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Kartikeya, also known as Skanda, Murugan and Subramaniyan, is the Hindu god of war. He is the commander-in-chief of the army of the devas (gods) and the son of Shiva and Parvati.
Murugan is often referred to as "Tamil Kadavul" (meaning "God of Tamils") and is worshiped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Malaysia, Singapore and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the Arupadaiveedu temples, located in Tamil Nadu. In Sri Lanka, Hindus as well as Buddhists revere the sacred historical Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna and Katirkāmam Temple situated deep south.[1] Hindus in Malaysia also pray to Lord Murugan at the Batu Caves and various temples where Thaipusam is celebrated with grandeur.
In Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, Kartikeya is known as Subrahmanya with a temple at Kukke Subramanya known for Sarpa shanti rites dedicated to Him and another famous temple at Ghati Subramanya also in Karnataka. In Bengal and Odisha, he is popularly known as Kartikeya (meaning 'son of Krittika').[2]
Other names[edit]
Like most Hindu deities, Subrahmanya is known by many other names, including Senthil, Vēlaṇ, Kumāran (meaning 'prince or child or young one'), Swaminatha (meaning 'smart' or 'clever'), Saravaṇa, Arumugam or Shanmuga (meaning 'one with six faces'), Dhandapani (meaning God with a Club), Guhan or Guruguha (meaning 'cave-dweller'), Subrahmanya, Kartikeya and Skanda (meaning 'that which is spilled or oozed).[3][4] He was also known as Mahasena and the Kadamba Dynasty kings worshiped him by this name.[5]
Vedas[edit]
The Atharva Veda describes Kumaran as 'Agnibhuh' because he is form of 'Agni' (Fire God) & Agni hold in his hand when kumaran born. The Satapatha Brahmana refers to him as the son of Rudra and the six faces of Rudra. The Taittiriya Aranyaka contains the Gayatri mantra for Shanmukha. The Chandogya Upanishad refers to Skanda as the "way that leads to wisdom". The Baudhayana Dharmasutra mentions Skanda as 'Mahasena' and 'Subrahmanya.' The Aranya Parva canto of the Mahabharata relates the legend of Kartikeya Skanda in considerable detail. The Skanda Purana is devoted to the narrative of Kartikeya.[6] The Upanishads also constantly make a reference to a Supreme Being called Guha, the indweller.
The first elaborate account of Kartikeya's origin occurs in the Mahabharata. In a complicated story, he is said to have been born from Agni and Svaha, after the latter impersonated the six of the seven wives of the Saptarishi (Seven Sages). The actual wives then become the Pleiades. Kartikeya is said to have been born to destroy the Asura Mahisha.[7] (In later mythology, Mahisha became the adversary of Durga.) Indra attacks Kartikeya as he sees the latter as a threat, until Shiva intervenes and makes Kartikeya the commander-in-chief of the army of the Devas. He is also married to Devasena, Indra's daughter. The origin of this marriage lies probably in the punning of 'Deva-sena-pati'. It can mean either lord of Devasena or Lord of the army (sena) of Devas. But according to Shrii Shrii Anandamurti, in his master work on Shiva[8] and other works, Kartikeya was married to Devasenā and that is on the ground of his name as Devasena's husband, Devasenāpati, misinterpreted as Deva-senāpati (Deva's general) that he was granted the title general and made the Deva's army general.[9]
The Ramayana version is closer to the stories told in the Puranas discussed below.
Tolkappiyam, possibly the most ancient of the extant Sangam works, dated between the 3rd century BCE and 5th century CE glorified Murugan, "the red god seated on the blue peacock, who is ever young and resplendent," as "the favoured god of the Tamils."[10] The Sangam poetry divided space and Tamil land into five allegorical areas (tinai) and according to the Tirumurugarruppatai ( c. 400–450 AD) attributed to the great Sangam poet Nakkiirar, Murugan was the presiding deity the Kurinci region (hilly area). (Tirumurugaruppatai is a deeply devotional poem included in the ten idylls (Pattupattu) of the age of the third Sangam). The other Sangam era works in Tamil that refer to Murugan in detail include the Paripaatal, the Akananuru and the Purananuru. One poem in the Paripaatal describes the veneration of Murugan thus:
"We implore thee not for boons of enjoyment or wealth,
But for thy grace beatific, love and virtuous deeds."
According to the Tamil devotional work, Thiruppugazh, "Murugan never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon in piety or distress". In another work, Thirumurukkarrupatai, he is described as a god of eternal youth;
His face shines a myriad rays light and removes the darkness from this world.[11]
The references to Murugan can be traced back to the first millennium BCE. There are references to Murugan in Kautilya's Arthashastra, in the works of Patanjali, in Kalidasa's epic poem the Kumarasambhavam. The Kushanas, who governed from what is today Peshawar, and the Yaudheyas, a republican clan in the Punjab, struck coins bearing the image of Skanda. The deity was venerated also by the Ikshvakus, an Andhra dynasty, and the Guptas.[6] The worship of Kumāra was one of the six principal sects of Hinduism at the time of Adi Shankara. The Shanmata system propagated by him included this sect. In many Shiva and Devi temples of Tamil Nadu, Murugan is installed on the left of the main deity. The story of His birth goes as follows:
Sati immolated herself in a pyre as her father King Daksha had insulted Shiva, her Lord. She was reborn as Parvathi or Uma, daughter of the King of Himalayas, Himavan. She then married her Lord Shiva. The Devas were under onslaught from the Asuras whose leader was Soorapadman. He had been granted boons that only Lord Shiva or his seed could kill him. Fearless he vanquished the Devas and made them his slaves. The Devas ran to Vishnu for help who told them that it was merely their fault for attending Daksha's yagna, without the presence of Lord Shiva. After this, they ran to Shiva for help. Shiva decided to take action against Soorapadman's increasing conceit. He frowned and his third eye- the eye of knowledge- started releasing sparks. These were six sparks in total. Agni had the responsibility to take them to Saravana Lake. As he was carrying them, the sparks were growing hotter and hotter that even the Lord of Fire could not withstand the heat. Soon after Murugan was born on a lotus in the Saravana Lake with six faces, giving him the name Arumukhan. Lord Shiva and Parvati visited and tears of joy started flowing as they witnessed the most handsome child. Shiva and Parvathi gave the responsibility of taking care of Muruga to the six Krittika sisters. Muruga grew up to be a handsome, intelligent, powerful, clever youth. All the Devas applauded at their saviour, who had finally come to release them from their woes. Murugan became the supreme general of the demi-gods, then escorted the devas and led the army of the devas to victory against the asuras.
