Author:
Publication: www.vedicfriends.org
Date: December 20-30, 2003
URL: http://www.vedicfriends.org/vrindavana_parker_in_arunachala_2003.htm
I flew in to Gauhati, Assam from
Kolkata, West Bengal. A Bandh/Strike had been declared for Assam, so everything
was very peaceful. I spent a night at the Vivekananda Kendra, on the banks
of the expansive Brahmaputra River. I next journeyed 10 hrs by bus to Bandhardeva,
Arunachal Pradesh, via Tezpur. I spent the night in Bandhardeva area then
traveled by jeep for 12 hrs on the most rugged and windy road trip I have
ever experienced. I stopped for lunch in Ziro then arrived in Daporijo
that evening.
After breakfast, I went to a traditional
tribal home and had my first introduction to Apong or Home Brew. It was
made of millet and rice. In an ancient process that took approximately
month, only women were allowed to brew it. It was smooth and tasty. I was
welcomed with traditional tribal ceremonies. Rice paste was put on my forehead
and I was gifted with a beautiful shawl. I tried my hand at archery, tribal
dancing and listened to their melodious singing. After that I went to a
public program on the topic of "Dharma and Religion." I was the chief guest
and spoke to the public gathered. There were about 500 people gathered.
I spoke about an hour and the response was very positive. I spoke about
the importance of preserving and enhancing the Indigenous faiths, lifestyles
and cultures.
After a public lunch gathering,
I attended a program at the Vivekananda School. There was an excellent
presentation, by the students, of indigenous tribal dancing and singing.
I gave a short talk on the irreplaceable value of Indian culture and its
prevalence all over the world. In a great question and answer session,
I was able to clear up some misconceptions about western civilization.
Whether it's Coca-Cola versus coconut dobs, from every angle it's obvious
that indigenous cultures are highly advanced because they represent a way
of life beneficial for all. On the other hand, the impact of Western civilization
has been environmental imbalance and social chaos.
In the evening, I visited a new
Shiva temple built for a very ancient Shiva Linga. A tribal man owns the
property. While he was constructing a house on the land, he had a dream
of Lord Shiva. The next day, he uncovered an ancient Shiva Linga. He dedicated
the site for the construction of the Shiva Temple, now housing the ancient
Sacred Deity. The man formerly hunted but now he and his whole family had
become strict vegetarians. They have completely forsworn violence in their
dedication to Lord Shiva. "We will not kill even an insect." I had breakfast
at his house consisting of baked sweet potatoes, apong, and some fruit.
Then I traveled to the town of Raga. I gave a lecture to about a hundred
people, and it was here that I met the chief priest for the indigenous
Danyi Polo religion in the state of Arunachal Pradesh. He was in his nineties
and appeared very healthy and effulgent. Through a translator he spoke
about the great struggles his people are going through. He said that through
petty trickery, bribery, and other unscrupulous methods, western missionaries
were destroying the native culture and civilization of his people. He said
that he and the priests of Danyi Polo have performed many of the same miracles
attributed to Christ and other saints. He felt that such miracles were
not very important, that what matters is to be good, honest, and to love
God, and to respect the religion of others while accepting that everyone
has a unique relationship with the divine. He said it is wrong of the Christians
to attack the faith of our ancestors. As soon as the Christians and Muslims
accept that God is one and that there are different expressions of love
that bring one to God, if they can accept this, all disputes will come
to an end. I asked him to bless me and he said that he could not. He said
that he will pray to God to bless me and to protect me. Referring to the
Christians method of stripping converts of their indigenous clothing he
said "I will never throw down my sacred cap."
I then headed to Ziro. Here I went
to Hari Village. The local Tribals, the Aputani, are considered some of
the world's greatest agriculturalists. Japanese researchers investigating
various rice production methods rank them as the world's best. Aputani
women over forty-five years old are tattooed and have large nose plugs.
