Multiculturalism in India, as presented by Prof. Dr. Dominic KV, has indeed been a wonder to the world, multiculturalism, the state of co-existence of diverse racial, religious, linguistic, regional identities and probably infinite other diversities. India has been the home to such uncountable harmoniously existing diversities making its own secure place for differences in customs, cultures, practices, languages, ideals and preservation of identities within a unified nation. Despite having historically confronted by forces of divisiveness through ages of underdevelopment, poverty and foreign colonisation, India has successfully preserved its pluralistic tradition and been an international example of spirit of multiculturalism. Today, as I begin to dedicate my thoughts of love to my country and my understanding and vision of “The Golden India”, it feels more than apt and necessary to quote a famous writer and humanitarian advocating “let humanism be another name for religion”. A phrase enshrining the ultimate message of Divinity, Peace and Harmony, yet aroused insecure sentiments of betrayal and indefinite hatred. A reflection on this can’t help but morally persuade us beyond any arguable resistance and explanations to search within the deep cruxes of our soul, as to why this hatred, why this insecurity and intolerance and why are our senses of community betrayal, religious deprivation and fears of sustenance of our ethnic and spiritual ways so easily triggered?
In the era of urbanisation and radical development, shunning of superstitions and never ending race of pacing up to achieve the very pinnacle sociocultural haven, its indeed alarming to witness the recent religious, communal, regional and many a varied separatist trends in our country, its perplexing to even acknowledge that the present day people have been made to rekindle radical sentiments of fundamentalism, community protection and justice, historic revenges while national feelings and patriotism are being devoured by the monsters of separatism. These attacks are essentially sanctioned and triggered by a disastrous political culture that thrives on, ignites and tolerates hate speech and promotes ethnocentric ideals for individual vested interests. Unfortunately, a section of our society, under this venomous culture, seems to have forgotten the fact they are Indians above all, a large diverse multicultural and yet united family under the umbrella of India first and far beyond the narrow divisive walls of religion, community, language, region etc. As a disenfranchised triggered need to establishing the roots, the superiority of cultures and communities over others, the aroused thriving fears of impending racial wipe out, sentiments of avenge and abuse have overpowered sections and the society witnesses tremendous attempts to prove and test the originality, belongingness and sincerity of every next individual at a myriad level, the famous poem on “Multicultural Harmony” makes more sense today that it has ever before.
Dear my fellow beings
you boast of your culture
you boast of your language
Is there any culture
which is not hybrid?
Is there any language
which is not mixed?
How many millions have been killed
in the name of culture?
Look into the pages of history
Most of the wars have been waged
for the supremacy of culture
Conquest of cultures over cultures
amalgamated to multicultural world
How much Indian is an Indian?
None can give any answer
(Dominic, Multicultural Symphony 22)
As quoted by the author “To me this universe is a big concert or symphony, a harmony of diverse notes. All creations play their role in concordance, but man tries to play discordant notes–stands against the rhythmic flow of the system.”
What an utter shock and desperation should it bring to our consciousness when we witness and learn the emergence of radical and divisive sentiments, hate speeches and the fear of threat or the necessity to ensure the securities of the sub groups or communities and the massacre of humanity, because every human is a human first and every Indian is an Indian first! Words and thoughts become sparse to a conscious human, effortless expressions of shock, empathy and hope become difficult, yet those of us who claim to be believers of the Sacred do express our dissent and solidarity but satiate and stop just at words. “Words” of sympathy and solidarity expressed as a mark of rejected submission to divisive sentiments plaguing our society; but mere words do not seem enough. What then would seem “enough?” Only “action” and “not ordinary action” but that derived from “deeper sources of power and wisdom”, from the diverse ways, forms and teachings of spirituality which is used to create the very soaring divisive sentiments by a few, that very same teachings of spirituality that people of faith and conscience laid claim to, actions which promises the united voices of conscious souls of varied faiths together to challenge the hate and violence confronting and threating us once again.
The theme phrase of the Toronto, World Parliament of Religions “The Promise of Inclusion, the Power of Love” seems to promise healing. But do each of us within ourselves really believe that its possible? Could a shared love, along with strategic efforts of unification and harmony, effectively abolish hate and violence? Do our varied understanding of spirituality and cultural teachings drawn from our scared connections with the Only One but differently achieved Supreme Power ensure this vital power of inclusivity? And is there any other potential source or strategy strong enough to put an end to the senseless violence and the humanity defeating hate that increasingly seems to spread its empire? At present, we are essentially short of alternatives, for its only Divinity which can preach love and humanity. As quoted in the final lines of an advertisement for a faith-based medical system speaks: “We love people back to life”, hate and violence are the enemies of life and that the alternative to the venom of hate and violence might actually be love, all-inclusive love and acceptance. This echoes a loud and clear message that it is indeed time to delve deeper into our conscience and spiritual wealth, sit back, reflect, unite and power interfaith movements to transform fear, anger, and hatred into positive human relationships and a harmonious united pluralistic society our forefathers have dreamt and been martyred for. Hence the need of hour is a key mission of interfaith movement to develop strategies and disciplines of inclusive love, acceptance and appreciation. That’s a tremendous task to be attempted and accomplished together, uniting from our diverse background and beliefs.
Is that powerful enough to wash out the drastically surging venom of hatred? We honestly do not have any definitive answers, but all I know is that it is the one and only way. And that it worth giving it a try, recurrent tries amidst challenges of failure to hate, recurrent tries till the phrase “let humanism be another name for religion”, which is indeed the true message of Divinity, no longer loses to the dreary dead sands of hatred spewed and multiplied by vested interests, recurrent tries till hatred loses and inclusive harmony, love and peace unfurls is unchallenged triumphant victory which will indeed be the true test of patriotism to our multicultural diverse Heavenly Motherland, India.
Note: The piece is a neutral write up aimed to promote social harmony and community coexistence beyond blame games and political agendas. This article is hugely inspired by the values and the ideals of the World Parliament of Religions, associations and individuals who have been stalwarts of interfaith harmony.
The Indian Biochemist 