hidden image

The Soul of India

P. A. Joseph P. A. Joseph
08 Jan 2024

In the context of Indian politics, reading the Bhagavad Gita, Mahabharata, Ramayana and the profound Upanishads, Vedas, etc., we contemplate the soul of India. Though BJP, the platform of the RSS, boasts of its Hindu heritage, it displays no depth of its "Hindu" heritage. Hinduism, in many ways, is far superior to many religions, which have too many codes and limits. Real Hinduism is a way of living, a living culture which has real seeds of salvation and the route to the ultimate and final goal (moksha). It is fantastically deep in faith, manifested in tolerance, open-mindedness, welcoming everyone, belief in peace with all, ahimsa (Gandhi), compassion, and oneness with every human being. It does not know the language of domination and leaves the follower free.

Even if a believer leaves Hinduism, it does not tackle the one with punitive measures. In religious practice, Hindus are free; they can express devotion, even sacrifices, which have various ways and patterns and are not limited to any special codes or rules. A Hindu in India would respect the Constitution and accept its preambles.

As the Constitution respects all religions, one wonders about the attitudes of the BJP, which contradicts the teachings of the sacred Hindu books and traditions. What is the meaning of Ghar Vapsi (return to home), threats to Christianity and Islam, the destruction of places of worship, extra control of other religious places, etc? If the rule of India is its Constitution, which all accept, do we not notice the contradictions of BJP ideology?

India is a union of states. India is the voice of people resounding it. India is the breath of the people. This breath of India needs to be protected from those who deny it. It needs an imagination of its depth and worth. To ignore all these is to deny the history of India. Boasting of being the biggest democracy in the world while forgetting everything that led us to this point is a contradiction of history. Democracy demands to keep up and maintain the democratic structures. All these need rethinking, rediscovering, reinterpreting, and redesigning the soul of India under the light of India's Constitution. The function of India is to live the soul of India, to develop everyone, to stop injustice/inequality arising through the caste system, empower the people through employment, open the minds through education, strengthen the people through health care systems, make rural area powerful through agriculture, and small-scale industries, include Dalits in envisioning the developmental projects, provide reservation to SC, ST, and all who need/deserve it.

All these follow the nation's secular fabric, keep India united, and keep away every sign of division. All should have access to all media channels to speak, write, listen, and gather; no institutions must be targeted; CBI, ED, etc., need to be seldom negotiated with. If we reach such a point, we can boast that India is the biggest democracy; if not, we deserve ridicule.

We have a long way to go!! Start now!

Recent Posts

It is not surprising that India has been lukewarm to Pope Leo XIV's Encyclical on Artificial Intelligence. The Pope has warned that Artificial Intelligence threatens to normalise an "anti-human vision
apicture John Dayal
01 Jun 2026
What began as a "special revision" of electoral rolls has evolved into something far more unsettling: a test of who truly belongs in the Republic. By upholding the Election Commission's powers while o
apicture A. J. Philip
01 Jun 2026
Two newly elected governments, two sharply different visions of India. While West Bengal's new BJP regime signals majoritarian assertion and ideological confrontation, Kerala's UDF government projects
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
01 Jun 2026
As concern for climate change and environmental destruction grows, the deeper crisis of "human ecology" is often ignored. From family breakdown to abortion and demographic imbalance, the defence of hu
apicture Bp Gerald John Mathias
01 Jun 2026
A movement born from mockery of unemployed youth now commands millions, headlines, and political panic. But beneath the cockroach memes and anti-establishment spectacle lies a deeper question haunting
apicture Oliver D'Souza
01 Jun 2026
India's rise cannot be measured by GDP, expressways, or digital ambition alone. A Republic becomes truly developed only when constitutional promises translate into dignity, employment, equality, justi
apicture Jaswant Kaur
01 Jun 2026
"If an untouchable marries a non-Dalit girl, then he must be put to death. If untouchable commits adultery with a Hindu woman, then he is to be burned alive" (Matsya Purana, 227.131; Vaishtha Grhyasut
apicture Dr Suryaraju Mattimalla
01 Jun 2026
My lifelong passion is cricket, and in more recent times, the political world has become an obsession, not joyful as with cricket, but born of a profound anxiety about the state of the world. Given su
apicture Mathew John
01 Jun 2026
The saddest part is that twenty-two lakh students studied honestly. Millions of parents worried honestly. Teachers taught honestly. Yet a handful of dishonest people have managed to drag one of the co
apicture Robert Clements
01 Jun 2026
India's political summer is witnessing impulsive governance, bulldozer crackdowns, and inflammatory rhetoric symbolised by "cockroaches." From hurried populism to selective demolitions and anti-minori
apicture Julian S Das
25 May 2026