When I first heard of the term ‘Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb’, I was fascinated by the idea it held. I started reading about the composite Hindu-Muslim culture of India it emphasized and was elated by the facets it brought to light.
After all, most of us are always looking for little things that can unite us. The significance of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb is its role in the unification of two of the most talked-about religions of India.
The idea is rooted in the combined values that people of a nation grow up in when there is an assimilation of different beliefs.
When I delved further into the topic, I discovered that the term has remained much under the scrutiny of intellectuals and has divided them into two groups-
One group believes that India had a Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb in the past and that India exhibits and has always exhibited religious syncretism. This opinion is considered a more romanticized notion of a utopian world that did not exist. The people from this group can be called idealists.
The other group proclaims that India never had a syncretic culture and that Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb is a myth. This group bases its opinions on historical facts rather than painting a beautiful picture that might be false. The people of this group are considered realists rather than idealists.
But this article is not inclined towards either of these opinions.
To me, it matters less whether we had a utopian society or not.
What matters more is, is it possible to have such a society today. Not just in the pockets of India but throughout the nation?
And if it is possible, then what is stopping India from becoming the peaceful society we want it to be? Is it the fault of one group, or both groups? Or is it the fault of sections of people from both groups?
Let us get deeper into the romantic theory for which Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb is famous.
What is Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb?
The phrase Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb signifies a unifying composite culture brought about by the practice and adoption of both Hindu and Muslim cultures on the Indian Sub-continent.
Ganga and Yamuna (Jamuna) are two major rivers of India.
When people of the two religions come together to live in the same society and celebrate each other’s festivals, their lifestyles merge into a syncretic way of living. We witness Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb in such times.
Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb upholds inclusivity, religious tolerance, harmony, and pluralism and spreads the positive message of peace and harmony.
But is the reality behind the idea of this term as positive and convincing as the term itself is?
Instances show that many Indians are opposed to having a syncretic culture. But how long are we going to brood over and not move on from the ugly episodes of the Mughal period, Muslim Invasions, temple desecrations or Godhra riots?
The past had violence. Religious intolerance, fanaticism, terrorism and discrimination still exist and divide any land it spreads on.
We will focus on modern examples of how, when one part of India tries to bring down the barriers between two contrasting religions, the other opposes it and uproots the new saplings of Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb.
Reasons that do not let Hindus and Muslims integrate in India:-
Misunderstanding harmony for assimilation
There are many Hindu-Muslim-dominated suburban areas in India where there may have been no reports of communal atrocities and violence.
This, however, is just proof that the people living in the society are peace-loving people. It does not mean that people in the society assimilate or want to assimilate.
Many urban societies celebrate frequent Hindu festivals. Many Muslim families choose to not be part of such celebrations. Similarly, not every Hindu is interested in being a part of an Eid celebration.
While some of these people might have valid practical reasons for their absence from such social events including pure disinterest, many choose to stay back just because of certain fears: –
- The fear that they might not be accepted and welcomed wholeheartedly by the other group due to their religion.
- Concerns about disrespecting the other culture’s rituals because of not being aware of the details.
- Being scared of crossing a line where -being a part of certain practices might be allowed in one religion but forbidden in the other.
The societies where the above fears persist do not evolve as a composite culture. There can be harmony in such areas but less understanding of each other’s culture. There is an invisible divide.
In societies where the above fears do not exist, people mostly live in a composite culture.
Fear of going against religion and doing something forbidden
Integration is not easy to achieve in every society.
When parts of the cultures clash or contradict, it becomes difficult to coexist.
Cows are very sacred in the Hindu Culture. Bakreid (Eid-ul-Adha) is a Muslim festival where numerous cattle, including cows, are sacrificed as per ritual.
When the two communities do not come together in such rituals, no questions should arise over it.
Similarly, for Muslims, one of the crucial tenets of their religion is belief in an intangible and omnipresent creator. Attributing any figure or image to God is forbidden in Islam.
So, if a Muslim avoids sitting in a prayer before a deity, it should be understandable too.
Of course, many Hindus eat beef, and many Muslims do not mind being a part of Idol worship or other clashing rituals, but this should not be the answer to the problem of assimilation.
Every arrangement has exceptions, and every community should have the right to practice what is sacred to them.
Whenever needed, the line that a person does not want to cross should be established clearly, but with peaceful understanding.
In such cases, what we practice towards each other is called tolerance.
However, when many such lines appear out of fear, it creates division.
