I am a Hindu: A Clarification

In a country being governed by the Parivar as the BJP and its allies are called it is obvious that the religion I was born into would be a matter of great importance. Not that it ever is anything but important, being the religion of the majority of people in India. However in the past year or so Hinduism has crept up in news and views far more frequently than before.

One or the other leader of the so called parivar and even parliamentarians have been remarking on various aspects from how many childrena Hindu ought to have, to eating habits, to the patriotism quotient of Hindus versus any other faith etc. Incidentally parivar is how the ancient Hindus looked at the entire world enshrined in the phrase Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam i.e. “the world is one family” Nowhere did they say that every member of this gigantic family has to follow the same belief system.  

All of this has made me feel amused, harassed, furious and most of all disgusted. These so called guardians of my religion and country seem to have some very narrow, convoluted, governed by some quirk of their own, coupled with very limited knowledge of the many facets, paths and customs this great religion encompasses.

So while I am extremely proud of being born in the most open, questioning, humane religion ever I feel the need to explain exactly what MY religion MEANS to ME and WHY as per Hinduism My BELIEF is absolutely as IMPORTANT as that of a mendicant somewhere on the banks of the River Ganga or the High Priest of the Kashi Vishwanath temple.

Hinduism unlike most other religions of the world didn’t start or have its roots in the life of one person or even one group of people. Instead it is an amalgamation of various beliefs, traditions and rituals some self-taught, some borrowed and some improvised to suit changing situations. So Hinduism believes both in an omnipresent formless God and in thousands of deities at the same time. There is neither one holy book which governs the life of Hindus nor any one rule book which prescribes rules and regulations to be followed.

There is no ceremony which makes you a Hindu – so no baptism is needed. If you believe you are a Hindu, you are. You do not have to attend any temple nor belong to any organization or be registered in any ledger anywhere. No one except you yourself can claim to be or not to be a Hindu.

So what really binds this mammoth body of often conflicting thought as one religion?

In whatever I have read, understood and figured out about this complex religion only one very simple belief stands out. Karma  i.e. what you sow so shall you reap if not in this life then in the next.

Hindus of all kinds: color, language, creed, region or countries believe in Karma and the cycle of life and death. The Bhagwad Gita which is considered the synopsis of the religion as spelt out by Krishna too emphasizes on the role Karma plays in the life of a human and pushes Arjun to do his Karma without regret or grief for that’s the only way to be.

What may surprise many people is that even the Gita though is not prescribed/compulsory reading for a Hindu. Many remote tribes which have no connect with the outside world and are essentially nature worshippers are also considered a part of the Hindu cosmos and the only religion they know is what would have been handed down by generations or propagated by the village headman or priest.  

This ability to adapt and let be is what I find the most endearing part of my religion.

A little about me:

I eat pork and beef and I can match a guy drink for drink if in the mood. I do not visit temples on any holy days. There are hardly any rituals that I follow. I do not fast, ever. I love Durga Puja for the new clothes, great food and the look of love and benevolence I find in the Mother’s gaze. I do not like Ram or for that matter even Krishna. My favourite God is the perpetually intoxicated, wife loving, quick to anger, amazingly large hearted Shiva. My self-chosen Guru is my Grandmother on my father’s side who is the most humane personality I have come across and I choose to chant the first prayer she taught me as my personal mantra OM NAMAH SHIVAY and I chant it endlessly under my breath or even loudly when I am seeking inner peace. And going against popular convention I choose to talk about my mantra rather than keeping it hidden as is the wont in most Guru Shisya relationships. 

My altar at home plays host to almost all the major religions in the world. I am a Hindu. I am proud of being one.