by Robert Arnett

The following article is an expert from Robert Arnett's magnificent book India Unveiled, an incredible journey through India with words and pictures. See our Book Review Section for more information.

For those unfamiliar with India and her customs, I would like to share some background. The term Indians applies equally to Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, Jews or anyone who is a citizen of India (and through the geographical error of Christopher Columbus, to the aboriginals of the Americas). The name Hindu came from the Greeks who invaded northwestern India under Alexander the Great. They designated the inhabitants of the banks of the Indus River as Indoos, or Hindus. The word Hindus refers only to the followers of Hinduism, the name given to the collection of the ancient scriptures of India, the Vedic teachings, whose four books are known as India's Sanatana Dharma, Eternal Religion. Unless a minority religion is mentioned by name, the reader may assume that the text refers to the Hindu people or their culture.

With almost one billion inhabitants who live in a space about one third the size of the United States, India is the world's largest democracy. It has the second largest population in the world, ranking behind China. India is still overwhelmingly rural and its economy is predominantly agricultural. Even with its immense population, India is able to feed its people without having to import food. Although it has over 20 cities with a population of more than a million and is one of the world's major industrial powers, about 70 percent of the population still lives in rural areas. In the villages, life is unhurried and only changing seasons mark the passing of time. There is still widespread poverty, but with an affluent middle class of over 200 million people, India is fast becoming one of the largest markets for consumer goods in the world, hardly an image to fit most Western stereotypes of the subcontinent.

Cultural Diversity

The diversity of Indian religions accounts for much of its cultural richness. Its ancient Hindu legacy intertwines with monuments from Jain, Buddhist, Mughal, Sikh, Christian and the British Raj period. There was even a Jewish presence in Cochin in South India which probably dated back to the time of King Solomon's merchant fleets. Their descendants have intermarried with the Hindu population. Although there is only a handful of Jews of European descent remaining in Cochin today, a 16th century synagogue, said to be the oldest in the British Commonwealth, still exists. The European Jewish community that lived around the synagogue since the 16th century once numbered approximately 4,000.

The reader should note that even within India's state boundaries, there are a myriad of ethnological differences which include languages, customs and foods. Because of such a diverse population, India has been referred to as a "continent within a country."

Despite these distinctions, the Indian government has managed to foster a national consciousness. This probably would not have been possible without the resiliency of the social and religious institutions of Hinduism which are still intact after thousands of years. One of the great challenges to the Indian government at the national, state and local levels is to solve the increasingly transnational public issues of their diverse, multi-cultural population. That India has faced, endured and absorbed far greater confrontations in the past offers hope for a harmonious and prosperous future.

Languages

National homogeneity is virtually unknown, which is not surprising in a country with no "Indian" language. Fifteen languages are recognized by the Constitution, and over 700 minor dialects are spoken. 011 most Indian currency, thirteen languages are printed! Most of the major languages have their own alphabet. Amongst the Indian population, this diversity can be confusing. To a Westerner, like myself, it sometimes can become downright embarrassing. By far, my greatest misreading of a posted sign was in the Himalayan Mountain region known as "The Valley of the Gods." While seeking a place to put on my bathing suit at a hot springs in Manali, I mistakenly entered the women's changing room. It made me realize how careful I needed to be with so man languages and dialects bombarding me each day. Even trying to decipher Indian body language could be perplexing. In parts of India, if someone shook his head horizontally from side to side, this mannerism meant "yes."

Absence of a national language partially accounts for the fact that English is still widely used almost 50 years after India received its independence from the British. Tour guides often routinely spoke English in addressing Indians from other regions. In Parliament, where many top officials still address their colleagues in English, major efforts have been made to promote Hindi as the national language, though it is only spoken as the Mother tongue by about 20 percent of the population. Although Hindi is spoken predominantly in the north, it has little similarity to the Dravidian languages of the south. Considering the distinct and proud cultural legacy of the south, which was never conquered by Mughal invaders, opposition to Hindi is not unexpected and naturally conflicts arise.

The school systems in most states in India teach three languages: English, Hindi and the vernacular of that particular state or region. In addition, some students learn the ancient Sanskrit, the classical literary language of the Indian scriptures which is the world's oldest surviving language. Even Western linguists agree that Sanskrit (which consists of fifty letters, each one having a fixed, invariable pronunciation that prevents mispronunciations) is the most perfect phonetic language in the world. George Bernard Shaw agreed. He wrote a wise and witty essay urging the adoption of a new English alphabet with an additional sixteen characters, which would approximate the phonetic perfection of Sanskrit, even if "it cost a civil war!" Because of Sanskrit's pleasing sound and meter, I usually could distinguish it from the local dialects or from Hindi. Often, when hearing Sanskrit prayers, it would evoke a tingling sensation within me, as if it was resonating in my inner core. My finding someone who spoke English was seldom a problem, although there were times on local country buses when no one knew English and I had to fend for myself Even when sign language failed, I never missed my stop.

