Monalisa Changkija
People hold numerous issues dearest to their hearts, sometimes simultaneously and equally; but what is important to one may not be so to another. However, what we hold dearest to our heart defines us and reveals our inner selves and our core values. We may be politically correct and conceal some of our innermost beliefs in polite society, so to speak, but inevitably we slip up one way or the other ~ in our personal lives, the words we use in private or public. This occurred to me when PTI reported that on July 10, “Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma asserted that Hindutva is a way of life and claimed that adherents of most religions are descendants of Hindus.” Actually, all religions are ways of life, which individuals and communities are either born into or adopt and adapt to. What makes a civilization is our acceptance of each other’s ways of life ~ and India has always been the shining example of this. In fact, accepting each other’s ways of life not only underscores India’s high civilizational quotient but is also India’s principal source of strength. That despite our numerous differences and diversities, we have survived local, regional, national and global storms, which have pounded us throughout our innings, especially as an independent nation, unambiguously speaks of India having found and embraced the strength in our numerous ways of life.
And that is why Himanta’s claim that “adherents of most religions are descendants of Hindus”, just over a month away from our 74th Independence Day, is interesting because his opinion seems to obliquely suggest that we are all from the same tree religion-wise, which contests India as the world’s largest melting cauldron of diversities. And this cauldron is an earthen pot because we are all of this soil that has sprouted forests of diverse trees. You see, it is difficult to say which tree is indigenous and which isn’t; the soil doesn’t differentiate but becomes home to all seeds the wind brings. So, if the soil is amenable to host different seeds that the wind blows in, how do we argue with it? I am reminded of a Japanese proverb that says: “Though on the sign it is written: ‘Don’t pluck these blossoms’ ~ it is useless against the wind, which cannot read.” This proverb can be interpreted in several ways but for our purpose today let’s look at it from the prism of the numerous borders and boundaries we have created to differentiate and ghettoize ourselves and each other by way of focusing on our various ways of life. The soil doesn’t do that ~ it doesn’t recognize the borders and boundaries we have created. And, the soil too ~ like the wind ~ cannot read, will not read ~ it has its own language. And, the wind knows and understands that language perfectly. But what do we human beings know of Nature’s language and messages? So, because we don’t know them, we remain ignorant, consequently injurious to ourselves.
India has a long history of migrations. Though this land has its own original groups of people in various regions, large numbers of people have also migrated into India in different waves throughout centuries for varied and various reasons. With our diverse ways of life, every which way, together we are today one people, one nation. We have absorbed and assimilated each other’s ways of life, language, culture, values, ideologies, etc., hence this concept of the “son of the soil” needs to be refined and redefined. But none of us have abandoned our various ways of life ~ we may have added or subtracted here and there but the core diversities of our ways of life remain intact ~ and have enriched and enhanced India. By and large, we have done this without thwarting other ways of life to evolve and grow. The thing is, we cannot stop the process of evolution and growth of any way of life ~ or, indeed, anything animate ~ try as we may to obstruct it. The soil doesn’t differentiate the trees or thwart them from growing but enables and empowers the forest and all living beings that take shelter on it because it needs them for its own sake. The wind doesn’t stop ferrying seeds, or the sun discriminate on what and where it shines nor the rain pour only on the “indigenous” ~ thankfully, none of them can read.
Nagas have also migrated into this land in different waves at different periods of time ~ actually much before some groups including Ahoms ~ and where we are said to come from, Hinduism, much less Hindutva, was unknown. Like all tribal communities in the Northeast, we also have our indigenous belief-systems that had nothing to do with Hinduism or any institutionalized religions. Indeed, Hinduism appeared in the Northeast much after our numerous migrations. True there are numerous similarities amongst indigenous religions/belief-systems of people across the globe but they are not the same. I have meagre knowledge about ancient and modern belief-systems but it is difficult to miss the rootedness of ancient religion/belief-systems in Nature even at a cursory glance. Hinduism may also be rooted in Nature but that doesn’t mean that all ancient belief-systems were rooted in Hinduism.
But as a topic of discourse, let us agree with Himanta’s opinion that “adherents of most religions are descendants of Hindus”, as he has been quoted by PTI. So what? What does it matter in the larger scheme of human life and living? What does it matter in our collective struggle for survival? How does it matter juxtaposed with the promises underlined in our Constitution for all citizens to live with and in dignity, to live safe and secure lives, to be provided with infrastructures and superstructures of health, education, employment, equality, justice, peace, democracy, freedoms and liberty? Even if “adherents of most religions are descendants of Hindus”, how is it relevant in the face of climate change wreaking havoc in various parts of the globe, not least in our country ~ including Assam’s annual devastating floods, and, in the face of the relentless pandemic we are confronted with since last year, which has belied our Governments’ tall claims of “developing” our region and country? What did it matter to the person, who died gasping for air, for hospital beds and oxygen? What does it matter to the large number of victims of hunger, poverty, crimes, violence, injustice and environmental degradation? What does it matter to victims of crimes against women and children, human trafficking, the elderly, the disabled and LGBTQ community; victims of false accusations of witchcraft; victims denied the due process of law, of social ostracism, corruption, cultural hegemony, racism and other bigotries, etc.? What does anyone’s “original” religion matter to victims of human, civil, legal, fundamental and constitutional violations? What does India stand to gain and achieve to even think about citizens’ “original” religion?
Importance and prioritization of issues differ from person to person, from community to community ~ but the common binding thread is what we hold dearest to our hearts, which we believe would result in the greater good of the greatest number of people ~ but this good cannot transpire if we take a non-inclusive route towards collective national aspirations. But the human psyche is a strange creature ~ the weak and the insecure sometimes project a strong façade and feels strong only by making others appear small. However, the real strong doesn’t fear differences, diversities, disagreements and dissent; instead it embraces them and protects, defends and stands up for everyone without discriminations whatsoever ~ because the truly strong is strong of mind, heart and spirit ~ much like the soil. Then there is this other thing ~ power sometimes appropriates the persona of knowledge and wisdom. But true knowledge and wisdom have no pretensions to knowing it all ~ in fact their strength lies in listening, learning, studying, analyzing, understanding and practicing. But then it is also inherent in human nature to sometimes assume the characteristics of the wind, which cannot read.
(This was published on July 27, 2021in the writer’s monthly Column “Primary Motifs” in Assam Tribune)
