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Right now? Helping out country men from the north east, and surviving the daily tribulations of India with stoicism, and the ability to be open to all castes,

Right now? Helping out country men from the north east, and surviving the daily tribulations of India with stoicism, and the ability to be open to all castes, creeds and colors The one thing that united most of India was mysticism and the belief that we are one under some god. You can experiment with that as a start. It's what bound the Sufis, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and several other religions during the best of our times. We don't want to emulate our worst times.

irahul 14y ago
> Right now? Helping out country men from the north east, and surviving the daily tribulations of India with stoicism, and the ability to be open to all castes, creeds and colors The discussion started from a post talking about Indian heritage, and the things which you listed(substitute people from north east with just people) are basic qualities expected in a decent human being - there is nothing uniquely Indian or heritage about it. > The one thing that united most of India was mysticism and the belief that we are one under some god. More often than not, I don't see a united India, which doesn't bother me much as long as people treat other people as human beings, and not some abstract entity(viz. Hindu, North eastern, Tamil etc). Countries are imaginary boundaries, intentionally and/or unintentionally created for various reasons(ease of administration among others). Mysticism is something I never subscribed to. I was indifferent to religion, miracles, rituals from a very young age. I believed a relation between me and god is personal, and priests, temples, rituals have no business being there. Eventually, I became an atheist. Granted not many people are atheists(in India, or any other part of the world), but people not into mysticism is very common. I am pointing this out as you were listing it as something which is inherently Indian, and I am saying it isn't and there isn't an authority which decides the Indian heritage. > You can experiment with that as a start. Experiment with what? Mysticism? Show me, I will verify. If it works, at that point, it isn't mysterious any more. If it doesn't, it is just imagination gone wild. > It's what bound the Sufis, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and several other religions during the best of our times. If that is the binding factor for you, good for you. For me, I don't give a shit which part of world you are from, what gods you worship, what color your skin is, what language you speak etc etc. You will get basic "one human being to another" respect, followed by "earned respect". If I just met you, you get the basic respect and empathy. If you are a superb programmer, good doctor, good athlete, good human being... you earn my respect. If you are an asshole(homophobe, sexist, xenophobic, wife beater...), you lose my respect. My system works for me and I don't see a reason to switch to Indian or American or Martian system.
- kamaal 14y ago
  I don't why you are being down voted because you have some good points. Coming to Indian heritage its all mixed up. Even though people have religious beliefs you will see common culture throughout. I can speak for South India. Its practically impossible to point out who is of what language, color, origin, religion or whatever in a crowd of thousand people. Because everybody looks and acts the very same. In fact these days I hardly remember my religious identity unless someone explicitly forces me to.
- intended 14y ago
  1) are basic qualities expected in a decent human being - there is nothing uniquely Indian or heritage about it. Yes exactly my point. Were you expecting rocket science? The best parts of heritage come from doing the right thing. And doing the right thing is often hard and stark. Today is one of those junctures. Heritage is not just historic, its being built right now. Your heritage today includes a grand ability to argue, and to mistake articulation for action. You didn't come across as someone who wanted to leave it at that. Re: mysticism. > I believed a relation between me and god is personal, and priests, temples, rituals have no business being there. Eventually, I became an atheist. AFAIK, the personal, as opposed to institution driven, connection to 'God' lands under the penumbra of mysticism. I am glad you have those answers, but those are your personal answers. The answer to your question i.e. common heritage, is linked to 'Indian' history, which in turn is inextricably linked to religion. For example : When the Mughals first came here, (and ironically displaced the previous Nawabs), they said that they found so many things different between the cultures that they could never foresee common ground being reached. It was when the Sufi saints came though, and discussed their take on religion, that they found a lot in common with the cultures already here. > I am saying it isn't and there isn't an authority which decides the Indian heritage. I am not providing authority, I am providing history. You had a question, you got an answer. If you want your answer to be something else, well read through Indian history. If anything, the history of India gives space for almost everything, be it a Fakir who wants to be close to gods by being close to the ashes of the departed, or someone who is an atheist and appreciates the logic of code. ---- Your final para is about having normal standards to deal with people. Its a great system, stick to it. But again, your question was about heritage not common sense behavior. ---- I am not sure what you were aiming for in your response. You've been able to point out that India is very diverse, which I agree. I am pointing out as well, that the way that melting pot was bound together was often through mysticism. ---- Here, The west had its progression from the Greek states, their fall, the dark ages, the renissance, the enlightenment, the reformation, along the way including things like the french revolution, women's suffrage and civil liberties. India followed another path altogether. Indian heritage is defined by that path.

