Comments on: Nepal’s Gadhimai Mela: World’s Most Massive Pointless Animal Slaughter?

By: Richard Stadelmann

Richard Stadelmann — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:11:04 +0000

Additional Thought
If the young man with the Jain (Hindu) symbol understands Jainism, this shirt is being worn as a protest against the festival, as the Jains teach “ahimsa.” Do not harm any living creature. Of course, many people wear tee shirts with no understnding of their meaning. Buddhists and Hindus sometime use this shirt to represent the wheel of karma. But it would be recognized as a spiritual symbol, not a Nazi symbol, by almost anyone in that part of the world.

By: admin

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:02:36 +0000

Thanks Richard, for the clarification. Genuinely appreciated!

By: Richard Stadelmann

Richard Stadelmann — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:06:41 +0000

This is the ancient Hindu or Jain symbol. Note: It is in the rolling position representing reincarnation, rather than in the position used by the Hitler movement. For Jains it represents the divine leader Suparsva, the seventh Tirthankara. (Ford finder. One who leads from this world to the next, the escape from the bonds of matter.) Very appropriate at this festival. This version is today a common representation of the ancient Jain symbol.
Richard Stadelmann, Prof. Indian and Oriental Religions

By: admin

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:26:20 +0000

Thanks ME. We barely have a coffee budget, let alone a research department! What perplexes me is why this swastika shirt is so much in the more contemporary Nazi style, with no ornamentation, a crisp white background, and surrounded by vivid red. Is this version a common representation of the ancient Hindu symbol?

By: ME

ME — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:11:43 +0000

It’s an ancient spiritual symbol.
It was used long before the Nazi’s modified
it and claimed it as their own. I would think your research dept. would have done their work…