There are two reasons why I want to do this.
- I've criticized Hinduism a lot in the past and continue to do so, because of the injustices it propagates in its current form. However, the modern conception of Hinduism was consolidated during the colonial period and the histories before that are quite interesting and varied. The history of Hinduism in popular media is filled with conspiracies and mythology than actual history.
Through mapping physical remnants, I hope to understand the multiple belief systems that preceded the concoction of Hinduism and decolonize local belief systems.
- Before colonization, the history of Tamil Nadu is quite vague. While most of us know Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas, we don't really know their exact periods, territories, and histories. Much of what we know is part of religious literature and artefacts we see around Tamil Nadu in the form of 1000s of temples in the region.
Thus, to understand the history of Tamil Nadu, mapping religion would help a lot in the process.