Legends[edit]
Given that legends related to Murugan are recounted separately in several Hindu epics, some differences between the various versions are observed. Some Sanskrit epics and puranas indicate that he was the elder son of Shiva. This is suggested by the legend connected to his birth; the wedding of Shiva and Parvati being necessary for the birth of a child who would vanquish the asura named Taraka. Also, Kartikeya is seen helping Shiva fight the newborn Ganesha, Shiva's other son, in the Shiva Purana. In the Ganapati Khandam of the Brahma Vaivarta Purana, he is seen as the elder son of Shiva and Ganesha as the younger. In South India, it is believed that he is the younger of the two. A Puranic story has Ganesha obtain a divine fruit of knowledge from Narada winning a contest with Murugan. While Murugan speeds around the world thrice to win the contest for the fruit, Ganesha circumambulates Shiva and Parvati thrice as an equivalent and is given the fruit. After winning it, he offers to give the fruit to his upset brother. After this event, Ganesha was considered the elder brother owing as a tribute to his wisdom. Many of the major events in Murugan's life take place during his youth, and legends surrounding his birth are popular. This has encouraged the worship of Murugan as a child-God, very similar to the worship of the child Krishna in north India. He is married to two wives, Valli and Devasena. This lead to a very interesting name : Devasenapati viz. Pati (husband) of Devsena and/or Senapati (commander in chief) of Dev (gods)
Kartikeya symbols are based on the weapons – Vel, the Divine Spear or Lance that he carries and his mount the peacock. He is sometimes depicted with many weapons including: a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow although more usually he is depicted wielding a sakti or spear. This symbolizes his purification of human ills. His javelin is used to symbolize his far reaching protection, his discus symbolizes his knowledge of the truth, his mace represents his strength and his bow shows his ability to defeat all ills. His peacock mount symbolizes his destruction of the ego.
His six heads represent the six siddhis bestowed upon yogis over the course of their spiritual development. This corresponds to his role as the bestower of siddhis.
In Tamil Nadu, Murugan has continued to be popular with all classes of society right since the Sangam age. This has led to more elaborate accounts of his mythology in the Tamil language, culminating in the Tamil version of Skanda Purana, called Kandha Purānam, written by Kacchiappa Sivachariyar (1350–1420 AD.) of Kumara Kottam in the city of Kanchipuram. (He was a scholar in Tamil literature, and a votary of the Shaiva Siddhanta philosophy.)
He is married to two deities, Valli, a daughter of a tribal chief and Deivayanai (also called Devasena), the daughter of Indhra. During His bachelorhood, Lord Murugan is also regarded as Kumaraswami (or Bachelor God), Kumara meaning a bachelor and Swami meaning God. Muruga rides a peacock and wields a bow in battle. The lance called Vel in Tamil is a weapon closely associated with him. The Vel was given to him by his mother, Parvati, and embodies her energy and power. His army's standard depicts a rooster. In the war, Surapadman was split into two, and each half was granted a boon by Murugan. The halves, thus turned into the peacock (his mount) and the rooster his flag, which also "refers to the sun".[12]
As Muruga is worshipped predominantly in Tamil Nadu, many of his names are of Tamil origin. These include Senthil, the red or formidable one; Arumugam, the six-faced one; Guhan and Maal-Marugan, the son-in-law of Vishnu. Murugan is venerated throughout the Tamil year. There is a six-day period of fast and prayer in the Tamil month of Aippasi known as the Skanda Shasti. He is worshipped at Thaipusam, celebrated by Tamil communities worldwide near the full moon of the Tamil month Thai. This commemorates the day he was given a Vel or lance by his mother in order to vanquish the asuras. Thirukarthigai or the full moon of the Tamil month of Karthigai signifies his birth. Each Tuesday of the Tamil month of Adi is also dedicated to the worship of Murugan. Tuesday in the Hindu tradition connotes Mangala, the god of planet Mars and war.
Other parts of India[edit]
Historically, God Kartikeya was immensely popular in the Indian subcontinent. One of the major Puranas, the Skanda Purana is dedicated to him. In the Bhagavad-Gita (Ch.10, Verse 24), Krishna, while explaining his omnipresence, names the most perfect being, mortal or divine, in each of several categories. While doing so, he says: "Among generals, I am Skanda, the lord of war."
