A rural temple in South India, painted stone as deity.<\/i><\/p>\n
If you hear the rising roar of faith, it is election-time in
\nIndia. Belief in God is stronger than any political belief. Faith rushes to
\nfill ideological vacuum and goes on to cleanse politics of its residual
\nideological content. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Religious fervour, injected into a poll campaign, boosts
\npopular interest in elections, promotes identity politics and alters voting
\npreferences. That is why the ruling BJP has made religious polarisation its
\nelectoral strategy. It consolidates Hindu votes by propagating Hindutva, a
\nmilitant and less inclusive version of Hinduism.<\/p>\n
The BJP leaders including L K Advani, who went to Ayodhya in
\n1992 to demand the building of a Ram temple, were erroneously called \u201cHindu
\nfundamentalists\u201d. Knowing that the term \u201cfundamentalism\u201d has acquired bad odour
\nin the context of Islam, Advani declared that they were \u201cHindu nationalists\u201d
\nnot \u201cHindu fundamentalists\u201d. He was correct because going back to the
\nfundamentals in his religion would mean the Vedic tradition which will rob the
\nproposed Ram temple of all significance! <\/p>\n
His 1992 movement to build a Ram temple generated a toxic
\nmix of religion and nationalism and turned it into a potent political weapon.
\nTill then the political armies marching under the saffron flag had not been
\nable to make much headway. Advani\u2019s historic journey to Ayodhya in his
\nbelief-driven \u2018chariot\u2019 led to the demolition of a mosque and the killings of
\nMuslims and Hindus. <\/p>\n
Noted documentary maker Anand Patwardhan says TV serial Ramayan<\/em>, watched by millions, paved the During the past four years, the sectarian poison has spread The BJP finds assemblies of Hindu monks in saffron The Hindu nationalists wilfully ignore the theological To get more Hindu votes, the party must fuel envy and In the run-up to elections, vicious statements are made to As the BJP gained power, the Hindutva got many new Some BJP leaders make weird statements that can be generally Meditation, quiet contemplation.The attendance in temples has gone up. More Hindu temples, <\/i><\/p>\n A brainchild of the Hindu nationalists, Hindutva is not In the current atmosphere of intolerance, the political To understand the distortion of Hinduism, one has to be familiarised Hinduism sanctifies sacrifices of the Vedic Aryans as well The Divine can be reached through any of the several A Hindu can choose from the nine specified ways to perform Millions recite 1000 names of one God and 1000 names of a Columnist Shobha Narayan writes about her mother being part Hindus of one region may accord primacy to one form which This interplay is seen in Hindu religious art and objects made In the absence of a set form of worship, a Hindu is free to act Scholar Kshiti Mohan Sen says the uniting force among the The influence of Hinduism over Islam and Christianity is India\u2019s syncretic tradition can be attributed mainly to the Hinduism is suffused with paradoxes. The Divine is There is latent divinity in every being and everything. Scholars of comparative religions can observe how Hinduism, Respected heads of genuine spiritual institutions keep quiet The distortion of Hinduism does not provoke much reaction while It is left to a few secular politicians and the leftists to Those rushing to demolish a mosque or build a temple on a Fanaticism characterises the politicisation of a religion Every old faith tradition accumulates undesirable rituals Swami Dyanand who founded Arya Samaj to reform Hinduism.Hinduism has a rich history of reforms. Swami Dayanand <\/i><\/p>\n Swami Dayanand came from the state of Prime Minister In Bengal, Raja Rammohun Roy (1774-1833) founded the Brahmo Samaj <\/em>facing opposition by Reformer Raja Rammohan Roy.Another new school of Hinduism developed in Bengal under the <\/i><\/p>\n Chaitanya Mahaprabhu \u2013 simple devotion through singing in praise of the Lord.In British India, the conservative Hindu leaders debated In the current atmosphere, Hindus hesitate to even talk of The Hindu nationalists always opposed religious reforms. In The slogan \u201cHinduism in danger\u201d had no appeal then as Hindus A rural temple in South India, painted stone as deity. If you hear the rising roar of faith, it is election-time in India. Belief in God is stronger than any political belief. Faith rushes to fill ideological vacuum and goes on to cleanse politics of its residual ideological content. \u00a0 Religious fervour, injected into a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-983","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/983","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=983"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/983\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=983"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=983"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/googmn.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=983"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nway for the demolition of the Babri mosque. \u201cA bow-and-arrow bearing Ram
\nentered every household and every heart.\u201d There was no social media then, but TV
\ntoo promotes pop religion and causes social disharmony. Some partisan TV
\nchannels go all out to fuel religious polarisation. <\/p>\nMental pollution<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nmuch more, with incidents of mob rule becoming frequent. It has seeped into \u201ccultured\u201d
\nupper-class Hindu homes. The kind of people involved in violence matters.
