Ranveer Allahbadia - Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar

1)      Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discusses the worship of women in Hinduism and how it shows respect for feminine energy. She explains how some believe that in the past, people did not understand how men and women played roles in childbirth and may have thought women solely gave birth. The conversation then segues into discussing Dr. Chitgopekar's expertise in Shiva and how she believes it is impossible to love Shiva without also getting close to Shakti since both are inseparable. She also talks about the style choices that represent Shiva and Shakti, and how she has not taken off particula rnecklaces for the past 20 years.

2)      Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discusses the role ofmythology in Hinduism and explains that it is mainly derived from the Puranasrather than the Vedas. These stories and myths are a combination of dreams, intuition, history, geography, and topography, and are constantly evolving. She highlights the evolution of the god Shiva from being called Rudra with dark qualities to Shiva, who has a wife and children. She also explains that places of worship likely came before settlements because ancient humans started questioning life and God due to the uncertainty of life.

3)      Nilima discusses the role of female divinity in early worship and how it could have contributed to the reverence of deities such as Ganesha, who was born solely through Parvati. She also discusses how places of worship may have given rise to farming and the settling of towns and cities around temples, citing Indian villages as an example. The discussion then shifts to the worship of the phallus, which was observed in many countries and continues in India with the Shivling. Early representations of the lingam were anatomically correct, but it became stylized over time due to the discomfort of the brahmanas. The Western world refers to Shivalings as monoliths, and even other cultures have their versions of the male sex organ in ancient palaces, although it's largely unknown what purpose they served beyond representing power and energy.

4)      Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discusses the importance of sex in ancient Indian societies and how it was closely linked to fertility and reproduction. Lingams and yonis, which are representations of male and female sex organs, respectively, were worshipped by indigenous populations in forested areas. The lingam, in particular, came to symbolize the Divine Masculine and was associated with the god Shiva. The lingam and yoni are often depicted together in temples and are seen as representative of all of humanity. Dr.Chitgopekar also discusses how the representation of goddesses like Durga has changed over time, becoming more sanitized and less raw and primal in modern times.

5)      Ranveer talks about his recent experience visitinga Temple outside of Mumbai, where he witnessed a possession ceremony or "kola." The possession ceremony involved a deity possessing a priest and answering people's questions. Ranveer describes the experience as being divine and emotive, and believes that the sensory stimulation of the incense, music, and chanting can make one feel psychologically uplifted. Although psychologists attribute this phenomenon to human psychology, in India, there is a belief that all senses get alive with these cultural experiences, which elevate and connect one to the divine.

6)      Chitgopekar shares a personal and impactful experience that she had one day when teaching a class of American history. She felt a darkness and was unable to speak, causing her to look around at the students. Finally, one girl ran out of the class crying, and Dr. Nilima later discovered that she had felt like she had no other option but to commit suicide. As a result, Dr. Nilima cancelled all of her classes for that day and spent two hours listening to the girl, eventually persuading her to see a psychologist and a psychiatrist to get the help she needed.

7)      Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discusses her experiences with intuition and sixth sense. She recounts a moment where she felt a sense of darkness in a classroom many years ago and how it was a sign of things to come. Dr. Chitgopekar expresses that intuition can be both a gift and a burden, as it can be very scary, and shares her personal experiences with tarot cards and yantras. She explains that while meditation can help improve intuition, it's not easy to reach a deeper level, and it can be scary when things start to happen. Dr. Chitgopekar also mentions how her books on Durga and other deities came about, saying that they were commissioned by a big publisher, and that something deeper was going on.

8)      Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar shares her personal experience of stumbling upon the Cave Shrine of Tapkeshwar in Dehradun at theage of 11, without any prior religious background, and feeling empowered by witnessing the Puja for Shiva taking place. This experience stayed with her and she returned to the Shrine at the age of 16 to pray to Shiva for success in her exams and later pursued her PhD in history, focusing on Shiva and the 64 Yoginis. She discusses the significance of the Yogini temples in central India, which were circular, hypithral, and traditionally had orgiastic rituals involving hallucinatory substances, emphasizing the powerful divinity and unconventional nature of these goddesses.

