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Is the space of Hinduism shrinking?
Author: T.R. Anandan
Publication: The Hindu
Date: February 26, 2002
Is the space of Hinduism shrinking in India? If one looks
at the history of India from the ancient and medieval times up to the
present, the answer one would come to would be an emphatic `no'. When
new religions like Buddhism and Jainism took shape and the most powerful
and extensive empire of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka formed the major part
of the northern India around 250 BC, with the nascent Buddhism holding
sway over the people and the emperor himself, after embracing it, lending
official patronage, there was naturally some effect on Hinduism.
In the later periods, when Emperor Harsha Vardhan (606-647 AD) formed
his empire and embraced Buddhism also there was some adverse effect on
the following of Hinduism. Between the two periods (Ashoka and Harsha
Vardhan) there were kings who followed Buddhism. The Mughal emperors with
the exception of Akbar promoted Islam vigorously and even a tax had been
imposed on the Hindus to induce them to convert.
Thus throughout the ancient period to later medieval period there were
rulers who had followed Buddhism and Jainism and Muslim rulers who strove
to promote Islam in India. During the same period, Christianity had also
arrived and there were intensive missionary activities to spread that
religion. It is a fact of history that missionaries of all these religions
had operated in various regions of this country with varying degrees of
official patronage and assistance to effect conversions from Hindus.
This with the existence of the much hyped and hated caste system being
prevalent from early first millennium AD. The chances were that Hinduism
would have been totally obliterated from Indian soil. But what happened?
With the new religions like Buddhism, Jainism, Islam, Christianity and
Sikhism occupying some space, there was no significant shrinking of the
space of Hinduism. It will be of interest to know how and why this great
religion withstood the powerful onslaughts of other contemporary faiths.
In the Vedic and later Vedic periods and the Upanishadic era foundations
for a powerful and socially accepted cultural life had been running roots
deep into the lives of the people with the Vedic and Upanishadic wisdom
acting as a strong bonding factor. Especially the Vedic knowledge had
been able to satiate the deep urge for the understanding of the secrets
of creation and the multifarious natural forces, which provided sustenance
to human life.
The people's eagerness to unravel the mysteries had caused deep spiritual
bent. It was thus that the cultural life was formed. This culture had
the influence of religious principles in its formation and had entered
the social fabric and influenced the life of the people deeply.
Hinduism has its focus on spiritual upliftment of man and all the moral
and social codes were formed with that as goal. Even the much-misunderstood
Varna system, which is purely a division of responsibilities, had and
continues to have a heavy bias towards spiritual evolution.
The deep religious proclivities and the urge for spiritual uplift had
induced the people to search for simpler and effective ways to achieve
the spiritual goal which led to innovations like the Bhakthi movement
which had a powerful impact on the socio-cultural-spiritual life of the
people even at mass level without distinctions of caste or class or other
social differences. It is these deeply run cultural roots which caused
an abiding following for Hinduism even in the face of unrelenting assaults
by other religions and had in fact continued to influence the lives of
people even after their conversion to other faiths.
Dalits
The term Dalit, a comparatively new one, is a Sanskrit word and means
`broken', `torn' or `split'. It is not known how the term came to be applied
to refer to a sect of people. Unlike other religions, in Hinduism there
is no authority, person or religious leader or organisation to declare
any group or a section of the people as higher or lower or untouchable
or socially renegade or unequal. There is no religious sanction for such
ostracisation. It is equally untenable for any person or organisation
to declare the social status of a person one way or the other. On the
other hand, religious leaders have been roundly condemning inequities
based on castes from time to time.
Two points raised often in support of the Dalits are: (1) entry to temples
and (2) conferment of priesthood.
Prevention of entry into temples of anyone based on his or her caste
has been a punishable offence since long. Those who raise this as an issue
are unaware of the fact that all the famous temples from the north to
the south, like the Kasi, the ones at Tirupati, Palani, Rameswaram, Sabarimala
and Guruvayoor and many others are open to devotees without any restrictions
of caste. It will be of interest to know that VIPs of political parties
belonging to other religions had entered some temples and worshipped.
The various castes and communities establish temples of deities worshipped
traditionally by them and entry into these temples is only made a point
of contention. Refusal of entry into temples is mostly a rural practice,
however abominable and at urban centres no such restrictions are practised.
In course of time, with educational, social and economic status rising,
such restrictions are bound to disappear. These are intra-caste quarrels
and not the result of any edict or imposition from any religious leadership
or organisation for which there is no sanction of the scriptures.
The Hindu religion stipulates several samskaras to be administered to
any person from birth onwards (such samskaras are common in other religions
too though they are not termed as samskaras). Among these, Upanayanam
is an important one to confer Brahminhood on the person to qualify him
to perform stipulated ablutions thrice daily and chant mantras. The term
`Brahminhood' should not be taken to mean that it is only for the Brahmins
as a caste as understood now.
Any one including the Dalits can undergo this and get qualified for Brahminhood.
In fact, recently, a group of non-Brahmin boys were administered these
samskaras in Kerala and the same was welcomed wholeheartedly by the people
including Brahmins. However, conferment of this also enjoins certain rigorous
disciplines such as early morning bath, stipulated ablutions thrice daily
followed by focussed prayer, strict vegetarianism and not consuming alcoholic
drinks, growing a tuft, etc.
