RE:Secularism
by Sharath Madavaram on Apr 11, 2007 10:08 PM Permalink
Hi Omar, good question if that was what you meant!. as you realise brahmins are not the only hindus. However what RSS and BJP is trying to do is bring in what is called 'vasudaiva kutumbam' - one worldly family. A family living together with all differences. Brahimnhood is no more brahmin (fight against caste). You could speak differnt lanuages (Hindu, telugu, tamil, urdu...etc, have different faiths (brahmanos, vaishnavaites, shivaites, buddhists, jains, lately followers of shiridi sai and ofcourse the parsis too. Some of the houses in south pray to jesus with all gods they have. )
However I see the problem as most muslims and christians to an extent (we celebrate their new year) want their identity to be different. Simple excuse they give is the religion doesnot allow existence of other gods (Now do gods fight? they are meant to be rational people). For a better coexistence, people should celebrate joys and festivities and share the sorrows. Now I dont mean all muslims are same, I have seen pictures of Shabana Azmi, Javed akthar celebrating holi, Sharukh celebrating diwali and my few friends in Holi. If you ask what Hindus do, lot of us goto durgas, visit chisti, Meher baba is a popular cult in few districts of Andra and so on.
But this want for Identity as a Hindu, muslim or christian rather than HINDUSTANI is a problem, being optimistic it will be resolved.
To define Hindu'ism; is not a think that can we do and understand easily. Its more a synonym to a land and its culture than religion. I would like seeing things this way.
