This blog was temporarily stopped from September 2019 to complete my new book on the Origin of Indian Christianity. It has been recently published through Lulu books (International Edition) and Notion Press (Indian Edition). Now it is available for the readers through all leading online booksellers, including Amazon worldwide. It was a very uphill task for me to publish an academic line of study for general readers. This was done specifically to give a general reader an understanding of the subject without any complexities and confusion. I think I am successful in doing so except for chapter 3, Reading Pahlavi Inscribed Crosses. This chapter is more concerned with transliterations and respective translations of Pahlavi Inscriptions by different scholars since the discovery of the Pahlavi cross from saint Thomas Mount, Mylapore, by Portuguese in 1547 CE. Leaving the nitty-gritty of the Pahlavi translations and methodology, I have tried to make the comparison study between different groups of translators to give the reader an idea of how these translations are mostly done and how far it is trustworthy.
The latest translation by Shilanand Hemraj has brought out an interesting point of view that probably reveal the correct nature of these crosses. He rejected all previous translations questioning the very motive of the inscriber and proposed a more logically acceptable one. Shilanand re-iterates that the work (Pahlavi cross) is of Persian Christianity without understanding the imagery depicted on the cross and the meaning of Makara in the bas-relief structure. The situation is very interesting here that the sponsor of epigraphic-paleographic researcher Shilanand, a Knanite Businessman from Bangalore, whom Shilanand himself declares in his article, gets his purpose done by getting the scholar's opinion favouring a Persian Christian origin. But unfortunately, the translation by Shilanand Hemraj widened the possible contenders responsible for the Pahlavi cross.
The methodology followed in this study is not the usual one rather an unorthodox way, starting with the Pahlavi crosses – the oldest archaeological evidence of Christianity in South India and studying and identifying its possible origin. Since the Pahlavi cross structure and its inscription are alien to South India, it must come through the Afro-Eurasian trade route. The book includes a detailed search to find similar looking crosses from all possible ancient archaeological sites of the ancient trade routes to India. The comparisons between these unearthed crosses and the Pahlavi cross of Mylapore, along with the analysis of the evolution of different crosses from Sasanian and central Asian Christianity, revealed very interesting results suggesting the possible origin of the Pahlavi crosses of South India. The result and the artistic imagery supported by Manichaean literature suggest a possible Manichaean origin of Pahlavi crosses of South India.
Since the supposed prime evidence of early Christianity in old Thamizhagam is questioned based on archaeological and linguistic data demanded a further explanation on the origin of Christianity in South India. It takes the study to understand the basic origin and development of Christianity in the Sasanian Empire, Central Asia and China, which revealed many interesting phases of religious syncretism. This comparative study based on archaeo-linguistic evidence revealed the possible origin of Christianity in South India by the amalgamation of different groups under Nestorian supervision in the post ninth century.
Following are the links to the book and its preview. Readers are requested to record their opinion about the book on the respective amazon sites and this blog. I shall be available for answering any queries from the reader's side. I wish all an interesting and thought-provoking reading experience
For International Edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/9357377891
For Indian Edition
https://www.amazon.in/UNMASKING-SYRIACS-HIDDEN-ORIGIN-CHRISTIANITY/dp/B09RKK771H
For Preview
https://www.academia.edu/73315889/UNMASKING_THE_SYRIACS_THE_HIDDEN_ORIGIN_OF_INDIAN_CHRISTIANITY_An_Archaeo_linguistic_Approach
