Comments on: Is religion a positive influence on contemporary Indian society ?

By: kanagu

kanagu — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 16:58:02 +0000

Hi Vikram,

It has been long since I have visited your blog.. stuck up with some works.. but first things first.. A very happy new year to you
And I am happy that now-a-days you are very frequent
This is a very nice post.. we people have the habit to celebrating the festivals in big way with all the colours that gives a identification to us.. it’s good too.. as it helps ourselves to relax.. As far as Christmas is concerned we have accepted the concept of Santa and gifting and we have great great relationship with all over neighbours

Thanks Kanagu, a happy new year to u too.

By: Vikram

Vikram — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:37:15 +0000

@ Yes Nita, as an example I am reminded of my own childhood in Powai in Mumbai. Apart from 3 Punjabi families (2 Sikh, 1 Hindu) everyone in my building was from a different state. But still the social bonds were very strong. Our neighbours were Malayali Christians, who would bring us sweets and other Kerala goodies on every Christian festival. Most festivals were celebrated together.

@ Tazeen, I think you are right to a great extent. It is definitely hyped up by the media and the corporates. It is also seen by many urban Indians as a very ‘chic’ and ‘Western’ thing to do.

One should contrast the celebrations of Christmas with those of the Muslim festivals (Eid, Muharram). Apart from the Muslims and a few media outlets nobody seems to care. Of course they are usually holidays, but pretty soon the right wing will start calling even that minority ‘appeasement’.

By: Tazeen

Tazeen — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:57:13 +0000

Vikram,

I have spent one Christmas in Mumbai and indeed it was all over and everyone got into the spirit of christmas and giving gifts. In my opinion, celebration of christmas in big Indian cities has more to do with multinational companies and their advertising campaigns around christmas rather than people celebrating the religious festival.

By: Nita

Nita — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:12:41 +0000

Interesting post Vikram. Additional reasons for Indians celebrating Christmas with gusto (besides religiosity) is that in India people are very social and bonds are strong. Also people have more time!

By: Vikram

Vikram — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 22:21:00 +0000

@ MmeetsK : Thank You MmeetsK. Your comments have shed much needed might on my original (perhaps naive) interpretation on religion in America. I had this article linked in, but I do want to point it out specifically, since it backs your observations,
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1668481,00.html

Also, thinks for pointing out the Protestant work ethic and culture, that perhaps had a lot to do with America’s success.

I never specifically blamed Hinduism. In fact, I mentioned that it is the fact that Indians cant prioritize their state over religion in matters, that is to blame. This is true of most Indians, regardless of religion. In fact, I thinks its true in many developing countries with a strongly religious population (Pakistan, Thailand, Indonesia).

By: Minnesotameetskarnataka

Minnesotameetskarnataka — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:48:32 +0000

A lot of it is cultural. In the U.S. in public schools we are taught not to be too boisterous about religious things. Kids are told to say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christams” or “Happy Hanukkah”. Some schools don’t allow much in the way of celebrating the holidays. I think in the U.S. people are still getting used to diversity so rather than teach about all religions, some people just throw it all out of the schools.

Some also could be Protestant Christianity. Protestants don’t have a lot of rituals, no statues, hardly any religious artifacts whatsoever. There are very few pilgrimages. Prayer is done in private. All that matters is faith. Also, most come from very subdued cultures-my Scandinavian Lutheran relatives place a high importance on blending in (no loud displays), being stoic, and working for the good of the group. Being ostentatious is one of the worst things to be.

The largest religious group in the U.S. are the white Protestants.

The Catholic relatives are a bit more relaxed, more emotional. My home church did have church processions around the block of the church on some church holidays. The houses of my Catholic relatives did have more religious artifacts-crucifixes, statues, rosaries, holy cards, scapulars of saints to wear around the neck, a reproduction of the Last Supper in the kitchen, a place to hold holy water on the wall of the bedroom so that before starting the day and ending the day they could bless themselves.

Or it could be the culture of American suburbs. People don’t usually know their neighbors well. The average American lives in a house less than 10 years before moving on. Middle class Americans live life behind closed doors. Poorer people in the US are louder and do live more in public.

Probably it is a combination of all of the above.

I don’t think Hinduism is to blame for people not paying their taxes. If it was only religion, Hindus in the US. wouldn’t pay their taxes either. Also, U.S. Italian/Catholic gangsters were also very religious and had strict codes of behaviour.

In short, I think you are simplifying way too much.

By: Vikram

Vikram — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:25:14 +0000

@ Allytude, Odzer : My idea here was just to point out that Indians are more likely to emphasize the celebratory aspect of a festival, even though, as you point out it often comes at the cost of civic decency.

I dont think the West was always like this and now I wonder if the lack of boisterousness is in part due to the emphasis on being ‘well-behaved’.

By: odzer

odzer — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 18:31:03 +0000

If you ever go to a restaurant in India or any other public place you will notice how loud everyone is. Its just the same thing, festivals in India are loud as well. Somehow in India being loud and in your face is associated with coolness. You are considered more lively. The media here often encourages young people to be boisterous. Personally I prefer it quiet but everyone has their own take. I would rather hear the songs of the birds in a metropolis than an infernal din.

However I guess you are right what India does need is the things that are elementary. These will not happen by itself. People will have to realise that they need to work hard for them. Each one of us will have to do something about it.

By: Allytude

Allytude — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 15:02:32 +0000

I think the difference between the gusto of celebrations is that in India we do not really care too much about stepping on other toes to express ourselves- even at the cost of being insensitive. We are just not civic minded- remember the blaring music from films, the loud Diwali crackers and the rest- so Christmas too becomes as boisterous. In the US, as in most of the West there is a tendency to keep the noise out of public life. I don’t hear people screaming from their houses either. Neither do religious processions ( and yes they are there) block traffic and inconvenience others(on another note, neither do pickets nor strikes) people are just “well-behaved” in public. The in-your face religion thing is petty strong here in Texas- look at the number of churches, the people handing out chick tracts, church booklets- but it is done quietly. In India it is much louder- in a “Its our religious celebration, how can anyone be offended” manner- that is the difference.
The interesting thing is how a lot of Indians too tend to congregate in groups to keep the spirit of festivals alive- we unnecessarily try to make it a community thing- somehow getting away from the individual feel-good thing some of our festivals and their rituals symbolize.

You are bang on target about the other observations about religious ritual.