The Idea of India is expressed well in the 4 videos listed at the bottom of this essay.
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In my pluralistic India, each one of us makes an effort to see that every Indian feels secure about his/her language, religion, culture, food, clothes, head coverings, ethnicity, race, or other uniqueness. We have practiced respecting the otherness of the other for nearly 5000 years; indeed, that is my pluralistic India.
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari was the last Governor-General of India and expressed civility in terms of a woman walking the streets of Chennai any time of the day and night and feel secure about it. Prophet Muhammad communicated similar thoughts 1400 years ago, where he envisioned a woman going from Medina to Damascus and back safe and sound.
The India that I have known is where everyone felt secure, day or night, and anywhere on the motherland.
Is that your India too?
The full article is pending publication, will be released soon
Achche Din Aayienge
Where have the good days gone?
The music, singing and the dances at friends’ weddings
Groom was my friend, he was either Ram or Rahim
Sometimes Sikh or Jain and sometimes John
His religion never mattered to me, he was my friend
Who does not remember the real and filmi romances?
Nargis Sunil Dutt, Suraya Dev Anand, Kamini Dilip Kumar
Nature brings hearts together, and no one had a problem
The poet said Ishq Per zor Nahin ai wo aatish hai Ghalib (Love happens)
Shakeel, on the other hand, claimed, Pyar Kiya to Darna Kya (Why fear if you fall in love)
Who will forget Krishna’s advice, which the Quran also gave
That whenever confusion, chaos, and distrust reaches the peak
Someone among us will emerge and restore the righteousness
Achche Din Aayienge, that’s Krishna’s promise and cannot be wrong
(Modified to meet both the traditions?)
The Bhagavad Gita says, Vasudhaiva Kutumbukum,
The Quran, Bible and all other books voice the same
That we all originated from a single couple, and
That we are all one family. Now, we need to follow it.
The following videos fully express what my Pluralistic India looks like, and I hope your vision of India is similar.
Learn Pluralism from the Indian Army. Full piece with 4 great articles at https://centerforpluralism.com/learn-pluralism-from-the-indian-army/
Video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5XptU6-Vm0&feature=emb_logo
Capt. Raghu Raman
And the following video precisely describes Indian Pluralism, I have lived and experienced every word of hers, Indeed, when I get the time, I will provide a link to each word she has uttered.
Atiqa Farooqi
And in this video, the poet sketches the map of an inclusive India
And finally my poetry in Urdu-Hindi.
It will be added later, 3 translated stanzas are included above.
Mike Ghouse is a thinker, author, speaker, newsmaker, and an interfaith wedding officiant. His new book American Muslim Agenda is available on Amazon, coming up are books on Human Rights and Pluralism. He is committed to building cohesive societies and offers pluralistic solutions on issues of the day. His information is available at linked-in.