

The Catholic Church, which encroached upon the pathway leading to the Shiva temple, accepted their mistake and orally agreed to compensate by funding the stairway further. But due to lack of further interests and initiative from the Reddiyar community and also due to lack of funds the work had come to a standstill.

 

Catholic Church’s nefarious designs:

 

Meanwhile, emboldened by the change of government, that is with the advent of DMK government in May 2006, the Catholic Church refused to fulfill its commitment and became very active. After planting the cross, constructing the prayer house and placing the statues of Jesus and Mary with the full connivance of government authorities, the Christians indulged in a heavy harvest of souls in and around the villages near the hillock. They have already converted 40% of the local populace by fraudulent means.

They have organised “Hindu” rituals (inculturation techniques) like lighting lamps (instead of candles), incense sticks (agarbati) and performing of ‘Archana’ inside the prayer house. They stop the devotees of Melmaruvathur Adi Parasakthi Temple midway and force them to visit the prayer house by saying that the same “Adi Parasakthi” of Melmaruvathur is blessing devotees here on the hillock in the form of “Mary Amman.”

Similar to the “Girivalam” of Tiruvannamalai hills, the padris here have arranged for “Girivalam” (circumambulation around the hillock) during full moon (Purnima) days. A large section of the ignorant and innocent masses who visit Melmaruvathur have started visiting this hillock on their way to and from Melmaruvathur. As the inflow of ‘devotees’ increases day by day, Christians have started collecting money from them for the construction of the new Church.

 

 

The weakness of Hindus  

 

The absolute absence of any Hindu organisations in the locality has come in handy for the Catholic Church to go ahead with its nefarious designs very fast. Though the local Hindus were against the Church, they couldn’t do anything due to the absence of an organised Hindu body.

Four years ago, the VHP gathered information and published a story about the Church’s activities in its official organ “Indumithran”. The Church briefly kept a low profile after planting the cross due to protests form local Hindus.

Meanwhile, the Church converted a considerable section of the local people and again started construction activities on the hillock. After the completion of the stairway, tar road and the prayer house, the Church erected the huge ‘Crucified Jesus’ statue on the top and the statue of “Mazhai Malai Maathaa” (Mother Mary) inside the prayer house. Hindus woke up from their slumber only after seeing the huge statue of Crucified Jesus.

 

Corrupt government’s connivance and anti-Hindu stance

 

The officials belonging to the Forest Department, Collectorate, District Revenue office and other departments such as Panchayats, turned a blind eye to the unauthorised and illegal construction activities by the Catholic Church. They also refused to cooperate with the Hindus. When Hindus gave a protest memorandum a year ago, the authorities including the Collector and District Revenue Officer deliberately failed to take any action against the Church.

 
The local people and Hindu Munnani activists from Chennai say there is a Shiva Temple on the hillock on the other side, which was desecrated and looted by Islamic forces when Malik Kafur invaded South India. As the Church has done everything illegally, Hindu activists attempted to place a huge “Vel” (spear) near a “Neem” tree under which the village deity (grama devata) once stood, and write “Om Nama sivaya” on the top of the hill. But police acted swiftly and arrested all of them; they were released only after paying a fine of Rs.5000/-.  
 

Meanwhile the Catholic Church made a false claim that it had got the land on a 99-year lease. When Shri Parameswaran, a Hindu Munnani activist, applied for the details through the RTI Act, the Collectorate replied that no lease was given to the Church and no permission for construction of either roads or stairway or buildings was given. Based on the information given by the government itself, when Hindu Munnani organised a ‘signature campaign’ and submitted a protest memorandum two months ago, the district authorities and local Panchayat President assured them they would take immediate action; so far no action has been taken.
 

Parameswaran recalled that, “Until 1977, the Shiva temple with a Ganesha murti (Uchchi Pillayar) was also there though in a dilapidated condition, and people used to visit it regularly. During the year 1977, anti-social elements at the behest of vested interests, hung a dead body at the entrance. The issue became a police case after which the people stopped visiting. After years of prolonging the police closed the case ten years back saying it was a suicide. The officials have not given us permission either to place the Trishul or Vel near the neem tree or to write “Om Nama shivaya” or even to dig a borewell for want of water. But the same officials have allowed the Church to construct everything illegally. We are finding it difficult to construct even a stairway to the Shiva Temple, which has been there for ages.”    
 

This is a clear case of “Dravidian-Minority” nexus which is wreaking havoc in the state against the Hindu majority.

 

The present status
 

The Hindu Munnani activists under the leadership of Parameshwaran, conducted an awreness campaign followed by yet another protest demonstration last Sunday (14 June 2009). The Hindu Munnani had uploaded a three minute film on “You tube”, in which they show a glimpse of the statues, prayerhouse, arches, stairway, tar road and construction activities after a small introduction in Tamil by Shri Parameshwaran. The film bit titled “Acharapakkam Hill & Land grabbing by Christian missonaries” can be watched at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAFDyKLz38U&feature=channel_page

 

At the end of the film, it is really pathetic to see just ten people taking part in the protest demonstration. Unless the Hindu majority ‘organise’ itself unitedly it will end up losing lands and populace, for the Abrahamic religions are well organised and well funded.

 

Tail Piece

 

A nagging question remains: “Why there is not even an iota of protest from the Melmaruvathur Adhi Parasakthi Siddhar Peetam, particularly when such a huge land grab is taking place right near its head quarters and when its own devotees are misled, deceived and converted?”

 

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