CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

PATNA

PLURALISM IN INDIA

FINAL DRAFT SUBMITTED IN THE FULFILLMENT OF THE COURSE

TITLED-
SOCIOLOGY

SUBMITTED TO- SUBMITTED BY-

Mr. SANGEET KUMAR NAME: ADITYA PARIHAR

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY COURSE: B.A, LL.B (Hons.)

ROLL NO: 1706

SEMESTER: 1st
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DECLARATION BY CANDIDATE

I, hereby, declare that the work reported in the B.A., LL.B (Hons.) Project Report entitled
PLURALISM IN INDIA submitted at Chanakya National Law University is an authentic record
of my work carried out under supervision of Mr. Sangeet Kumar. I have not submitted this work
elsewhere for any other degree or diploma. I am fully responsible for the contents of my project
report.

SIGNATURE OF CANDIDATE

NAME OF CANDIDATE: ADITYA PARIHAR

CHANAKYA NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY

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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

I would like to thank my faculty Dr. SANGEET KUMAR whose guidance helped me a lot with
structuring my project.

I owe the present accomplishment of my project to my friends, who helped me immensely with
materials throughout the project and without whom I couldnt have completed it in the present
way.

I would like to extend my gratitude to my parents and all those unseen hands that helped me out
at every stage of my project.

THANK YOU

NAME: ADITYA PARIHAR

ROLL NO: 1706

SEMESTER: 1st
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1. INTRODUCTION
India is a very diverse country, with more than 1.2 billion people, making it the second most
populous nation after China. Different regions have their own distinct cultures. Language, religion,
food and the arts are just some of the various aspects of Indian culture.

India is known all over the world for its cultural diversity as it is a republic of 28 states and 7
Union ruled territories. This brings an excellent amalgamation of languages, rituals, festivals,
cuisines, clothes and other things related to Culture. The one thing that amazes travellers to India
is its Unity in diversity. This is aptly reflected in Indian tourism department's motto "Vasudev
kutumbakam"1 which runs the famous Incredible India campaign.

Starting from the west, Gujarat is the land of great cultural history. The festivals of Navratri and
Uttarayan are celebrated with great zeal here. The region's dominant language is Gujarati.
Maharashtra is another important gem in India's Cultural heritage as it has been a great historic
centre for cultural and economic progress during the British rule. Ganesha Chaturthi is one of the
biggest festivals of Maharashtra and the prevalent languages are Hindi and Marathi. Maharashtra
also has the economic capital of India in the form of Mumbai city. Cultural diversity is reflected
in the fact that there is a large number of populations of both the states living across each other.
Some even commute daily from Gujarat to Mumbai for work.

Similarly on the eastern side, West Bengal shares great cultural values with the neighboring states
of Bihar, Orissa and Uttar Pradesh. The state is known for its festivals, beaches, dances and sweets.
The famous Rasgulla is a sweet dish of West Bengal which is famous all over India. The odyssey
language and Bengali language also have some common origins and words. The ancient kingdoms
had their reigns on a majority of these states and so there has been a lot of cultural exchange.

The northern states of Punjab and Haryana are known for their Farming prowess as the river delta
in these regions has very fertile soil. Many of the artists in India are from Punjab.

Due to all these reasons, India has a great cultural heritage

1
Apoorv P Mehta, Unique Facts About Cultural Diversity of India, ezinarticles(Oct. 2, 2017, 10:23 A.M)
http://ezinearticles.com/?Unique-Facts-About-Cultural-Diversity-of-India&id=7438467.
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The plurality of religious traditions and cultures has come to characterize every part of the world
today. But what is pluralism? Here are four points to begin our thinking:

First, pluralism is not diversity alone, but the energetic engagement with diversity. Diversity can
and has meant the creation of religious ghettoes with little traffic between or among them. Today,
religious diversity is a given, but pluralism is not a given; it is an achievement2. Mere diversity
without real encounter and relationship will yield increasing tensions in our societies.

Second, pluralism is not just tolerance, but the active seeking of understanding across lines of
difference3. Tolerance is a necessary public virtue, but it does not require Christians and Muslims,
Hindus, Jews, and ardent secularists to know anything about one another. Tolerance is too thin a
foundation for a world of religious difference and proximity. It does nothing to remove our
ignorance of one another, and leaves in place the stereotype, the half-truth, the fears that underlie
old patterns of division and violence. In the world in which we live today, our ignorance of one
another will be increasingly costly.

Third, pluralism is not relativism, but the encounter of commitments. The new paradigm of
pluralism does not require us to leave our identities and our commitments behind, for pluralism is
the encounter of commitments. It means holding our deepest differences, even our religious
differences, not in isolation, but in relationship to one another.

Fourth, pluralism is based on dialogue4. The language of pluralism is that of dialogue and
encounter, give and take, criticism and self-criticism. Dialogue means both speaking and listening,
and that process reveals both common understandings and real differences. Dialogue does not
mean everyone at the table will agree with one another. Pluralism involves the commitment to
being at the table with ones commitments.

Experiencing pluralism is, for us Indians, an easy virtue (it is all around us), but practising it is a
different matter altogetherit demands much more of us. Being born as Indians, we find ourselves
in a culture that has had thousands of years of flourishing diversity, in a com-

2
Diana L. Eck, What is Pluralism, PLURALISM (Oct. 1, 2017, 1:03 A.M) http://pluralism.org/what-is-pluralism/.
3
Id.
4
Id.
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munity that is proud of its many major languages and literatures, in a polity that tolerates dissent
and a substantial heterogeneity of political ideas, and in a country that has persistently tried to
make room for different religious andwhat is also important to emphasizediverse non-
religious beliefs. We do not deserve credit for landing on such a splendidly plural society. What
does, however, depend on us (and on us alone) is practising an adequate pluralismpreserving
and building on what we have received5.

