I’m an Indian, which to me until a couple of days ago meant that I belong to India. I thought this was more of a physical, geographical and maybe even a cultural reality. I’m also a Hindu. But my faith–which is deeply personal to me has nothing to do with my national identity. Or so I thought. Again, until a couple of days ago. I never once thought to blend my faith and my national identity. They are not the same thing. In fact, I very strongly thought the two shouldn’t mix, until a couple of days ago.
For we, as “urban, modern, progressive” Indians are taught to not mix our religious and national identity. While being patriotic is great, we are taught not to wear being a Hindu on our sleeve –whether it’s at work or at social gatherings, for it might offend other religions of India. Being Hindu and being Indian are two different things, and should be kept separate. Mixing the two is looked at as being communal and marginalising anyone who follows a different faith. India belongs to every faith equally, we are taught. India is a land of diverse cultures, we are taught.
A couple of days ago, I had a conversation about this with Dr Vaidya, of the RSS. RSS, an organisation that believes India should be a Hindu Rashtra; that strongly believes in propagating the “Hindutva” agenda. An organisation that sees everyone in India through saffron-coloured glasses. Or so I thought, until this conversation, a couple of days ago.
It was only during this conversation that I realised, how far from the truth was my “knowledge” of the subject. For the first time, I heard and absorbed what it really means to be “Hindu” and how it isn’t at all far from being “Indian” or “Bhartiya”. In fact, they are the same thing. Hindutva (Hinduism is a loose translation of the word, not quite accurate), is a way of life. It was life in this region of the world, much before religion existed. It was a way of life that continued to thrive, much after religion divided this country into two. And it will be a way of life here, despite the far-spreading business of religion today.
Bharat or India is the seat of this way of life. The soul of this nation is this throbbing, thriving, celebration of diversity. Being Hindu is celebrating this diversity and recognising the underlying sameness in the glaring differences.
Bharat goes beyond the lines drawn on a map. Bharat is a concept of inclusivity and humanism that has transcended generations and generations, invasions after invasions.
In the words of Ernest Renan: A nation is a spiritual principle… and not a group determined by the configuration of earth… a nation is a soul… the nation, like the individual, is the fruit of a long past spent in toil, sacrifice and devotion. It couldn’t be truer for a nation like ours. Similarly, Being Hindu goes beyond the God you worship. It’s the celebration of the various paths that lead to the same God. In its Hindutva lies this nation’s essence.
I’m a Hindu, which makes me an Indian. I’m an Indian, which makes me a Hindu. And where I fold my hands or bow my head in worship have nothing to do with it.
Deepti Verma