The Dalits should decide whether they should undergo the samskaras and
enter Brahminhood. Priesthood in temples normally requires the person
to have undergone this samskara though in some community based ones persons
without it also perform the priestly job. The Iskcon (International Society
for Krishna Consciousness), a spiritual organisation of worldwide reputation,
functioning all over the world, have members of various religions who
have undergone Upanayanam, grow tuft, wear saffron clothes and function
as Hindus. Some of the temples established by them are breathtaking in
architecture, style and maintenance.
The present social scenario even among the so-called Brahmins is such
that very few people volunteer for the job of priesthood. Even those not
so well-to-do somehow provide modern education to their wards with difficulty
and get them to choose employment other than priesthood.
Priests, especially the temple priests of ordinary temples, could seldom
earn enough to keep the kitchen fire burning. Children are sent to vedapathasalas
when avenues for school, college and vocational education become beyond
the reach. It is doubtful whether even the Dalits would prefer to enter
the profession of priests given the rigorous daily routines which they
are called upon to observe and the pittance of an income they receive
with no social security cover available for old age and indigent situations
caused by sickness, etc.
After conversion?
The socially backward condition and vulnerability to repression and indignities
attended by acute poverty suffered by the lowest castes in the hierarchy
in Hinduism were reasons for the provision of statutory entitlement to
special reservations and other benefits to enable them to pursue education
and enter government services. Since the caste system is prevalent in
the Hindu religion, such provision is restricted to the backward and lowest
castes of Hinduism.
But the clamour for extending such benefits to the Dalits and other lower
castes converted to other religions would show that the social disadvantages
and discrimination due to caste system continue to exist even after conversion
to other faiths. One often hears terms like Dalit Christians and Buddhists,
etc. Even in social life the converted Dalits do not get social status
equal to the higher caste converts.
They are even referred to as `Dalit Christians', a term if used to refer
to them in the Hindu religion, would be considered unpleasant and even
objectionable. Social integration in any religion takes place through
matrimonial relationships. But do Dalit converts get married to higher
caste converts? A Dalit convert has to choose another Dalit convert for
alliances.
Even Hindu caste and community appellations such `Bhat' `Dar' are retained
by Muslims in Kashmir and those like `Patel' in Gujarat. Reddys, Raos
and other caste names are suffixed freely and one could hardly distinguish
a Christian from a Hindu by the name. And such caste connotations are
main considerations in forging marital relationships.
A look at matrimonial advertisements would show that a converted person
of certain caste wanting a spouse of the same caste converted even in
the new religion. Where then is the advantage in Dalits `entering' other
religions? Continuance of caste-based distinctions in such matters tantamount
to indignity in social life.
Relentless legal, social and religious action has made considerable headway
in removing obnoxious caste-based practices in the Hindu religion and
hopefully before long this malady will be a thing of the past. If such
reformatory steps are not taken in the case of Dalits converted to other
religions, passage of time will only cause expansion of the Dalit and
low caste population in their new religions with the obnoxious treatment
continuing and even getting strengthened as had happened in Hinduism in
the course of past hundreds of years.
Religious leaders of faiths other than Hinduism would have now realised
how difficult it is to root out the malady from their religions. The fact
that racism which is a more serious malady than casteism continues to
exist even today in the most advanced nations where Christianity is practised
stands testimony to the limitations of any religion in stemming the rot
that has set in society. Total eradication of evils such as casteism from
society is practicable and achievable only with education and not by conversion
or proselytisation.
Spirituality not denied
Spirituality in Hinduism now is mostly confined to worship in temples.
Higher levels of spiritual activity such as yoga, pranayama, meditation,
chanting of scriptures, etc., are practised only by a small percentage
of people often guided by preceptors who have reached a much higher level
of evolution. If a Dalit desires to pursue such a path, no preceptor of
standing would object or reject his inclinations.
Avenues for getting trained in spiritual practices mentioned above are
now available in organised courses and anyone including Dalits can get
enrolled in such courses. Hinduism has produced more saints of high spiritual
accomplishment from non-Brahmin communities than any other religion and
no one including the so called Brahmans ever enquires about the caste
of such great saints as Swami Chinmayananda or Swamini Amritanandamayi.
History is replete with stories of lower and lowest caste persons having
attained great heights of spiritual evolution. Who had stopped them from
marching steadfastly on their chosen path?
The tragedy of the caste system and the obnoxious treatment meted out
to the people of low castes and the Dalits now is that there is much hype
and verbal expression of support and media publicity with very little
practical assistance to overcome their handicap.
Attempts are often made to take advantage of their conditions to convert
them to other faiths with no guarantee of efforts to eradicate the continuing
handicap after conversions. In fact, attempts at categorisation of Dalits
and tribals as a bloc distinct from mainstream Hinduism is a step to make
them believe about not belonging to any religion and to convert to other
religions.
Though conversion of lower castes and Dalits from Hinduism to other religions
had been taking place for several hundreds of years, and they form part
of those religions precious little appears to have been done by those
religions to eradicate the evil as could be seen from the prevalence of
the evil in those religions.
Had proper effort been taken during the past hundreds of years many of
the problems of converts of low castes would not have been there now.
The call for Dalits and lower caste people to `enter' other religions
is not a solution in the right direction.
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