It is the practice of this pluralism that has been deeply threatened by some of the recent political
developments, particularly by the sequence of violent events since last December. In resisting these
destructive developments, it is important for us to know what it is that we value in the form of
pluralism and to examine critically the reasons that are presented on the other side. Experiencing
pluralism can be effortless and automatic, but practising it and defending it against organized
attack cannot but be a serious intellectual exercise.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

1. To understand the pluralism in India.

2. To analyze the factors that lead to the current pluralistic society.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

1. Sagar, Krishnas Foreign Influence in Ancient India

This is the first book dealing with the foreign influence on ancient India. Discusses the foreign
invasions of India by the Achaemenians, Greeks, Sakas, Kushans, Sassanians, Pahlavas and the
Hunas, and also the peaceful impact of the Romans on India. The book advances a theory that
ancient India never provided any casus belli to the foreigners to attack her. It was India's weakness
and an implied confidence in future victories that kept the invaders coming to India one after
another. But these foreigners have also influenced India in the field of administration, religion,
philosophy, astronomy, language, script, trade and commerce, and above all the way of life of the
people of India, which is the main subject of the book. This book suggests that after the partition
of this sub-continent, the name `India' which continued to be used for this country is a misnomer
when the river INDUS after which the country was so named, went to Pakistan. This book also

5
AMARTYA SEN, Indian Pluralism, India International Centre Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 3 (MONSOON 1993), pp. 37-46.
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finds is real nature the matrimonial alliance between Seleucus and Chandra Gupta Maurya and
gives possible solutions to some riddles of Indian history. The origin of the name of KIDAR has
also been discovered for the first time. The book tells us in a poetic language how the golden age
of the Guptas was converted into a molten age of destruction and confusionby the Hunas. What
remained of our culture after so much turmoil and changes is before us.

Thapar Romila, The Past and Prejudice

The book consists of three lectures -in which the author systematically sets out the kinds of
attitudes and theories about India's past which have influenced the study of Indian history. The
major stereotypes which she examines are: the Aryan theory of race, the concept of an unchanging
Indian society, the "other worldli- ness" and spirituality associated with the Hindu religion and the
theory of oriental despotism. Next, she tries to bring together different types of historical evidences
to counter the fallacies in these stereotypes. Thapar attributes the reluctance of historians to trace
the origins of the Indian civilization to the Harappan culture, partly to the hesitation to use
archeological evidence and partly to the wish to present the Aryan peoples as the founders of
Indian culture. She shows that there is evidence in the later Vedic texts of the cultural intermingling
of the Aryans with the native populations of the Goad.

Thapar Romila. Interpreting Early India

The essays in this volume are centrally about the ways in which early Indian history has been
interpreted. More generally, they focus on issues in social history. Professor Thapar argues the
importance of understanding and positioning various well-established perspectives on the Indian
past in order to arrive at an informed understanding of contemporary situations - such as disputes
between Hindus and other Indian communities. It is vitally important for historians and informed
lay readers to consider the wide range of opinions and views that are available on our past,
particularly on religion and society in ancient India. Interpretations rise out of ideological
conceptions. Professor Thapar shows that the most influential ideologies which shaped the writing
of early India initially had their moorings in European concerns; later, the rise of Indian
nationalism questioned many of these conceptions; and most recently, these nationalist
interpretations have also been questioned. This volume has essays on Durkheim and Weber's views
on Indian caste and society; on D.D. Kosambi's contribution to Indian historiography; and on the
recent attempts to project a composite Hinduism in early India by ignoring evidence on the
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existence of multiple communities and diverse identities. Romila Thapar was Professor of Ancient
Indian History at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

HYPOTHESIS

1. The researcher assumes that constitution played an important part in promoting pluralism in
India

2. The researcher assumes that the patriotism and nascent nationalism that developed during

War of 1857 played an important part in developing modern pluralism in india.

3. The researcher assumes that among all the things, common people belief played the most
important part in maintaining pluralistic society.

RESEARCH QUESTION

1. What are the factors that lead to the current pluralistic society?

2. Is cultural diversity same as that of pluralism?

3. How pluralism in India got promoted by constitution?

4. What are the forces that are opposing the idea of pluralism?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The researcher relies on both doctrinal and non doctrinal method of research.

The researcher will include both qualitative and quantitative analysis.

SOURCES OF DATA

The researcher relies on both primary and secondary sources of data.

MEHTOD OF COLLECTION OF DATA

For doctrinal part the researcher relies on library study and for non doctrinal part the researcher
uses following methods

1. Interview
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2. Observation

3. Questionnaire

4. Case study

TOOLS OF DATA COLLECTION

1. Interview schedule

2. Observation guide

3. Questionnaire

4. Historical records

5. Phone

6. Notepad

7. Diaries

PILOT SURVEY:

The researcher has successfully conducted a pilot survey on a small sample from the target group
before opting for the non-doctrinal mode of research or going for a field study and found it very
useful and helping in due course of research. In this the Researcher pre-tested his prepared set of
questions to two people residing in his neighboring locality and took their interview in a more
informal way.

This pilot survey done by the researcher helped him a lot as it help him pre visualize the whole
process and method by which the final survey should be conducted. The researcher was also able
to find out the loopholes and errors present in his questionnaire that should be corrected and filled
in order to make the questionnaire more effective and purposeful for the very purpose of the
research.
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SAMPLING METHOD:

Researcher has used purposive and convenient method of sampling due to paucity of time and
various limitations while doing research.

LIMITATION

The researcher has some time limitation and as a result some sub topics of the research are not
emphasiszed much.

2. ORIGIN OF PLURALISM IN INDIA

Every civilization evolves certain unique features of its own which, in their entirety and inter-
relatedness, constitute its dominant configuration and differentiate it from other civilizations.
Indian civilization is distinguished from other civilizations of the world in respect of its continuity
and heterogeneity, its accommodating ethos and its composite character.

Since the middle of the second millennium bc, Indian civilization has played host to several
streams of migrant groups and communities from different parts of the world. The advent of the
Aryans, the Tibeto-Burman speaking Mongoloid groups, the Kushans, the Sakas, the Greeks, the
Huns, the Arabs, the Persians, the Turks and the Mongols at different points of time testifies to the
pervasiveness of the migration process during the successive periods of Indian history. The
migrant groups and communities brought their respective traditions and behaviour patterns from
their native lands. In the course of time they lost contact with their places of origin and underwent
an extensive process of indigenization. The process of adaptation and interaction among the
various groups brought about, on the one hand, Indias characteristic diversity and, on the other, a
composite cultural tradition. This fact is borne out by historical sources and contemporary surveys
as well as researches in folklore.

