Many experts believe that India is currently at an ideological crossroads; and that ideology will be the decider for the coming 2019 elections. On the one hand is a muscular majoritarianism that seeks to assert its religious, linguistic and region identity. On the other hand is a syncretic, inclusive worldview that isn’t just tolerant but welcoming of views and identities other than one's own. Both these Indias exist side by side. It is up to us Indians to choose which one we want.
The Navratri garba events are huge in India and abroad; having not just a religious but a social connotation; with people from various regions and faiths participating enthusiastically. Recently a garba event in Atlanta in the United States created controversy when Indians were denied entry because they didn’t ‘look’ and ‘sound’ Hindu. One would expect that the Indian diaspora abroad would have more cosmopolitan and less constrictive views and practices but this is evidently not the case.
This is hardly the first time we have seen people of some communities denied admission to garba events. In previous years several incidents of muslim youths being barred from garba venues were reported. Even before the start of navratri celebrations, outfits such as the VHP and others had made announcements that Vidharmi (irreligious people) would not be allowed to enter. Volunteers would patrol the venues and prevent people from entering if they deemed fit. There were reports of altercations as well. People wanting entry would also be asked to apply the tika on the forehead, have gaumutra (cow urine) sprinkled on themselves before being permitted in. It isn’t just people from minority communities who are excluded. Dalits are also not permitted into certain temples and navratri venues.
This Muslim family has been organising Ramleela since last 3 generations in Bakshi Ka Talab area in Lucknow. Muslims have traditionally participated in Hindu festivals. Not only would they join their neighbours and friends in the festivities, the professions of Muslim performers and artisans are often closely linked with Hindu deities and festivals. Many such as Hanif Makwana grew up singing garbas and bhajans.
His daughter and her friends have grown up dancing the garba before the goddess. The Langa community may follow the Islamic faith but they have always sung songs in praise of Hindu gods and goddesses. They and the Mir community often sing and perform in temples and festivals.
Muslim artisans have a long and honoured tradition of lovingly handcrafting statues of Ganesh, Durga and many others. In Bengal especially, many Muslim families traditionally engage in this work. These idols of goddesses Durga, Laxmi, Saraswati and Lord Ganesh and Kartik transcend narrow sectarian divisions of religion because they are created by the faithful of one community for the faithful of another.
OK, let me confess that this ad made me a little moist eyed. I love stories of sharing, harmony, inclusion and the chance sparking of a friendship between strangers for no reason other than simple humanity. You could say that this ad is emotionally manipulative or you could just say that this is the essence of Indian-ness. This is the quintessential idea of the India that I grew up with. The rich pluralistic traditions of India are characterised by our music and dance, our observances, the interwoven strands of our diverse lives. These are invaluable treasures of being Indian… they are the treasures that we all must cherish.
Going forward we have to make a choice about the kind of India we want to live in – whether it is an India that embraces all faiths, all colours, all regions and languages and views them as equal? Or an India that distinguishes between people based on how they pray, their food and clothing choices, the colour of their skin, the language they speak and yes, the all-revealing surname; believing that some have greater claim to Indianness than do others?
Are we going to permit those with vested interests to convince us that the simple people of our own country are inimical to us and to India's wellbeing? Are we going to let them spark suspicion and foster hostility? Or can we go back to seeing people only as people – shorn of other identities – which in the end are irrelevant? An India where everyone looks, sounds, prays, eats, dresses the same would be a boring India. In fact it wouldn’t be India at all.
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