Rediscovering India

  NOTHING is more relevant to the nation’s state of health today than what has been discussed in the article “Rediscovering India: at stake is sensitivity and sensibility” by Mr Hari Jaisingh (October 30) — that the country has inherited composite culture and that this is worth preserving. Culture is an omnibus word frequently pressed into service for activities as varied as a musical performance, an exhibition of paintings, a book festival and even religious practices. All these are separate things which form parts of a whole way of life. Mutual tolerance is the key to the survival of composite culture. And it is tolerance more than anything else that India needs today for its survival as a nation.

It is the teaching of Indian history that in a country so large and varied as India, successful political life can be possible only on the willing allegiance of all sections of the people. Identification of the state with any particular religion would tend to violate this principle. There is a good deal of misunderstanding about it. Some people think that secularism implies antagonism or at least indifference to religion, which is an entirely wrong notion, for the religious tradition in India is so strong that any attempt to deny the value of religion would lead to its immediate repudiation by the Indian people. Secularism, therefore, has a different meaning in the Indian context and must be understood as refusal to identify the state with any particular religion.

The crisis which Indian education faces today stems from tinkering with the system instead of subjecting it to a complete overhaul. Our main faults have been too much of sentimentality, too much dogmatism and, if I may say so, too much smug hypocrisy. We must shed these weaknesses and grapple with the problems in right earnest.

K. M. VASHISHT
Mansa

SARSWATI VANDANA: The ballyhoo created by the “secular” state Education Ministers at their recent conference reflects a mindest which lacks grace.

In India, naturally, Sarswati and not Minerva or Athena can be invoked. Thus any objection to Sarswati vandana is an act that approximates to treachery. Since Hinduism is a way of life it is a synonym for Indian culture. Even if it is a religion, it being the dominant religion of the country has been providing life-force to its culture.

If Jawaharlal Nehru’s “Discovery of India”, which clearly tries to saffronise the intellectuals, cannot be faulted how can the BJP’s endeavour to Indianise the educational system be controversial?

CHAMAN LAL KORPAL
Amritsar

HYPOCRISY EXPOSED: The writer has done a good job of exposing the hypocrisy and double standards of politicians for taking offence to the recitation of Sarswati vandana at the recently held Education Ministers’ conference at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi. Unfortunately, secularism has become for many politicians and parties a euphemism for viewing every matter in terms of vote-bank politics. Our politicians seems to be left with little desire to advance the national interest.

HKL GANDOTRA
Koti (Jakolari)

CONCEPT OF SPIRITUALISM: Spiritualism is neither a religion in itself nor does it belong to any particular religion. Its introduction in schools and colleges is the need of the hour. It will promote the concept of love, and serve as a unifying value-link among the students of different classes, sects, castes, regions, religions and nationalities.

Spiritualism conveys that there is unity in diversity. God is in everyone and everyone is in God. God has made man in His Own Image. The characteristics of a drop of ocean are the same as that of the ocean water. The end of spirituality is realising one’s oneness with the one and all. It is only through inner unity with the Divine that we can obtain outer unity with all.

Things will certainly improve if we introduce common “dhyana” (meditation) classes in the schools and colleges on the pattern of common prayers. In order to make one’s experiments in self-realisation in “dhyana”, one’s physical body is sufficient to serve the purpose. The practice of “dhyana” does not teach the rules of conduct which at best are only bookish knowledge which is seldom practised. It develops the character of the practitioner in a way that enables him to cope with any situation in life wisely without any external guidance. Besides, it instils in him the love of God and fear of sin as also the spirit of discipline, duty and devotion.

A. K. SURI
Chandigarh

ETHICAL VALUES: In the article “Rediscovering India”, a number of points of vital importance have been discussed. There are two major factors which contribute to make a person educated and civilised. One is academic and the second is moral or ethical teachings. Sadly enough, it is this moral part which is totally missing in our educational system based on Lord Macaulay’s pattern, which was meant to produce clerks required for the British government in India. This system should have been changed long back keeping in view our national aspirations and requirements, but nothing was done during the past 50 years.

