Author: Ajit Adhopia
Publication: The Star
Date:
URL: http://www.thestar.com/
In the recent parliamentary elections
in India, the stunning victory of the Congress Party over its archrival,
the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), and the refusal of its leader, Sonia Gandhi,
to accept the reins of the largest democracy on Earth, were not the only
surprises.
More interesting is that India now
has a Muslim president and a turbaned Sikh prime minister, Manmohan Singh,
both from minority religions. Hindus form the majority - 80 per cent -
of the Indian population, Muslims account for 12 per cent and Sikhs are
a tiny minority of 2.5 per cent. Media pundits are calling it the victory
of secularism over Hindutva or Hindu nationalism.
As a Hindu, however, I find this
debate of secularism versus Hindutva meaningless.
What is secularism, anyway? The
Oxford Dictionary defines it as a "doctrine that the basis of morality
should be non-religious."
According to the Webster's New Collegiate
Dictionary, secularism is indifference to, exclusion of or rejection of
religious considerations." To the average person, it means that no single
religion should be promoted or supported by the government.
To most Hindus, secularism invariably
means "religious tolerance." To me, secularism is an attitude toward religion,
the attitude of inclusiveness, acceptance of pluralism, tolerance and respect
for all religions; no desire to dominate the people of other religions
through conversion by enticement, coercion or force, and no claim on finality
or Hindu superiority of any particular prophet or scriptures. These elements
of secularism are inherent in the core character of an average Hindu. Secularism
is more than just a theory or concept in Hinduism. It has a long history
of religious tolerance, acceptance of diversity of spiritual paths, reasoning
and discussion and the right to think, express and dissent. That is why
concepts like blasphemy, evangelism, proselytism and crusade or jihad are
alien to Hindus.
According to Hindu scriptures,
"Varied are the tastes, many are
the paths to a goal.
Some are righteous, some are crooked,
Yet all aim to reach the goal,
Just like all the rivers lead to
the ocean.
Similarly, man traverses to Thee."
Hinduism itself is a collation of
many faiths, sects, deities, and a variety of spiritual traditions and
reform movements. It gave birth to three other Indian religions: Buddhism,
Jainism and Sikhism. These first emerged as Hindu reform movements and
later evolved as independent religions, rejecting the Vedas, the primary
Hindu scriptures, without significant opposition. In fact, Hindus declared
the founders of these new religions as avatars or divine incarnations.
Without respect and tolerance of varied, opposing viewpoints and assimilative
tendencies, Hinduism would not have survived the past 5,000 years, despite
many external pressures, including aggressive Islamic movements and proselytizing
Christian missionaries. Both of these foreign religions flourished in India
with complete freedom. In his first news conference after becoming prime
minister, Manmohan Singh commented that India was an ancient civilization
and the essence of Hinduism was tolerance.
Hinduism is not really a "religion."
It is called Hindu dharma. In the English language, there is no single
word to describe the true and complete meaning of the word dharma. It is
generally translated as "religion" due to the lack of an appropriate synonym
in English. "Dharma" is derived from the Sanskrit word dhr, which literally
means "to hold" or "to sustain." Hindus translate it as "righteousness,"
"duty" or "moral obligation." Therefore, virtues, values, beliefs, ethical
laws, codes of behaviour, moral duties, traditions and righteous actions
that sustain human life in peace and harmony, are all aspects of dharma.
It is noteworthy that there is no reference to religion or divinity. What
concept can be more secular than dharma?
For a Hindu, it is possible to be
very religious and secular at the same time. There is no contradiction;
one does not have to choose between secularism and religiousness or Hindutva.
To a Hindu, religion is a very private
affair; it's a love affair between him and his "isht devata," his personal
deity representing any aspect of God. A perfect example would be
Mahatma Gandhi, a devout Hindu who promoted and practised secularism.
Ajit Adhopia is a freelance author
who writes about Hinduism.
