Indian Society (Integrative elements of Indian Society) by Smriti Rao Mishra

Model Answer

Question #1. The principles of assimilation, accommodation, and interdependence have enabled Indian society to retain its pluralistic character across time and space.  10 marks (150 words)

Approach

1. Question has 3 pillars: assimilation, accommodation, and interdependence. Question asks how these 3 pillars have helped India to maintain its pluralistic character.
2. Write an introductory paragraph on spirit of accommodation and assimilation features of Indian society.
3. Explain how the tradition of Interdependence, accommodation and tolerance existed across time and space in India. Explain with the help of examples.
4. Conclude with importance of 3 pillars in making India a pluralistic society.

Hints:

The spirit of love, tolerance, accommodation and interdependence of Indian society has led to acceptance of various kingdoms and dynasties which came here to rule and it led to assimilation of various cultures. These principles have played a crucial role in promoting social cohesion and unity in the face of diverse cultures, religions, and ethnic groups. Tradition of Interdependence, accommodation and tolerance can be seen across the time and space. This can be seen in following manner:

How Assimilation has enabled the Indian society to retain its pluralistic character

 1) Indo-Aryans came to India, their language and culture spread into northwest India around 1500 BCE. They were accepted in the Indian society, their culture got assimilated into our society and it is one of the pillars of our tradition.

2) Kingdoms like Greeks, Shakas, Hunas and Kushanaswere accepted by the Indian society. They brought various cultures which got assimilated into our culture.

3) Indian society in the medieval period accepted the rule of Sultanate and Mughals and their culture got assimilated in Indian society forever. India assimilated the Islamic art and architecture, music, and clothing etc.

4) Advent of Europeans: It has allowed new cultural, religious, and ethnic groups of Europe to integrate into Indian society while retaining their unique traditions and practices. For example, the influence of Western culture in India has resulted in the emergence of a new generation of young people who blend traditional Indian values with modern global ideas and practices. Process of assimilation has helped India to become a melting pot of cultures, religions, and traditions, contributing to its diversity and richness. The Indian society is home to numerous cultures, religions, and ethnic groups that have coexisted for centuries and continue to influence each other in various ways.

How Accommodation and Interdependence have enabled the Indian society to retain its pluralistic character

 1) Rise of Buddhism and Jainism because of religious unrest in India in the 6th century B.C. Both were founded on the principle of tolerance, love, accommodation and interdependence. Both religion Buddhism and Jainism and one which was advocated by Vedic period existed side by side. This showcases India’s high degree of accommodation and interdependence.

2) Different regions of India contributed to promotion of literature and higher learning to the composite culture of India. For example Vedas were developed in Sapta-Sindhu regions, Upanishads in Magadha, Sangam literature in South are shining examples of accommodation of diverse literature in India.

3) Essence of both Bhakti and Sufi movements dissolved the separate religious identities to a great extent and provides a great contribution to India’s composite culture. It brought to fore the universal brotherhood, equality and oneness of God while rejected castes, rituals, idol worship which promoted the tradition of accommodation and interdependence among various sections of society.

 4) The tradition of accommodation and interdependence can be seen during the reign of Akbar. Akbar propagated his ideas of tolerance through sulh-i-kul which promoted harmony between various religions. He and other rulers appointed Hindus as their highest military officers.

 5) Since Independence India have accepted streams of refugees like Tibetians, Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka, Chakma and Hajong refugees which shows the tradition of accommodation.

6) Tradition of Interdependence as element of unity in diversity can be seen in rural areas and in joint family structures. One socio-economic activity is linked to the other which is beneficial for both. 7) Today, India has multitude of religions including majority Hinduism and minority Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and Judaism. This diversity has many a times kept the country united in difficult times. Religious unity is particularly visible when a war or a disaster happens. This shows India’s stand for accommodation and interdependence.

8) Indian philosophical ideas like “Sarva Dharma Sama Bhava, VasudhaivaKutumbakam – also entails the principle of accommodation and interdependence. During the Covid India adhered to this principles and helped the world by supplying the cheap medicines and vaccines. Similarly, world also helped India in the during the COVID crisis.

Thus, the principles of assimilation, accommodation, and interdependence have been essential in enabling Indian society to retain its pluralistic character in present times. These principles have promoted social cohesion, respect for diversity, and mutual cooperation between different communities, making India a vibrant and diverse society. Despite the challenges posed by globalization and modernization, these principles have helped to maintain social cohesion and unity in the face of diversity.