The composite fabric of Indian civilization has been woven with strands and shades of varying
textures and colours. It is no exaggeration to say that since ancient times India has represented a
melting-pot of races and cultures. Indian civilization may be likened to an expansive river and the
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various cultural traditions within its confines to streams or tributaries which join the river at
different points and thereby give it a distinctive character.

Archaeological evidence points to the existence of commercial and cultural relations between the
borderlands of north-western India and Iran and Central Asia even before the dawn of the
Harappan Culture6.The Harappan civilization had extensive trade and cultural contacts with
Mesopotamia, Persia, Afghanistan and the Mediterranean world. The process of acculturation
which was set into motion as far back as the third millennium bc continued unabated during the
successive periods of Indian history and led to the intermingling of a variety of cultural traits and
features. Among other things, the Indian astronomical lore was influenced by the Babylonian
arithmetical system as well as the Greek geometrical system.7

Successive waves of Aryan-speaking people from Central Asia began entering India from the
middle of the second millennium bc. It is interesting to note the close parallel, testified by
philological evidence, between Vedic deities and ancient Iranian as well as Hittite deities8.There
are frequent references in Vedic literature to the migration of foreign people, who are described as
Mleccha.4 The Atharva Veda refers to the Vratyas who were outside the fold of Hinduism. The
Brahmans made considerable efforts to draw them to the mainstream of Vedic society. The
Mahabharata refers to the Yavanas (Ionians or Greeks) who are later mentioned by Panini in the
fourth century bc. The Sakas (Scythians) who entered India around the first century bc established
their kingdom in India and were accorded a Kshatriya status9.

Four important and interrelated dimensions of the process of acculturation in ancient India deserve
mention. One of them is the diffusion of cultural traits and technology; the second relates to
miscegenation; the third comprises the process of Aryanization or Sanskritization; and the fourth
refers to the incorporation and assimilation of regional, as well as foreign, beliefs, rituals and
customs.

6
G. Possehl (ed.). Harappan Civilization, New Delhi, 1982, p. 79.
7
R.A. Jairajbhoy. Foreign Influence in Ancient India, Bombay, 1963, pp. 69-75; P.M. Joshi (ed.). Studies in the
Foreign Relations of India, Hyderabad, 1975, p. 46.
8
R.S. Sharma. Sudras in Ancient India, Delhi, 1958, p. 32; Romila Thapar, "The Image of the Barbarian in Early
India", In Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations, New Delhi, pp. 152-92.
9
Romila Thapar. Ancient Indian Social History, pp. 176-77.
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The Aryan-speaking people introduced the horse-drawn chariot and iron in India. They had
probably learnt the use of iron from the Hittites towards the end of the second millennium bc.7 On
the other hand, advanced plough-agriculture, which was known to the Indus people, was borrowed
by the Aryans10.

The classical literature provides ample evidence of the extent of inter-marriages between the
Aryans and other groups, both indigenous and foreign. The Vedic texts refer to Aryans of Dasa
descent, the dasiputra Brahmans, who were a progeny of Brahmans and slaves.9 The non-
Sanskritic names of several prominent Brahmans in Vedic literature and the Puranic tradition
indicate racial admixture. Later Indian sources mention the Abhira Brahmans, who were
contemptuously described as Mleccha because they were a product of inter-marriages between
Brahmans and the Ambasastha caste11.Similarly, a seventh century inscription from South India
mentions the Boya Brahmans, the Boyas otherwise being described as a Shudra tribe.

There were inter-marriages between the Brahmans and the forest-dwelling Naga tribe. It is
significant that Naga genealogies and myths are accorded a prominent place in the opening canto
of the Mahabharata. It is also interesting to note that in the folk tradition some of Krishnas sixteen
thousand wives seem to be of foreign extraction.13 One can discern a reflection of social reality
in the mythological tradition.

The Sama Veda refers to a ritual whereby non-Aryans were admitted into the mainstream of Vedic
society. There are frequent references in the early sources to non-Aryan Brahmans. Manu mentions
that several foreign tribes who had entered India at different points of time and came into contact
with the Aryan-speaking people were accorded a place within the fold of Hindu society12. The
process of Aryanization or Sanskritization often entailed the adoption of Sanskrit names, rituals,
customs and habits. However, it did not always bring about uniformity and homogenization. Often,
the adoption of Brahmanical customs and features was a selective process. Furthermore, it was
often blended with regional customs. For example, the Brahmanical institution of gotra was
adopted by non-Brahman, including tribal communities in different ways. In some cases,

10
Romila Thapar. Interpreting Early India, Delhi, 1992, p. 11
11
Romila Thapar. The Past and Prejudice, New Delhi, 1975, p. 31.

12
N.K. Bose. Society and Culture in India, Bombay, 1967, pp. 207-08; Romila Thapar. "The Study of Society in
Ancient India", In Ancient Indian Social History, pp. 211-39.
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Brahmanic and regional gotras were blended. In some communities the gotra exists only
nominally and does not entail exogamy.

From early times, tribal and folk cults and ritual practices were incorporated and assimilated into
the corpus of Brahmanism. Totemic deities such as fish, tortoise and boar were made into
incarnations of Vishnu.Shiva was formed by a fusion of the Vedic Rudra with some non-Aryan
deity, including the Indus deity which has been described as proto-Shiva. Similarly, Narayani and
Durga, manifestations of Shivas consort, which were associated with non-Aryan tribes, later came
to be absorbed into classical Hinduism.

