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 Amirtanandamayi.
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.
