I had this thought in my mind for quite a few years now. Putting it to black and white, still seems difficult. Nevertheless, I want to try and blog away.
I don't want to profile myself but I should say, I am a Hindu. I follow Hinduism. I am not a religious person though. I am not sure if I can call myself spiritual. I definitely am a Hindu, because I follow Hindu way of life and lead my life on principles laid down by my forefathers. How many of them are actually in ancient scriptures, I don't know. I don't even intend to find that out.... yet.
What i have gotten to understand about being Hindu that it is beyond just a religion. It is a full blown institution, it is a way of life. From birth of child till passing away it is a guiding force. Letting yourself not only live but live healthy, wealthy and wise.
Unlike other contemporaries, Hinduism is not in a book. It did not even come from a teaching of single person. It is most ancient and yet most modern because it is adaptive and it is self correcting. All ancient Gurus and Preachers made it better by studying the "Desh, Kaal and Paristhiti" at that time and added their research element to all the Hindu teachings.
All this brings an interesting questions... If Hinduism has been so adaptive, is there a place for ultra-conservatism? If I call myself Hindu than am I not Secular? Well, the answers lies in the teachings. Being Hindu is being secular because the teachings are about respecting other views, being adaptive to the place, time and the conditions one is in. Adi Shankracharya had debated lot of scholars in his time and they became his disciples... not by force but because they agreed to the view put forth.
Aggression comes because of oppression. If you force the idea on somebody, its very nature of the person to recoil and create a shell and not let anything penetrate. People become Conservative when they feel threatened. One must be so sure of his ideas and his principles that nothing should threaten him. There should be no need to stress and say that I am a Hindu to the world to prove and protect oneself. Nobody can snatch my principles and my ideas from me.
Being Hindu has taught me to consider the whole world my family hence "Vasudhaiv Ktutmbakam". My beliefs and my principles are with me. I am not out to prove my heritage, my culture and compare it with anything. I am here to expand my family and be part of this extended family not afraid to lose my identity, not fighting to preserve it but, just be. And I am sure life will be easy.
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