07/03/2023
Despite being a nation with diverse cultures, religions, races, and languages, India has long cherished the idea of unity in diversity. The twin principles of unity and harmony underpin this unity in diversity. The bigger, powerful undercurrent of unity is an essential part of the nation’s culture, despite occasional attempts to disrupt it by various outside forces. One of the best examples supporting the tolerant accommodative culture of India is the preparations for simultaneous celebrations of two major upcoming festivals, Holi and Shab-e-Barat, by followers of two major religions, Hinduism and Islam while maintaining national harmony and peace.
Communal harmony, composite culture, syncretism, non-violence, brotherhood, morality, and common social values serve as the cornerstones of India’s harmonious socio-cultural edifice, which is held together by mutual trust, accommodation, adaptation, toleration, fraternity, mutual respect, and forward-thinking thought. Indians consider religious tolerance to be a crucial component of their identity as a country. The majority of people feel that in order to be “truly Indian,” one must appreciate all major religions. Additionally, Indians share the belief that respecting other religions is a crucial component of what it means to belong to their own religious community. Tolerance is both a religious and civic value. Although there are a few examples that show the opposite, most people still respect one another’s religion. Many instances and actions by individuals demonstrate time and time again that we still have the same goals as individuals belonging to a country which has hundreds of religious practices coexisting. There is a place in the holy city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh where Muslims can be seen performing Namaz at the Laat Mosque while Ramlila was being organized in the nearby Laat Bhairav Temple. This peaceful tradition has been going on for more than three centuries and will cross the landmark 350, this year. The masjid and the mandir are situated adjacent to one another. In several North Karnataka villages where there are hardly any Muslim families, it has been customary for Hindus to perform ceremonies in honor of Muharram: the actual definition of brotherhood and peaceful coexistence.
Disunity-promoting groups cannot eradicate India’s centuries-old diversity, no matter how hard they try. When it comes to interreligious harmony and responsibility, the country has shown its mettle by preventing a few predatory groups from destroying India’s communal harmony. As part rather than masters and weavers of the web of nature, Indians have always awakened to its traditions to unite all communities on one platform. Religious peace and tolerance can be instilled in the current generations by elevating the historic pluralistic principles rooted in Indian culture through acts of tolerance and the abolition of traditions that divided people based on religion. The human virtues of tolerance, harmony, and universal brotherhood that we inherited through our incredibly ubiquitous Indian culture can be strengthened by drawing inspiration from its historical foundations. By ignoring pointless arguments from the present and learning from the people of history, let’s rid our community of evil and set an example for the next generation.
