Sultanate of Hinde (Nation)

The Sultanate of Hinde

Ruler: Rajah Vaman Kshatriyas (Vizier Ananda of House Deva)
Religion: Arin (Hinde Pantheon)

Hinde is a land nestled to the south of Chang’Na, and to the east of the Heartlands. To the west is a long series of islands which make up Naipon, though it is distant enough away to allow both cultures to remain distinct. The Hinde are fierce warriors, and have engaged in a series of wars against the demon king, Ravana, clashing often at the borders of the Heartlands against the fallen angels of Ravana. The Rajah is the ruler of Hinde, a powerful figure who oversees the nation, though it has been said the Rajah has gone mad. Currently, the vizier controls the nation, while tending to the Rajah’s madness. This seems to have been for the best, as it was under the orders of the Rajah that the Hinde engaged in a covert war against the Naiponese, which has lead to Naipon’s civil war.

Hinde is broken down into a very strict caste system called the varna. A person’s varna is unchanging, as it is assumed it is the person’s dharma to be born into the varna they were, as part of their cycle of reincarnation. The four castes are Brahmin (teachers, priests, and scholars), the Kshatriyas (land owners, warriors, and rulers), the Vaishyas (traders and high artisans), and the Shudras (agriculture, service providers, and low artisans). The last ‘caste’ is outside the system of reincarnation, Dalit, are the untouchable caste, not to be associated with as they deal with the unhealthy or disgusting needs of society. There are a series of guilds associated with the varna, called jatis. Each jatis is connected to one of the four varna, though there is some disagreement about which varna a particular jatis should be associated with.

Religion

The Hinde have many temples, devoted to the gods. They believe that in the beginning of time, Arion (Devesh) slept and dreamed, and in his dreams a world was formed. His wife, Mika (Visala), whispers soothing words into his ear, that he may continue to sleep. Maya (Vasanti) walks the world of Devesh’s dreams, ensuring it remains flourishing, full of life and beauty, while her husband, Tsunami (Tarak) walks by her side, guarding her from those who would disrupt her work and disturb the dreams of their father. The dreams of Devesh are not always peaceful, as there is a demon in the midst. Ravana, it is said, tricked the goddess Sanguine (Diyat) into stepping into the world. Diyat is also the Destroyer, the eternal Dancer who moves between the stars, ending all that she encounters, her presence signalling the end of all things. Diyat learned of Ravana’s trickery too late, and now she hunts for him through the world, every step she takes disturbing the dreams of Devesh and drawing him closer to waking. When she rests, the whispers of Visala once more guides her husband into deeper slumber, prolonging his dreams.

Devesh is said to be aware that he dreams, and at times he and his family manifest as avatars. In this form, they bring enlightenment and wisdom to those who walk his dream. Whenever righteousness declines And unrighteousness increases, I make myself a body; In every age I come back To deliver the holy, To destroy the sin of the sinner, To establish righteousness. – Devesh

The wisdom that was brought is the secret of ascension. It is believed that each soul is born, dies, and becomes reborn once again. When one performs according to the will of the gods, they are reborn higher within the varna, while those who perform poorly find themselves lowered in caste. It is believed that when one transcends, they become a part of everything, and can step out of the dream, to join the universe and move beyond it. Those who remain behind, the bodhisattvas, teach others, helping them upon the path towards their own personal ascension. Those who stumble fully from the path of ascension are reborn as Dalit, doomed never to ascend, tumbling from the wheel of dharma. Such souls are doomed, their crimes damning them to be utterly destroyed when Devesh awakens.

Prejudices

Prejudice is rampant in Hinde. Caste is very important, and rigidly enforced, while those who are not Hinde, or seen as either misguided or blind to the importance of dharma. The Dalit are treated poorly, and those who attempt to rise above their caste are either ridiculed or even put to death. It is often assumed that those who are not Hinde (though there are exceptions made for some members of Chang’Na, who follow the path of enlightenment), are completely removed from the cycle of reincarnation.

Common Names

Most children are given a name by their parents, the first letter auspicious for the time of the child’s birth. This given name is used for official records. The family name is that of the earliest recorded ancestor, trace filially back as far as possible. People who carry the same family name may not wed, regardless of how many generations removed they are from one another. These family names are often the names of large cities or towns which were founded by the person’s ancestors.

Male: Abhay, Ashwin, Bel, Chaman, Chetan, Darshan, Deva, Dharma, Ekram, Ganesa, Gyan, Hajari, Hastin, Indivar, Indra, Jagat, Jatin, Kalkin, Kuval, Lokesh, Mandar, Mohan, Nalin, Nirav, Ojas, Omanand, Paresh, Pravin, Raman, Rohan, Sanjeet, Sunesh, Tarak, Tariq, Umed, Valin, Veda, Yamal, Yatin

Female: Amara, Archana, Ballari, Basanti, Chakra, Chandra, Devi, Dhyana, Ekanta, Eshana, Gaura, Gita, Himani, Hina, Indira, Ishana, Jiva, Jyoti, Kali, Karma, Lakshmi, Leela, Mandara, Meghana, Nalini, Nitara, Omana, Opal, Padma, Priyanka, Rachana, Rekha, Shakti, Sheela, Tanaya, Trishna, Umika, Urja, Vasanti, Vinaya, Yauvani