\nIntent is important. While sectarian violence can break out in the best of
\ntimes, mental pollution sustains the process of violence. <\/p>\n
\npolitically valuable. Communal worship and public observance of rituals make
\ngood TV that spreads the message of Hindutva. Mythology-based TV drama helps. <\/p>\n
\ncomplexities of Vedic thought and their faith\u2019s glorious history of disputation
\nand argumentation. They try to enforce a simplistic doctrine that supersedes
\nthe rich variegated strands of thought and belief. In order to collect Hindus
\non a single political platform, they want to create a central creed and
\ndesignate one holy book. Above all, they want to establish the primacy of
\nwarrior-king Lord Ram. The people must feel, not think.<\/p>\n
\nanimosity by blaming a secular government for \u201cappeasing Muslims. In an
\nelection speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made a subtle reference to the
\nHindu cremation grounds and the Muslim graveyards. This was a hint that the
\nsocialist state government\u2019s provision of building walls around the graveyards
\nto protect these from encroachment was discriminatory. <\/p>\n
\ncause tensions and promote orthodoxy. What the BJP spokesmen shout at times
\nduring TV discussions is unfit to print. The Muslim spokesmen shout back, which
\nserves the purpose of all sectarian forces. The atmosphere reeks of bigotry and
\nhostility towards the \u201cother\u201d faith. \u00a0Some
\nchildren hear their parents say that so and so should be elected since he would
\n\u201cfix\u201d a minority. They learn that \u201cwhen we say prayers loudly, it is worship,
\nwhen they worship loudly, it is disturbing noise!\u201d Children
\nlearn that \u201cwhen we say prayers loudly, it is worship, when they worship
\nloudly, it is disturbing noise!\u201d<\/p>\n
\nadherents. The \u201csecular\u201d leaders who used to condemn Narendra Modi\u2019s
\nsectarianism, now see a messiah in him. Several Hindutva groups have sprung up
\nunder official patronage. Their activity highlights the anti-minority dimension
\nof Hindutva. The divisive rhetoric flows with force as the police and some in
\nthe lower rungs of judiciary have turned partisan. <\/p>\n
\ndescribed as anti-science and irrational. The power of superstition seems to
\nhave increased. A poll candidate declares that if she is elected, the police
\nwill not be allowed to check child marriage! The fashion of wearing religion on
\none\u2019s sleeves has caught on. Commercial interests promote more religious
\nfestivals. The outbreak of religiosity is to be seen to be believed. More Hindu
\npilgrims march for miles and miles to fetch the holy Ganga water. Charitable
\nHindus set up tents on the footpaths for feeding the tired pilgrims. This
\npublic spectacle disrupts traffic and at times results in clashes.<\/p>\n
\nas also mosques and churches, are being built as a result of growing
\nprosperity. Competitive communalism makes mosques more crowded. The temple
\nloudspeaker\u2019s volume is increased to match the sound coming from the
\nneighbouring mosque. In this atmosphere of religious rivalry, private
\ncontemplation and meditation get devalued.<\/p>\nHindutva versus Hindu
\ninterplay<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\neclectic and dialogic. It has been honed as a powerful tool for political
\nmobilisation through incendiary divisive statements. Hindutva fiercely seeks
\nconverts. When popularised by a charismatic divisive leader, its political
\ndimension overshadows spirituality.<\/p>\n
\nmessage of Hindutva is amplified through social media by political activists
\nincluding the Non-Resident Indians. Little is heard about the huge difference
\nbetween Hindutva and Hinduism known over the centuries as Santan Dharma.<\/em> <\/p>\n
\nwith the real thing. Hinduism, tolerant and inclusive, includes principles
\ntaken from different faiths and cultures. Even before its interaction with