This practice was banned thirty-five years ago. It's probably an ancient
custom, but I was told that the reason was the Aputani girls are considered
very beautiful so when the Chinese invaded the women all tattooed their
faces and bodies and put big plugs on both sides of their noses. I must
admit, the technique does make them look otherworldly and extreme. The
village welcomed me with songs and flower garlands. I was later quite surprised
by such a wonderful and warm welcome. It wasn't until after my talk that
the people realized that I was not there to convert them away from their
roots. The chief priestess told me "All we heard was that an American brother
was coming. The Christians say that all Americans are Christians so we
expected that you were here to push Christianity on us. We feel that the
influence of Christianity on Western culture is very negative for our people.
So we are very happy and inspired to hear what you are saying. Our traditions
have kept us strong since the beginning of time, why give them up?" I encouraged
them by telling them that millions of people are looking towards the ancient
indigenous cultures for solutions for modern problems. They were pleasantly
surprised and humored to hear about the western subculture of body piercing
and tattooing. All along they had been told that the West was a highly
civilized technological wonderland where everyone was a Christian. And
that if they wanted to benefit from the advancements of technology they
also must be Christians. Suddenly they find out that not only has the West's
social balance collapsed, but that millions of disenchanted westerners
are adopting their own ancient indigenous practices. It's ironic that western
missionaries force their converts to abandon their ancient cultures. Just
before I left the gathering, the tribals had a final request. They wanted
me to stop all the vulgar and scandalous television broadcasts because
it was threatening the tribal youth and their cultural stability. I said
the best way we can deal with the media is to create our own media
An interesting thing about the Aputani
tribe is their sacred symbol. It is the sign of the Sun Goddess. It looks
very much like that other so-called solar emblem, the Christian Cross.
So here in the Aputani regions one can see the prehistoric tribal cross
and Christian cross dotting the same town. Tribal elders rightfully point
out that everything in Christianity, including even the symbol, is already
known to their people.
That night was Christmas Eve. I
spent the night at a hotel. It was nice to have hot running water because
it was quite cold. That night I was awoken by loud explosive sounds that
shook my room. Due to the continuing Bhutanese military action against
Anti-Indian insurgents, the whole region was on high alert. We were about
100 miles from the frontlines and insurgents had been captured in nearby
Tezpur. The whole region was highly militarized and politically sensitive.
The booming went on for about a half hour. I turned off my light so as
not to be a target and went to sleep. I later found out that the explosions
are the way the local Christians announce Christmas to the neighborhood.
Christmas day, I participated in
a Fire Yajna or Sacrifice. The function was held at the Goddess Gayatri
Temple. The Head Priestess was a local Aputani Tribal. She was fluent in
Sanskrit and led the rituals while explaining the significance of each
action. We offered ghee, colored powders, fruits, coconuts, sandalwood
and other sacred and fragrant items. We all followed along in the chanting
and ended the ceremony by having darshan of all the various Temple Deities.
The experience was very healing and empowering.
Also in Ziro, I attended the official
BJP party's celebration of Indian PM Vajpayee's birthday. Born on Dec 25
his birthday is celebrated all over India. I gave a short speech on the
true identity of the BJP. The Bharata Janata Party means the Indian People's
Party rather than a "Hindu Nationalist" Party. The chief coordinator of
the function was the BJP district chief and a practicing Catholic. His
presence was a case in point.
The next day, Dec 26th, I gave a
public lecture on the importance of cultural preservation. Approximately
300 people attended, including the local Christian leadership. I spoke
on the interfaith efforts in the West and the need for the Christian and
Muslim Conversionists to practice a non-combative approach. All are welcome
to follow their spiritual traditions, promote their own culture, but without
demonizing the faith and beliefs of others. I also spoke on the impact
of Srila Prabhupada's Krishna conscious movement on the western world.
Throughout the 12 years he traveled the globe, he was treated with great
respect and admiration. Many people, including Christian leaders, accepted
him a great saintly spiritual teacher. Because God is One, true spiritualists
recognize Him in all religions.
I took this opportunity to point
out the great injustices being perpetrated in the name of Christian conversion.
Friends and family no longer drink, eat or celebrate together. Converted
tribals are taught to refuse water, food or invitations to traditional
gatherings. Non converted Tribals frequently attend Christian celebrations
while maintaining their ancient native traditions. However Christian tribals
completely divorce themselves from the ancient ways. Christian preachers
refer to the non-converted as Satans. Converts are ashamed of everything
to do with their ancestral ways. A new pride is instilled in their hearts
and minds, the pride of belonging to the supposedly superior Christian
civilization. Everywhere I traveled the Christians would do everything
louder and longer. Their presentations were flashy and slick. I was also
surprised to note the promotion of beauty contests. Of course, the standard
of beauty and fashion imposed is totally western. Young girls are instilled
with the idea that to be beautiful and successful they must be modern.
