It takes two to tango – Part 2

There is an old story doing rounds for generations. It is about jobless hairdresser shaving off the hair of cats. India seems similarly sinking into the stranglehold of radicals who easily ignite violent passions. As a result, we are becoming a community lapping up more avoidable politico-religious thrillers daily.

The credentials of the so-called seculars seem proven only when they tolerate nonsensical displays in the name of freedom of expression and creativity. Depicting Gandhi as Mahishasura by Hindu Mahasabha Club is one glaring example. None seem to be arrested or even reprimanded for the insult to the father of the nation. Such monicker is criticized and abused by a section of Indians.

The art world takes the brunt of attacks from the for or against lobbies, the movie industry taking the greatest hits. The Adipurush, the story of Ramayana, is one such example, where Ravana, the villain, differs from the perception of a few. So does Hanuman, for a few who argue that it is only the Muslims who sports a beard and no moustache; hence, the portrayal of Hanuman is not acceptable. None have seen any of the characters, and it is only a matter of perception.

In the case of the movie Ponniyin Selvan, the eternal blabbers have lunged upon history, claiming that Raja Raja Chola was never Hindu and was only a Shaivait. The word Hinduism sprang from the Persian word Hindostan by Darius the Great in 630 BC when he annexed the territory west of the banks of the Sindhu River across the Hindukush range. The Greeks in Alexander’s time in326 BC called Indus. In the Persian language, the syllable S is not pronounced but instead as H. The Moghuls, perhaps wanting a name for the religion that the people of Hindostan practised, called the people Hindoos, refined to Hindus and probably the British as recent as 300 years ago gave their name for our ancient religion as Hinduism.

Do such name changes alter the basics of the timeless old religion? Can Shaivites and Vaishnavas forming two major branches of the Sanatana dharma, be called by any other collective name? The answer is a clear no!

Be that as it may, the flexing of muscles by religious communities to take back all the earlier religious places, like the Gyanvapi, Mathura and Brindavan, converted by the invaders and occupying forces, must be left to the courts to decide. Hindu zealots entering the Madrassas in Bidar and chanting Hindu slogans will only compound an already critical situation and distance Indians by further polarization. The news of Mazar built inside a school in Madhya Pradesh is equally regressive and condemnable.

The world is awed by the Indianness in many leading companies, from Google to Twitter. Our growth trajectory is belying a world slump. If external forces cannot hurt India, our men can topple the cart with a few crafty and cunning political leaders assisting such a downfall.

With high respect to traditions, every religion must adapt to changes that are beneficial to humanity, failing which such religions will go into obscurity. The proven pattern of unholy nexuses between goons and politicians for their narrow gains must end for the benefit of our country.

Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix