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Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita (Ch. 4, V. 8 ):

In the glorious traditions of Adi Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhvacharya, Raja Rammohan Roy, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi comes Hinduism’s newest reformer — Sagarika Ghose.

Yes, Ms. Ghose, who reads presents news in CNN-IBN, lists down “pondering about Hinduism” as her chief hobby. This spurs her from time to time to present her views on Hinduism, how it has degenerated, how women are being looked down in Hinduism, and how the religion needs a new reformer. Especially, when she runs out of sensational news items, like these Mumbai blasts for example. (For how long can one keep exorcising the spirit of the city?)

And ever since the controversy that has “erupted” in Sabarimala, Ms. Ghose has risen as the unquestioned, undisputed champion of Hinduism. So here are a few questions which I would like to pose to her…

1. Ms. Ghose, what ails you?

2. It is common knowledge that Hindus do not take their religion very seriously. They don’t care as much about their religious sentiments being attacked. In effect, in a debate on religion, Hindus are soft targets. Is this why you choose to harp on Hinduism?

3. I dare you, Ma’am. Why don’t you launch an offensive on the oppression that women in other religions are forced to undergo? You talk about women being denied entry into one single temple. Why not talk about the equality of the genders, as practised in other religions?

4. You seem to buy too easily into the argument that Sabarimala is / was a Buddhist monastery. Why? In your blog, you quote Mr. Sanal Edamaruku of the Indian Rationalist Association. The reason these gentlemen give is that the area surrounding Sabarimala is littered with ancient Buddhist sites, hence this should also be one. There is a saying: “If you jump into a ring with 12 clowns, and start reading Shakespeare, onlookers will think of you as the thirteenth clown!” Ever come across it?

5. Assuming Mr. Edamaruku is correct, how can one possibly explain the Makara jyoti — the sacred light which appears unfailingly every Makara Shankaranti (January 14) amidst the hills opposite the shrine? Which Buddhist monastery in the world has recorded a similar event?

6. Can Mr. Edamaruku and his rational-thinking colleagues explain the flight of the Garuda which sails over the route to guard the cache of jewels that are transported from the palace of the Pandalam king to the shrine, again during Makara Shankaranti?

7. Why do you, Ms. Ghose, restrict the debate on religion to feminism and women’s liberation alone? In fact, you are moving the debate into the zone of reductio ad absurdum. You twist every single argument to give it a feminist angle, and thus kill it. “Religion. Hinduism. Sabarimala. Women not allowed. Inequality. Injustice. Male chauvinism. Let’s change tradition.” That is the progression of the debate. “Reduction to absurdity” was never used more cunningly!

8. You asked one of your invitees, a priest at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, “Why are women not allowed inside the garbagriha of the temple?” I would like to draw your attention to the fact that your invitee responded, “But even the Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Mutt is not allowed into the garbagriha!” Is that reason enough to start a men’s liberation movement?

9. Why use such narrow arguments like “Do women pollute the shrine?” Maybe you are using the term, pollution, for want of a better word. But it does not convey the right meaning. My mom doesn’t allow me to loiter around in the house when I’m back from a haircut. I’m barred from the kitchen and the prayer room till I get a bath. Extending your now-famous stump line “Will Lord Ayyappa ever open his doors to women?”, I am going to ask my mom, “Will God ever open his doors to me when I haven’t bathed?” Fair logic, eh?

10. Are traditions meant only to be changed, Ms Ghose? Yes, they are, but only with strong reasons. That conservatives are averse to change, is a wrong opinion. Change, just for the sake of it, is what conservatives are against. The means are just as important. I ask you, Ms. Ghose, what do you wish to achieve by effecting change in Sabarimala? Let us assume that the doors of Lord Ayyappa are indeed opened to women. Will it ensure that women will not have any problems at all? Will all you feminists and pseudo-liberalists be satisfied?

11. If traditions are to be changed, why Ms. Ghose do you begin every newscast with a smile and a greeting? Let me try arguing like you do. “If you wish us ‘Good evening’, is that going to make our evening good? Hence the greeting is a waste of time. If I am in grief, it is going to enrage me. Why stick to values of the Victorian era?” I dare you again, Ms. Ghose, why don’t you try this?

12. There are so many burning issues to address. Your channel has launched a Light-a-Candle campaign to donate to the victims of the Mumbai blasts. Why don’t you take a hard stance on a hard issue? Say, the Israel-Lebanon conflict. Why not start a Light-a-Candle campaign to end this? Why just stay content with taking potshots at soft targets? Why don’t you give us some “real news”? As I noted a few days ago in these same pages, why don’t you just “leave my faith alone?”