Kartikeya's presence in the religious and cultural sphere can be seen at least from the Gupta age. Two of the Gupta kings, Kumaragupta and Skandagupta, were named after him. He is seen in the Gupta sculptures and in the temples of Ellora and Elephanta. As the commander of the divine armies, he became the patron of the ruling classes. His youth, beauty and bravery was much celebrated in Sanskrit works like the Kathasaritsagara. Kalidasa made the birth of Kumara the subject of a lyrical epic, the Kumaarasambhavam. In ancient India, Kartikeya was also regarded as the patron deity of thieves, as may be inferred from the Mrichchakatikam, a Sanskrit play by Shudraka, and in the Vetala-panchvimshati, a medieval collection of tales. This association is linked to the fact that Kartikeya had dug through the Krauncha mountain to kill Taraka and his brothers (in the Mrichchakatikam, Sarivilaka prays to him before tunnelling into the hero's house).
However, Kartikeya's popularity in North India receded from the Middle Ages onwards, and his worship is today virtually unknown except in parts of Haryana. There is a very famous temple dedicated to Him in the town of Pehowa in Haryana and this temple is very well known in the adjoining areas, especially because women are not allowed anywhere close to it. Women stay away from this temple in Pehowa town of Haryana because this shrine celebrates the Brahmachari form of Kartikeya. Reminders of former devotions to him include a temple at Achaleshwar, near Batala in Punjab, and another temple of Skanda atop the Parvati hill in Pune, Maharashtra. Another vestige of his former popularity can be seen in Bengal and Odisha, where he is worshipped during the Durga Puja festivities alongside Durga. Lord Subramanya is the major deity among the Hindus of northern Kerala. Lord Subramanya is worshipped with utmost devotion in districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi in the state of Karnataka. Rituals like nagaradhane are unique to this region.
Kartikeya also known as Kartik or Kartika is also worshipped in West Bengal, and Bangladesh on the last day of the Hindu month of 'Kartik'. However, the popularity of Kartik Puja (worshipping Kartik) is decreasing now, and Lord Kartik is primarily worshipped among those who intend to have a son. In Bengal, traditionally, many people drop images of Kartik inside the boundaries of different households, who all are either newly married, or else, intend to get a son to carry on with their ancestry. Lord Kartik is also associated to the Babu Culture prevailed in historic Kolkata, and hence, many traditional old Bengali paintings still show Kartik dressed in traditional Bengali style. Also, in some parts of West Bengal, Kartik is traditionally worshipped by the ancestors of the past royal families too, as in the district of Malda. Kartik Puja is also popular among the prostitutes. This can probably be linked to the fact that, the prostitutes mostly got clients from the upper class babu-s in old Kolkata, who all, in turn, had been associated to the image of Kartik (as discussed above). In Bansberia (Hooghly district) Kartik Puja festival is celebrated like Durga puja of Kolkata, Jagadhatri puja in Chandannagar for consecutive four days. The festival starts on 17 November every year and on 16 November in case of Leap year.[13] Some of the must see Puja committees are Bansberia Kundugoli Nataraj, Khamarapara Milan Samity RadhaKrishna, Kishor Bahini, Mitali Sangha, Yuva Sangha, Bansberia Pratap Sangha and many more.
In Durga Puja in Bengal, Kartikeya is considered to be a son of Parvati or Durga and Shiva along with his brother Ganesha and sisters Lakshmi and Saraswati.[14]
Kartikeya is worshiped during Durga Puja in Odisha as well as in various Shiva temples throughout the year. Kartik puja is celebrated in Cuttack along with various other parts of the state during the last phases of Hindu month of Kartik. Kartik purnima is celebrated with much joy and in a grand fashion in Cuttack and other parts in the state.
Murugan is adored by both Tamil Hindus and Sinhalese Buddhists in Sri Lanka. Numerous temples exist throughout the island. He is a favorite deity of the common folk everywhere and it is said he never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon. In the deeply Sinhalese south of Sri Lanka, Murugan is worshipped at the temple in Katirkāmam, where he is known as Kathiravel or Katragama Deviyo (Lord of Katragama) . This temple is next to an old Buddhist place of worship. Local legend holds that Lord Murugan alighted in Kataragama and was smitten by Valli, one of the local aboriginal lasses. After a courtship, they were married. This event is taken to signify that Lord Murugan is accessible to all who worship and love him, regardless of their birth or heritage. The Nallur Kandaswamy temple, the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple and the Sella Channithy Temple near Valvettiturai are the three foremost Murugan temples in Jaffna. The Chitravelayutha temple in Verukal on the border between Trincomalee and Batticaloa is also noteworthy as is the Mandur Kandaswamy temple in Batticaloa. The late medieval-era temple of the tooth in Kandy, dedicated to the tooth relic of the Buddha, has a Kataragama deiyo shrine adjacent to it dedicated to the veneration of Skanda in the Sinhalese tradition. Almost all buddhist temples house a shrine room for Kataragama deviyo(Murugan)reflecting the significance of Murugan in Sinhala Buddhism,
Based on archeological evidence found, it is believed that the Kiri Vehera was either renovated to build during the 1st century BCE. There are number of others inscriptions and ruins.[15]
By the 16th century the Kathiravel shrine at Katirkāmam had become synonymous with Skanda-Kumara who was a guardian deity of Sinhala Buddhism.[16] The town was popular as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from India and Sri Lanka by the 15 the century. The popularity of the deity at the Kataragama temple was also recorded by the Pali chronicles of Thailand such as Jinkalmali in the 16th century. There are number of legends both Buddhist and Hindu that attribute supernatural events to the very locality.[16] Scholars such as Paul Younger and Heinz Bechert speculate that rituals practiced by the native priests of Kataragama temple betray Vedda ideals of propitiation. Hence they believe the area was of Vedda veneration that was taken over by the Buddhist and Hindus in the medieval period.[17]
Lord Murugan is one of the most important deities worshipped by Tamil people in Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries such as Singapore and Indonesia. Thai Poosam is one of the important festivals celebrated. Sri Subramanyar Temple at Batu Caves temple complex in Malaysia is dedicated to Lord Murugan.
