- The Oxford Advanced Learners’ dictionary defines Secularism as ‘the belief that religion should not be involved in the organization of society, education, etc.
- The Oxford Advanced Learners’ dictionary defines Religion as ‘the belief in the existence of a god or gods, and the activities that are connected with the worship of them.’
- The Oxford Advanced Learners’ dictionary defines Spirituality as ‘the quality of being concerned with religion or the human spirit.’
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When India got its Independence from the British Rule our
founding fathers decided to go secular and secularism
became one of the cornerstones of our country’s characteristics. Secularism and the ‘Liberty of thought,
expression, belief, faith and worship’ were not the newly added affirmations
in the Indian Constitution’s Preamble,
but they were purely reemphasizing India’s
secular credentials.
Imagine: India of 1947-48, just free from the 6
centuries of colonial rules of Muslims, Mughals and Britishers in succession, with
over 80 percentage of its population practicing Hinduism, had recently suffered
a bloody religion-inspired partition into Pakistan (and Bangladesh), was still reeling
under the shocks of brutal assassination of the father of the nation Mahatma
Gandhi, and simultaneously had all world religions thriving with freedom and
dignity.
In the post Independence India the prevailing political and social scenario
must have posed two choices in front
of the founding members: whether to
retain India’s ancient identity as a Hindu nation or to declare it as a secular
country. The newly born India proudly chose to be the latter – a Secular
Democratic Republic.
Now, take a look at India of
2014: a securely sovereign nation with its national characteristics intact
in terms of secularism and democracy. The demographics have largely remained
the same in religious practices with over 80% of its population following
Hinduism, and all world religions flourishing with freedom and dignity – giving
India its distinction of being the only country in the world to have this
respectful environment - strengthened by laws - towards all religions. India is
home to the second largest Muslim population in the world, larger than even
Pakistan. Well, a few blemishes are there but not serious enough to sully its
image.
Success of secularism has been
possible because of the inherent qualities of tolerance and respect in Hindu
Philosophy towards all religions. Hinduism’s
- the oldest and the most evolved religion of the world with an extremely rich
and unmatched treasure of sacred scriptures - fundamentals are centred on that one God around which is centred the
entire existence and life in the universe; all religions are the various paths propagated
by respective messengers - Sons of God - to reach the same one God. Hinduism in its primary form is a philosophy
and not a religion; an individual’s personal experience of the Spirit and in
essence is Spirituality - the communion of the soul with the Supreme Soul, the
Spirit, the God. And, that every soul has emanated from that same Soul and thus
each soul is same as all other souls. The
purpose of human lives of a soul is to work out its Karma and attain its
natural state of existence i.e., bliss, before merging with its Source. Religion
in actuality is a moral ‘way-of-life’ so as to guide a soul on its path to
Moksha – Nirvana – liberation from the cycles of births & deaths.
Though modern Hinduism has
acquired a strong religious hue over centuries of practice, it has retained its
spiritual core, nevertheless. As the Hinduism have its Chief Gods – The Trinity
of Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh/Shiv
for creating, sustaining and destroying/completing the life cycle respectively,
and the combined powers of the Trinity in form of Shakti (Power) as Goddess
Durga, and their incarnations, a large
pantheon of Gods - 330 million! - with varied faces and names could be a
reality in the Indian society due to freedom
of choice granted under the Hindu Philosophy of worshiping the God either as a
formless Being or as a Being with a form. Since its beginning the heart of the
Hinduism has kept throbbing around its foundational elements of Vedic
Philosophy and has never let the religion become the centre stage of governance
per se. Therefore, the success of India as a secular democratic republic
could become a possibility.
So we applaud ourselves for keeping the flag of secularism high and
flying! But let us also look at the other
side of this success.
Indians, like people in rest
of the world, are deeply religious. But because the country has vowed to
observe secularism, India has forsaken all valuable teachings and learnings
which our rich cultural heritage had to offer. Because the definition of secularism is ‘the belief
that religion should not be involved in the organization of society, education,
etc.’, we have literally followed it to the t, without reflecting about the implications it could have on our
society’s evolution on the humanity index. Almost all countries in the
world officially recognize the God’s existence and pray to It for blessings - God Bless America!, the most commonly heard political statement
– but we in India refrain from even uttering the word God in public, lest we get branded as a non-secular! And in businesses, just speaking of and about God gets
a person termed as an unprofessional!
