Relevance
of Religions in Contemporary India
1.
Introduction
“Rivers,
ponds, lakes and streams - they all have different names, but they all contain
water. Just as religions do - they all contain truths” says Muhammad Ali. India is the cradle of many religions and
spirituality: it gave birth and pampered many religions in its lap. According
to swami Vivekananda all the religions are different paths to the ultimate
reality: the creator of everything. And promotes the same principle that is
“love”: the foundation of human life on the earth. Religions that exist in
India are Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Zoroastrianism,
Sikhism etc…
2.
A Glimpse
through the Religions of India
The
most leading religion in India today is Hinduism. Almost 80% of Indians are
Hindus. Hinduism is a colorful religion with a gigantic gallery of Gods and
Goddesses. It could be also considered as one of the ancient religions in the
world. It is a natural religion and said to have developed about 5000 years ago.
“The concept of Hindu trinity comprises of three gods they are Vishnu, the
preserver Siva, the destroyer and Brahma, the creator it is in them that the
god becomes capable of action, and he partakes of the three “qualities” of
goodness, passion, and darkness, subtle principles that pervade everything, and
in which the ancient Samkhya philosophy sums up the energies of the nature.”[1]
Buddhism
is another religion that exists in the contemporary India. As we speak of
Buddhism it has got its emergence from the land of India and which became a
missionary and carried to distant lands in various directions by its
missionaries. It is also can be titled as the social and religious reform
movement within the Hinduism. “It is also considered as the first religion in
the history of the man kind to spread far beyond the boundaries of the country
where it is originated.”[2] It
has Gautama Buddha as its founder even though he never announced it as a
religion.
Jainism
was born in India about the same period as Buddhism. It was established by
Mahavira in about 500 B. C. Mahavira like Buddha belonged to the warrior caste.
Mahavira was called ‘Jina’ meaning the big winner and from this name was
derived the name of the religion.
“Jainism
is similar to Buddhism. Jainism like Buddhism, developed as a dissention to the
Brahmanic philosophy that was dominant during that period in north- east India.”[3]
Mahavira just like Buddha isn’t the first prophet of his religion. In Jainism
like Buddhism there is a belief in reincarnation which eventually leads to
liberation. Both these religions don’t center in religious philosophy around
Almighty worship. But Jainism is different than Buddhism in its ascetic
beliefs. Both these religions emphasis on non-violence, but in Jainism
non-violence is its main core.
Of
all the religions professed by the human kind, Christianity is the most wide
spread: it has the largest number of the followers. Christianity arrived in
India almost about the same period as it arrived in Europe, meaning about 2000
years ago. Christianity originates in Israel. St. Thomas, a disciple of Jesus
arrived in Kerala, in south India in 52 AD and many of the localities were
converted to Christianity by its richness and meaning. His converts were called
Syrian Christians. Foreign missionaries also made a great impact in bringing
Christianity to India. The British who invaded India for long years contributed
largely in its expansion in India.
Sikhism
was established by Guru Nanak. Nanak was born into a Hindu family in 1469 in
the Punjab region. Since childhood he loved to travel, learn and preach
humanity. So “Guru Nanak developed a new religion and it also included beliefs
from the two dominant religions in the Punjab region, Hinduism and Islam”[4].
A
Sikh place of worship is called Gurdwara. Sikhism does not support pilgrimage
to holy sites because according to Sikhism, God is everywhere and not in any
certain place. But Sikhism has a few important sites, of which, the Hari
Mandir, also known as the 'Golden Temple' in Amritsar in Punjab is the most
important site and is considered the holiest shrine of Sikhism.
“Islam
came to India with the invasions of Amhumud Gaznavi and Mohammad Ghori a Muslim
empire was established in the country which came to an end with the rise of the
British power.”[5]
The process of converting Indians to Islam began in the 8th century, when the
Arabs began invading north India and present day Pakistan. After the Arabs
other Muslims invaded India. Islamic religion in present scenario of India can
be considered as the most growing religion of the country.
Zoroastrianism
is a small religious community, which exists mostly in Mumbai, is
Zoroastrianism. The follower is called Parsi because the religion arrived in
India from Persia. This religion was established by Zarathustra in 6th or 7th
century BC. The followers of this religion exiled from Iran in the 7th century
AD. Because of religious persecutions by the Muslims. They arrived in Gujarat
region of India.
There
are several other religion who has placed a mark on the land of India such as
Judaism, Parsis etc… in one or another way they have contributed to the culture
of the country in vast.
3.
Relevance of Religions
in the Present Scenario of India
In
the present condition of India all the religions has a spiritual entity in the
mind of the people of India. All the religion is mostly based on some spiritual
entity. This spiritual entity gives a sense of spirituality to human being who
has got faith in it. It also nourishes the people with the virtue of faith.
Jaspers says “faith is the way to withdraw from the world and to resume contact
with the being that is beyond to the world”[6]
here the blend of human being happens with the absolute being in the rope of
faith.
“Religions in their essence make a dogma of
value in the mind of its believers.”[7]
Sin and atonement are the two concepts that we see in most of the religion. By
the expression of these concepts the religions urges us to lead a good life.
This principle is purely based on the natural law “do good and avoid evil” if
all the people of India were spiritual and true religious we could long for an
India that is out of fault. Religions promote this same idea but in different
ways for example; Christians have 10 commandments in which all the laws are
blended. In the time of Jesus these 10 commandments were further composed into
the simple idea of “love” one who follows this rule will never do any harm to
other human beings. When we take the example of Hinduism
it is obligatory for human being to do good to get rid of the circle of
rebirth. “There was no other cause by which this child came by its death. It
was killed as a result of its own Karma” says Mahabharata. Likewise the
principles like monotheism, life after death etc… are the common points that we
could see in most of the religions.
Another
phenomenon or a threat that has been observed in recent decades in India is the
politicization of Religion; Process bringing of religion to the politics. This
could be considered as the one of the worst thing happens in the present
scenario. Some of the political parties come to the power holding the name of
the religion based on their ideals in fundamentalism. Politicization of
religion will definitely damage the democratic structure of India, and it will
surely create hatred of other religions in the mind of people. Humanitarian values
like Tolerance, mutual understanding and respect for the other's religion
become suffer in such a political process. In this scenario, if the extremist
groups of any religion go hand in hand with political parties, it becomes more
dangerous for the peace and harmony of the Indian society as a whole.
Above
all the religious leaders must strive to propagate and teach their religion
keeping the humanitarian aspects and giving respect to each and every religion.
This will create in the people a sense of unity and mutual understanding. There
by we also could say along with Mahatma Gandhi "I am proud to belong to a
nation which has sheltered the persecuted and the refugees of all religions and
all nations of the earth."
Bibliography
Barth, A. The Religions of India. Varanasi,
Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office: 1879.
Suda, J. P. Religions in India: a study of their
Essential Unity. New Delhi, Sterling Publishers Pvt Ltd: 1978.
Verma,
Rajendra. Comparative Religion: Concepts
and Experience. New Delhi, Intellectual Publishing House: 1984.
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