The main temples of Murugan are located in Tamil Nadu and other parts of south India. They include the Aru Padaiveedu (six abodes) — Thiruchendur, Swamimalai, Pazhamudircholai, Thirupparangunram, Palani (Pazhani), Thiruthani and other important shrines like Mayilam, Sikkal, Marudamalai, Kundrathur, Vadapalani, Kandakottam, Thiruporur, Vallakottai, Vayalur, Thirumalaikoil, Pachaimalai and Pavalamalai near Gobichettipalayam. Malai Mandir, a prominent and popular temple complex in Delhi, is one of the few dedicated to Murugan in all of North India apart from the Pehowa temple in Haryana.
There are many temples dedicated to Lord Subramanya in Kerala. Amongst them are Atiyambur Sri Subramanya Temple in Kanhangad Kasaragod, Payyannur Subramanya Swamy temple in Payyanur, Panmana Subramanya Swamy temple in Panmana and the Subramanya temple in Haripad. There is a temple in Skandagiri, Secunderabad and one in Bikkavolu, East Godavari district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. In Karnataka there is the Kukke Subramanya Temple where Lord Murugan is worshiped as the Lord of the serpents. Aaslesha Bali, Sarpa Samskara with nagapathista samarpa are major prayers here. There is a temple called Malai Mandir in South Delhi. Malai means hill in Tamil. Mandir means temple in Hindi.
The key temples in Sri Lanka include the sylvan shrine in Kataragama / (Kadirgamam) or Kathirkamam in the deep south, the temple in Tirukovil in the east, the shrine in Embekke in the Kandyan region and the famed Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna. There are several temples dedicated to Lord Murugan in Malaysia, the most famous being the Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur. There is a 42.7-m-high statue of Lord Murugan at the entrance to the Batu Caves, which is the largest Lord Murugan statue in the world. Sri Thandayuthapani Temple in Tank Road, Singapore is a major Hindu temple where each year the Thaipusam festival takes place with devotees of Lord Muruga carrying Kavadis seeking penance and blessings of the Lord.
In the United Kingdom, Highgate Hill Murugan temple is one of the oldest and most famous. In London, Sri Murugan Temple in Manor park is a well-known temple. In Midlands, Leicester Shri Siva Murugan Temple is gaining popularity recently. Skanda Vale in West Wales was founded by Guruji, a Tamil devotee of Subramaniam, and its primary deity is Lord Murugan. In Australia, Sydney Murugan temple in Parramatta (Mays Hill), Perth Bala Muruguan temple in Mandogalup and Kundrathu Kumaran temple in Rockbank, Melbourne are major Hindu temples for all Australian Hindus and Murugan devotees. In New Zealand, there is a Thirumurugan Temple in Auckland and a Kurinji Kumaran Temple in Wellington, both dedicated to Lord Murugan. In the USA, Shiva Murugan Temple in Concord, Northern California and Murugan Temple of North America[18] in Maryland, Washington DC region are popular. In Toronto, Canada, Canada Kanthasamy Temple is known amongst many Hindus in Canada. In Dollard-des-Ormeaux, a suburb of the city of Montreal in Canada, there is a monumental temple of Murugan. The Sri Sivasubramaniar Temple, located in the Sihl Valley in Adliswil, is the most famous and largest Hindu temple in Switzerland.[19]
Beberapa hal yang menjadi ukuran kebesaran suatu kekuasaaan diantaranya adalah wilayah dan pengaruh. Wilayah yang luas dan sumber daya yang melimpah menggambarkan kekuatan fisik sebuah negara. Sedangkan luasnya pengaruh menggambarkan kekuatan politik luar negeri dan ideologi yang dianut. Karena itu pada hakekatnya, sebuah kekuasaan akan terus mencari lahan baru baik untuk memperbesar tubuh ataupun menyebarkan ideologi. Perluasan tubuh negara-negara dan penyebaran ideologinya di kemudian hari kita kenal dengan istilah imperialisme. Paul James dan Tom Nairn, ilmuan dari The Center of Global Research menyatakan “bahkan jika suatu imperial tidak melakukan perluasan wilayah sebagaimana kita fahami sekarang, kekuasaan tersebut tetap memiliki kecenderungan untuk meluaskan pengeruhnya ke wilayah sekitarnya”.
Sejarah menunjukan, imperium Islam pun melakukan perluasan wilayah dengan penaklukan –baik bersenjata maupun tidak-. Selain itu Daulah juga menancapkan pengaruhnya dengan sangat kuat kepada dunia baik dari sisi ekonomi maupun politik. Hal ini menimbulkan pertanyaan-pertanyaan berkait dengan imperialisme semisal, Apakah futuhat yang dilakukan khilafah merupakan bentuk imperialisme?, atau apakah penaklukan yang dilakukan oleh barat sama dengan penaklukan oleh islam?. Jika jawaban dua pertanyaan itu adalah tidak, pertanyaan selanjutnya adalah bagaimana menjawab tuduhan orang yang mengatakan bahwa khilafah juga melakukan penjajahan (imperialisme)?
Pengertian Imperialisme
Secara bahasa Imperialisme memiliki akar kata bahasa latin “imperare” yang berarti memerintah. Hak untuk memerintah disebut imperium. Secara istilah, Oxford Dictionary menggambarkan makna Imperialisme sebagai “a policy of extending a country's power and influence through colonization, use of military force, or other means”. Sedangkan Menurut Merriam-Webster Dictionary, imperialisme diartikan ”the policy, practice, or advocacy of extending the power and dominion of a nation especially by direct territorial acquisitions or by gaining indirect control over the political or economic life of other areas; broadly : the extension or imposition of power, authority, or influence”. Dalam Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, “imperialisme adalah sistem politik yang bertujuan menjajah negara lain untuk mendapatkan kekuasaan dan keuntungan yang lebih besar”.
