10-19-2004, 10:22 AM
<b>Sparking a Hindu renaissance</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>But the Hindu fundamentalists would not agree to this conciliatory approach. And now that the mosque has been forcibly demolished, the problem has become intractable. The solution is obvious only a temple can be built there. But the question is how to make the Muslim community willingly and happily agree to that. Till we can find a way out of this bind, the status quo must be maintained. As eminent historian K M Pannikar has admirably expounded in his Survey of Indian History, the distinctiveness of India, whether it be music, art, architecture, science or philosophy, is in its Hindu character. Even where we consider India's Islamic art or music or architecture, its distinctiveness is in the Hindu influence on it. This is what all Indians of every religion must accept in modern Hindustan. [B]It is also an undeniable fact that Muslims and Christians in India are descendents of Hindus. In a conciliatory atmosphere, the minorities would accept this. It is also in their interest to accept this reality.</b>
How apt! But such thoughts of remembering their roots cannot be forced down their throats by Hindus. Enlightened Muslims must rise to the occasion and challenge the reactionary religious fundamentalists. India is not Dar-ul harab that it can be trifled with. But once this is accepted, India's identity crisis can be resolved.
<b>In other words, a Hindu renaissance has two components: one, that Hindus can accept (such as caste abolition, eradication of dowry, etc) without any other interests to consider; two, the embracing by minorities of the core secular Indian values which have Hindu roots. This would require, particularly of Muslims and Christians, the owning of the entire Hindu past as their own legacy and tailoring their outlook on that basis.</b>
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How apt! But such thoughts of remembering their roots cannot be forced down their throats by Hindus. Enlightened Muslims must rise to the occasion and challenge the reactionary religious fundamentalists. India is not Dar-ul harab that it can be trifled with. But once this is accepted, India's identity crisis can be resolved.
<b>In other words, a Hindu renaissance has two components: one, that Hindus can accept (such as caste abolition, eradication of dowry, etc) without any other interests to consider; two, the embracing by minorities of the core secular Indian values which have Hindu roots. This would require, particularly of Muslims and Christians, the owning of the entire Hindu past as their own legacy and tailoring their outlook on that basis.</b>
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