They are told that modern means to be western in outlook, fashion, language
and lifestyle and that the old ways are backwards. Thus the traditional
understanding of success and progressiveness is radically changed. All
over India, there is a belief that western speech and mannerisms is a sign
of sophistication and achievement. It is quite ironic because Western civilization
has failed the West. Therefore millions of westerners are adopting the
ancient indigenous paths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Paganism.
After my speech a Christian minister
informed me that all the complaints I had heard were exaggerations and
untruths. I simply asked him in all sincerity, "Sir, does this mean that
everywhere I go in this country, everyone is lying to me?" He couldn't
respond except to say that the most important issue is that we have peace
and non-violence.
Also in Ziro, a TV crew from a local
channel recorded all my speeches. They were all aired in the Ziro area
a week after I let. On Dec 27th, I returned to Itanagar, the State Capital.
Here I was a guest of Tedi Techi, a member of the Nyishi Tribe and the
founder of the Indigenous Faith and Culture Preservation Association. I
stayed overnight in his native bamboo house. The tribals always keep a
nice fire going in the middle of their house. It is considered the God
of the house. We had some delicious food and good conversation next to
this blazing sacred fire. My host was also a videographer and had produced
two documentaries on his tribal culture and traditions. One video featured
the house-warming ceremony of the very house we now sat. The other documentary
was very intriguing. It was the story of my host's miraculous health recovery.
Two years earlier, he was unable to walk and was scheduled for back surgery.
At the last minute he changed his mind and turned to the native healers
of his tribe. After 3 days of intensive healing ceremonies, he was completely
cured. All the evidence was there for me to see. Though unable to even
walk in the beginning of the video, by the end, my host was stronger, healthier
and full of strength. All the evidence for this recovery is in the documentary.
There were the x-rays, the doctor referrals and before and after footage
among other things. That night I slept by the fire and had a dream that
the dignity of the indigenous people was restored. In my dream an Abrahamic
radical fell flat on his face as he tried to attack me. The next morning
I told Mr. Techi about my dream. We both agreed that it was a good sign.
The next day, I attended a press
conference. All the National and Local TV, radio and news agencies participated.
I spoke on various topics for about 2 hours. I specifically raised the
issue about Christian conversions. I pointed out that these groups raise
millions of dollars in the west in the name of humanity. They point out
the impoverished state of the poor and ask for funding to build schools
and hospitals. With this money they will first build churches and publish
literature in a campaign of conversion. In the America nonprofit groups
are only required to use 1%-5% of their funds for actual charitable work.
In this way, some Christian groups have developed massive humanitarian
and charitable organizations yet use very little of their funding for humanitarian
and charitable causes. The press conference was very well received. Two
days later a report appeared in all the major newspapers of NE India. Vedic
Friends Association Vice President Vrindavan Parker said," Some groups
have made it rich highlighting the wretchedness of India's poor and then
using the proceeds to convert the innocent tribals." "All of India's problems,
religious intolerance, can be solved through the indigenous wisdom and
experience."
After a couple days of rest and
various talks at some Danyi Polo temples, I traveled to the isolated town
of Seppa in the NW part of the State. The drive there was a spectacular
vision of waterfalls, mountains, valleys and wildlife. Every bridge we
crossed was manned by a platoon of heavily armed Indian soldiers. This
whole region had been taken over by China in the 1960s and was still an
extremely politically sensitive area. After a day of travel and a night
in Tezpur, we arrived in Seppa after sunset.
ARUNACHAL PRADESH VFA REPORT PT
2
After a day long journey, I arrived
in Seppa, feeling ill and dead tired. Of course I was expected to give
an arrival speech. In the worst of moods, I did my best to give some encouraging
words. It was a strange situation. Here were all these people enlivened
that an American supporter had come, yet all I wanted to do was have a
long sleep. Fortunately, a majority of the people understood my predicament.