Dari pengertian-pengertian diatas dapat kita dapat menyimpulkan bahwa imperialisme merupakan suatu ide yang menghendaki penguasaan atas suatu wilayah baik merebut wilayah tersebut, atau hanya melakukan dominasi atas ekonomi politik sosial budaya, dengan atau tanpa agresi militer.
Imperialisme juga sangat erat kaitannya dengan kolonialisme. Mereka bagaikan dua mata uang yang saling membutuhkan satu sama lain. Kolonialisme lahir sebagai ekspresi dari imperialisme.
Namun, untuk memahami hakikat sebuah faham/isme lebih dalam, kita perlu mengetahui sejarah terbentuknya faham tersebut sehingga nantinya akan kita dapatkan motif terbentuknya dan ideologi mana yang dijadikan sandaran. Metode ini sangat penting untuk dipahami para pemikir agar tidak mencampur adukan produk pemikiran suatu ideologi tertentu dengan ideologi lainnya.
Sejarah Imperialisme
Para sejarawan membagi imperialisme ini kedalam dua fase, yaitu Ancient Imperialism dan Modern Imperialism. Dimana Ancient Imperialism dilakukan sebelum revolusi industri, dipelopori oleh Portugal dan Spanyol dengan semboyan “gold, glory, and gospel”.
Sebenarnya Ancient imperialism telah dilakukan jauh sebelum revolusi industri. Imperialisme yang dilakukan China, Jepang, India, Mongol, Romawi, Persia, Byzantium, Imperium Islam, dll juga dimasukan dalam kategori Ancient Imperialism. Hanya saja, istilah Imperialisme itu sendiri baru menggaung di Britania Raya pada tahun 1870-an ketika Louis Napoleon Bonaparte rutin melakukan agesi militer di Eropa. Publik Britain menyebut apa yang dilakukan Napoleon III tersebut dengan istilah Imperialism yang berkonotasi negatif.
Imperialisme Modern atau dikenal dengan “Age of Imperialism” dimulai pada abad 18 (sekitar tahun 1700-an) dimana negara-negara industri terlibat langsung dalam proses kolonialisasi, penyebaran pengaruh, dan pencaplokan berbagai wilayah diluar Eropa. Age of Imperialism mengacu pada aktivitas imperialisme Eropa dari awal abad 18 hingga pertengahan abad 20.
Imperialisme Eropa sebagian besar berfokus pada pertumbuhan ekonomi dengan mengumpulkan sumber daya ekonomi dari negara koloni dengan juga melakukan kontrol politik dan penguasaan menggunakan militer. Sebagai contoh, kolonialisasi di India pada abad 18 yang dilakukan oleh Inggris. Inggris melakukan penguasaan atas sumber-sumber ekonomi untuk menambah pendapatan negara mereka dengan mengeksploitasi politik dan administrasi, serta melakukan agresi militer. Hal ini juga dirasakan oleh Nusantara (Indonesia) yang dikolonialisasi oleh Belanda. Belanda menguasai seluruh sumber ekonomi serta menempatkan gubernur jenderal untuk mengatur administrasi negeri koloni, didukung oleh para priyayi yang kerap dijuluki “centeng kompeni” oleh pribumi.
Berbicara imperialisme Eropa, tentu tak dapat kita lepaskan dari peran Inggris sebagai negara Imperialis terkuat di dunia saat itu. Pada tahun 1913, The British Empire berpenduduk 412 juta kepala, 23% dari total pendudk dunia saat itu, dan pada tahun 1920, total luas kekuasaan British Empire adalah 35.000.000 km2, 24% dari total luas daratan di bumi. Bahkan penduduk dunia menggambarkan imperium ini sebagai “the empire on which the sun never sets”.
Hasilnya adalah, seluruh tatanan dunia baik dari segi ekonomi, politik, sosial, budaya, dan bahasa dipengaruhi oleh Inggris. Melahirkan negara-negara kapitalis baru seperti Amerika Serikat dan Australia. Bahkan hingga sekarang, bahasa Inggris masih menjadi Bahasa internasional utama. Imperial ini berperan besar dalam konstelasi politik internasional pada awal abad 20, termasuk usaha peruntuhan institusi Khilafah yang puncaknya adalah proklamasi penghapusan tameng umat Islam tersebut pada 3 Maret 1924.
Negara imperialis terbesar kedua setelah Inggris adalah Perancis yang pada tahun 1920 luas kekuasaannya adalah 11.500.000 km2 dengan 110.000.000 populasi pada tahun 1939. Sebagaimana Inggris, perancis juga sangat mempengaruhi konstelasi politik internasional, termasuk pengeksporan demokrasi-sekuler ke seluruh dunia. Pada akhir abad ke-20 dan memasuki abad 21, imperialisme kini lebih dikenal dengan istilah Neo-Imperialisme. Istilah ini digunakan untuk membedakan dengan imperialisme di masa sebelumnya. Neo-Imperialisme merupakan buah dari Imperialisme masa lalu. Dilakukan dengan menggunakan ideologi dan pemikiran yang ditancapkan ke seluruh dunia. Mengendalikan dunia tanpa perang dan kolonialisasi.
