<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Sep 27 2006, 02:52 PM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Sep 27 2006, 02:52 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->classical Hindu society was indeed like a melting pot
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One good example. Look at some of the traditional festivals of India. Let us take "Deepawali". All sub-groups of Hindu soceity found enough reason to celebrate that single festival together, and found the reasons for celebrating it from within their different faiths.
Sanatanees celebrate Deepawali to celebrate return of Rama to Ayodhya. Buddhists celebrate it for Buddha's enlightenment. Sikhs celebrate, as Guru Govind Singhji included it in Khalsa festivals to be celebrated (along with Baisakhi -which again falls on another larger Hindu festival), Jains celebrate Deepawali for their own reasons.
This way all the Indic culture's sub-cultures/faiths celebrate the same festival, on same day, in exactly same way - by lighting the lamps.
Now, if you were to consider other sub-groups residing in India to be counted a part and parcel of same larger soceity and culture, must they also not start sharing the Deepawali festival for their own reasons too? Find the reasons if they don't exist, and Hindu soceity would welcome those faiths. (Does not mean they have to discard other festivals of their religion). But at least adopt to Indian culture.
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One good example. Look at some of the traditional festivals of India. Let us take "Deepawali". All sub-groups of Hindu soceity found enough reason to celebrate that single festival together, and found the reasons for celebrating it from within their different faiths.
Sanatanees celebrate Deepawali to celebrate return of Rama to Ayodhya. Buddhists celebrate it for Buddha's enlightenment. Sikhs celebrate, as Guru Govind Singhji included it in Khalsa festivals to be celebrated (along with Baisakhi -which again falls on another larger Hindu festival), Jains celebrate Deepawali for their own reasons.
This way all the Indic culture's sub-cultures/faiths celebrate the same festival, on same day, in exactly same way - by lighting the lamps.
Now, if you were to consider other sub-groups residing in India to be counted a part and parcel of same larger soceity and culture, must they also not start sharing the Deepawali festival for their own reasons too? Find the reasons if they don't exist, and Hindu soceity would welcome those faiths. (Does not mean they have to discard other festivals of their religion). But at least adopt to Indian culture.