The cult of sun-worship was brought to India by the Magas who came to India around the first
century bc from Sakadvip or Persia. Initially, they were not admitted to all the rituals and
ceremonies but subsequently they came to be absorbed into the mainstream of Vedic society and
known as Sakadvip or Maga Brahmans13. The Krishna cult was substantially expanded and
enriched by the Abhiras, who were a foreign pastoral tribe.The deities of tribals and low-caste
groups were absorbed by Brahmanism. This is testified by the popularity of the Jagannath cult in
Orissa and that of Viththala in Maharashtra.21 Similarly, serpent worship and phallus worship
which later found their way into classical Hinduism were taken over from forest-dwelling tribal
communities.22 Heterodox sects and cults, such as Shakta and the Tantric tradition, incorporated
several esoteric features from indigenous, particularly tribal cultures14.

The incorporation and assimilation of regional features into the mainstream of Vedic culture is
attested by linguistic and philological evidence as well. Certain kinds of echo formations which
are characteristic of the Austric family of languages found their way into the Indo-Aryan speeches.
The presence of non-Aryan elements, especially Proto-Dravidian, in vocabulary, syntax and
phoenetics, in Vedic Sanskrit is now fairly well established. The later Vedic texts indicate an even
greater admixture of non-Aryan words.

The foregoing discussion makes it fairly clear that from very early times Vedic society was
internally differentiated and pluralistic, rather than monolithic and homogeneous. It was an

13
R.G. Bhandarkar. Vaisnavism, Saivism and Minor Religious Systems, pp. 153-55; Jairajbhoy. Foreign Influence in
Ancient India, pp. 153; P.M. Joshi. Foreign Relations of India, p. 179; Benjamim Walker. Hindu World, London,
1968, vol. II, p. 3.
14
John Woodroffe. Shakti and Shakta, Madras, 1951; Agehananda Bharati. The Tantric Tradition, London, 1965; S.
Dasgupta. Obscure Religions Cults, Calcutta, 1962.
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amalgam or synthesis of Aryan and non-Aryan, including tribal elements. In other words, since its
very inception Hinduism appears to be a "mosaic of distinct cults, deities, sects and ideas", as
Romila Thapar puts it15.The point which I have tried to establish is that since ancient times Indian
civilization has had a pluralistic and composite character, the pluralistic and composite ethos of
Indian civilization, which began germinating during the Vedic period, was supp-lemented by the
rise of Buddhism and Jainism, and was further reinforced during the early medieval period which
witnessed the early flowering of the Bhakti Movement. This composite tradition attained
efflorescence during the late medieval period.

II

A certain dialectic or complementary between pluralism and syncretism seems to pervade the
fabric of Indian civilization. Three interrelated themes or dimensions of this dialectic may be
delineated: (a) pan-Indian, (b) within the fold of Hinduism, and (c) the regional context. The pan-
Indian, civilizational dimension of cultural pluralism and syncretism encompasses racial diversity
and admixture, linguistic heterogeneity as well as fusion, and variations as well as synthesis in
customs, behaviour patterns, beliefs and rituals.

Pluralism has been one of the quintessential features of Hinduism both at the metaphysical as well
as socio-cultural level. At the metaphysical level, truth was considered pluralistic. For example, it
is believed that if two Sruti traditions are in conflict, both of them are to be held as law. The
inherently pluralistic ethos of Hinduism is reflected, on the one hand, in the wide and divergent
range of beliefs and ideas and, on the other, in stratification, customs, traditions and behaviour
patterns16. Syncretism is conspicuously evidenced in the survival of non-Aryan deities, rituals and
ceremonies in villages which have been the heartland of Aryan expansion. The epic tradition, in
both textual as well as folk forms, bears the imprint of pluralism. For instance, the Ramayana has
several variants or versions17.

15
. Romila Thapar. Interpreting Early India, p. 68; Romila Thapar. "The Study of Society in Ancient India", In Ancient
Indian Social History, pp. 211-39.
16
Irawati Karve. Hindu Society: An Interpretation. Poona, 1961, pp. 1-14.
17
Romila Thapar, "The Ramayana: Theme and Variations", In S.N. Mukherjee (ed.). Indian History and Thought,
Calcutta, 1982, pp. 221-53; V. Raghavan (ed.). The Ramayana Tradition in Asia, Delhi, 1980; Paula Richman (ed.).
Many Ramayanas, Delhi, 1992.
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The process of acculturation and integration has been extensively at work at the regional level.
Though each group or community has a distinctive identity and ethos of its own, it does not exist
in a social vacuum. Rather, it forms part of an extended and dynamic network. Often, interaction,
exchange and integration characterize inter-community relations. The sharing of space, regional
ethos and cultural traits cuts across religions and sectarian differences and binds the local people
together.

3. PRESENT STATUS OF PLURALISM IN INDIA

Today pluralism in india is at its peak. The cultural diversity has increased over the period of time
and is now on of the main feature of our country.

LANGUAGE

India has 28 states and seven territories. There is no official language in India, though Hindi and
English are the official language of the government. The Constitution of India officially recognizes
22 official languages.
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Many people living in India write in Devanagari script. In fact, it is a misconception that the
majority of people in India speak Hindi. Though many people speak Hindi in India, 59 percent of
India residents speak something other than Hindi, according to The Times of India. Bengali,
Telugu, Marathi, Tamil and Urdu are some other languages spoken in the country18.

Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-European language usually referred to in action movies, came from
Northern India. How the language started has been a point of argument amongst linguists. It shares
many similarities with English, French, Farsi and Russian languages. New DNA research in 2017
found that an Aryan invasion may have introduced the beginnings of Sanskrit. "People have been
debating the arrival of the Indo-European languages in India for hundreds of years," said study co-
author Martin Richards, an archaeogeneticist at the University of Huddersfield in England.
"There's been a very long-running debate about whether the Indo-European languages were
brought from migrations from outside, which is what most linguists would accept, or if they
evolved indigenously." [Aryan Invasion May Have Transformed India's Bronze-Age Population]

RELIGION

India is identified as the birthplace of Hinduism and Buddhism, the third and fourth largest
religions. About 84 percent of the population identifies as Hindu, according to the "Handbook of
Research on Development and Religion," edited by Matthew Clarke (Edward Elgar Publishing,
2013). There are many variations of Hinduism, and four predominant sects Shaiva, Vaishnava,
Shakteya and Smarta.

