In 1839, thanks to the novel Confessions of a Thug, the stereotype of a Hindu sect of murderers, alleged worshippers of Kalī, who acted after gaining the confidence of their future victims, spread in the West. Since then the Thugs appeared in many novels as well as later on in many films. In nineteenth-century India there really existed gangs of marauders, who nevertheless killed travellers only in order to rob them, without any religious implications, contrary to popular belief. But those who invented the stereotype were maybe aware of the existence of secret tantric cults, which attributed a special religious value to actions opposed to public morals, such as murder.
Nel 1839 il romanzo Confessioni di un Thug rese popolare in Occidente lo stereotipo di una setta indiana di assassini, adoratori di Kalī, che agivano dopo aver carpito la fiducia delle future vittime. Da allora i Thug apparvero in molti romanzi, per poi approdare al cinema. Nell’India ottocentesca esistevano realmente bande di predoni, che però uccidevano i viaggiatori al solo scopo di derubarli, senza alcuna implicazione religiosa, contrariamente a quanto solitamente creduto. Tuttavia, quanti coniarono lo stereotipo del Thug erano forse consapevoli dell’esistenza di culti tantrici segreti che attribuivano uno speciale valore religioso ad azioni contrarie alla morale comune, come l’omicidio.
Il cuore nero dell'India: omicidi rituali e stereotipi letterari / LO TURCO, Bruno. - (2014), pp. 203-230.
Il cuore nero dell'India: omicidi rituali e stereotipi letterari
LO TURCO, Bruno
2014
Abstract
In 1839, thanks to the novel Confessions of a Thug, the stereotype of a Hindu sect of murderers, alleged worshippers of Kalī, who acted after gaining the confidence of their future victims, spread in the West. Since then the Thugs appeared in many novels as well as later on in many films. In nineteenth-century India there really existed gangs of marauders, who nevertheless killed travellers only in order to rob them, without any religious implications, contrary to popular belief. But those who invented the stereotype were maybe aware of the existence of secret tantric cults, which attributed a special religious value to actions opposed to public morals, such as murder.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.