Hakikat Imperialisme
Dari cuplikan sejarah diatas, dapatlah kita tarik kesimpulan mengenai imperialisme tersebut. Ide ini dilakukan untuk memperkaya negara-negara imperialis. Mereka melakukan penjajahan dan kolonialisasi terhadap negara-negara yang sebagaian besar kita kenal sekarang dengan sebutan negara dunia ke-3 atau dalam ilmu ekonomi disebut dengan negara berkembang. Penghisapan luar biasa yang dilakukan oleh negara-negara besar tersebut telah membuat ketimpangan akumulasi modal antara negara maju dan berkembang. Otomatis ketergantungan negara-negara berkembang akan negara maju sulit untuk dihindari.
Selain dari sisi ekonomi, negara-negara imperialis juga melakukan ekspor pemikiran dan ideologi. Seperti demokrasi-sekular yang digawangi oleh Perancis dan Belanda, serta sistem ekonomi Kapitalisme yang digawangi oleh Inggris Terbuktilah perkataan Ibnu khaldun yang menyatakan, “Bangsa terjajah selalu mengikuti mode penjajah, baik dalam slogan-slogan, gaya busana, agama dan keyakinan, serta berbagai aktivitas dan perilaku mereka”. (Muqoddimah pasal ke-23, 1377 M).
Politik Luar Negeri Khilafah
Seperti yang kita ketahui, secara historis, daulah islam mulai dari zaman Rasulullah hingga Bani Utsmaniyah juga melakukan perluasan wilayah dan penaklukan berbagai negeri. Daulah Islam juga melakukan penyebaran ideologi Islam ke seluruh dunia, bahkan hal ini dijadikan prinsip utama politik luar negerinya.
Akidah Islam mengharuskan negara Khilafah untuk menyebarluaskan risalah Islam ke seluruh penjuru dunia. Dengan kata lain, penyebarluasan dakwah Islam merupakan prinsip politik luar negeri negara Khilafah Islam dalam membangun hubungannya dengan negara-negara lain, baik dalam bidang politik, ekonomi, maupun budaya, dan sebagainya. Pada semua bidang itu, dakwah Islam harus dijadikan asas bagi setiap tindakan dan kebijakan.
Islam membagi dunia ini kedalam dua jenis, yaitu Darul Islam dan Darul Kufr. Darul Islam merupakan negeri dimana disana diterapkan islam sebagai tatanan pengaturan kehidupan. Sedangkan darul kufr mengacu pada negeri dimana Islam tidak diterapkan sebagai institusi formal meskipun penduduknya muslim. Atas dasar inilah Khilafah mengambil sikap kepada negara-negara lainnya.
Negara Khilafah Islam menerapkan politik luar negeri berdasarkan metode (thariqah) tertentu yang tidak berubah, yakni dakwah dan jihad. Metode ini tidak berubah dan terus dilaksanakan dari masa ke masa, mulai dari Daulah Islam pertama di Madinah yang dipimpin oleh Rasulullah hingga masa akhir khilafah yang dipimpin oleh keluarga Utsman. Di zaman Rasulullah, beliau menyerukan jihad untuk menhancurkan rintangan fisik bagi dakwah hingga dakwah bisa menyebar di Jazirah Arab. Hal ini diteruskan para khalifah seterusnya hingga islam dapat menyebar ke seluruh penjuru dunia
Dengan menyingirkan hambaran dakwah berupa penguasa yang menerapkan sistem kufur dan institusnya, dakwah islam dapat masuk dan diterapkan secara maksimal, sehingga masyarakat dapat melihat keadilan yang diberikan islam dan pada akhirnya mereka berbondong-bondong memeluk Islam.
Memang metode penyebaran Islam adalah dengan cara jihad (perang). Namun, perang bukanlah langkah pertama yang dilakukan Khilafah. Khilafah tidak pernah memulai peperangan menghadapi musuh-musuhnya, kecuali telah disampaikan kepada mereka tiga pilihan. Pilihan pertama, memeluk Islam. Kedua, membayar jizyah, artinya mereka tunduk kepada Negara Khilafah Islam berikut aturan-aturannya. Jika dua pilihan ini ditolak, langkah terakhir adalah dengan memerangi mereka. Semua ini dilakukan dengan tujuan menyebarkan Islam ke seluruh penjuru dunia dan menghapus segala bentuk kekafiran dan kemusyrikan. Dengan begitu, akan turunlah rahmat dari Allah bagi negeri negeri tersebut.
Kesimpulan
Secara kasat mata, kita memang dapat melihat kesamaan antara imperialisme yang dilakukan oleh barat dengan politik luar negeri dalam islam. Barat mengobarkan perang keseluruh dunia, begitupun dengan islam. Barat mengekspor ideologinya ke seluruh dunia, islam pun demikian.
Akan tetapi apabila kita cermat, kita akan melihat jurang perbedaan yang sangat dalam antara politik luar negeri barat dengan islam. Imperialisme dijalankan berasaskan materi, dengan tujuan materi. Penyebaran ideologi yang dilakukan pun bertujuan untuk menancapkan kuku lebih dalam ke negara jajahan agar tetap berada dalam kendali negara imperialis. Hal ini tentu berbeda dengan islam yang menjalankan politik luar negeri –berupa jihad dan dakwah- dengan dilandasi tujuan untuk menyebarkan rahmat ke seluruh penjuru alam dan menyejahterakan umat manusia. Imperialisme dan politik luar negeri Khilafah (Dakwah dan Jihad) sudah berbeda mulai dari fundamen, metode, hingga tujuannya sehingga antara keduanya tak dapat disamakan. via Abad Khilafah | Mengembalikan Kegemilangan Islam ift.tt/2hxQvpo
INFLUENCERS is a short documentary that explores what it means to be an influencer and how trends and creativity become contagious today in music, fashion and entertainment.