18
Kim Ann Zimmermann, Indian Culture: Traditions and Customs of India, livescience(Oct. 1, 2017, 2:03 A.M)
 P a g e | 16

About 14 percent of Indians are Muslim, making it one of the largest Islamic nations in the world19.
Christians and Sikhs make up a small percentage of the population, and there are even fewer
Buddhists and Jains, according to the "Handbook."

The CIA cited similar figures. According to its World Factbook, around 80 percent of the
population is Hindu, 14.2 percent is Muslim, 2.3 percent is Christian, 1.7 percent is Sikh and 2
percent is unspecified20

FOOD

When the Moghul Empire invaded during the sixteenth century, they left a significant mark on the
Indian cuisine, according to Texas A&M University. Indian cuisine is also influenced by many
other countries. It is known for its large assortment of dishes and its liberal use of herbs and spices.
Cooking styles vary from region to region.

Wheat, Basmati rice and pulses with chana (Bengal gram) are important staples of the Indian diet.
The food is rich with curries and spices, including ginger, coriander, cardamom, turmeric, dried
hot peppers, and cinnamon, among others. Chutneys thick condiments and spreads made from
assorted fruits and vegetables such as tamarind and tomatoes and mint, cilantro and other herbs
are used generously in Indian cooking.

Many Hindus are vegetarian, but lamb and chicken are common in main dishes for non-
vegetarians. The Guardian reports that between 20 percent and 40 percent of India's population is
vegetarian21.

19
Id.
20
Id.
21
Id.
 P a g e | 17

Much of Indian food is eaten with fingers or bread used as utensils. There is a wide array of breads
served with meals, including naan, a leavened, oven-baked flatbread; and bhatoora, a fried, fluffy
flatbread common in North India and eaten with chickpea curry.

ARCHITECTURE AND ART

The most well-known example of Indian architecture is the Taj Mahal, built by Mughal emperor
Shah Jahan to honor his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. It combines elements from Islamic, Persian,
Ottoman Turkish and Indian architectural styles. India also has many ancient temples.

India is well known for its film industry, which is often referred to as Bollywood. The country's
movie history began in 1896 when the Lumire brothers demonstrated the art of cinema in
Mumbai, according to the Golden Globes22. Today, the films are known for their elaborate singing
and dancing.

Indian dance, music and theater traditions span back more than 2,000 years, according to Nilima
Bhadbhade, author of "Contract Law in India" (Kluwer Law International, 2010). The major
classical dance traditions Bharata Natyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri, Kuchipudi, Mohiniattam
and Kathakali draw on themes from mythology and literature and have rigid presentation rules.

A study published in April 2016 in the Journal of Indian Ocean Archaeology found that some
Indian horns have many similarities with horns made in Ireland. This research may suggest that
the two countries may have exchanged ideas and techniques in making musical instruments during
the Bronze Age. "Some horns are frankly shockingly similar, to the point where it is like witnessing
time travel," study author Billy Foghl, an archaeologist and doctoral student at the Australian
National University in Canberra, told Live Science. "If I were to find one of these modern Indian

22
Noel de Souza, A Brief History of Indian Cinema, GOLDENGLOBE( Oct. 1, 2017, 4:07 P.M)
http://www.goldenglobes.com/articles/brief-history-indian-cinema
 P a g e | 18

instruments in an Irish archaeological excavation and I didn't know what I was looking at, I would
likely assume it was a Late Bronze Age Irish artifact." [Surprising Echo of Ancient Irish Horns in
Indian Instruments23]

CUSTOMS AND FESTIVALS

Diwali is the largest and most important holiday to India, according to National Geographic. It is
a five-day festival known as the festival of lights because of the lights lit during the celebration to
symbolize the inner light that protects them from spiritual darkness. Holi, the festival of colors,
also called the festival of love, is popular in the spring. The country also celebrates Republic Day
(Jan. 26), Independence Day (Aug. 15) and Mahatma Gandhi's birthday (Oct. 2).

CLOTHING

Indian clothing is closely identified with the colorful silk saris worn by many of the country's
women. A traditional piece of clothing for men is the dhoti, an unstitched piece of cloth that is tied
around the waist and legs. Men also wear a kurta, a loose shirt that is worn about knee-length. For
special occasions, men wear a sherwani or achkan, which is a long coat that with a collar having
no lapel.

23
Supra note18
 P a g e | 19

4. OPPOSING FORCES OF PLURALISM IN INDIA

The view that nationalism and national identity are rooted in a broad civilizational framework
should not make us oblivious of the role of primordial, ethnic, religious and regional identities.
One of the remarkable achievements of Indian civilization lies in its tolerance and accommodation
of diverse identities as well as the facilitation of a creative synthesis of these identities. This has
been one of the major factors in the continued survival and resilience of Indian civilization. At the
same time, one should not gloss over the fact that from time to time there have been conflicts
between the over-arching national identity and sub-national identities. Similarly, sub-national
identities sometimes tend to acquire rather pathological overtones and thereby threaten the unity
and integrity of the country. This is true of communalism as well as other fissiparous tendencies.
In recent years the distinction between the two has acquired a sharper edge. This phenomenon has
global manifestations, as attested by the disintegration of the erstwhile Soviet Union and the
continued ethnic strife in Bosnia-Herzegovina. In the prevailing climate of increasing
democratization and collective self-consciousness, ethnic and other corporate identities cannot be
 P a g e | 20

suppressed for too long. What is therefore required, in the global context as well as in India, is a
flexible and accommodating, rather than constructive and strait-jacketed, notion of national
identity24.

The issue of national identity in India is reflected in the secular-democratic framework which is
enshrined in the republican Constitution of the country. The ideal of national unity is reinforced
by cultural pluralism and the composite heritage of the country. It is foolhardy to suppose that
there is perfect harmony between national identity as it is enshrined in the Constitution and the
whole corpus of Indian tradition. Indian tradition has its blind spots as well: the scourge of caste
and untouchability, degradation of women, child marriage and restrictions on widow remarriage,
to mention a few. What is required is a critical re-interpretation of tradition in the light of cherished
national goals. Therefore, the concept of national identity should be seen as essentially an ideal-
critical concept which is embedded in a broad humanistic framework.