However, a few were not impressed. At one point I spoke of the collapse
of the western family structure. I used my own family as an example and
said that out of my five siblings only two of us had the same father. This
shocked some of the audience and evoked disparaging laughter. In their
minds I should have been ashamed, but instead I highlighted the fact. I
wanted to expose the true impact of western culture on one of the most
basic structures of civilization. It was crucial that these Tribals understood
the real impact of Western civilization.
I stayed at the government circuit
house and had a delicious vegetarian dinner. The facility was managed by
a wonderful Nepalese Brahmin family with hearts overflowing with warmth,
love and admiration. I was made to feel very welcome.
The next day, I awoke early. Today
was December 31st, Danyii Polo day. It was also the first official Danyii
Polo day festival to be held in Seppa. At the festival site, I was greeted
by hundreds of teenage boys and girls. They were all dressed in traditional
clothing. The boys were decorated with swords, shields, bows and arrows,
helmets, etc. Danyii Polo flags and banners fluttered everywhere.
The Danyii Polo flag is similar
to the Japanese Banzai flag; a white field with a red sun burst in the
middle. I was invited to join a procession through the town with hundreds
of young tribal men on the right and women on the left. I was pushed to
the front. In front was a large banner that read,
Loss of Culture means Loss of Identity
December 31,2003= Danyii Polo Day.
As we marched through the town slogans
were shouted, fists pumped skyward, raised swords flashed in the sun, and
tribal totems and banners waved in the air. One friendly tribal named Novam
loaned me his Boar hide body armor, sword and shield, and encouraged me
to shout my support for their cause. As I walked at the head of this procession,
I realized I was actually participating in a protest march. Born in the
late 1960s and sensitive to the ongoing anti-globalization protests, I've
always nurtured nostalgic and romantic visions of the political underdog.
Yet personally, I had never participated in any such event. Suddenly, here
I was leading a protest march of 500 tribal youth in one of the most remote
places on earth. 80% of the local population had already converted to Christianity;
therefore our march was not greeted with much support. I noted some angry
people spitting in our direction, but otherwise we were greeted with a
mix of interest, bewilderment, and disinterest. Surely, the sight of hundreds
of proud, enthusiastic youth brandishing tribal swords and flags presented
a formidable sight. What they thought of a white American bedecked in a
tribal warrior's regalia, shouting slogans, I can only guess.
After the parade, we all attended
a program of tribal singing, dancing, and speeches. I was privileged to
be invited to unfurl the tribal standard. As the priest chanted hymns,
and everyone sang, I pulled the cord. The banner lifted and a sudden wind
unfurled the sun flag. Bundled in the flag were some sacred bamboo shavings.
They all fell upon my head. The priests said that was a very good sign
of Danyii Polo's blessings. After this all the local priests gathered together
on a hill. As I looked at the scene, it appeared that the priests were
as ancient as the hills. The earth they sat upon, the stones around them,
their clothing and priestly symbols and wizened faces combined to create
a timeless image. Their bright eyes shone out. They invited me to join
them for some singing and photos. The acceptance and kindness of the tribal
priests instilled me with confidence and gratitude. These priests were
the foundation of the tribal culture. By their acceptance of my presence
and words, I was being validated as a true friend and supporter of the
tribe.
After lunch, I was asked to speak.
I started off by offering pranams to my guru, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Prabhupada and to Mother India. Upon hearing my Sanskrit prayers, everyone
broke out into spontaneous applause. I pointed out the irony of the situation.
Here I was coming from a collapsed civilization, giving advice to members
of one of the world's most ancient and successful civilizations. However,
it is obvious I have something to share so I am doing my best.
In my speech, I conveyed my impressions
of their culture and land. I quoted an old Zen proverb on the meaning of
beauty. Sometimes in nature we can see beautiful sights like a sunrise
over a lake. A crane flies over the water, the wind gently blows the leaves
and flowers on the trees. Overall the scene is one of beauty, yet neither
the sun, the lake, the crane, the wind, nor the trees are trying to create
a beautiful scene. Yet the scene is naturally beautiful. It is a naturally
beautiful scene because all involved are following their true natures.
Nothing is being artificially imposed with the intent to be beautiful.
