Sacred spaces

Religion is a petulant subject in India and “Sacred Spaces” by Yoginder Sikand is an interesting book written for the unusual times we are going through today. The book talks about the Shared religious traditions of India between the Hindus, Muslims and Christians which are under constant siege from various factions of society. As someone who is very interested in ‘Sufism,’ this book is an eye opener of what the modern world has done to the treasure left by the benevolent Sufi’s. We journey with him to the temple of Ayappa in Sabrimala, which has been guarded by the Muslim Wavar’s. He takes us to the temple of the low caste goddess Elamma, who now has been given a Brahmin origin as it is not a good enterprise to promote an “Untouchable goddess”. We visit the church of the Sari clad “Mother Mary of Vailankanni” who benevolently watches over her flock offer idols and gifts to he for favors granted. He laments the conversion of the Qalandar master “Dada Hayat Qalandar” into ‘Swami Dattartrya” and other Sufi shrines who are now painted in saffron hues. The book is a guide to the Sufi shrines, temples & Churches dotted across obscure towns and small cities in the interiors of India and discovered how the centuries-old traditions changed under the guise of religion. The author has dug out the folklore and mythological stories associated with these places. He has spoken to saints, caretakers and worshipers to provide us an insight on what religion us done not only to our society but also to our Gods and Saints. I have loved reading this book and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to know more about “Sufi Legends” and the legacy left behind by the men who became God.