The word “Thug”, meaning criminal or gangster in today’s context, has its origins in honor of the Thugs, a centuries-old criminal society in India.
Its members robbed and murdered in honor of Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction, who was the wife of Shiva.
The Thugs always murdered by strangling because spilling blood was against their religion.
According to the World Book Encyclopedia, “In 1831, the British began a drive to end the practice, and it is now almost wiped out.” Yikes, what do they mean by “almost”?
These days, modern thugs still exist and can be found anywhere from dark alleys to your local mall.
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