It is just beautiful. In the same way, the natural functionality of indigenous
culture is beautiful and harmonious. Western civilization has lost this
harmony and beauty because it is out of touch with the earth. Built into
the ancient indigenous cultures is a natural methodology for balanced and
harmonious living.
I spoke about America as well. Yes
we all know America is #1 militarily, economically, politically etc. but
let's not forget America also has the # 1 murder rate, accident rate, divorce
rate, prisoner rate and overall crime rate. America is a perfect example
to highlight the impact of western civilization. There is no denying that
European Christianity and commercialism decimated the indigenous cultures
of the world. The same tragedy is now being repeated here in India's tribal
regions. Now is the time for the indigenous people of the world to unite
and put a stop to the ongoing war of cultural genocide. Preserving indigenous
cultural is an issue of global significance. Due to the ecological degradation
of the planet, the world at large is seeking out a solution. Time and again,
various scientific groups and political organizations, such as the UN,
have concluded that the wisdom and technical know-how of the indigenous
civilizations can save the world. So we must preserve and enhance this
pool of experience not only for the tribals, but for the world at large.
Another myth that is repeatedly
heard in NE India is that Christianity means modernity and economic progress.
I pointed out that Japan, with the lowest percentage of Christians in the
world, is one of the most successful nations on earth. It is without a
doubt the most successful nation in Asia. The Philippines, with the highest
percentage of Christians in Asia, is politically unstable and has one of
the worst economies in the world. Latin America, which is predominantly
Christian, sees little economic benefit based on its religious identity.
India, being 80% Hindu, has now become an economic and military superpower.
When these various ethnic groups immigrate to the USA, again we find that
being a Christian is irrelevant. The most successful immigrants to America
are the Japanese and Indians while the Filipinos and Latin Americans have
the lowest paying jobs. In Europe, it was when people began questioning
Christian doctrine that the renaissance began. Looking at the statistics
it would appear that being a Christian is a liability rather than an asset.
Of course, one's religious identity is an individual matter. Promoting
religion based on the premise of material gain is completely against the
teachings of Lord Jesus Christ. I brought up this point to expose the hoax
that Christianity automatically means modernity and economic superiority,
which is what they are taught.
After my speech and a fine lunch,
I was engaged in a discussion group. A frequent question I was asked is,
"What ever happened to the Red Indians of America?" I explained as much
as possible about the history and ongoing struggle for native rights. I
told them of the strange habit of America. First they will destroy you
physically and demonize your religion. Thus American Indian religion was
outlawed until 1978. After obliterating a tribe, America usurps their native
heroes and names. America uses the image and power invoked by these words
to glamorize its cars, missiles, helicopters, sports teams, etc. Once destroyed,
these cultures are romanticized and studied as curious members of the human
family. Don't let this happen to you. Take advantage of technology but
don't become slaves to it.
I was asked as to why I would come
all the way to this remote region. What do I have to gain from it? I was
a little surprised at the question. I thought it was obvious. I responded
by saying it was a great privilege to be here. "As an American who feels
a burden of responsibility to the original Americans, I see this as a great
opportunity. I come from the West not to take from you but to give some
encouragement. It is my duty to share some valid information that instills
a sense of dignity in your people. If I witnessed an innocent being harmed
and did nothing to correct the situation then I would be implicated in
the crime. In the same way I can not stand by, while you are being cheated
out of your culture."
It was here, in Seppa that I learnt
of the local Christian's regular performance of blood sacrifices. Knowing
that conversions would be slowed by too rigid of a Christian standard,
Christian leaders have changed the doctrine. One of the proofs of the Messiah
is that he was the final blood sacrifice. Thus, according to Christian
doctrine, there is no need for more blood sacrifices. Even the Jews ceased
performing blood sacrifices after the Crucifixion of Jesus. Yet here, the
Christians perform blood sacrifices in order to compete with the tribal
celebrations. The natives are being stripped of their indigenous traditions.
Ironically, it is being replaced by a form of Christianity that is contrary
to the teachings of Christianity. So, for all intents and purposes these
converts are following neither their original ancestral religion nor Christianity.
They have been forced into a cultural nowhere land.
