A fundamental difference between Hinduism and the Semitic religions is that the strength of Hinduism lay in its being a mosaic of diverse sects that grew in proximity to each other with some overlaps and some demarcations. Some were orthodox and some were heterodox. This plurality has given Hinduism its own particular kind of interface with society, in which the function of caste has not been minimal. With the arrival of the colonial interpreters in the 19th century, the beliefs and practices of multiple groups were collated and shuffled into a form, and given the label of Hinduism. Subsequently came the reformulation of Hinduism as Hindutva, eliminating these pluralities, and thus negating an essential and differentiating feature of the religion. This negation facilitates the political mobilisation for which the reformulation was intended. Religion does not need to draw on history, but political mobilisation does, and in the process it sometimes has to construct its own specific version of history. Faith and scholarship go into a contrary mode. - Romila Thapar in her essay, Good Times Are Gone.
Posted on: Tue, 18 Mar 2014 19:33:46 +0000
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