Essays

India is a multiracial country. People of various faiths and religions live here in harmony. There are the Hindus, the Muslims, the Christians, the Sikhs, the Jains, the Buddhists, the Parsis, the Jews, the Zorastrians and others. The Hindus are in majority. The Muslims constitute the largest single minority community. This great pageantry of people and faiths is unique to India. Indian ethos reflects the continuity and tolerance-tolerance of faiths, religions, languages, dialects, ideas, lifestyles and cuisines. There are at times frictions, communal conflicts and tensions but they are exceptions and not the rule and just aberrations. These are the legacy of the British rule and raj.

The Englishmen followed the policy of 'divide and rule' and many politicians and leaders in India still follow and practice this policy to keep their vote banks intact. India is a' secular country. There is no state religion. All faiths and religions are equal before law. No faith is considered superior or inferior and people are absolutely free to preach, follow and practice any faith till it does not interfere with the freedoms of other people. India has been a secular state and country from the time immemorial and peoples of many faiths and religions sought shelter here in times of persecution in their own lands and countries. The Christian church here is much older than the coming of Islam.

The Farsis came here seeking refuge in the eighteenth century from religious persecution in Iran and brought Zorastrianism. The Jews came quite early about 2,000 years ago and settled down chiefly in Bombay, Puna, Cochin and Delhi. In Hinduism itself there are hundreds of sects following different religious practices, rites, rituals and ways of worship and prayer. This religious diversity represents a complete and wonderful pattern of unity, integrity and wholeness. Variety is the spice of life and it is there in abundance in India. The sub-continental size and long history have been instrumental for all this richness, variety and diversity which converge into one people and one nation. They look like the different colours of a rainbow which in ultimate analysis belong to one pure, white light.

In such a huge country differences of ideas, opinions, tastes, faiths, ways of living etc. are bound to be there and they reflect the country's democratic traditions, liberal attitudes, toleration and spirit of accommodation and adjustment. There is a basic cultural unity which runs through its mainstream. It is this variety, diversity, dynamism, and resilience which have lent Indian culture and civilization a ceaseless continuity and unity. There have been in the world a few other cultures and civilizations as old as that of India but they lacked continuity and did not survive as did the Indian culture. In Indian culture there have been many currents, cross currents but they have been merged, synthesized and digested into one organic whole of Indianness.

The unity of thoughts, outlook, ethos and culture has had always been there in spite of apparent variety and diversity. Diversity and variety are apparent and their unity and integration real and historical. Indian culture is a composite

Culture, a common inheritance of which all are equally and immensely proud in spite of religious, linguistic, regional or geographical variations. One may be a Hindu, Muslim or Sikh or Kashmir!, Bengali, Tamil or Telugu but above all these  denominational variety, all are Indians.

Their Indianness is the first and foremost characteristic. Unity never means regimentation, uniformity or monotonous similarity. Unity is basically a feeling, an emotion, a sense of belonging to one nation, one culture, one common historical pas and heritage. And these are there in plenty throughout the country. India is not only geographically one and united but also emotionally and culturally so. The emotional integration and cultural unity of India is perfect and well established. The deep faith in values of life, moral teachings and practices, one common and rich heritage can always be found among all the citizens of India through its entire expanse.

This similarity in outlook, thoughts and ethos make India a strong and enviable nation. It is this basic framework on which Ind0ian polity has been based. The loyalty, faith, devotion and patriotism of its millions and millions of people are unquestionable. Their unity, oneness and common brotherhood can be seen in hours of crises, in fairs, festivals and such other cultural occasions. Absorption, assimilation, tolerance, continuity, diversity, etc. have been the sterling qualities of Indian culture. Veneration of other faiths, ideas, concepts and ways of life have been essential ingredients of Indian civilization.

They very well account for its strength and unity. Wide and universal outlook are the hallmarks of Indianness. They lend strength, integration and unity in a way that is matchless. These varieties, diversities and multiplicities are the archways though which the royal road of Indianness passes leading one to national unity and emotional integrity.