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Article: The politics of a Hindu elephant god.(World)(Idol Threat)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- September 28, 1999
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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In Hindu lore, the elephant Ganesh is one of the simplest and most common of gods, worshiped by all castes. He is also traditionally one of the most fun-loving and playful.
But in the past few years, Ganesh has undergone a transformation. He's been adopted by the Hindu Munnani, just one small part of a growing Hindu unity movement that is changing the dynamics of Indian society and politics - including the ongoing national elections that end next week.
Last week, a huge, pink Ganesh led a parade of other idols, riding a make-believe tank. Ganesh, like the boys that follow him, is becoming a vehicle of political activism.
Nearly a thousand young ...