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

As new restrictions tighten around churches and civil society organisations, those likely to suffer most are the poor, the marginalised, and the forgotten communities who rely on faith-based instituti
apicture John Dayal
29 Jun 2026
From Chhattisgarh to North Korea, Nigeria to Iraq, the faces of persecution differ, but the outcome remains the same: shrinking freedoms, shattered communities and an international human-rights system
apicture Oliver D'Souza
29 Jun 2026
Please issue a clarification that, ordinarily, a passport will be accepted as proof of Indian citizenship. Exceptions are exceptions and can be dealt with separately. I hope you will do the needful.
apicture A. J. Philip
29 Jun 2026
From examination scandals and opaque governance to fallen media and engineered horse trading, the erosion of accountability threatens our foundations. When institutions fail to hold power to account,
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
29 Jun 2026
The measure of a just society lies in how it treats its most vulnerable. On World Refugee Day, the call is clear: stand with those forced to flee, defend their dignity, and ensure that safety becomes
apicture Cedric Prakash
29 Jun 2026
The IITs transformed the country by nurturing a scientific temper and innovation. As mission drift creeps in through misplaced priorities and questionable academic pursuits, preserving their founding
apicture Jaswant Kaur
29 Jun 2026
In an era when political speeches are measured more by their electoral potential than their moral resonance, Adam Nee Evide Aakunnu? By VD Satheesan offers something rare.
apicture Dr Suresh Mathew
29 Jun 2026
It eats through generations Through lullabies whispered In fear, Through the young Dalit boys learning To bow before they learn To stand, Through Dalit girls taught To make themselves smaller
apicture Dr Suryaraju Mattimalla
29 Jun 2026
Remembering the Holocaust has meaning only when it inspires humanity to resist every form of mass violence. The challenge before nations today is not merely to honour past victims but to prevent new v
apicture Thomas Menamparampil
29 Jun 2026
The recent Supreme Court judgment that Christians cannot be classified as Scheduled Castes has stirred many emotions. I read the verdict with sadness, but not because I believe the Court was wrong. In
apicture Robert Clements
29 Jun 2026