As an ideal-critical concept, national identity is to be safeguarded from external threats as well as

internal corrosion and ossification.In the current scenario political ambitions have also came as
one of the major forces countering the idea of pluralism in India. Now they are going to any extent
to appease the minorities and other groups, instigating hatred against different communities, they
are using the policy of divide and rule once used by the Britishers. The latter variety of threat may
arise from narrow chauvinism and cultural solipsism. In the present context, this kind of threat to
Indias national identity has been posed by what has come to be known as the Hindutva syndrome.
The ideology of Hindutva, as propounded and popularized by the right-wing political formations
in contemporary India, entails three interrelated sets of fallacies25. First, it presents a grossly over-
simplified and distorted picture of an otherwise amorphous and pluralistic Hindu ethos. Secondly,
with its accent on homogenization and regimentation and its misplaced identification between
Hinduism and nationalism it tends to be xenophobic and exclusivistic, which is at variance with
the spirit of Indian civilization. Thirdly, one can discern a hegemonic, tyrannical and even fascist
streak-lurking behind the pseudo-nationalist rhetoric of Hindutva26. The issue of national unity and

24
Supra note 5

25
Id.
26
Jan Breman, "The Hindu Right: Comparisons with Nazi Germany", In The Times of India, March 15, 1993.
 P a g e | 21

integration is closely intertwined with cultural policy. A policy of integration, which discounts
cultural pluralism and the composite character of Indian society and seeks to impose uniformity,
homogenization and regimentation on the countrys heterogeneous population, will ultimately
prove to be self-defeating. What is required is a humane vision of integration which would take
due cognizance of Indias pluralistic ethos and at the same time strengthen the long-standing bonds
and inter-linkages among the people, especially at the grass roots level. Indian society is to be
seen, to use K.S. Singhs evocative metaphor, as a honeycomb in which communities are engaged
in vibrant interaction, sharing space, ethos and cultural traits27.

5. CONSTITUTIONAL PROVISIONS PROMOTING PLURALISM IN

INDIA

This article intends to address religious pluralism as an academic and civil challenge in globalised
corporate India from Indian Constitutional law perspective. The global movements of people as
economic migrants and political refugees and the global movement of business and technology
have created increasingly diverse and complex societies. The United States, Canada, and the
nations of Europe are wrestling with new levels of religious diversity and cultural encounter. On
the other hand since the middle of the second millennium B.C., Indian civilization has played host
to several streams of migrant groups and communities from different part of the world. The advent
of the Aryans, the Tibeto-Burman speaking Mongoloid groups, the Kushans, the Sakas, the
Greeks, the Huns, the Arabs, the Persians, the Turks and the Mongols at different points of time
testifies to the pervasiveness of the migration process during the successive periods of Indian
History. It is no exaggeration to say that since ancient times India has represented a melting-pot of
races, cultures, and religions. Whether this multi-pot of races, cultures and religions developed
religious pluralism in India over a period of time and in particular Sovereign Socialist Secular
Democratic Republic? Religious Pluralism is a contested concept across national, political, and

27
K.S. Singh. People of India: An Introduction, p. 98.
 P a g e | 22

disciplinary contexts. In theology the term often suggests harmony, convergence, or compatibility
across religious traditions-in opposition to religious exclusivism. Religious Pluralism under Indian
Constitutional Law The preamble to the Indian Constitution clearly demonstrates resolve of the
Indian people to constitute India as a secular state although the word secular was inserted in the
Constitution by the Constitution (Fortysecond) Amendment Act, 1976. The Constitution no where
define the word secular. According to H.M. Seervai, Secular may be opposed to religious in
the sense that a secular State can be an anti-religious State. In this sense, the Constitution of India
is not secular, because right to freedom of religion is a guaranteed fundamental right28. Realizing
need to define the word secular the Constitution (Forty-fifth) Amendment Bill, 1978 proposed
an amendment in Article 366 (1) stating that the expression Republic as qualified by the
expression Secular means a republic in which there is equal respect for all religions. However,
this amendment was not accepted by the Council of States. The Indian Constitution contemplates
to establish and strengthen religious pluralism in India by guaranteeing freedom of religious in its
Part III. Articles 25 to 30 guarantee freedom of religion for all religions. Article 25 states, (1)
Subject to public order, morality and health and to other provisions of this part, all persons are
equally entitled to freedom of conscience and the right freely to profess, practice and propagate
religion. (2) Nothing in this article shall affect the operation of any existing law or prevent the
State from making any law-(a) regulating or restricting any economic, financial, political or other
secular activity which may be associated with religious practice; (b) providing for social welfare
and reform or the throwing open of Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes
and sections of Hindus. Explanation-I.-The wearing and carrying of kirpans shall be deemed to be
included the profession in the Sikh religion. Explanation II.- In sub-clause (b) of clause (2), the
reference to Hindus shall be construed as including a reference to persons professing the Sikh,
Jaina or Buddhist religion, and the reference to Hindu religious institutions shall be construed
accordingly. Article 26 states, Subject to public order, morality and health, every religious
denomination or any section thereof shall have the right-(a) to establish and maintain institutions
for religious and charitable purposes; (b) to manage its own affairs in matters of religion; (c) to
own and acquire movable and immovable property; and (d) to administer such property in

