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Dinkoism

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Dinkoism
Dinkan, the supermouse God of Dinkoism
ScriptureDinka Puranam[1]
Balamangalam[2]
Official websiteDinkoism on Facebook

Dinkoism (/ˈdɪnkɔɪzəm/), the Dinkoist religion, or Dinkamatham[3][2] is a parody religion and social movement that emerged and evolved on social networks[4] organized by independent welfare groups in the Indian state of Kerala. Adherents describe Dinkoism as a genuine religion.

A depiction art on Dinkoism where Lord Dinkan advises his devotee. A drawing by Sai Kiran, an atheist from Kerala

History

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According to a report in India Today, Dinkoism[4] was established in 2008 in Kerala by a group of rationalists with the intention of ridiculing "the absurdity of blind religious faith".[5] The community planned to become politically active.[6] A report in The New Indian Express said Dinkoism is gaining members through Facebook.[4] The BBC described Dinkoism in 2016 as an atheist movement with significant growth on social media.[7]

Description

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Main article: Dinkan

The religion purports to worship Dinkan, a comic book character.[8] Dinkoists celebrate the character—a superhero mouse that appeared in 1983 in defunct Malayalam-language children's magazine Balamangalam—as their God for the purpose of exposing superstitions and fallacies and practices of traditional religions.[7][9]

Events and protests

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A group of school children campaigning for a school election under a party formed on basis of belief in Dinkoism.

The concept of Dinkoism has spread through social media but the movement has also organised protest events. On January 30, 2016, a group of Dinkoists, under the banner of Mooshikasena (Rat Army) held a mock protest in front of Dhe Puttu restaurant owned by popular actor Dileep alleging his upcoming film Professor Dinkan hurt their religious sentiments, mocking similar protests happening worldwide.[10][11]

Earlier Dinkoism was in news when an expatriate Dinkoist living in California obtained a license plate with the inscription DINKAN for his car, out of his devotion for Dinkan.[12] In 2016, J. Devika wrote an article about the concept of Dinkoism and the logic of the market.[13]

Conferences

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Dinkoists of Kozhikode organised a conference at the Sports Council Hall, Mananchira on March 20, 2016. They organised a variety of entertainments with a theme of tapioca. E. A. Jabbar, a prominent rationalist, endorsed Dinkoism.[8]

In April 2016, 25,000 Dinkoists were expected to gather for a convention called a "Dinkamatha Maha Sammelanam" to "present their rights as a minority community".[6] Dinkoists have received threatening messages as well as opposition from believers of other religions.[4]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Megha Varier (6 May 2016). "Kerala's Dinkoists take on Akshaya Tritiya, hit the market with their brand of underwear". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "The Curious Case of Lord Dinkan". Graphics Shelf.com. 23 November 2017. Archived from the original on 10 June 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
  3. ^ Harish Pullanoor (22 March 2016). "Praise the squeaky lord, a new religious minority is born in India!". Quartz India. Archived from the original on 11 June 2021. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b c d Express News Service (21 March 2016). "'Dinkoists' Gather Under a Troll Tree". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2020. ...threatening calls and opposition from staunch religious followers... the social media religion, 'Dinkoists' here on Sunday. ... no official registration ... attention entirely through Facebook...
  5. ^ KC Archana (5 April 2016). "What is Dinkoism? Why are many Keralites worshipping a superhero mouse?". India Today. Retrieved 12 October 2020. ...Dinkoism, a mock religion established by a group of rationalists in Kerela in 2008, aims to ridicule the absurdity of blind religious faith. ... The Dinkoists worship a fictional mouse called Dinkan, ...
  6. ^ a b "Dinkoists gear up for 'Maha Sammelanam': 25,000 followers of comic superhero to meet on Sunday in Kozhikode". Deccan Chronicle. 19 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2020. ...Around 25,000 Dinkoists, the followers of comic superhero Dinkan, will hold a convention, 'Dinkamatha Maha Sammelanam,' ... actively involve themselves in politics, ahead of the Assembly polls...
  7. ^ a b "The mouse messiah bringing salvation to India's atheists". BBC News. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  8. ^ a b "They gather in the name of great 'Dinkan': Dinkoists throng Kozhikode to show strength of new 'religion'". Deccan Chronicle. 21 March 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  9. ^ TNN (21 March 2016). "Fans of Mallu comic superhero seek 'minority' tag". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 October 2020. ...The Dinkoists are a group of people that challenge superstition and religious orthodoxy ... popular in social media ... Dinkan is a comic superhero mouse, who first appeared in 1983 in a now-defunct Malayalam children's magazine `Balamangalam'...
  10. ^ "Protest against upcoming Dileep film named Professor Dinkan". 30 January 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  11. ^ S.R. Praveen; G. Krishnakumar (7 February 2016). "Time to look into Dinkan's ire: A mock protest against a Dileep film takes a potshot at religious groups". The Hindu. Retrieved 12 October 2020. ...So, it was refreshing to see a group under the banner of the fake religion called 'Dinkoism' holding a mock protest in front of actor Dileep's restaurant in Kochi this past week, over his new film 'Professor Dinkan.' The idea of such a religion was floated online sometime ago as a way to take gentle pot-shots at various religious groups that takes offence at the drop of a hat...
  12. ^ കാലിഫോർണിയയിലെ മലയാളിക്കു ഡിങ്കന്റെ നാമത്തിൽ നമ്പർ പ്ലേറ്റ്; ഡിങ്ക ഭഗവാനു സ്തുതി പാടി [California license plate in Dinkan's name for a Keralite in California; Social media singing praises to Lord Dinkan] (in Malayalam). 18 January 2016. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  13. ^ J Devika. "If You Can't Beat Them, Join 'em – Or, Ente Dinkeswara!". Kafila.org. Archived from the original on 9 February 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
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  • Media related to Dinkoism at Wikimedia Commons
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