The film attempts to understand the essence of influence, what makes a person influential without taking a statistical or metric approach.
Written and Directed by Paul Rojanathara and Davis Johnson, the film is a Polaroid snapshot of New York influential creatives (advertising, design, fashion and entertainment) who are shaping today's pop culture.
"Influencers" belongs to the new generation of short films, webdocs, which combine the documentary style and the online experience.
www.facebook.com/influencersfilm
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Director's Note: on.fb.me/bQ3kHj
Playlist: on.fb.me/cve0yF
Watch this video on Vimeo. Video created by R+I creative.
Interactive Theatre - an effective tool to inform, educate and mobilise rural communities .
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Theatre has been used for several decades as a means to communicate, share ideas, inform, educate and influence the audiences towards a progressive change. .
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One of the most interesting points about street theatre is its unique socio-political place. People who might not have ever been to, or been able to afford to go to, the "professional" theatre can watch a street show which is produced, scripted and enacted by members of the community. .
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ActionAid Pakistan has been using this medium to disseminate information and give awareness to communities about their rights and to enable them to talk about their issues and problems. .
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In the post flood scenario when communities need for correct and timely information is of vital importance, ActionAid organised a street theatre orientation on 24th and 25th December 2010 at Sukkar and Kashmore (Sindh Province). Participants included ActionAid staff, partner organisations and people from communities hailing from Sibi (Balochistan), Kashmore (Sindh) and Shahdad Kot (Sindh). .
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This activity was part of the UK Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) funded project which ActionAid is carrying out in Sibi (Balochistan) and Kashmore(Sindh) through local partners for the releif and rehabilitation of the flood affected communities. .
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The objective was to encourage and enable effective usage of alternate media for communicating with the people belonging to flood hot areas. The trainers had come from Kot Adu (district Muzaffargarh-South Punjab), where they had had years of street theatre experience and were well equipped with creative ways of engaging with the communities. .
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The orientation sessions were divided into two major parts; theoretical and practical. Under theoretical section, it started in a unique and interesting manner. Soon after brief orientation of theatre performance in context of its being interactive, local, simple and thematic; the participants were asked to do a little physical exercise that enhanced their enthusiasm to grasp theoretical as well as practical understanding of the theatre. .
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On theoretical side, the facilitators introduced different learning techniques to manoeuvre theatre performance. It included mirror exercise, Sound exercise, Music-dance exercise, and mud-statue exercise, dialogue-less script, script writing exercise and real performance. .
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Day 02 was spent in field area located in Kashmore (Sindh) where a local theatre group was invited to work alongside the professional artists and community people. There was a huge crowd of spectators to appreciate the theatre performances. Three performances were staged in which community women, men and young people participated. .
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The Orientation workshop concluded on identifying four major themes for theatre performance in three districts including women’s health and hygiene, women’s mobility, child Labour & education and community’s resilience. The base line of all these ideas was awareness of issue and its referral system. .
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It was collectively agreed that women and child friendly spaces organised at the community level at Sibi and Kashmore were the most effective referral system for addressing communities’ issues.
Meeting details at 2011 Top 100 SMB Influencers. Picture by Grant Wickes principal of Wickpoint Management Services and currently VP Businss Development Wasp Barcode Technologies.
In picture: , Kendel Drysdale,
ROCKTROPOLIS is a progressive rock band that is like a volcano ready to explode upon your ears. Members include guitarist ROCKTROPOLIS, Bassist and Keyboardist Sam Metropoulos and Drummer Marc Stemmler. Influences are Dream Theater, Rush, Yngwie, Yes, Deep Purple and Iron Maiden to name a few. Guitarist ROCKTROPOLIS has worked with The Process, Gabe Gonzalez (George Clinton) and former drummer John Macaluso (Yngwie Malmsteen, ARK and VOX). Multi instrumentalist Sam Metropoulos has collaborated on several albums with The Process, played with John Macaluso and has opened for Yngwie Malmsteen. Akin to the pillars of the great Parthenon, drummer Marc Stemmler provides the foundation for which ROCKTROPOLIS bridges the hemispheres between classical and progressive rock music. ROCKTROPOLIS is a Nominee of the 2013 Detroit Music Awards.
ROCKTROPOLIS is represented by Howard Hertz/Joseph Bellanca (Hertz Schram, p.c.) Mr. Hertz’s impressive roster includes George Clinton, Sippie Wallace, The Romantics, The Bass Brothers, Eminem, Marilyn Manson, Russell Simmons, O-Town, Pantera, Marcus Belgrave, The GO, Mike Posner, Elmore Leonard, Warner Tamerlane and Atlantic Records.
ROCKTROPOLIS is currently recording/producing their debut album, with Chris Lewis as their recording engineer (Fire Hyena Studio). Projected release date is summer 2013. Be prepared to own a collection of brilliant compositions that are melodic, epic and infectious to the soul.
www.RocktropolisMusic.com (c) 2012
Meeting details at 2011 Top 100 SMB Influencers. Picture by Grant Wickes principal of Wickpoint Management Services and currently VP Businss Development Wasp Barcode Technologies.
In picture:
From the De Selby Essay "The Giant Silverfish and Its Influence on Noh Masks and the Iconography of the Fleeting Floating World'.
Taken in the churchyard of St Buryan's in Nevern. A very overcast day with not very helpful light. Lith seemed a good way to capture the weathered texture in the stonework and convey the general sense of gloom imbued by the conditions.
Lith print on Foma Nature II, Fotospeed LD20 + old brown.