28
Dr. Pawan Kumar, Religious Pluralism in Globalised India: A Constitutional Perspective, IOSR Journal of
Humanities and Social Science (JHSS), : www.iosrjournals.org
 P a g e | 23

accordance with law29. Article 27 states, No person shall be compelled to pay any taxes, the
proceeds of which are specifically appropriated in payment of expenses for the promotion or
maintenance of any particular religion or religious denomination. Article 28 states, (1) No
religious instruction shall be provided in any educational institution wholly maintained out of State
funds. (2) Nothing in clause (1) shall apply to an educational institution which is administered by
the State but has been established under any endowment or trust which requires that religious
instruction shall be imparted in such institution. (3) No person attending any educational institution
recognized by the State or receiving aid out of State funds shall be required to take part in any
religious instruction that may be imparted in such institution or any premises attached thereto
unless such person or, if such person is a minor, his guardian has given his consent thereto 30.
Articles 29 and 30 contain provisions for protection of cultural and educational rights of religious
and linguistic minorities. The term religion has not been defined in the Indian Constitution. The
Supreme Court of India in the Swamiar case observed that (a) Religion means a system of beliefs
or doctrines which is regarded by those who profess that religion as conducive to their spiritual
well being. (b) A religion is not merely an opinion, doctrine or belief. It has its outward expression
in acts as well. (c) Religion need not be theistic. (d) Religious denomination means a religious
sect or body having a common faith and organization and designated by a distinctive name. The
ambit of religious freedom in India could be understood by the Supreme Court decision in the
National Anthem Case. In that case three children hailing from Jehoahs Witnesses were expelled
from the School for refusing to sing the National Anthem, albeit they stood up respectfully when
the National Anthem was being sung. Those children challenged validity of their expulsion before
the High Court of Kerala justifying their refusal on the ground of religious belief. The High Court
upheld their expulsion on the ground that it was their fundamental duty to sing the National
Anthem. The Supreme Court reversing the High Court decision held that no person could be
compelled to sing the National Anthem, if one has genuine conscientious objection based on ones
religious faith. Notwithstanding the fact that the wordsand Secular were added in the Preamble
to the Constitution in 1976 by the 42nd Amendment, the concept of Secularism was very much
embedded in our constitutional philosophy. The Supreme Court has unanimously held that

29
: Id.

30
Id.
 P a g e | 24

secularism is a basic feature of our Constitution. Justice Sawant observed, one thing which
prominently emerges from the discussion on secularism under our Religious Pluralism In
Globalised India: A Constitutional Perspective www.iosrjournals.org 7 | Page Constitution is that
whatever the attitude of the State towards the religions, religious sects and denominations, religion
cannot be mixed with any secular activity of the State. In fact, the encroachment of religion into
secular activities is strictly prohibited. ..The States tolerance of religion or religions does not
make it either a religious or a theocratic State. When the State allows citizens to practice and
profess their religions, it does not either explicitly or implicitly allow them to introduce religion
into non-religious and secular activities of the State31. The freedom and tolerance of religion is
only to the extent of permitting pursuit of spiritual life which is different from the secular life. The
latter falls in the exclusive domain of the affairs of the State. Justice K. Ramaswamy observed,
India being a plural society with multi-religious faiths, diverse creeds, castes, and cultures,
secularism is the bastion to build fraternity and amity with dignity of person as its constitutional
democracy. It allows diverse faiths to flourish and make it a norm for tolerance and mutual respect
between various sections of the people and to integrate them with dignity and fulfillment of
carvings for self-realisation of religious belief with larger national loyalty and progress. He
further observed, The concept of secularism of which religious freedom is the foremost appears
to visualize not only of the subject of God but also an understanding between man and man.
Secularism in the Constitution is not anti-God and it is sometimes believed to be a stay in a free
society. Matters which are purely religious are left personal to the individual and the secular part
is taken charge by the State on grounds of public interest, order and general welfare. The State
guarantees individual and corporate religious freedom and dealt with an individual as citizen
irrespective of his faith and religious belief and does not promote any particular religion nor prefers
one against another. Justice Jeevan Reddy observed, Secularism is more than a passive
attitude of religious tolerance. It is a positive concept of equal treatment of all religions. The Court
held that the acts of a State Government which are calculated to subvert or sabotage secularism as
enshrined in our Constitution, can lawfully be deemed to give rise to a situation in which the
Government of the State cannot be carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution
inviting proclamation by the President under Article 356 (1). The Supreme Court in Ms. Aruna
Roy case, held that Secularism is susceptible to a positive meaning that it developing

31
Supra note 28
 P a g e | 25

understanding and respect towards different religions. The essence of secularism is

nondiscrimination of people by the State on the basis of religious differences. Secularism, can
be practiced by adopting a complete neutral approach towards religions or by a positive approach
by making one section of religious people to understand and respect the religion and faith of
another section of people. Study of religions, therefore, in school education cannot be held to be
an attempt against the secular philosophy of the Constitution. In the Haj Pilgrimage case, the
petitioner challenged the Constitutional validity of the Haj Committee Act, 1959, but thereafter by
an amendment application the Haj Committee Act of 2002 which replaced the 1959 Act under
Articles 14, 15, 27 and 32 of the Constitution32. The petitioner contended that he has to pay direct
and indirect taxes, part of whose proceeds go for the purpose of the Haj Pilgrimage, which is only
done by Muslims. For the Haj, the Indian Government inter alia grants a subsidy in the air fare of
the pilgrims. The Court held that Article 27 would be violated if a substantial part of the entire
income tax collected in India, or a substantial part of the entire central excise or the customs duties
or sales tax, or a substantial part of any other tax collected in India, were to be utilized for
promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religion denomination. If only a relatively
small part of any tax collected is utilized for providing some conveniences or facilities or
concessions to any religious denomination that would not be violative of Article 27 of the
Constitution. In my opinion the decision erodes the principle of secularism enshrined in the
Constitution because to contribute resources of the State for encouraging a particular religion or
its sects or denominations directly or indirectly by aiding its followers or founders amounts to
subversion of secular philosophy of the Sate and the State may lose its secular character and in
case a government fails to maintain secularism it has no legal justification to stay in power as held
by the nine judges bench of the Supreme Court in Bommai case 33. Therefore the decision needs
reconsideration by the Court. It would have been better for the bench to refer the case to
Constitution bench rather than deciding there and then. However, these provisions have not been
able to stop communal violence by religious extremists against religious minorities particular in
1984 Sikh riots and 2002 Gujarat riots.

32
Id.
33
Id.
 P a g e | 26

6.FIELD WORK and DATA ANALYSIS

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

The researcher through method of interview and questionnaire was able to contact 8 people for
the purpose of research.. The researcher found the mixed views of people through interviews and
questionnaires. The views of respondents were the mix with difference in observation ability.