And, India is a country with 330 million Gods! What an irony!
It is ironical because in our
daily life we depend so much on ‘our’ Gods! Everything, every occasion,
practically every element of existence is dedicated to the Gods, but anything
related to public has to be God-free in India!
The God-free philosophy
would have continued to be welcome in a secular nation like ours had it worked
well, but a look at the Indian society does not project a pleasant picture. India of today is in a downward spiral
with fast erosion of moral and ethical values, mad spread of materialism,
proliferation of religious bigotry and intolerance towards other religions
coupled with fanaticism and fundamentalism, besides other prevalent serious social,
economical and political problems. Quality
of life of an average Indian, belonging to all the so-called classes and
creed and castes, is severely clouded
due to these deepening disturbances in internal culture of the country.
All things can be corrected but
only through proper - real - education.
In modern India, definition of
education is to acquire bookish knowledge so as to qualify to get an
appropriate job. Overall literacy rate is improving and currently it stands
at around 75%. There are good schools and institutions for higher education,
both in non-technical and technical streams. Some of the indigenously educated
professionals are doing well in various fields all across the globe. Back home,
millions of people with access to good education have become the ever-thriving
workforce in the country, earning and adding to the growing economy of the
nation. However, in spite of all these happenings India doesn’t qualify to be a Happy Nation! All global surveys pointers indicate towards the fact that the value of
a human life as well as quality of life in India are among the bottom of the
comparator table.
To reiterate, the problems
persist and pervade every sphere of the society because of lack of real education.
India, the land of rich cultural, religious and spiritual heritage, is today
left wanting in all aspects of learning and life.
First and foremost thing to be undertaken
is to correct our education system. Besides
making education accessible to all Indian citizens, structure and pattern of teaching
has to be completely overhauled. We should not be producing only workers – both blue & white collar – but nurturing good human beings, people who are happily living their lives.
However, in order to live life
one has to first understand the meaning of life! And where else to look for
the guidelines but in our precious historical legacy! India’s Spirituality is not only for the practice of saints but equally
relevant for commoners as well, irrespective of the religion they may follow.
Teachings of Spirituality have to be a
part of regular school curriculum in all schools, irrespective of the funding
partners’/management members’/students’ practiced faith. Because, Indian Spirituality is not a religion but
a way of life – the Art of Living!
Spirituality subjects and chapters have to be designed in such a
fashion so as to keep all religious references out of it, to whichever religion
those ‘good things’ may belong to. The concept, of course, is inspired from the
‘Moral Science’ subject being taught
compulsorily in Christian missionary schools since decades. We simply need to
make it comprehensive and
‘religion-free’. Clubbed with it Yoga
and Meditation should be made mandatory in schools in order to develop students
with a healthy mind and a healthy body.
I know very well that if any such ‘Spiritual’
attempt is initiated in a secular India, all the self-appointed custodians of various faiths will spring into action
in vehemently opposing this noble and much needed move, citing numerous
self-created so-called religious reasons to prove their protests. Of course, no
hasty measures should be undertaken. As is the so-called norm in our democratic
country, extensive public debates should be carried on involving
influential personalities from all
possible walks of life so as to arrive at the consensus, converging core: Spirituality
will further boost Secularism in India.
This revolutionary change can be
possible with a wise and a courageous political leader at the helm. That is,
prime minister of India has to take such
initiatives along with his able teams and colleagues and administration in
order to correct the Indian education system and make it comprehensive and
meaningful – so as to complement the quality of life of all Indians per se.
With real education we will witness dramatic
positive changes in our society with vanishing double standards and
misconceptions and chaos and confusions and inequality and crimes and
corruption and insecurities and fears and frustrations and daily-living stress;
in effect, ensuring a life worth living for all! The desired changes may take shape fully in a couple of generations to
come; never mind, happen they will! We simply need to make the start ...
India, the land of earliest
human civilization and the erstwhile wealthiest nation in terms of knowledge
& wisdom and material prosperity, cannot
be left to wilt; it is high time adequate steps through proper – real –
education were undertaken so as to facilitate that India blossoms again!
Then only the Preamble of the
Indian Constitution will become a reality:
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India
into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to
secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and
to promote among them all
FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the
individual and the unity and integrity
of the Nation; ...
God Bless India and the world :)
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