Just Like That: India’s long journey of faith, conflict and coexistence

AT the Apeejay calcutta Literary fete endure hebdomad, I delivered the yearbook Jit Paul Memorial Lecture on the subject, ‘Are we a tolerant society: Heritage, History and Reconciliation’.I have not the slightest doubt that there are few civilizations which, at a foundational level, have a more tolerant and eclectic worldview than ours. In the Nasadiya Sukta of the Rig Veda, the first extant written text of our civilizational journey, dating back to the 4th century CE, the revolt against dogmatic certitude is emphatic: “Whence this creation has arisen—perhaps it formed itself, or perhaps it did not—the one who looks down on it, in the highest heaven, only he knows—or perhaps he does not.”There are in these lines no certitudes, no injunctions for obeisance, no fiat or diktat. There is only a query, the indication of a search, an invitation to ideation. No wonder, then, that in Hinduism there is not one school, but six schools of philosophy: Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa and Uttar Mimamsa. None of them are prescriptive, and all of them signify different ways to understand the ultimate truth behind the bewildering plurality of the cosmos.In addition, our early sages welcomed differences of opinion, including beliefs that in any other religion would be considered heresy. For instance, the materialist Charvaka philosophy holds that the Vedas are untruths. Yet the Charvakas too are a part of Hinduism. So are the esoteric practices of Tantric thought. Such an approach also explains why Buddhism and Jainism, which question many fundamentals of Hindu faith, could emerge and yet receive royal patronage from Hindu kings.This intellectual tolerance is clear also from the import of at least three of the mahavakyas—or great sentences—of the Upanishads. Ekam sat viprah bahudha vadanti—the truth is one, wise people call it by different names—clearly admits the validity of different interpretations.As one enters Parliament, one also sees emblazoned on the wall the second mahavakya: Udār charitānām, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—for the big-hearted, the entire world is a family. And then we have the remarkable acceptance of openness in the line: Anno bhadraha krtavo antu vishvatah—let good thoughts flow to me from all directions. It is also a sign of tolerance that two of the three foundational texts of Hinduism—the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita—are dialogic in nature, and the third, the Brahma Sutra, invariably allows in its commentaries the dissenting viewpoint.As against this, in due course, there are examples of great intolerance too. Caste discrimination and oppression, and the subordination of women, both of which began around the 1st century CE, are two deeply unfortunate examples.The Turkic invasion in the 12th century CE brought in visceral religious intolerance, along with a great degree of pillage and plunder. This is a fact of history, and there is no point glossing over it. However, over time, the adherents of Islam became a part of the Indian cultural fabric, with the Sufis—which included immortal poets like Mir and Ghalib—imbibing the mystically eclectic ethos of India.Post the Islamic invasion, the Bhakti Movement, which shunned rituals and often caste hierarchies and gender discrimination, revived the tolerant spirit once again. Guru Nanak founded the great Sikh religion, and Kabir sang of demolishing barriers of difference.Before Independence, the horrific religious violence that accompanied Partition displayed a complete breakdown of the tolerant spirit. Perhaps the circumstances were such—humanity’s single biggest displacement of people—but the wanton sectarian killings will forever haunt us.The significant thing, though, is that in spite of the loss and bitterness of Partition, the Constitution that India adopted post-Independence is a sterling guarantor of tolerance, sanctioning freedom of speech and expression, individual liberty, and the right of all religions to practise, profess and propagate their faiths.In the decades that have followed, there have been occasional religious riots, but we have also seen two exceptionally shameful exhibitions of intolerance: the genocide against Sikhs in 1983, and the Gujarat massacres in 2002. Both these events greatly tarnished the ideological tolerance inherent in our civilizational thought.What, then, is the answer to the question: are we a tolerant society?In my view, I would still—given the canvas of our history of over 7,000 years—answer the question in the affirmative. However, today there is a new challenge in the growing politicisation of religion, whether through minority or majoritarian vote-bank politics. Hate speeches are becoming routine, and violence of one religion against another is being stoked for short-term political gains.The mainstream in India is still tolerant. What we have to guard against are the extremists on both sides of the religious spectrum.It is the duty of all citizens to be vigilant to preserve, protect and strengthen our legacy of tolerance, in our own interest and in fealty to our philosophical heritage.We must heed the lines of the poet Zafar Gorakhpuri: Aag na teri hai na meri, aag ko mat de hawa. Raakh mera ghar hua, to tera ghar dekhega kaun? (Fire is neither yours nor mine, don’t fuel it. If my house is burnt, who will take care of yours?)(Pavan K Varma is an author, diplomat, and former member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). The views expressed are personal)