\nIslam and Christianity, Hinduism assimilated new ideas and practices while
\ntransiting from the Vedic to the Puranic period.<\/p>\n
\nas the rituals of primitive tribes. Not all Hindu gods are Aryan gods. Hinduism
\nhas no central creed and no central authority, nor does it prescribe one
\nspecific book to follow. It is not based on a revelation granted to a prophet. Hindus
\ndo not consider themselves to be the \u201cchosen people\u201d. They do not consider
\ntheir faith to be superior to others. This democratic religion, presided over
\nby a Parliament of Gods, has no founder. Hinduism
\nhas no central creed and no central authority, nor does it prescribe one
\nspecific book to follow\u2026 This democratic religion, presided over by a
\nParliament of Gods, has no founder.<\/p>\n
\ndifferent ways. Two prominent ones are the path of knowledge and the path of
\ndevotion. This is a simple journalistic statement about a faith whose
\ncomplexities even scholars find hard to fathom. Hinduism is studded with
\nelegant metaphysical knots and strange paradoxes. It offers infinite choice. Those
\nwho do not like the idea of a galaxy of gods and goddesses can take comfort from
\nthe Rig Vedic thought that all the many gods are manifestation of the One
\nReality. Hindus revere a saint-poet who does not believe in rituals or external
\nformalities and for whom God lives, not in a temple or a mosque but in his
\ndevotion. <\/p>\n
\ndevotion or devise one of his own. Astounding diversity is reflected not just
\nin innumerable gods and ways of worship but also in the multiple versions of
\nits sacred books and philosophical treatises. Rituals vary from region to
\nregion and from caste to caste. There is choice in the ways of dying. Hindus
\nare generally cremated, but thousands of Hindus are given earthen and riverine
\nburials. The variety of thought content, rituals and devotional practices meet
\nthe needs of all sections of society, ranging from the intellectual elite to the
\nilliterate masses.<\/p>\n
\nGoddess. A sacred text features Mahadevi<\/em>,
\nliterally the Great Goddess who encompasses the thousands of local and regional
\ndevis <\/em>as well as the pan-Indian
\ngoddesses. Each god or goddess is worshipped in several forms. <\/p>\n
\nof an ancient Hindu lineage linked to goddess worship called Sri Vidya<\/em>. She says: \u201cIt is visually and
\naesthetically very beautiful – with flowers, incense, oil lamps, hand gestures
\ncalled mudras, sacred drawings called mandalas or yantras, and the chanting of
\nmantras. Mudra, mandala and mantra, the triumvirate as it were – is at the root
\nof this goddess cult.\u201d\u00a0 <\/p>\n
\nmay not be worshipped at all by those of another region. Then, the veneration
\nof natural forces such as the monsoon rains and trees and of animals is common
\namong those living in forests. Ideas and practices from the margins have been
\nleaking into the mainstream. <\/p>\n
\nby Muslims. \u00a0They participate in Hindu
\nreligious festivals. Eminent Muslim musicians played in Hindu temples. Muslim
\npoets wrote devotional songs in praise of Hindu Gods. A most devout Brahmin,
\nCongress leader Kamalapati Tripathi, had a Muslim assistant to clean and
\narrange the idols in his home temple before daily worship. <\/p>\nGood behaviour<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\naccording to his individual belief. What counts is not belief but conduct, as
\nstated by philosopher S. Radhakrishnan, who was India\u2019s President. No wonder
\nHinduism embraces believers and non-believers, the theist and the atheist, the
\nsceptic and the agonistic.<\/p>\n
\nenormous variety of religious beliefs and ceremonies in Hinduism has been the
\nbelief in a basic code of behaviour. Today he would have seen more Hindus
\nindulging in an un-Hindu-like conduct at the behest of political leaders. The
\nexamples include the lynching of alleged beef transporters, intimidating women