Mamiya RB67, Ilford HP5+, Rodinal 1+50
Meeting details at 2011 Top 100 SMB Influencers. Picture by Grant Wickes principal of Wickpoint Management Services and currently VP Businss Development Wasp Barcode Technologies.
In picture:
Influencer Marketing is the use of a social media marketing tool to create business awareness directly with a potential client or by a third party for the purpose of influencing the target individual.
Influencers church (Paradise) fireworks 19/12/2014
Carols and Fireworks.
Canon EOS 5D, 24-70L, ND2-400 Variable filter, 1 sec exposure and longer
2015
_MG_8990
Meeting details at 2011 Top 100 SMB Influencers. Picture by Grant Wickes principal of Wickpoint Management Services and currently VP Businss Development Wasp Barcode Technologies.
In picture:
Meeting details at 2011 Top 100 SMB Influencers. Picture by Grant Wickes principal of Wickpoint Management Services and currently VP Businss Development Wasp Barcode Technologies.
In picture: , Regina Ciardiello
Nowadays we see the sex maturation each time earlier between children and teenagers. Examples are prolific: media, school, family, friends and even the streets.
LONDON, ENGLAND - MARCH 23: Left to right: Emma Grede, Lucy Lendrem, Jim Chapman, Louise Pentland and Nina Tsang during How To Win Brands And Influence People, part of Advertising Week Europe, Piccadilly, on March 23, 2015 in London, England. (Photo by Stuart Wilson/Getty Images for Advertising Week)
ROCKTROPOLIS is a progressive rock band that is like a volcano ready to explode upon your ears. Members include guitarist ROCKTROPOLIS, Bassist and Keyboardist Sam Metropoulos and Drummer Marc Stemmler. Influences are Dream Theater, Rush, Yngwie, Yes, Deep Purple and Iron Maiden to name a few. Guitarist ROCKTROPOLIS has worked with The Process, Gabe Gonzalez (George Clinton) and former drummer John Macaluso (Yngwie Malmsteen, ARK and VOX). Multi instrumentalist Sam Metropoulos has collaborated on several albums with The Process, played with John Macaluso and has opened for Yngwie Malmsteen. Akin to the pillars of the great Parthenon, drummer Marc Stemmler provides the foundation for which ROCKTROPOLIS bridges the hemispheres between classical and progressive rock music. ROCKTROPOLIS is a Nominee of the 2013 Detroit Music Awards.
ROCKTROPOLIS is represented by Howard Hertz/Joseph Bellanca (Hertz Schram, p.c.) Mr. Hertz's impressive roster includes George Clinton, Sippie Wallace, The Romantics, The Bass Brothers, Eminem, Marilyn Manson, Russell Simmons, O-Town, Pantera, Marcus Belgrave, The GO, Mike Posner, Elmore Leonard, Warner Tamerlane and Atlantic Records.
ROCKTROPOLIS is currently recording/producing their debut album, with Chris Lewis as their recording engineer (Fire Hyena Studio). Projected release date is summer 2013. Be prepared to own a collection of brilliant compositions that are melodic, epic and infectious to the soul.
www.RocktropolisMusic.com (c) 2013
"The church of Saint-Jacques in Aubeterre-sur-Dronne was almost completely destroyed during the wars of religion, but nevertheless retains a monumental façade, borrowing from the Poitou and Saintonge Romanesque styles. Like the monolith church of Saint-Jean nearby, it was a stop for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela.
"The major feature of the church is its monumental 12th century facade.
The portal, a multi-lobed arch, betrays Hispano-Moorish influences, has five arches decorated with geometric and plant motifs. It is bordered by two blind arcades, of which is still visible a carved frieze depicting the astrological cycles of the zodiac, as well as the Labours of the Months. The upper floor has three semicircular arches which are assumed to have housed statues of the twelve Apostles.
"The capitals are part of the great Roman tradition. Teeming symbolic representations, mythical monsters from the medieval bestiary (basilisks, chimeras, sirens, birds, griffins), exotic animals (lions) or enigmatic human faces. One of the capitals of the façade is a centaur in the process of shooting an arrow at a deer. As the deer usually symbolises Christ, the centaur evil incarnate here."
Source: Adapted from Wikipedia France
Influencers church (Paradise) fireworks 19/12/2014
Carols and Fireworks.
Canon EOS 5D, 24-70L, ND2-400 Variable filter, 1 sec exposure and longer
2015
_MG_8966
The Panzer XII "Gepard," or Cheetah in German, is the next of the famous panzers. Light as a feather, fast as... well, a cheetah, and packing long-range missiles and a classic 88mm gun, this panzer is designed to outmaneuver and tear apart any enemy ACV it encounters. It's even airborne.
NOTE: That horrendous tan chassis has absolutely NO influence on combat effectiveness. Got it???
PLEASE COMMENT!
The influence of the Nickel Plate is visible in the placement of the signal heads on this home signal in Spencer, Ohio. The NKP acquired the original Wheeling & Lake Erie in the late 1940s.
INFLUENCERS is a short documentary that explores what it means to be an influencer and how trends and creativity become contagious today in music, fashion and entertainment.
The film attempts to understand the essence of influence, what makes a person influential without taking a statistical or metric approach.
Written and Directed by Paul Rojanathara and Davis Johnson, the film is a Polaroid snapshot of New York influential creatives (advertising, design, fashion and entertainment) who are shaping today's pop culture.
"Influencers" belongs to the new generation of short films, webdocs, which combine the documentary style and the online experience.
www.facebook.com/influencersfilm
---
Director's Note: on.fb.me/bQ3kHj
Playlist: on.fb.me/cve0yF
Watch this video on Vimeo. Video created by R+I creative.