The one common thing that I observed was that they all were quite moderate in ideologies except
one who even denied that the practice of triple talaq was barbaric. They all agreed that
constitution has played an important part in promoting pluralism in India.

The first respondent with whom researcher met was MR. Suresh Kumar. He is a Police inspector

In Moradabad district, aged 43

The second respondent was Mr. Ashutosh Gangesh. He is an Income tax officer, aged 46

The third respondent was Mr. Vardan Chaudhary. He is an architect, aged 45

 P a g e | 27

The fourth respondent was Miss. Alafiya. She is a student of law in Chanakya National Law
University, aged 19

The fifth respondent was Mr. Shivam singh. He is a College student who is also a member of
RSS, aged 21

The seventh respondent was Mr. Suhail Saif. He is a history teacher, aged 58

The eighth respondent was Mr. Yahiya Khan. He is a bank manager, aged 65

Here, below the researcher has mentioned the interview with the above mentioned 8 respondents-

QUESTION 1: Do you agree that Constitution is promoting cultutal diversity?

All the respondent agreed to the fact that it is because of the constitution that today lot of
minorities are feeling safe and at the same time due to provisions like that of reservation they
were able to come into the society and live together in harmony.

Mr. Suhail Saif told us that because of those provisions we are able to save different languages
spoken by some minorities, they all were happy with fact that they have born in an era where we
are living in peace with constitution as a guardian of their rights.

QUESTION 2: How far reservation has helped your family to come into the mainstream society?

Among all the respondent Mr.Suresh Kumar, Mr. Ashutosh Gangesh and Mr. Vardan Chaudhary
were all quite positive about reservation. Mr.Suresh Kumar told me how his family was once
living in deep poverty and how he studied hard even in those conditions and with the help of
reservation was able to grab the government job, he is the soul earner in his whole family and is
now holding the responsibility of his son, daughters, and brothers. Mr. Ashutosh Gangesh was
also holding the same view although his life was not that much hard as compared to Mr. Suresh
Kumar. Mr. Vardan Chaudhary told me how he has to change his last name as he is in a private
business and sometimes people judge him by his last name, so he changed his last name from

Kumar to Chaudhary as Jaat was a dominant caste their.

QUESTION 3: What do you think about the judgement of Supreme Court on Triple talaq?
 P a g e | 28

Except Mr. Yahiya khan who I believe was extreme in nature, all agreed to the fact that practice
of Triple talaq is a barbaric one and were satisfied with decision of supreme court. Although Mr.
Suhail saif was of the view that it should have been solved by the people of their community.

QUESTION 4: How far do you understand the other religions and communities?

They all agreed that one way or other they all have been influenced by other group and that has
helped them in develope an understanding between each other. They told me how they have
started following different traditions of each other. Miss Alafiya told me how her community
while living in Gujarat adopted the local language and some traditions in marriage as well.

QUESTION 5: What do you think about the Extremist group that are opposing the principle of
pluralism in India?

Except Mr.Yahiya khan and Mr. Shivam singh everybody was having negative views regarding
extremist groups. Mr.Shivam singh told me about his reason of joining the RSS, he was having
the view that if there exist a extremist group in one society then it should also exist in other groups
as well to counter balance the other one.

7. CONCLUSION & SUGGESTION

The first hypothesis of researcher that constitution played an important part in promoting
pluralism in India was found to be correct. A lot of provision in the constitution protect the rights
of minorities and other groups and is standing like a guardian of them in the current modern era.
All the respondent were also holding the same view and the some cases in past also told us how
time to time constitution played its part in promoting pluralism in India.

The second hypothesis of the researcher was found to be partially correct as the researcher found
that the first war of independence was not for the independence of whole nation but for different
empire and kingdoms. The feeling of nationalism was not present in that time and it came later
on but it cannot be ignored that it helped in sowing the seeds of pluralism of modern India.

The third hypothesis of researcher was found to be correct as it is because of the belief of the
common people that the pluralism has flourished in Indian society otherwise there are other
countries as well where their is diversity but instead of living with harmony there are conflicts
 P a g e | 29

Which are continuously increasing and either the country fall apart or become homogeneous.

The unity of India is often assumed and taken for granted; it is seldom subjected to a critical
examination in a diachronic framework. This is so because the sense of unity which pervades the
fabric of Indian society is rather elusive, nebulous and enigmatic. Nevertheless, at the pan-Indian
level, five interrelated sources of integration and unity may be delineated:

(a) Sanskritic Hinduism at the ideational and institutional levels and through a network of centres
of pilgrimage,

(b) a composite cultural tradition born out of the protracted interaction and exchange between
Hindus and Muslims through the length and breadth of the country, which is best exemplified in
the Sufi and Bhakti Movements,

(c) patriotism and nascent nationalism, which emerged during the War of 1857 and culminated
in the freedom struggle,

(d) the secular-democratic ethos of modern India which is enshrined in the Constitution of the
country, and

(e) the country-wide process of modernization which was set into motion during the British
period and which got accelerated in the post-Independence period.

SUGGESTION

According to the researcher although constitution is playing its part in promoting the pluralism
in India but the government is not. Government are working with extreme ideologies whether it
is the current one or the previous one. Instead of enforcing their ideologies by changing the text
regarding history in school books they should keep it as it is there.

The researcher also suggest to the government that they should not work for a particular
community and work for the whole nation, it should not engage in vote appeasement politics and
if there are some traditions or customs which are affecting the fundamental right of a person then
that tradition or custom should be banned as they does not have any place in the modern era.
 P a g e | 30

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The researcher has consulted the following the sources for the completion of this project

BOOKS:

1. Sagar, Krishna. Foreign Influence in Ancient India, North book centre, 1992
2. Thapar Romila. The Past and Prejudice, New Delhi, National book trust, 1975
3. Thapar Romila. Interpreting Early India, Oxford university press, 1992

WEBSITES:

1. www.livescience.com
2. www.ignca.nic.in
3. www.pluralism.org
4. www.ezinarticles.com
 P a g e | 31

5. www.goldenglobes.com