\ntemple-goers, disrupting a Christian prayer meeting and demolishing a mosque.<\/p>\n
\nreflected in the Sufi tradition and in Christian meditation and Christian
\nVedanta. It can be seen in the global Hare Krishna movement. Hinduism also contributed
\nto the New Age faiths! Muslims and Christians extended the reach of the sacred Hindu
\nliterature by translating it and even helped preserve some of it. This is never
\nrecalled while the voters are constantly reminded of the Hindu temples
\ndestroyed by the Moghuls.<\/p>\n
\ndiversity of Hinduism that has a history of several philosophical turns. Of
\ncourse, this diversity leads to confusion over certain precepts. Differing practices
\nand various interpretations of the same sacred text, in the absence of a validating
\ncentral authority, result in mixed-up theological concepts and endless
\narguments. That is why theological dissent always got accommodated.<\/p>\n
\nunimaginable and unknowable and yet the Divine is imagined in countless forms appearing
\nin representational and abstract art and as idols of stone and metal. Hindus
\nworship gods both in iconic and aniconic forms. The deity in thousands of rural
\ntemples is just a painted stone. Devotion takes the form of meditation, quiet
\ncontemplation, lighting sacrificial fire, loud out-of-tune community singing, disciplined
\ncongregational chanting, ritual bathing, fasting or even social service since
\nGod lives in every human being. <\/p>\n
\nThere is an external God and the God within. God is a distant entity but then the devotee is also part
\nof Brahman, the universal soul! Aha\u1e41 Brahm\u0101smi<\/em>\u00a0in general terms
\nimplies the unity of individual self with the Absolute. Thus, divinity is
\nshared by every human being. Divisive rhetoric has to be foreign to Hinduism which says: Thou art
\nThat (Tat Tvam Asi)<\/em>. <\/p>\nFaux religiosity<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nwhen hijacked for political purposes, gets vulgarised. The devotees are
\nencouraged to display faux religiosity. The
\nSarkari<\/em> (pro-Government) \u201cseers\u201d, in their so-called religious discourses,
\nbless the Prime Minister. The ruling party needs their endorsement, the seers
\nwant political patronage. The seers are sought after by politicians more than
\nby spiritual aspirants. <\/p>\n
\nabout the misuse of religion for elections. Surely, they are pained by the
\ndistortion of their faith tradition, seeing an immense idea being reduced to a
\ndismal creed. Islamic leaders get blamed for not condemning the misuse of their
\nfaith by politicians and terrorists. One may ask where have the Hindu spiritual
\nleaders gone? Islamic leaders get blamed for not
\ncondemning the misuse of their faith by politicians and terrorists. One may ask
\nwhere have the Hindu spiritual leaders gone? <\/p>\n
\nmany western Christian communities vigorously debate spirituality vs.
\ninstitutionalised religion. Currently there is no such discourse in Hinduism,
\nnotwithstanding its tradition of argumentation.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n
\noffer a trenchant criticism of Hindutva. They reason well but they cannot
\ninfluence those swayed by the men in saffron robes. The leftists, not
\nwell-versed in India\u2019s spiritual traditions, have little leverage with the
\nfaithful. Only firm believers protesting against the \u201chijacking of our
\nreligion\u201d can make an impact. They can increase the public understanding of
\nHinduism unsullied by politics. <\/p>\n
\ndisputed plot know nothing about a faith that assimilated various religions and
\ncultural movements. They are familiar with folklore, mythology and miracles and
\nblack magic but unaware of the Vedic Song of Creation that wonders whether even
\nthe Creator knows all! That kind of questioning will be considered blasphemy
\nand a punishable offence in some other religions. The sacred texts of Hinduism
\nmake bigotry unthinkable. In the wake of the Babri mosque\u2019s demolition, Prof.
