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

From Somnath to Ayodhya, history is being recast as grievance and revenge as politics. Myths replace evidence, Nehru and Gandhi are caricatured, and ancient plunder is weaponised to divide the present
apicture Ram Puniyani
19 Jan 2026
When leaders invoke "revenge" and ancient wounds, politics turns supposed grievances into fuel. From Somnath to Delhi, history is repurposed to polarise, distract from governance, and normalise hate,
apicture Jacob Peenikaparambil
19 Jan 2026
As Blackstone and KKR buy Kerala's hospitals, care risks becoming a balance-sheet decision. The state's current people-first model faces an American-style, insurance-driven system where MBAs replace d
apicture Joseph Maliakan
19 Jan 2026
Christians are persecuted in every one of the eight countries in South Asia, but even prominent religious groups, Hindus and Muslims, and smaller groups of Sikhs and Buddhists, also find themselves ta
apicture John Dayal
19 Jan 2026
"The Patronage of 'Daily-ness': Holiness in the Ordinary"
apicture Rev. Dr Merlin Rengith Ambrose, DCL
19 Jan 2026
Pride runs deeper than we often admit. It colours the way we see ourselves, shapes the circles we move in, and decides who gets to stand inside those circles with us. Not all pride works the same way.
apicture Dr John Singarayar
19 Jan 2026
India's problem is no longer judicial overreach but executive overdrive. Through agencies, procedure and timing, politics now shapes legality itself. Courts arrive late, elections are influenced early
apicture Oliver D'Souza
19 Jan 2026
India is being hollowed out twice over: votes bought with stolen welfare money, and voters erased by design. As politics becomes spectacle and bribery becomes policy, democracy slips from "vote chori"
apicture Thomas Menamparampil
19 Jan 2026
Oh my follower, You named yourself mine. To gain convenience Personal, professional, political Without ever touching
apicture Dr Suryaraju Mattimalla
19 Jan 2026
Our chains are more sophisticated. They are decorated with religion. Polished with patriotism. Justified with fear of 'the other.' We are told someone is always trying to convert us. Someone is always
apicture Robert Clements
19 Jan 2026