"Hinduism", the name given to the practitioners of Indo-Aryans' Vedic Religion also called as "Sanatan Dharm," is today stagnating in a fast moving geo-cultural world where Islam's expansionist moves compete with Christianity to gain respect, acceptability, and control on the world economy. Hinduism with about one billion followers and which has been on the decline ever since the days of Mohammed bin Qasim faces the imminent threat of being ousted as a driving force behind the 5000-year-old battered Indian civilization. And the reasons for this undesirably sad state of affairs are understandable.
Hinduism is apparently weak in its inherent ability to make its followers united as it differs with the other two in the following way:
It is not based on a particular founder;
It is not based on a particular book;
It is not controlled by a central institution or authority such as a church or a sangha or association;
It is not averse to examine and assimilate fundamentally diverse thoughts and beliefs into its system;
It accepts other religions as various paths to salvation and does not favor organized attempts to proselytize people;
It has not been evolving continuously, through internal reforms or as a reaction to the threats and challenges;
This will definitely appear to be a paradox when analyzed in depth. Hinduism, as practised by anybody, revolves around accepting the same principles of Hinduism namely:
The existence of one universal power "Om"
Life after death or the existence of soul
One's "Karma" leading to happiness or sadness
Yet different practitioners have over centuries adapted to different symbolism and traditions for the purpose of dividing the mainstream Hindu society for pure selfish gains. The existence and often warring of Vaisnava and Siva sects is an example only too well known. Adoption of idol-worship where countless millions lead a life of misery and humiliation definitely encourages others to mock fun at us. That is not all.
Whatever best attempts in the past had been made by Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavir and later the respected and esteemed Sikh Gurus, they were not able to change the complete ills they had aimed to remove having come into the Aryan civilization on their own or later infused by a fraction of Muslim barbarians.
Whatever best attempts in the past had been made by Lord Buddha, Lord Mahavir and later the respected and esteemed Sikh Gurus, they were not able to change the complete ills they had aimed to remove having come into the Aryan civilization on their own or later infused by a fraction of Muslim barbarians.
Let me point out to what Swami Vivekanand has said, whom the Congress has easily forgotten in their zeal to project Gandhi and Nehru as saviors of modern India; "Sectarianism, bigotry, and its horrible descendant, fanaticism, have long possessed this beautiful earth. They have filled the earth with violence, drenched it often and often with human blood, destroyed civilization, and sent whole nations to despair.
Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now": Swami Vivekananda (1893). "If we Hindus dig out all the dirt from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and throw it in your faces, it will be but a speck compared to what the missionaries have done to our religion and culture," said Swami Vivekanand, while addressing the Parliament of Religions, Chicago in 1893.
Had it not been for these horrible demons, human society would be far more advanced than it is now": Swami Vivekananda (1893). "If we Hindus dig out all the dirt from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean and throw it in your faces, it will be but a speck compared to what the missionaries have done to our religion and culture," said Swami Vivekanand, while addressing the Parliament of Religions, Chicago in 1893.
To make things appear crystal clear in the context of what has been reasoned out Hinduism needs to look as closely as it can to its shameful past of the last thousand years and set out a charter which promises its followers happiness and lost self-esteem. With the invasion of India by Mahmud Ghazni about 1000 A.D., began the Muslim invasions into the Indian subcontinent and they lasted for several centuries.
The Muslim invasions continued even when the Muslims were ruling India, like the invasion of the Mongols during the reign of the Khiljis or the invasion of the Mughals in the early sixteenth Century when the Lodis were ruling Delhi. The last notable invasion of the Muslims from outside was the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739, during which he unleashed a great horror on the native population.
During these seven hundred years of Muslim invasions and their conquest and rule of India, the Hindus were alleged to be the greatest sufferers. It is difficult to estimate the number of Hindus who lost their lives during these campaigns, the number of Hindus who lost their lives in the religious persecution perpetrated on the native population by the Muslim rulers or the number of Hindus who were forcibly converted to Islam. According to Prof. K.S. Lal, the author of the "Growth of Muslim Population In Medieval India," the Hindu population decreased by 80 million between 1000 AD, the year Mahmud Ghazni invaded India and 1525 AD, a year before the battle of Panipat.
One can safely add another 20 million Hindus to this list to account for the number that was killed during the Mughal rule or the rule of the Muslim rulers in the Deccan plateau. By all known accounts of world history, as pointed out by Koenard Elst in his book the "Negationism In India," destruction of about 100 million Hindus is perhaps the biggest holocaust in the whole world history.
The world never forgot or forgave the atrocities of the Nazi rule under Hitler. We hardly come across any positive reference to either Hitler or his army in the present day textbooks on European history.