\nAmartya Sen attributed growing fanaticism to the neglect of the classics in
\neducation. In the wake of the Babri mosque\u2019s
\ndemolition, Prof. Amartya Sen attributed growing fanaticism to the neglect of
\nthe classics in education.<\/p>\nFanaticism versus
\nself-renewing reform<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nwhich retards reforms. The Supreme Court lifted the ban on the entry of young women
\ninto a Hindu temple. The BJP launched an agitation against the entry of young
\nwomen in order to uphold a \u201csacred tradition\u201d. However, the same ruling party
\nwas all for abolishing the traditional Muslim custom of instant divorce because
\nit oppressed Muslim women. The BJP Government undertook the noble mission of
\nreforming Islam but considers reformation of Hinduism as a no-go area. The BJP
\npresident advises law courts to refrain from hurting Hindu sentiments and to pass
\nonly such judgments that are \u201cimplementable\u201d! <\/p>\n
\nand practices and Hinduism, being a product of many cultures and cults, is more
\nprone to do so. In its long journey, Hinduism acquired and discarded many
\nquestionable rituals. It abolished some practices partly due to the influence
\nof Christian values but mainly by recollecting its own glorious Vedic past. There
\nwas recognition of the corruptive influence of idolatry, child-marriage, self-immolation
\nby widows and untouchability that had no place in its ancient culture. Commenting
\non this process of reforms and renewal, scholar Kshiti Mohan Sen writes that
\nthe impact of the West produced new schools of thought which emphasised old
\ndoctrines. <\/p>\n
\nSaraswati (1824-83), who founded the Arya
\nSamaj, gave the call \u201cBack to the
\nVedas\u201d, drawing a large section of Hindus away from idol-worship and
\nexploitative priests. Arya Samaj
\nestablished excellent educational institutions and worked to raise the status
\nof the backward classes. It also introduced proselytization, which was no part
\nof the Hindu traditions.<\/p>\n
\nNarendra Modi who had used regional pride as an electoral card. Curiously,
\nvideos glorify several sons of Gujarat, but not this Arya Samaj<\/em> founder! Praising this great Gujarati will pose a
\nproblem for the party that has made the Ram Temple a central issue of its
\npolitical campaign. Arya Samaj<\/em>
\nopposes idol-worship. The Vedic tradition involved sacred sacrifice in the
\nopen. The Indo-Aryans did not build permanent structures for the practice of
\ntheir religion. Temples began to be built much later when worship and
\nsupplication were added to sacrifice in the Hindu religious ethos. <\/p>\n
\northodox Hindus who were dead set against his progressive outlook on social
\nmatters. He advocated modern education and wanted Indians to learn science and
\ntechnology. His agitation led to the abolition of the criminal practice of Sati
\nthat ordained a wife to commit suicide by plunging into the fire consuming her
\ndead husband.<\/p>\n
\ninfluence of Ramakrishna Paramhamsa (1834-86) that appealed to the common man
\nwho just prays before a deity without bothering about theology. This simple
\ncommunication with God, known as the Bhakti
\nmovement, became very popular. Earlier in the late 15th century Bengal,
\nChaitanya Mahaprabhu had mesmerised his followers, leading them in
\ncongregational chanting, Sankirtan. There
\nwere reformers in south India who are venerated by millions of Hindus. <\/p>\n
\nwith reformers vigorously, but that contestation was due to clashing beliefs
\nand not a political strategy for use in a democracy. Today the orthodox Hindu
\nleaders who are corralled into supporting Prime Minister Modi have no interest
\nin theological debates.<\/i><\/p>\n
\nreforms lest they are called anti-Hindu. Political mobs are unleashed on the
\nfew reformists asserting the inclusiveness of Hinduism and fighting bigotry.
\nSwami Agnivesh, a social activist who propagates the Vedic tradition, has faced
\nphysical assaults. That has not deterred him from continuing his struggle
\nagainst superstitions that defile religion. Swami Agnivesh laments that
\npoliticians promote belief without truth. He reminds the people that the Vedic
\nreligion identified God with truth and Gandhi went a step further by saying
\nthat \u201cTruth is God\u201d.<\/p>\n
\nNehru\u2019s secular India, they protested strongly, but the Government went ahead taking
\nsteps for improving the status of Hindu women. Today it seems like a miracle
\nthat in the face of horrendous Partition-related Hindu-Muslim killings, the
\nCongress leaders managed to establish a secular state. That feat was made
\npossible by Hinduism\u2019s spirit of tolerance and mass adoration of the secular
\nleaders. The parent bodies of today\u2019s Hindutva forces failed to politically
\nchallenge Nehru and destroy the Nehruvian ethos. Nehru had called development
\nprojects the new temples of India!<\/p>\n
\nhad enough self-confidence. That was the India that was! Since then much water
\nhas flowed down the holy Ganga. Hinduism now figures in a story of regression. Read
\nthe newspapers, listen to the TV \u201cdebates\u201d and see the WhatsApp-trained
\nignorant armies clash day and night. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"