The Dharma Dispatch

The Belur Inscription of 1397 CE is one of the most vital civilizational records of South India, yet it sits largely forgotten by its own inhabitants today. General Gunda Dandanatha found the magnificent Chennakeshava temple in ruins — its main doors reduced to an ash-heap, its phenomenal Gopuram shattered to pieces, scattered on the ground. His response? A magnificent Jirnoddhara (restoration) that revived exactly 56 distinct holy rituals (Bhogas). Read the whole brilliant story! 🔥🛕🪔 https://www.dharmadispatch.in/history/sacred-continuity-the-belur-inscription-and-the-56-bhogas-of-chennakeshava/

Even to avid buffs of the Vijayanagara history, Gunda Dandanatha will likely be an unknown name. Here's the first episode of an essay series that digs out the full story of his heroism and glory. Among other things, he defeated the Bahmani Turushkas and saved the Belur Chennakeshava Temple for us. The Turushkas were so terrified of his valour that they fled en masse. This is what he did to them: "Gunda Dandanatha completely incinerated the Turushkas like moths flying into a blazing ring of fire, consumed by the overwhelming power of his long, pillar-like valorous arms. He dragged these haughty Turushkas by their hair and flung them into cages meant for mad monkeys." -- This is just the teaser. Read the whole thing! 🔥🕉🪔🛕 https://www.dharmadispatch.in/history/shield-of-the-empire-gunda-dandanatha-a-forgotten-hero-of-vijayanagara/

Ever heard of Jamal Mecklai? A "peaceful" guy who in 2013, openly advocated the pocketing of Hindu temple gold because the current UPA "dispensation" was distinctly advantageous to such a proposal. https://www.dharmadispatch.in/culture/suffer-for-60000-years-in-the-gutter-as-a-worm

ON NOVEMBER 13, 1947, Sardar Patel visited Somanath, walked inside the decrepit temple and finally stood outside the Ahalya Bai temple facing a massive crowd. Holding a few sacred drops of sea water in his palm, he took a solemn vow, his thunderous voice reaching each ear: --- "On this auspicious day of the New Year, we have decided that Somanatha should be reconstructed. You, people of Saurashtra, should do your best. This is a holy task in which all should participate." ---- History was made. 🔥🕉🪔🛕 https://www.dharmadispatch.in/commentary/somnath-temple-history-restoration-anniversary/

4500 words. In which I narrate the comprehensive story of the transition from Congress and Communist rule to Mamata Banerjee's terror-regime, and why the BJP’s 2026 victory marks the end of a century-long Bhadralok hegemony. https://www.dharmadispatch.in/commentary/the-fall-of-mamata-banerjee-a-history-of-west-bengals-political-decay-and-the-2026-bjp-shift/

Gandhi's two deadly obsessions https://youtube.com/shorts/U3N8dn4aNdE?si=OUEaMOIof4rQEirb

How D.B. Parasnis's obsession with rare manuscripts and Mughal art transformed our understanding of the Maratha Empire. Did you know that Parasnis secured a steel engraving of Clive in full-blown obesity by paying £20 to his descendant? https://www.dharmadispatch.in/history/db-parasnis-maratha-history-collector/

D.B. Parasnis started for Indore, but while halting at Bombay to make some purchases, he received a telegram from Indore stating that a fire had broken out in the low, dark cutcha building where the records had been stored like grain-sacks, and that nearly all of them had perished. Such is the harvest reaped by ignorance and folly in high places. Read the whole heartbreaking essay! 🙏🔥😔🪔 https://www.dharmadispatch.in/history/when-the-indore-babudoms-negligence-burnt-the-entire-holkar-archives

Sri D.B. Parasnis rendered an invaluable service to future scholars by saving & printing rare primary sources of Maratha history that might otherwise have been lost forever. His qualification? 10th standard pass. 🕉️🪔 https://www.dharmadispatch.in/history/remembering-d-b-parasnis-the-selfless-giant-of-maratha-history

How the Vatican’s Mission to Colonise Bharatavarsha was Strengthened by Teresa https://www.dharmadispatch.in/culture/how-the-vaticans-mission-to-colonise-bharatavarsha-was-strengthened-by-teresa

[APPEAL] Since inception, we've envisioned Dharma Dispatch as a form of continuous Hindu cultural education at all levels & for all age groups. On this Akshaya-Tritiya, a festival of charity and philantrophy, please consider making a contribution to our sacred work.🪔 🕉🙏 https://pages.razorpay.com/DonatetoDD

English: "Martin Luther burnt the Papal Bull" Urdu: Martin Luther ne Papa-Rome ka byle ko jalai dia (Luther roasted the ox of the Pope of Rome) --- Courtesy: Urdu department, Osmania university, circa 1946. Read the full story! 😀😀😀 https://www.dharmadispatch.in/history/hyderabad-was-never-an-independent-state-historys-verdict

How Nawab Nehru's lifelong obsession for seeking validation from the White Man enabled large scale conversion activity by Christian missionaries in India https://www.dharmadispatch.in/culture/how-jawaharlal-nehru-opened-indias-gates-to-christian-missionaries-for-converting-hindus

This is my heartfelt tribute to Dr. S.R. Ramaswamy, a national treasure who lapsed into eternity yesterday. 🪔🕉 https://www.dharmadispatch.in/commentary/the-calming-strength-of-his-palm