Question #2. Cultural syncretism has contributed to making India a civilizational state rather than merely a nation state. Discuss.  15 marks (250 words)

Approach

1. Question is about the cultural syncretism and its role in civilizational state
2. Introduce by defining the cultural syncretism.
3. Then, mention the cultural syncretism of India and how it makes India a civilizational state.
4. Conclude by writing how cultural syncretism gives new identity to India from the rest of the world.

Hints:

Cultural syncretism is the blending of different cultural traditions into a new, hybrid culture. India is a country with a long and complex history, and as a result, its culture has been shaped by a variety of influences, including religion, language, art, and philosophy. This cultural syncretism has contributed to making India a civilizational state rather than merely a nation state. This can be seen in following manner:

What constitutes of a nation state?

1) The series of treaties known as the Westphalia treaties, which ended the Thirty Years War (1618- 48), are the basis of the modern nation states in Europe. Nation-state, a territorially bounded sovereign polity i.e. a state that is ruled in the name of a community of citizens who identify themselves as a nation.

2) This concept has acquired universal applicability and is now the foundational basis for modern nation states everywhere, including India.

3) However, Indian nationalist view that from times immemorial, India has been a civilisational state, Bharat Mata, mystically transcending the narrow legal definitions of European theorists of what constitutes the modern nation state. They further argue that cultural syncretism present in India present a strong case for civilizational state.

Cultural Syncretism in India

 1) Harppan age: During Harappan age, cultural syncretism can be observed through certain evidences. Harappan people had contacts with the people of other civilizations like Mesopotamia etc. This imparted the cosmopolitan culture to the Harappan civilization. Consequently, it also witnessed the cultural syncretism. Evidence of Vanity case, can be found in Harappanstate which are commonly found in Mesopotamian state. Thus, the

2) Mauryan Age: During the Mauryan Age, Cultural syncretism can be observed as new cultures and traditions were adopted by India. Indian ruler adopted the new language and script for dissemination of their ideas. Ashokan edicts in North West were written in Greek and Aramaic script. This led to increased use of Greek and Aramaic in India.

3) Post Mauryan age: Buddhism art which flourished in India during this period adopted new foreign elements. The Greco-Buddhist art or Gandhara art is the artistic manifestation of Greco-Buddhism, a cultural syncretism between Ancient Greek art and Buddhism. It has the strong idealistic realism and sensuous description of Hellenistic art.

4) Akabar’s Din-e-illahi: Edicts of Rulers like Akbar also contributed to a Pluralistic view of religion. Din-e-Illahi which means Religion of God in Persian, was a religious code of ethics was an example of religious eclecticism. It drew heavily on Zoroastrianism, making light a divine object of worship and reciting the thousand Sanskrit names of Sun, as in Hinduism.

5) Bhakti saints such as Ramananda, a Vaishnava, further enhanced the cultural syncretism. Kabir abandoned Sanskrit in favour of local dialects when writing his hymns. He attacked not only orthodox Brahmanical practises, but also Islamic practises such as performing Namaz and visiting Mosques. This helped Kabir to promote of syncretism that promote peace and reconciliation among people from various communities.

 6) Sufism was practised in India through a variety of Sufi sects or silsilas (orders), including the Chishti, Suhrawardy, and Naqshbandi silsilas.Thesacred power of the Saint and his Tomb leads to forms of syncretism as various people from various communities visited their tomb. This further enhanced the social cohesion.

7) Comparison with Middle-East: In some middle Eastern countries where people follow a single religion, cultural syncretism is restricted if not outright absent. As Amartya Sen puts it, “Being born as Indians, we find ourselves in a culture that has had thousands of years of flourishing diversity, in a community that is proud of its many major languages and literatures, in country that has persistently tried to make room for different religious beliefs.

8) Colonial period: During the Colonial period, idea of cultural syncretism in Mahatma Gandhi’s Hind Swaraj and Rabindranath Tagore’s essays. Gandhi promoted the idea of Indian civilization assimilation. Gandhi promoted the idea of Indian civilization assimilation; Tagore’s view that Indian civilizationwas’ syncretic’ in nature later became the basis for the nationalist perspective. It was able to achieve unity in the midst of diversity while maintaining the uniqueness of the elements that made it up.

In this manner, the cultural syncretism which was presented in India since the ancient times proves India to a civilizational state rather than a nation state. This cultural syncretism makes India distinct from the nation state which has homogeneity as its key feature. This cultural syncretism gives India a new identity from the rest of the world which respects the cultural assimilation and accommodation.