We are Hindus
Red Label has brought out a beautiful ad on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. It teaches inclusiveness and being open about multiple religions. It is great. But why is it that harmony is taught only to Hindus? Have you ever seen an Ad on Eid where the customer goes to a Hindu shop and buys something with beautiful music and a message in the end? No!
A while back, Surf excel has brought out an Ad on the Hindu festival of Holi. It shows a Hindu girl informing a Muslim boy that the colours thrown by other children have got exhausted and he can go on to the mosque for his namaas. I like the Ad. It promotes religious harmony. What makes it special is that towards the end, the girl says he will have to take part in holi after the prayer. Now, you will see some outrage on social media against this ad. It is because, the brands are very progressive when it comes to gently nudging Hinduism and it's festivals to being more open, accommodative and sustainability conscious. But when it comes to other religions, the brands dont show the same guts. I know globally, this is not the case. This is a phenomenon limited to India. Let us look at more examples.
In the Indian movie Raavan, Mani Ratnam brilliantly looks at the other side of the argument. He looks at the alternate possibility. He asks ‘What if’. We accepted it. We thought about that view point. We moved on with our lives.
A while back, Surf excel has brought out an Ad on the Hindu festival of Holi. It shows a Hindu girl informing a Muslim boy that the colours thrown by other children have got exhausted and he can go on to the mosque for his namaas. I like the Ad. It promotes religious harmony. What makes it special is that towards the end, the girl says he will have to take part in holi after the prayer. Now, you will see some outrage on social media against this ad. It is because, the brands are very progressive when it comes to gently nudging Hinduism and it's festivals to being more open, accommodative and sustainability conscious. But when it comes to other religions, the brands dont show the same guts. I know globally, this is not the case. This is a phenomenon limited to India. Let us look at more examples.
In the Indian movie Raavan, Mani Ratnam brilliantly looks at the other side of the argument. He looks at the alternate possibility. He asks ‘What if’. We accepted it. We thought about that view point. We moved on with our lives.
In the movie PK, multiple Gods of our religion are made fun of. We looked at the message that was being conveyed. We did not take offense. We focused on the message more than the mode of message. We did not even pay attention to the messenger.
Now, are we completely free of erring? Of course not! Our reaction towards a certain painter who chose to indulge his brush and extend the boundaries of his canvas a bit too much could have been better. Most of us contemplate if there was actually a need to react on such a scale that he had to leave the country. But hey, think about it. If he were working in Charlie Hebdo, that brush wouldn’t have moved hence.
A liberal, celebrated, pluralist journalist can call one of our customs regressive and can walk around not fearing for her life. Of course, there will be heated exchange of words. That is just a passionate debate. It ends there. We don’t take offense to that statement on a personal level. We don’t hold her and her life accountable for that statement. She is entitled to an opinion just as you and I are.
Now there is a huge hue and cry about implementation of CAA and NRC. When a minority is being persecuted in the neighbouring islamic countries, why is there no outcry? Why are our global citizens not shedding a tear for minority Hindus in the neighbouring countries? They are also poor. Theh are also mistreated.
Now there is a huge hue and cry about implementation of CAA and NRC. When a minority is being persecuted in the neighbouring islamic countries, why is there no outcry? Why are our global citizens not shedding a tear for minority Hindus in the neighbouring countries? They are also poor. Theh are also mistreated.
We are Hindus. When I say Hindu, I mean it in the most earnest way possible. I do not mean it in the religious way at all. I am someone who gets more thrilled at the prospect of exploring the literature involved in a religious text than the holiness about it while reading it. My God resides in myself. I don’t give anyone the power to speak on behalf of my religion for it speaks for itself. By saying ‘I’, the reference here is not to myself. The reference is to a large number of people who are humans first and then the follower of their religion.
With all the love I can summon, my humble request to all around is next time, when you think your religious sentiments are hurt, please think before you act. Understand that religion is just one of your identities. It is a part and not the whole of yourself. Also, when something terrible is done by people of your kind, criticize it with all the might you have. Don’t hold punches thinking if your religion or ancestors might get offended. More important is to show the love you have for people around you at present than it is to show that you have immense love and regard for those who lived eons ago. Humanity comes first and then comes religion.
p.s. Before you draw up a portrait of mine clad in saffron, please know that in my mind, Hindu is a part identity. Muslim is a part identity. Christian is a part identity. A part identity which was thrust up on me at birth which at different points in my life, I embraced just in the hope of making the process of living on this earth, a tad bit easier. A part identity; Not the whole of my life; Not the core of my existence!