While engaged in this discussion,
the police suddenly showed up. They asked me to go with them. I was a little
concerned. I wasn't sure if a complaint had been filed or whether I was
getting sucked into some bureaucratic nightmare. I was escorted to the
police station and taken into the Superintendent's office. As I walked
into the main Police HQ I noticed a large picture of Baby Krishna on the
wall. He was smiling at me. I felt protected. I sat down and handed over
my passport, Indian visa and Inner Line permit. The State of Arunachal
Pradesh is a restricted area. Even Indian citizens require Inner Line permits
to enter. Foreigners can only come in groups of 4 or more and must stay
within certain areas. Actually, when I entered the State, I reported at
the check point and was brought into a small interview room. My traveling
companion informed him I was there for tourism purposes and to see the
non-converted Tribals. The Border Officer said he was a dedicated Hindu
and member of the RSS. He looked over my papers and permits then happily
greeted me and wished me a successful trip. Just as I was about to leave
he looked at me sternly and said, "Now you must promise, No Christian Missionary
activities allowed," and started laughing. He had already seen my Hanuman
locket and knew I was a Hindu but wanted to make a joke. Now the police
in Seppa apparently wanted to verify my intentions. Here I was, a lone
American, traveling through the region attending rallies and giving speeches.
I was not sure how the police would deal with me. After going over my papers
for about 10 minutes, the police superintendent, suddenly stood up, smiled
and shook my hand. He welcomed me to Seppa and said he was extremely pleased
and happy that I had come from so far to promote the glory of India's ancient
civilization. I offered my pranams and thanked him.
After that, I went with some of
the tribals for a swim in the nearby river. It was fresh, rapid, clear
and cold. Flowing down from the nearby Himalayas, it was an invigorating
experience. The nights were very cold this time of year. Yet today was
a bright sunny day so we stayed at the river for an hour or so.
In the late afternoon, I met with
some botanists. They complained that western pharmaceutical companies had
been scouring the jungles and stealing rare plants and herbs. It is feared
that some foreign patents maybe taken out on this local resource. Therefore
these local experts have begun recording the entire local flora and fauna
and its traditional uses. They have also begun researching the possibility
of filing lawsuits against the corporations involved. I was pleasantly
surprised to hear that the entire State of Arunachal Pradesh had outlawed
logging. It has been difficult for some people. At one point, whole tribes
became very wealthy by logging. Elephants were generally used but still
the environmental degradation was extreme. After logging was outlawed,
the elephants were set loose. Though difficult in the short term, the anti-logging
initiative has tremendous long term benefit. Fortunately, a majority of
the people seem to agree with this. I also learned about the central importance
of the Mithuns in the Arunachal Tribal culture. Mithuns (pronounced mit-hoons)
appear to be some kind of bovine animal. Generally black with lower legs
colored white, they roam the countryside. They are semi-domesticated and
do not give milk. They are extremely sensitive to heat and stay in the
jungles during the day. For tribal society Mithuns are sources of prestige,
wealth and also have great spiritual value. A man is measured by how many
Mithuns he owns. Though sacred, they are frequently sacrificed and consumed.
Even the Christian converts fully participate in the Mithun culture. No
man can marry without gifting Mithuns to the girl's family. It usually
costs 35 Mithuns to get married.
Later that evening, I celebrated
New Year's Day. The tribal youth brought over a big stereo and began playing
catchy dance tunes from the Indian pop music scene. A large fire was lit
in the middle of the courtyard and fresh apong or home brew was shared.
We spent all night dancing and singing. Sometimes we would do traditional
war dances and harvest dances and songs. Other times we would dance to
mainstream Indian pop music or western music like Ricky Martin and Britney
Spears. I also led them, at their request, in singing songs to Rama, Hanuman,
Krishna and Shiva.
In the indigenous tradition all
was welcome but not at the expense of their culture. Thus the tribals had
no problem dancing to Britney Spears and celebrating the Western New Year.
As I enjoyed their company, I felt like Kevin Costner in "Dances with Wolves."
