What’s Religion? An Adivasi asks me.

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It is very natural for you to that feel this is an attempt to comment on philosophical aspect of religion. At least the heading gives this vibe. This article is a byproduct of conversations I had with many people who didn’t know their Religion and asked me what religion was. Last year took me to Palghar for conducting a survey carried out by Goonj. I was a fellow at Goonj back then. During the survey we had to collect the basic information from the people like Name, Age, Residence, Religion, Caste etc.

When I asked people what their Religion many of them asked a counter question- What is Religion? I was surprised by this question and felt like it was a earthshaking moment for all of us. Even if I was asking this question only as a part of the survey and that even our organisation doesn’t discriminate on basis of caste, religion, this reply was unexpected for me.

The basic reason for this was the division on the basis of religion, caste, creed, sex has been ingrained within us. We give unnecessary importance to things like Caste, Religion instead of actual issues at hand. This happens because quota/reservations, vote banks, success in elections, ministerial berths and promotions are dependent on divisive politics.

Even if we say so on paper, all of us know how much secular we actually are. To take a basic example, when we meet a new person, we usually ask their name. If the person tells just his/her name we are not satisfied and go on to ask their surname too. In fact many people are mostly interested in the surname rather than name. Because people make their preliminary opinion about another person accordingly. The surname decides whether the person belongs to our clan or not. If even this does not be satisfactory many people go on to dissect to which category does a person belong and to which sub-caste (higher or lower).

We make prejudiced opinions about some societies, castes, religion and live in the illusion that they are true. We need to ask ourselves honestly– How many of us see at a person just as a human and nothing more or less? Many people would in fact see to which clan do I belong.

The question of divisiveness is an age-old issue. Religion is living and will live further too. Everybody has their own god to worship. It was easier age when everybody would look at it as a way of living life. The problem began when competition of greatness started. Your religion or mine? Lead to divisiveness, wars, bloodshed, and communalism.

Nobody is identical and hence question of greatness is like comparing apples to oranges. Everybody including the founders of the religions are unique too. Where does the question of greatness arise then?

Tell me a single religion whose founding fathers expressly promote communalism. Whether a person is greater than religion or vice a versa? Any Religion seeks to direct its followers to lead a meaningful life. We seldom tend to prove how our own Religion is supersedes other Religions and this in the end leads to Violence! We end up taking the path which our Religion condemns!

Like peace comes after war, talks of Humanity accompany departure of Religious violence. Songs of brotherhood roar loud. But the people who suffer the violence know that this peace is soaked in blood of innocents. Here a question comes to my mind. Does the peace necessarily have to tread the path of disaster? Even if peace is established in the society, has it been established in our hearts?

The Adivasis of Palghar curiously ask about Religion because they are unknown to the winds of Religion. Happiness is their way of Life and in turn their religion. Their culture is to treat every person at the doorstep as their family member. No mental barriers like castes come in their way at that time. This doesn’t mean that their culture is perfect. They of course have their own drawbacks but that is not the topic of today’s discussion.

Adivasis know how to live happily so there is no religious enmity in their hearts. One who doesn’t know enmity naturally leans to inclusive humanism. Humanity settles its home in Adivasis. I got the answer about meaning of Religion form the Adivasis who asked me the same.

Then! What’s your religion?

Acknowledgements –

Translation (Marathi to English) – Anay Pethe

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