Book Summary: "Why I Am A HINDU" by Shashi Tharoor

Happy Sunday,

Brief about the Book:

The Book cautiously considered rebuttal to the hypothesized Hinduism of the Hindutva ideologues is entitled “Why I Am a Hindu.” It is mostly geared towards Rightist discourse that confuses secularism with being anti-Hindu as well as Hindu nationalism (and by that very logic, anti-national). The retort is based on his status as a practising Hindu rather than as a secularist.

Operating on the simple principle that a variety of religions should be allowed to coexist without any one belief system being privileged over others, India’s culture allows Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Sikhs to worship freely and equally.

Book publication date: January 2018.

Brief about the Author:

Shashi Tharoor completed a bachelor’s degree at the University of Delhi in New Delhi, In 1978, at age 22, he was awarded a Ph.D. from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University in Medford, Massachusetts.

His tenure:

1985–89: Subsequent 23-year career as a diplomat in the United Nations, Tharoor served in various capacities, including deputy chief of the UNHCR Secretariat.

1989–96: Special assistant for the United States and UN for peacekeeping.

1997–2000: Executive assistant to the secretary-general.

2001–07: Under-secretary-general for communications and public information.

In 2009 Tharoor joined the Indian National Congress.

In 2006 Tharoor was chosen as India’s official candidate for the post of secretary-general. He finished second out of the seven candidates in the 2007 election, which was won by former South Korean diplomat and politician Ban Ki-moon. Following his defeat, Tharoor resigned from the UN and became the chairman of an investment company based in the emirate of Dubai.

Part 1: My Hinduism.

Hinduism is a religion without guiding principles that is naturally eclectic and commodious in its capacity to adapt to historical circumstances. Hinduism, which is an ever-evolving spectrum (Sanatana Dharma), is a reflection of the presence of several opposing viewpoints. Some have considered Hinduism’s paradoxical complexity as a weakness since they believe it lacks the unifying organisational power that underpins other religions. Such worries have fueled the Hindutva mission, which fervently works to unify and codify Hinduism under its banner. The author, however, emphasises that Hinduism’s essential strength and what laid the groundwork for India’s democratic culture is the validity and acceptance of heterogeneity.

At this point in Indian democracy, the author claims that Hindu nationalism is neither Indian nationalism nor real Hinduism is helpful. Since some Sanghivadis claim that a true Hindu (and nationalist) is anti-secular, there may be individuals who believe that to express their commitment to secular ethics, one must be anti-Hindu or at the very least, Hindu-distant. Without being anti-Hindu, one might be nationalist, anti-Hindutva, and anti-majoritarian. Hindutva ideology is the only representative of Hindu culture and being a follower of their philosophy is the natural next step after becoming a Hindu. Similar to how the story of liberal Muslims avoids the extremes of Islamic fundamentalism and secularism (in the Western sense), The author offers the chance for practising Hindus or just liberals to look past the polarities of political Hinduism and steadfast atheism, if they so choose.

Part 2: Political Hinduism.

The religious culture of the British colonialists, who asserted to hold all the trappings of modernity, scientific knowledge, and progress, as well as the influence of 19th-century fascist discourse on nationalism and racial purity, all contributed to this. The author's observations also include a striking similarity between Hindutvavadis and 20th-century Islamic fundamentalists in the Middle East and South Asia concerning their cognitive process, emphasising a glorious past, attributing decline to rapacious invaders, bolstering grievances against prior injustices, opposing westernisation (many aspects of which they have unconsciously imitated), and striving for political power.

Hindu who wants to free the discourse of Hinduism from the control of extreme forces. In his eagerness to recapture Hinduism (and possibly as a politician, the Hindu vote bank), he is fast and impetuous in clearing up the confusion of Hinduism, even though he does not fully ignore the importance of the caste issue. Although the author devotes a substantial amount of words to his personal involvement with Hinduism, his criticism of the non-egalitarian and overly rigid expressions of Hindu culture, which are the daily lived experiences of many people, is rather scant... While it may be true that Hinduism has numerous postulates and theoretical foundations that demonstrate adaptability, acceptance of variety, and belief in the all-pervasiveness of divinity, different cultures have diverse experiences with Hinduism on a practical level.

While relevant and notable, citing a few instances of gender equality and female devotion in Hinduism does not absolve a religious philosophy that has for ages exemplified and displayed a horrendous patriarchal and caste-based bias. While in his position as a privileged Hindu, he is free to reject traditions and practises that he disagrees with, thousands of Hindus are constrained by the restrictive dogma of caste hierarchy and are even shackled to caste discrimination based on ideas of purity and superiority of one group over the other. They don’t have access to the freedom and adaptability that Hinduism grants them.

Part 3: Taking Back Hinduism.

The author's main complaint is with what he sees as the usurping and distorting of an almost completely uncontainable, flowing, syncretic religion into a straitjacketed masculinist racist ideology in the name of nationalism. He points out that lay Hindus should not be given any more authority than Hindutva ideologues to define what Hinduism is or who a Hindu is. He disapproves of the idea that being a Hindu and being a nationalist are synonymous. Hinduism and liberalism are in no way incompatible in the author's opinion. The syncretic nature of Hinduism is furthermore best suited to liberalism as a political theory.

While acknowledging the value of valuing one’s religious and cultural heritage, the author emphasises that the Sangh Parivar’s promotion of cultural nationalism through the stoking of old grievances and instigation of hostility and suspicion towards minorities is not only extremely divisive but also accountable for weakening India’s soft power abroad. It is an ideology that thrives on the story of failure, humiliation, and retaliation and derives its power from the idea of victims. The basic foundation that separates India from Pakistan, according to the author, is the idea that religious identity should define nationhood. Additionally, he argues that while majoritarian communalism could appear to be nationalism, minority communalism clearly looks like a separatist.

Conclusion: Hinduism has been co-opted by extremists and Nazi sympathizers and Hindutva is nothing but a perversion of Hinduism. For this reason, it must be rejected and eliminated so that people around the world can embrace the beauty and tolerance of the Hindu faith.

Hindu people have many reasons to be proud of their faith and its 4,000-year history. We (Hindus) can likewise take great pride in India and its rich culture and heritage. National and religious pride should never be predicated on violence or exclusion of others. Instead, We (Hindus) should be proud of their traditional commitment to diversity, living into that legacy rather than the toxic tenets of Hindutva.

Learning: The legacy of Hinduism is being reduced to the Hindutva rhetoric. It has undeniably, endowed India with a philosophical and spiritual underpinning that sustains and aids the idea of an all-embracing secular Indian nationalism, a characteristic worthy of retention. In times of exceptional polarisation of people and ideologies, his attempt to resuscitate pluralism and inclusiveness is well-intentioned and may provide reasonable perspective for the practising Hindu, the secularist and even the Hindutvavadi.

Shashi Tharoor

Click on the link to get your copy: https://amzn.to/4c7dDWa