Like him I was also given a local name. They call me Hasmukh Parker which
means Smiling Face Parker. Earlier I had been warned by other tribes that
of all the tribes in AP, the Nyishi are the most dangerous. Of all the
Nyishi, the Seppa Nyishi are considered extremely dangerous. Here I was
dancing arm in arm with them like an old friend and brother, drinking their
home brew. Goodbye 2003 and Welcome 2004! What a unique place and way to
ring in the New Year.
The next morning, I was invited
to a local leader's house. As we sat on his front porch, a large man arrived.
They said he was the tallest man in the State. He joined us and I was told
that he was a local political leader. The whole time I sat there, he spoke
in Hindi with my traveling companions. Voices began rising and it was obvious
some kind of debate was taking place. I could understand some of the discussion.
Basically the politician was claiming that the Hindus were bent on enforcing
Hindu Dharma on everyone. He said, "Eating Beef is good for you. So why
are you Hindus trying to outlaw beef?" I broke in to say that I have been
a vegetarian all my life and am healthy. "My brother Bhima, was born and
raised a vegetarian and he is as big as you are, Sir. So Beef is not necessary
or good for you. Why should we support massive slaughter houses for the
unnecessary gratification of the tongue? There is a difference between
a tribal hunting for personal need and massive industrialized animal slaughter.
Hindus never have and never will force tribals to change their beliefs.
Rather, we encourage them in to preserve their cultures."
The man considered what I said and
then continued speaking in Hindi to my associates. He also tried to say
that no matter what I believed I was always a Christian because I am a
white American. I responded by reminding him that Christianity is native
to the West Asia region and not Europe or America. To top it off, my mother's
side are practicing Jews and my father's side is German-English. Just as
his people are being converted now, our people were converted over a thousand
years ago. Distance of time does not deny us the right to return to our
Pagan roots nor disinherit us from our ancient identities. Even Jesus Christ
himself was attempting a religious reformation rather than the founding
of a new religion. So in the same way, millions of westerners are seeking
out their roots and expanding their cultural horizons.
In general, this local leader seemed
inimical to our efforts but in the end he was cordial and thanked me for
coming. He said, "I am a soldier fighting for the dignity of my people.
Outsiders come either as Christians or Communists or Hindus and try to
change us. I am happy to meet a fellow soldier and wish you the best."
Since he also spoke about having
more of a Chinese identity than an Indian one I asked him if he prefers
China to India. He responded by saying that he can not support China because
they have a one wife policy. As a man with 24 wives he could never support
China for having such a policy. It seemed to me that the man wanted his
own little empire independent of either China or India.
After this meeting we were on our
way back to Tezpur, Assam. On the way we discussed the trip and the people
we met. I was told that the politician we just met was responsible for
over-logging the jungles and has done more damage to the local environment
than anyone else. When the local organizers of Danyii Polo day approached
him for support, he refused. I was later informed that in Arunachal Pradesh,
Christians were less of a problem than the anti-Hindu tribals. Victims
of the British legacy of divide and rule, some of the tribals refuse to
have common cause with the Hindus. This problem was compounded by the Congress
Party's attempt to create dependable voting blocs. This has caused many
Indians to develop a Separatist's outlook. Therefore some resist the efforts
of various Hindu organizations to create a unified identity. They misconstrue
such efforts as an attack on their unique identities and cultural independence.
India is truly a land of contrasts.
Its politics and culture are very ancient and complicated. Nothing is ever
simple and there are many sides to every issue. Yet behind it all, is an
eternal tradition. India has a cultural foundation that allows for true
unity and diversity. Though there are hundreds of languages, thousands
of traditions and millions of people, it is in reality a single grand civilization.
The liberality of Vedic/Hindu civilization has allowed for an extreme diversity
and inclusiveness that is not found in any other civilization. For example,
there are approximately 73 different schools of Islam, yet not one Islamic
country can claim to represent them all. Only in India can one find all
73 schools of Islamic thought represented. It is hoped that the true liberality
of Hindu civilization can be understood by the world at large. As the only
indigenous civilization to have achieved a global competitive edge, Hinduism
must take center stage in the indigenous struggle. Hinduism's vast experience,
sustainability and global prominence, places it in a unique leadership
role. It is hoped, that in the near future, all like-minded peoples will
unite and support each other in the ongoing indigenous cultural renaissance.
There is no other nation in the world better suited than India to lead
the way.
