Anyone know of the Indian Thuggee? The first murders for kali. The first assassins whos tactics were borrowed by the hashashin of 1000-1300 ad in the mid-east. Anyone with a good amount of Info pertaining to the these "thugs". The thugee Id like to hear some from an Indian and/or Hindu perspective.
I don't know if there is any connection between the thugees and the assasins of Hassan I Sabbah. I don't really think there is for various reasons. The thugees ritually strangled their victims for 'religious' ends. The activities of the assasins, or what little is actually known, might suggest that a political motive was behind it all. But the whole story is shrouded in myth and mystery. Besides, one lot were Muslims, and the other devotees of Kali - very little connection there. So far as I know, the thugee cult was largely eradicated by the British in the 19th century.
I meant more of the Hashashin copying their strategies of organized "gangsterism" and blood thirsty acts of politics and religion. Secret attacks in the night, and luring in with trickery untill they could strangle them from behind or slit their throat in the Hashashin way.
Yea that was a loose basis of them. Except they usually carried out their sacrifices on people out in the open, not in deep caverns underground and shit. Most likely they had some headquarters like that but most of the killings I think were of just people on camel and horseback merchants.
Gentlepersons: How much truth is there to these items of lore; In a movie Trevor Howard ties a knot in a piece of thick rope to make it more efficient - "Crushes the larynx- Thugee you know" Hashashins ate large amounts of Hash and worshipped Shiva - The hash was supposed give them motivation to commit murder/robbery in Shiva's name. Thankee nieghbor.
I thought they drugged people up and took them to secret gardens and told them they were in heaven? I could be wrong and confusing two different groups, but I am pretty sure they did this as well.
Hashashins (muslims) worshipped shiva!?!? I dont know about that. but I do know that the initiation rituals of the hashashins and the thugees were very similar in nature. they would be given a special type of poison (not sure what) that would take them to brink of death. they would go through a terrible and very painful kind of 'sleep' and when they awoke they would find themselves in a garden filled with good food and wine convincing them that they were in heaven. Harrison Ford went through this rite in the Temple of Doom if you remember.
Look at the works by William Sleeman here: http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/s#a6086 He was a British officer who is credited with breaking up the Thugs in colonial India.
