“Book Launch Report: Caste-icide – The Roots of Hindu Extinction”, Brhat, October 08, 2025
“On 20th September 2025, Bṛhat, in collaboration with Prajna Bharati, hosted the launch of ‘Caste-icide: The Roots of Hindu Extinction’ by Śrī Mahalingam Balaji at CCT Spaces, Hyderabad. The program began in the morning with the lighting of the lamp, invoking blessings of God, and this set the tone for the event. The book was released by the author along with the dignitaries present. Guest of honor Dr. K. Aravinda Rao, DGP (retd) and respected scholar of Saṁskṛtam and Vedānta; Śrī L. V. Subrahmanyam, senior IAS officer and former Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh; and Śrī Nageshwara Rao, retired IPS officer, made the event insightful.
One of the essential features of Bhāratīyatā that we tend to forget today is recognizing the holistic and interwoven nature of our worldview. Our language, food, dressing style, architecture, and every little detail of our lifestyle was designed to be in harmony with nature, aligning with dharma. Without understanding this, we often adopt translations of our concepts through English terms, not pausing to ask whether these words carry the depth of meaning expressed in the original language.
The central concern of Śrī Mahalingam Balaji’s book is precisely this: How a word like “caste,” born out of European contexts, was imposed on our societal structure, and this changed the way Hindus see themselves. Using historical and scriptural evidence, he argued that the varṇa framework was never rooted in fixed hierarchies, which result in discrimination and oppression. Rather, it is based on qualities and conduct known as guṇa and karma, and this is crucial in upholding the balance in society. Yet, when interpreted through the lens of another civilization, it becomes distorted into something we are now taught to be ashamed of……”
Read full article at brhat.in
