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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 18225
[Pagan]
Date Posted:
7/21/2007
8:48:05 am EDT
Wvox Stats
Views: 6,114
RSS: 19,878
Comments: 3
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Something Wiccan Comes This Way...
Author: Parag Rabade Source: Deccan Herald (India)
Title: SOMETHING WICCAN COMES THIS WAY...
They call themselves wiccans and practise magic and witchcraft. No, they are not in Harry Potters world but in good old Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata. Parag Rabade goes behind the wiccan veil.
While the Harry Potter series has portrayed witchcraft and magic in a cinematic way, there is actually a group that practices witchcraft in a serious manner. They are the Wiccans, or Wicca. Wicca is primarily a Western movement of nature worship based on pre-Christian traditions and is recognised as an official religion in the United States. Like many pagan religions, Wicca practises magic and witchcraft.
In Mumbai, there exists a meetup group of witches, they are 23 in numbers. They meet at a venue selected by the members every month. This is the place to meet witches or anyone interested in the occult arts. Among them are local witches, Wiccans and occultists from Mumbai and around.
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Community Thoughts: There are 3 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Another Way To See This | Jul 22nd. at 12:04:44 pm EDT
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Mariah Windrider (Grand Terrace, California) - Email Me - Web
How often we mourn the take over and destruction of ancestral religions by Western religions. Now, so far, it's been a matter of decrying the coersive presence of Christian Missionaries (of all brands) . But Wicca is also a Western religion. Is this not just another version of the same thing? Ok, no coersive missionaries offering food to the starving if they only convert. Is it possible that someone is offering magic to the powerless instead?
Many of us came to Wicca and the Western Pagan religions not only to escape the insanity of the American Christian expression, but were called by the Goddess who had been forbidden to us. The Hindu religion has certainly not forbidden the Goddess to it's followers! What then, after 4-5 thousand years suddenly Cerridwen is more interesting than Saraswati? Danu is coming back home?
Any old religion has things in it's closets that are better off left there. In ancient times, our ancestors often felt the need to make human sacrifices to the same Gods we call on today. The New Way has been proclaimed to us, just as in the history of many other religions there has been a New Way, "Make no sacrifice for all things are sacred unto Me..."
The witches condemned in the Indian villiages are not "us". They are victims of the same fear and greed that many good Christians were during the "Burning Times". Here, we have the typical misuse of the word witch. It has been given to many people around the world as the word that means one who uses evil magic to make everyone else miserable. They are not Witches. Innocent victims maybe, evil doers, maybe, but not Witches.
In the end, are we not seeing one more movement where a Western religion is supplanting a native and traditional one?
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| Stoning Witches | Jul 21st. at 9:06:18 pm EDT
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jim (orlando, Florida) - Email Me
The Caste system, the treatment of the Dalits (untouchables) , the "scheduled tribes" affirmative action laws (and the reaction of the populous to those laws) .. there's a lot going on in India that most westerners don't have clue about. I'm in IT, and I've worked with a lot of people from India (like most, some good, some bad) .. but having encountered some behaviors and attitudes that I didn't understand, I did some research.
People are India's number one export. I would encourage anyone (particularly in IT) to do some research into the Indian culture to gain a better understanding of the people you interact with.
I agree completely with the previous poster that "coming out of the broom closet" in India is incredibly brave.. The woman mentioned in the article should be lauded for a) being willing to come forward in a culture where reactions to being a witch could be very violent and b) being able to overcome cultural mores to step out on a path of her own.
All of us have cultural underpinnings that we've grown up with that influence out attitudes and behaviors. As Edward R. Murrow said "A great many people think they are thinking when they are really rearranging their prejudices."
We should all try to set aside our pre-programmed approach to the world and see new experiences with new eyes. It's not easy, but it can lead to profound understandings we could not otherwise achieve.
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| Good..... | Jul 21st. at 4:57:50 pm EDT
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Elwin Shadowstrider (Bartlett, Tennessee) - Email Me
to be a trailblazer in a world that very nearly hates and/or fears Witches is brave indeed. I can only imagine just what she faces on a daily basis. We Wiccans and Pagans think we have it tough here? Try over in India, my Indian friend tells me that the Witch treads over the Shaman's territory and is likely to be stoned to death or worse. Sound familiar? I Bless her, and pray for her Peace. She will need it in India.....
Brightest Blessings to all!!
Elwin Shadowstrider ) O (
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