Several years ago, during World War II, the Japanese district commander at Butterworth, near Singapore, ordered the destruction of a local Hindu temple to make way for an airfield. Local laborers refused to tear down the shrine; the deity who dwelt within, they said, did not want to move. The Japanese gave up. Last week the tactful British, who also want to build an airfield at Butterworth, tried their luck in their own way. They approached the Hindu god through proper diplomatic channels—a local poojari, or medium. After spreading the temple liberally with...
To continue reading:
or
Log-In