irahul 14y ago

> Right now? Helping out country men from the north east, and surviving the daily tribulations of India with stoicism, and the ability to be open to all castes, creeds and colors The discussion started from a post talking about Indian heritage, and the things which you listed(substitute people from north east with just people) are basic qualities expected in a decent human being - there is nothing uniquely Indian or heritage about it. > The one thing that united most of India was mysticism and the belief that we are one under some god. More often than not, I don't see a united India, which doesn't bother me much as long as people treat other people as human beings, and not some abstract entity(viz. Hindu, North eastern, Tamil etc). Countries are imaginary boundaries, intentionally and/or unintentionally created for various reasons(ease of administration among others). Mysticism is something I never subscribed to. I was indifferent to religion, miracles, rituals from a very young age. I believed a relation between me and god is personal, and priests, temples, rituals have no business being there. Eventually, I became an atheist. Granted not many people are atheists(in India, or any other part of the world), but people not into mysticism is very common. I am pointing this out as you were listing it as something which is inherently Indian, and I am saying it isn't and there isn't an authority which decides the Indian heritage. > You can experiment with that as a start. Experiment with what? Mysticism? Show me, I will verify. If it works, at that point, it isn't mysterious any more. If it doesn't, it is just imagination gone wild. > It's what bound the Sufis, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and several other religions during the best of our times. If that is the binding factor for you, good for you. For me, I don't give a shit which part of world you are from, what gods you worship, what color your skin is, what language you speak etc etc. You will get basic "one human being to another" respect, followed by "earned respect". If I just met you, you get the basic respect and empathy. If you are a superb programmer, good doctor, good athlete, good human being... you earn my respect. If you are an asshole(homophobe, sexist, xenophobic, wife beater...), you lose my respect. My system works for me and I don't see a reason to switch to Indian or American or Martian system.

kamaal 14y ago
I don't why you are being down voted because you have some good points. Coming to Indian heritage its all mixed up. Even though people have religious beliefs you will see common culture throughout. I can speak for South India. Its practically impossible to point out who is of what language, color, origin, religion or whatever in a crowd of thousand people. Because everybody looks and acts the very same. In fact these days I hardly remember my religious identity unless someone explicitly forces me to.
intended 14y ago
1) are basic qualities expected in a decent human being - there is nothing uniquely Indian or heritage about it. Yes exactly my point. Were you expecting rocket science? The best parts of heritage come from doing the right thing. And doing the right thing is often hard and stark. Today is one of those junctures. Heritage is not just historic, its being built right now. Your heritage today includes a grand ability to argue, and to mistake articulation for action. You didn't come across as someone who wanted to leave it at that. Re: mysticism. > I believed a relation between me and god is personal, and priests, temples, rituals have no business being there. Eventually, I became an atheist. AFAIK, the personal, as opposed to institution driven, connection to 'God' lands under the penumbra of mysticism. I am glad you have those answers, but those are your personal answers. The answer to your question i.e. common heritage, is linked to 'Indian' history, which in turn is inextricably linked to religion. For example : When the Mughals first came here, (and ironically displaced the previous Nawabs), they said that they found so many things different between the cultures that they could never foresee common ground being reached. It was when the Sufi saints came though, and discussed their take on religion, that they found a lot in common with the cultures already here. > I am saying it isn't and there isn't an authority which decides the Indian heritage. I am not providing authority, I am providing history. You had a question, you got an answer. If you want your answer to be something else, well read through Indian history. If anything, the history of India gives space for almost everything, be it a Fakir who wants to be close to gods by being close to the ashes of the departed, or someone who is an atheist and appreciates the logic of code. ---- Your final para is about having normal standards to deal with people. Its a great system, stick to it. But again, your question was about heritage not common sense behavior. ---- I am not sure what you were aiming for in your response. You've been able to point out that India is very diverse, which I agree. I am pointing out as well, that the way that melting pot was bound together was often through mysticism. ---- Here, The west had its progression from the Greek states, their fall, the dark ages, the renissance, the enlightenment, the reformation, along the way including things like the french revolution, women's suffrage and civil liberties. India followed another path altogether. Indian heritage is defined by that path.