The above examples are illustrative of Hindutva-in-action. Hindutva is manifested in religious tolerance, harmony with nature and the animal world, forgiveness, acceptance of disagreement, non-aggression, brotherhood of mankind pluralism, diversity in unity, etc.
Hindutva and Hinduism
The words Hindu, Hindutva and Hinduism are not synonymous. They are different with distinctive connotation. A Hindu is one who is adherent of Hindu religion while Hinduism indicates the religion based on Hindu beliefs, scriptures, gods, after life, rituals and mode of worship etc. All Hindus who follow Hinduism are characterised by certain mindset, distinctive behaviour and attitude which can be called ?Hindu-ness?. Hindutva is thus ?Hindu-ness?.
Hindutva is certainly not Hinduism. But Hindutva is a mindset that is based on Hinduism, which itself is imbued with Indian culture. Hindutva is thus representative of Indian cultural ethos, transcending the narrow boundaries of different religions.
Hindutva and Indianness
There is no difference in Hindutva and Indian-ness. It implies that even non-Hindus, living in India have a mindset, to a greater or lesser degree, inspired by Hindutva.
What distinguishes Indian Muslims from rest of the world is their Hindutva (Hinduness or Indianness) inspired mindset.
The Shia-Sunni differences are almost as old as the Islam itself. The strife between the two is a fact of history. In the aftermath of the downfall of Saddam'sdictatorship in Iraq, the bloody conflict between the two Islamic communities is a reality, impossible to be brushed aside. Nearer home, in Pakistan, Shias and Sunnis do not pray in one mosque. They pray in separate mosques. Their communal militant organisations frequently kill each other and put bombs in their rival'smosques. But it is not so in India. Here the Shia-Sunni divide is not that sharp. They pray in same mosque and the riots between the two are a rarity.
Summing up, it can be said that Hindutva is a mindset shared by all Indians, in larger or lesser degrees, Hindutva can also be defined as an abstract value system bequeathed by Indian culture and shared by all Indians irrespective of their religious affiliations. Hindutva is thus a secular concept.
(The author can be contacted at B-225, Sector-26, Noida-201 301.)
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