By Murali Krishna - Deccan Herald - India
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Composite culture has been the mainstay of our society for ages. Experts point out that this is our unity’s raison d’etre. This has made modern India a model nation. While some countries have suffered from the process of balkanization, India has remained on a strong edifice. Of course, before India became a nation-state, partition took place. But that was the result of divisive communal politics that ripped apart our polity, leaving deep scars. Even after this, India's composite culture remained largely intact. A foray into the making of this composite culture reveals its fascinating facets.
Scholars opine that composite culture took a definite and clear shape between 12th and 16th century AD. During this period, there was amalgamation of the Indian, Iranian and Arabian heritages. They represented Hinduism, Zorastrianism and Islam religions and philosophies respectively.
The intermingling of Hindu and Islamic religious beliefs gave rise to Sufism. Sufi saints and poets effectively established a bond among common people of both these communities. They were held in high esteem. Kabir, Sheikh Salim Chisti, Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj-Shakkar, Hazrat Nizam-ud din Auliya are some of the outstanding sufi saints of this period.
The Bhakti movement also endeared itself to large sections of people by questioning some of the obnoxious practices and beliefs prevailing in the society. Down south, the Adil Shahi sultans who ruled from Bijapur did not practice religious bigotry. Many Hindus held high posts in their courts. Ibrahim Adil Shah II was called ‘Jagadguru'. He was a connoisseur of the arts, sculpture, music and culture. Kitab-e-Nauras one of his works on music has hymns in praise of Saraswati and Ganesh. In Karnataka, there are many shrines which signify the religious amity between Hindus and Muslims. Shirahatti’s Fakiraswamy and Bababudan Giri shrines among many and most of the darghas attract devotees of both these communities in good numbers.
Raja Rammohan Roy, the social reformer of the 19th century, had deep knowledge of both Hindu and Islamic scriptures. In addition, he was attracted by Christian charity and European rationalism. The national liberation struggle also had ingredients of composite culture. Many people of various communities rallied around and participated in large numbers braving many odds.
In recent times, concerted efforts were made to topple this edifice of composite culture. They were represented by forces of communalism and fundamentalism. Throwing proper historical analysis to the wind, they distorted facts and incited communal passions for their nefarious interests. We need not see far to know the plight of people in such a state. It is necessary for progressive people to close ranks and combat forces opposed to composite culture. Only then, can our fledgling democracy hope to survive.
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
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Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Composite culture: India’s mainstay
By Murali Krishna - Deccan Herald - India
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Composite culture has been the mainstay of our society for ages. Experts point out that this is our unity’s raison d’etre. This has made modern India a model nation. While some countries have suffered from the process of balkanization, India has remained on a strong edifice. Of course, before India became a nation-state, partition took place. But that was the result of divisive communal politics that ripped apart our polity, leaving deep scars. Even after this, India's composite culture remained largely intact. A foray into the making of this composite culture reveals its fascinating facets.
Scholars opine that composite culture took a definite and clear shape between 12th and 16th century AD. During this period, there was amalgamation of the Indian, Iranian and Arabian heritages. They represented Hinduism, Zorastrianism and Islam religions and philosophies respectively.
The intermingling of Hindu and Islamic religious beliefs gave rise to Sufism. Sufi saints and poets effectively established a bond among common people of both these communities. They were held in high esteem. Kabir, Sheikh Salim Chisti, Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj-Shakkar, Hazrat Nizam-ud din Auliya are some of the outstanding sufi saints of this period.
The Bhakti movement also endeared itself to large sections of people by questioning some of the obnoxious practices and beliefs prevailing in the society. Down south, the Adil Shahi sultans who ruled from Bijapur did not practice religious bigotry. Many Hindus held high posts in their courts. Ibrahim Adil Shah II was called ‘Jagadguru'. He was a connoisseur of the arts, sculpture, music and culture. Kitab-e-Nauras one of his works on music has hymns in praise of Saraswati and Ganesh. In Karnataka, there are many shrines which signify the religious amity between Hindus and Muslims. Shirahatti’s Fakiraswamy and Bababudan Giri shrines among many and most of the darghas attract devotees of both these communities in good numbers.
Raja Rammohan Roy, the social reformer of the 19th century, had deep knowledge of both Hindu and Islamic scriptures. In addition, he was attracted by Christian charity and European rationalism. The national liberation struggle also had ingredients of composite culture. Many people of various communities rallied around and participated in large numbers braving many odds.
In recent times, concerted efforts were made to topple this edifice of composite culture. They were represented by forces of communalism and fundamentalism. Throwing proper historical analysis to the wind, they distorted facts and incited communal passions for their nefarious interests. We need not see far to know the plight of people in such a state. It is necessary for progressive people to close ranks and combat forces opposed to composite culture. Only then, can our fledgling democracy hope to survive.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Composite culture has been the mainstay of our society for ages. Experts point out that this is our unity’s raison d’etre. This has made modern India a model nation. While some countries have suffered from the process of balkanization, India has remained on a strong edifice. Of course, before India became a nation-state, partition took place. But that was the result of divisive communal politics that ripped apart our polity, leaving deep scars. Even after this, India's composite culture remained largely intact. A foray into the making of this composite culture reveals its fascinating facets.
Scholars opine that composite culture took a definite and clear shape between 12th and 16th century AD. During this period, there was amalgamation of the Indian, Iranian and Arabian heritages. They represented Hinduism, Zorastrianism and Islam religions and philosophies respectively.
The intermingling of Hindu and Islamic religious beliefs gave rise to Sufism. Sufi saints and poets effectively established a bond among common people of both these communities. They were held in high esteem. Kabir, Sheikh Salim Chisti, Hazrat Baba Farid Ganj-Shakkar, Hazrat Nizam-ud din Auliya are some of the outstanding sufi saints of this period.
The Bhakti movement also endeared itself to large sections of people by questioning some of the obnoxious practices and beliefs prevailing in the society. Down south, the Adil Shahi sultans who ruled from Bijapur did not practice religious bigotry. Many Hindus held high posts in their courts. Ibrahim Adil Shah II was called ‘Jagadguru'. He was a connoisseur of the arts, sculpture, music and culture. Kitab-e-Nauras one of his works on music has hymns in praise of Saraswati and Ganesh. In Karnataka, there are many shrines which signify the religious amity between Hindus and Muslims. Shirahatti’s Fakiraswamy and Bababudan Giri shrines among many and most of the darghas attract devotees of both these communities in good numbers.
Raja Rammohan Roy, the social reformer of the 19th century, had deep knowledge of both Hindu and Islamic scriptures. In addition, he was attracted by Christian charity and European rationalism. The national liberation struggle also had ingredients of composite culture. Many people of various communities rallied around and participated in large numbers braving many odds.
In recent times, concerted efforts were made to topple this edifice of composite culture. They were represented by forces of communalism and fundamentalism. Throwing proper historical analysis to the wind, they distorted facts and incited communal passions for their nefarious interests. We need not see far to know the plight of people in such a state. It is necessary for progressive people to close ranks and combat forces opposed to composite culture. Only then, can our fledgling democracy hope to survive.
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