No one talks there of the qualities of Hitler as a great commander or an inspiring leader of German people whom he could mould and influence with his hypnotic speeches. No films are made showing Hitler as a romantic hero singing songs and his mistress as a heroine shedding copious tears over her lover!
The European consciousness is filled with the evil deeds perpetrated by his regime, thanks to the untiring work of their politicians, journalists, historians and film producers, so much so that the very thought of seeing any virtue in either Hitler or Nazis is abhorrent to the consciousness of the present-day Europeans. Europe and America produced at least a few thousand films highlighting the human misery caused by Hitler and his army. The films expose the horrors of Nazi regime and reinforce the beliefs and attitude of the present day generation towards the evils of the Nazi dictatorship.
The European consciousness is filled with the evil deeds perpetrated by his regime, thanks to the untiring work of their politicians, journalists, historians and film producers, so much so that the very thought of seeing any virtue in either Hitler or Nazis is abhorrent to the consciousness of the present-day Europeans. Europe and America produced at least a few thousand films highlighting the human misery caused by Hitler and his army. The films expose the horrors of Nazi regime and reinforce the beliefs and attitude of the present day generation towards the evils of the Nazi dictatorship.
In contrast look at India. There is hardly any awareness among the Indians of today of what happened to their ancestors in the past because a great majority of historians are reluctant to touch this sensitive subject. It is not difficult for the Indian historians to gather information on the kind of atrocities perpetrated against the people of medieval India, to work out the estimated number people killed in the reign of each ruler, to create vivid pictures of what happened during such battles as the battle of Tallikota when Hampi, the capital of Vijayanagara empire was systematically destroyed for weeks. As per historians, Nadir Shah made a mountain of the skulls of the Hindus he killed in Delhi alone. It adds that Babur raised towers of Hindu skulls at Khanua when he defeated Rana Sanga in 1527 and later he repeated the same dismay after capturing the fort of Chanderi.
The historians further alleged that Akbar had ordered a general massacre of 30,000 Rajputs after he captured Chittor in 1568. The Bahamani Sultans had an annual agenda of killing a minimum of 1,00,000 Hindus every year. The history of medieval India is full of such unpleasant instances. One may say, "Why to dwell upon unpleasant facts?"
True, but can we develop the character of a nation without facing the realities of life, however unpleasant they may be? Can we develop the maturity of thought that comes with the sense of suffering and the sense of responsibility? The purpose of knowing these facts is not to heap vengeance, but to strengthen our national character, to avoid the weaknesses that were responsible for the plight of our ancestors.
True, but can we develop the character of a nation without facing the realities of life, however unpleasant they may be? Can we develop the maturity of thought that comes with the sense of suffering and the sense of responsibility? The purpose of knowing these facts is not to heap vengeance, but to strengthen our national character, to avoid the weaknesses that were responsible for the plight of our ancestors.
The Muslims living in present-day India is also part of this character building because they must know that their ancestors also suffered, that as far as the past is concerned all habitats of India were in the same boat and that there were no victors and no losers in that great human tragedy. Knowing this, perhaps they would develop proper wisdom and understanding and right attitude towards other communities. Finally, in what context do we talk about Hitler and Nazis in India?
The answer is even more disturbing. Anyone who speaks for Hindus is a Hitler or is in the process of becoming one and any group which speaks for Hindus are Nazis or are in the process of becoming Nazis! BJP in its bid to build a mass base keeps harping on Hindutva but does little towards building a social character amongst its own followers. Why does it pay a deaf ear to the social engineering cause espoused by its leaders from backward classes including Uma Bharti?
The answer is even more disturbing. Anyone who speaks for Hindus is a Hitler or is in the process of becoming one and any group which speaks for Hindus are Nazis or are in the process of becoming Nazis! BJP in its bid to build a mass base keeps harping on Hindutva but does little towards building a social character amongst its own followers. Why does it pay a deaf ear to the social engineering cause espoused by its leaders from backward classes including Uma Bharti?
Then what is the way out for the middle-class Hindu who has a strong sense of national, cultural and religious ethos: to become united and lead themselves to a new zeal of life. The life that is backed by "Universal Gyan (Knowledge) of the Vedas." This ordinary Hindu should not wait for any large set-up to come to its rescue. Hinduism needs to be reformed downside-up by "Reengineering Hinduism."
This means tackling the myriad of "Dos and Don'ts." Hindus need to become a monolith, codify & decasteise themselves thereby removing their religion's inherent weaknesses, and hence become united and strong. Or be ready to accept an unrecognized and meaningless existence to nowhere in the history as shown! It is only then India will realize its true power, in my opinion.
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