Hindus and Muslims can come together and celebrate Holi, Diwali, Eid; exchange sweets; wish each other on festivals; be part of social celebrations and break the walls of fear.
Celebrating festivals together is a great way of bringing people closer.
Highlighting the negative
All Muslims do not live the same life and do not believe in the same things that the religious leader of their community or society does.
Yet when we watch a Muslim Maulvi in a News channel’s panel of guests, we frequently come across misogynistic and anti-secular speech. It paints a negative picture in the minds of the viewers.
Either Media fails to find moderate Muslim speakers or moderate Muslim speakers fail to vocalise their opinions. We do not usually see the likes of Sadh Guru or Gaur Gopal Das from Muslim Communities on Indian Television.
People remember the fervent negative comments of an orthodox Muslim scholar and attach Muslims to those opinions.
No one listens to the speeches of Imam Tawhidi or gives credit to people like Javed Akhtar for at least keeping liberal opinions out there. Instead, Muslim speakers who bring reforming ideas to the table are called hypocrites and are ridiculed.
In most instances, a Hindu Extremist is considered an exception but is not considered a representative of the majority of peace-loving Hindus. But for Muslims, it is the Good peace-loving Muslim who is considered an exception. This belief stems from an engrained bias and media often fuels this fire.
While we cannot deny the fact that radical groups do exist, highlighting and feeding on the negative is a promotion of it; and it can never uproot the prejudices spread in society.
The Muslim Radicalisation
Indian Muslims are distinct from other Muslims around the world.
They have imbibed some composite cultural elements that inclined them to a more Sufi approach of practising their religion.
Not all Islamic countries have mazaars(shrines), not all Muslim communities allow qawwalis or music, and not all Muslim women in Islamic countries wear Sarees or adorn Sindoor (Vermillion).
But lately, the rich composite culture has been hijacked by a more Shariah-based orthodoxy. Households that used to mix with every community and have a liberal lifestyle are building walls of exclusion and choosing to stay away from society.
Children learn what excludes them from Hinduism and why they need to protect their religion. People are putting more stress on the Code of conduct and religious norms, and less on connecting with God with a clean heart and pure intentions.
Without a doubt, Muslim Radicalisation is a threat to our attempt at establishing a Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb. Muslims are not.
The Rise of Hindu Separatists
Whenever there is a rise of separatists on any land, it tears the land apart. If not physically, then in other ways.
The formation of Pakistan is a model example of this.
But the current partition has not been of lands. It has occupied the hearts of many people in India.
When we read the history of India, we start with the Vedic Age. The teachings of Sanatan Dharma and its rituals are valued since the Vedic age.
Muslims came to India later. Muslims living today as Indians cannot be compared to the invaders who came to India centuries ago. Muslims like me are Muslims who are from India. We are Indians.
Today India is a diverse country. It should not be a Hindu-only nation. It can be a land where the traditional values and principles of Sanatan Dharma is practised, taught and promoted. The Constitution gives that right to all religions.
But harbouring the thoughts of fanaticism breaks a nation, rather than building a great one which can set an example to the world.
CONCLUSION
Fortunately, Many Hindus have been voicing against rising Anti-Muslim Sentiments in India.
Moderate Muslims also need to voice their opinions against the Radicalisation of the Muslim community in India.
Why is there such opposition when Tanishq or Surf Excel show advertisements where we find a message of communal peace and harmony?
The negative things we hear about inter-religious marriages make us think that such marriages are a hoax.
Why are we unaware of hundreds of such happy marriages?
Why do we know more about organisations that divide than organisations that unite?
It is said that an average Indian, whether a Muslim or Hindu, is proud of the diverse culture we possess.
The way forward
Let’s celebrate the idea that India is a diverse and peaceful country where people get along and share in each other’s joys. Each of us can help by being positive, breaking away from negativity, and trying to understand one another better. Together, we can build bridges that connect us all.
In the end, the majority of Indians yearn for peace, harmony, and unity. The dream of a Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb is not an unattainable ideal; it is a reflection of the collective spirit of a nation that aspires to live as one, respecting and embracing the beautiful merged cultures that make India truly unique.
Barse Eid ki Chaandni bhi,
-Saba fatima
Bikhre Holi ke Rang bhi,
Zindagi bhar dil ka aangan apna yuh hi rahe…
(TRANSLATION:- I WISH THE LAND OF OUR HEARTS REMAINS SUCH, THAT IT SHIMMERS UNDER THE MOON OF EID, AS WELL AS GLITTERS WITH THE COLOURS OF HOLI)
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