Baroda’s pearl carpet – The difference between religion and dharma

Barodas pearl carpet (Picture Courtesy - http://i.telegraph.co.uk; Image Source - SOTHEBYS

Embellished with an estimated two million natural seed pearls as well as diamonds, the carpet sure has the razzle dazzle to attract buyers. Crafted in 1865, the Pearl Carpet has a tumultuous story behind it. In the early 1860s, Maharaja Khande Rao of Baroda, considered one of the most notable jewellery collectors of the 19th century, had a desire to offer a priceless Pearl Carpet at the shrine of the Prophet in Medina. He wanted it to be just like the Pearl Carpet over Mumtaz Mahal’s tomb in Taj Mahal. (via Baroda’s pearl carpet may go for well over $5m-India-The Times of India).

The Maharaja Of Baroda (Image courtesy - learntobead.wordpress.com; Click for image source).

Is this true …

Why would a Hindu ruler spend gad zillions on a carpet for Muslim shrine?

Remember, natural pearls from Basra were more or as expensive than diamonds – and there are nearly twenty-lakhs of these costly pearls in this carpet. Cultured pearls that we get today are ‘grown’ in artificial oyster farms. Back in 1860, what was pearls were salt water pearls that divers recovered from ocean beds – off the Basra coast, in modern-day Iraq.

Of course, presumably, the history of the pearl carpet comes to us from colonial historians, where Hindu orthodoxy is being blamed for this carpet not reaching Medina. But, was it actually the British which discouraged this carpet from going further? After all, they were pursuing their agenda of divide et impera.

In India, The Times of India says that this carpet never reached Medina because Khande Rao’s courtiers opposed the idea.” But the Qatar Tribune tells us that “the intended gift was clearly never delivered as the Maharaja died before he made the donation and the carpet remained in his family”, the press release by the Doha-Sotheby’s said.

Dharma vs religion

Historically, India had no religions. Modern religions are a construct of the Middle East – and given birth to the 3 major religions of the world. Judaism, Christianity and Islam. In India, the belief structure centres around Dharma – धर्म

The difference between dharma and religion? Major!

For one, religion is about worship – and there are many others differences. Method of worship (how you worship), object of worship (what you worship), frequency of worship (e.g. every Sabbath; five times a day), language of worship (what you say, in which language), etc.

The cornerstones of modern religions from the Desert Bloc are One God, One Book, One Holy Day, One Prophet (Messiah), One Race, One People, One Country, One Authority, One Law, One Currency, One Set of Festival – the root of most problems in the world. From this Oneness, we get the One Currency, One Language logic  – a fallacious syllogism. Once you accept One, you will accept all others.

The pearl carpet sold for US$5.5 million. A security guard stands next to the Pearl Carpet of Baroda during the Sotheby's auction at a hotel in Doha Image courtesy http://i.telegraph.co.uk; - Photo: AFP/GETTY. Click for larger image.

Indian worship practices are infinite. Even non-worship to is acceptable - for instance, the Charvaka school of Indian philosophy was atheistic and did not prescribe worship. Structure and deviation from worship practices are a non-issue in Indian dharmic structure. Dharma has no equivalent in the ‘Desert Bloc’ vocabulary of religions. Dharma is the path of righteousness, defined by a matrix of the contextual, existential, moral, pragmatic, professional, position, etc. Dharma is more than moral and ethics.

The really big difference is the holy books – Judaism, Christianity and Islam have one Holy Book each. No deviations. Indian dharma tradition has thousands which are more than 1000 years old – at last count.

India must ban all religions – starting with Hinduism!

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