9)      Nilima discusses the use of different items and rituals involved in Tantra. She explains that ingesting certain items such as human flesh, liquor, fish, and having sexual intercourse (known as Mithun) are all part of the later stages of Tantra which transgress societal norms. Dr.Chitgopekar also highlights the significance of the five elements involved in Tantra, including mudras and powerful hand gestures, and describes how the practice empowers individuals psychologically through the adrenaline rush of doing something forbidden. She also speaks about the concept of ishta devta,where individuals have the autonomy to choose their desired deity, as well as the scientific knowledge and practical use of Tantra in the past, including knowledge of chemistry and medicine.

10)   Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discusses the historical context of tantric practices and the 64 yogani temples in India that were built for the worship of female divinities. She talks about the significance of these temples and the fact that they were built at great cost by royalty and rich people who knew the power of worshiping the 64 yogani goddesses. She also talks about the Kamakhya Devi Temple, which is possibly the most powerful Devi Templein the world, and its mysterious and scary atmosphere. She shares her experience of going to the temple during the festival time and witnessing rich people sacrificing pools and buffalos, which is a part of their culture. She explains the significance of the sacrifices and how they tie into Hindu myths about the goddesses Durga and Kali.

11)    Nilima Chitgopekar talks about the story of Chamunda, an aspect of the Devi who turned into a blood-thirsty killer after killing the asuras Chanda and Munda. Shiva comes to her rescue by lying down like a corpse in front of her, and when she realizes it is her husband, she takes out her tongue in embarrassment. Dr.Chitgopekar also discusses her book, "I'm Not Scared," and the importance of understanding ancient texts and sculptures to understand how the goddess was portrayed in the past. She also shares her views on matriarchy and the equality of all human beings, which is a constant theme in ancient civilizations.

12)   Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discusses the egalitarian relationship between Shiva and Parvati, emphasizing their equal and loving partnership. They play games, discuss purans, and decorate each other with flowers. Additionally, Chitgopekar notes that Parvati could be angry and that they had fights like any other couple, indicating a consciousness where women had a voice in marriage. She also praises the variety of representations of the goddess in Hinduism, from interpersonal to geometrical; there is no only one holy book or form of representation of the goddess.

13)   Ranveer and Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discuss spirituality and how symbols, like yantras, have power. Dr. Chitgopekar believes that if you draw a big Tarama yantra in your room because you feel drawn to it, it can only have a good effect if you believe in it and constantly look at it. They also talk about the malas and how it makes the mind still and concentrated, which is required for any good profession or anything in life. Dr. Chitgopekar wrote a book on Rudra, the idea of Shiva, which is a biography of Shiva's life and is written in the first person perspective. She explains how she had intense dreams with deities while writing the book, which she believes is a divine blessing.

14)   Dr. Nilima explains the concept of Tantra and its connection with Hinduism. She mentions that Tantra loosely translates to technique and consists of mantras and yantras, which are tools that help forward one's practice. However, there are certain rules and disciplines that one must follow, and a guru is needed to teach Tantra. Dr. Nilima mentions that tantrics are usually secretive and don't openly admit their practices. While she has heard of people trying tantric rituals in dire circumstances, terrible things have still happened to them, but she also mentions that Hinduism and its puja rites have a tantric nature intertwined with them. Dr. Nilima herself is not a tantric but has had peculiar experiences where people have seen Shakti on her face.

15)   Chitgopekar shares some personal experiences with supernatural events and the power of mantras. She explains that people have told her that they sense a Devi energy in her, and she believes that it is because of the constant pursuit of knowledge in her life that attracts these elements. She also admits that she was a skeptic but reveals that when she was younger, she obtained a mantra that has helped her feel empowered. She emphasizes that chanting the right mantra is crucial as it can provide the concentration needed in life. Finally, she discusses how the scripture Sonday by Adi Shankaracharya is a beautiful book that describes the Devi in explicit detail, and how both men and women can benefit from the visualization of the Devi.

16)   Dr. Nilima Chitgopekar discusses the growing interest in religion and culture among the younger generation. She explains that while there is a desire to know more about one's own culture, it can also lead to extreme or right-wing views. However, she believes that the peer-to-peer experiences and recommendations play a significant role in this awakening. Additionally, they discuss the potential association between darker entities and Shaktism, and Dr. Chitgopekar shares how she has sensed negative energy in certain places and how her intuition has been proven right in the past. Lastly, they talk about the importance of being present in the moment, following one's instincts, and sharing knowledge with empathy and compassion.

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