Mr Jaisingh has correctly observed that Hinduism is more than a religion, and is a way of life also. In fact, it is the only Dharma; all others are religions. If rituals are kept aside (due to the multiplicity of faiths), and ethical values are adopted, there is no parallel to these in the whole world. It is this cultural Hinduism which is required to be taught and followed in our educational institutions.

ANAND PRAKASH
Chandigarh

DESTROYING THE ETHOS: It is really ironical that after corrupting the entire system, our politicians are now shedding crocodile tears. With their dubious goals and double standards, they have not only divided our society vertically on caste lines but have also blurred the educational and cultural vision even of intellectuals.

Unfortunately in our set-up, not the inherent quality and appeal of a plan but its political origin and back-up weighs heavily with our political leadership. How shameful it is that even Goddess Saraswati has not been spared by our politicians. Instead of developing a basic value system of tolerance, forgiveness, rationality and liberalism, we are entrenched in a narrow and distorted thinking limited only to our political vote-banks.

For their vested interests politicians are destroying our very hetrogenous social ethos.

VED GULIANI
Hisar

INTOLERANCE: The hooliganism, chaos and childish behaviour of some of the participants at the recent conference of states’ Education Ministers called by the HRD Ministry displayed extreme intolerance and immaturity of our politicians. They acted and reacted in a preplanned manner, not caring as how all this would reflect on the raw minds of our younger generation.

The meeting was necessarily to suggest, discuss, debate and then reach at a consensus for possible reforms in our educational system.

We should pray to Sarswati (Goddess of Learning) to bless our Education Ministers with “Gyan” and “Sanyam”.

J. K. MAGO
Panchkula

VOTE-BANK POLITICS: It is correct to say that our politicians should not view every development in terms of vote-bank politics. But it seems the main aim of the Human Resource Development Minister behind the Sarswati vandana idea was to exploit the sentiments of the people for political purposes.

NARINDER SINGH
Chandigarh

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Tentacles of corruption

Apropos of The Tribune report “Measures to eradicate corruption” (Oct 26), the post-Independence experience of the nation on the subject, it must be noted, shows that louder the noise against the evil, wider the tentacles it spreads, as if with a vengeance. The following Urdu couplet sounds exceedingly pertinent:

Mareez-e-ishq pe rehmat khuda ki,

Marz barhta gaya jun jun dawa ki.

Looking at the increasingly money-oriented value-system of society and the corresponding moral degeneration, it seems well nigh impossible to root out corruption. The best wayout, to my mind, is to nationalise the gilded evil — undoubtedly the most flourishing business of the day.

The success of the proposed venture may be taken for granted, keeping in view the mighty well-oiled machine available for the purpose. The powerful politician-bureaucrat axis must, of course, be appointed commission agents on attractive terms to be doubly sure.

Tailpiece: I hope the powers that be would not grudge my share of “royalty” in the matter.

TARA CHAND
Ambota (Una)

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In search of credible NGOs

“Life after retirement” by Mr Rahul Singh (Nov 2) was a very interesting piece. The example of “Dimi” could be followed by many non-resident Indians who have retired from their jobs and are looking for ways to make meaningful contributions and for self-satisfaction. These NRIs also owe something to their country of birth, as their initial education was substantially subsidised by the Indian public.

The role of NGOs is commendable in the efforts to solve some urgent problems in India. Would it be possible to give general information to the NRIs about “credible” NGOs — that they can offer their services without any financial benefits to them or their relatives in India and abroad? I am interested in providing my services in the development of public libraries in Punjab and other states of India. Do send me information about the NGOs working in Punjab.

JASWANT SINGH
Grand Ledge (Michigan, USA)

(Received in response to The Tribune’s Internet edition.)