Religion

India has possibly a greater diversity of religions and sects than anywhere else in the world. It is the birthplace of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and, Sikhism, and is an important home to Zoroastrianism, one of the world's oldest surviving religions.

Hinduism, India's majority religion, is practiced by about 80 percent of the population. It is difficult to define the religion. It has been said that every metaphysical thought that ever was, is or ever will be has already been expressed in India. Hinduism contains various approaches to achieve its ultimate goal, oneness with God, and it could take a lifetime of study just to master even one of its many aspects. Hinduism's earliest scriptures are the Vedas. These texts were passed down orally, and were only transcribed during the last millennium. The corpus of the religion's sacred writings also include the ancient allegories, the Mahabharata and Ramayana, the world's longest epic poems. Their complex symbolism represents the physical, mental and spiritual battles that each of us must fight and win in our daily lives. Contained within the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita, "Song of the Spirit," the Hindu Bible which is the most beloved and sacred scripture of India. Its verses recount the sublime wisdom given by Lord Krishna to his disciple, Prince Arjuna. Hinduism embraces the doctrine of reincarnation, which declares that our unfulfilled material desires force us to return again and again to earth until we consciously attain oneness with God. Even the early Christian Church accepted the principle of reincarnation, although this doctrine was declared a heresy in 553 A.D. by the Second Council of Constantinople.

Hinduism is greatly misunderstood in the West. Most occidentals do not realize that Hinduism is a ,monotheistic belief in only one God, who as Creator is beyond time, space and physical form. The entire pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses are merely symbolic representations of different attributes of the One, Unmanifested Spirit.

Hinduism created a different deity for each of God's numerous qualities to make God seem more real and approachable. I noticed that in the villages, many female followers of Lord Krishna preferred to worship him in the form of a baby rather than as a man, no doubt because it made it easier for them to share their maternal feelings for the Lord.

Hinduism is a very tolerant religion. It does not claim exclusivity of the true God only for itself. One of the Hindu scriptures, the Rig Veda, clearly states: "Though men call it by many names, it is really One."

Hinduism also acknowledges that God took many human embodiments on earth, to include the saviors of other religions. A Divine incarnation is called an avatar, one who has attained union with Spirit and then returns to earth to help humankind. He is Divinity who has descended into flesh.
Hindus consider Christ to be an avatar, but believe God also took form in other saviors such as Krishna and Buddha. A Hindu sage and poet wrote, "...I know Thou hast delighted, and wilt ever delight, in revealing Thyself in different forms ... but Thou hast only one Nature: Perennial joy." Hindus also recognize the Divine inspiration of prophets such as Moses and Mohammed.

Muslims are India's largest minority. Though they comprise only about 12 percent of the population, they account for the largest Muslim population anywhere in the world outside of Indonesia. They believe that the Koran, the sacred scripture of Islam, contains revelations that were given directly to Mohammed by Allah (God). Islam shares common origins with Judaism, including the belief that creation began with Adam and that Ibrahim (Abraham) is an important prophet. The religion also recognizes as prophets Nuh (Noah), Musa (Moses) and Isa Uesus).

Sikhs number a little over one percent of India's population. Traditionally, they do not cut their hair, smoke tobacco or drink alcohol, and the men are easily recognizable by the distinctive style of their turbans and thick, full beards. The holy city of Amritsar, the Sikhs' Mecca, is located in the northwestern Indian state of the Punjab, close to the border of Pakistan. The Golden Temple, the Sikhs' holiest "Shrine, is located there. The religion was founded in 1469 by Guru Nanak, who was revered by both Hindus and Muslims. He espoused the best of both religions and made a conscious attempt to harmonize these two most powerful rival religions of India.

Devotion

When I am asked what impressed me most about India, my reply is the peaceful demeanor of her people and their openly expressed devotion. The following story will illustrate both characteristics. After a four hour bus journey from Madras to the South Indian town of Tirupathi, our guide informed us that we would not be able to continue our trip to the nearby holy mountain of Tirumala. A local labor strike prevented our going further. Because Tirumala is one of the more important pilgrimage centers in all of India, the passengers were very disappointed, yet none complained. Most were tranquil as we sat together in a group waiting to see what would transpire. We realized that missing our visit to the magnificent statue of Sri Balaji, the deity to whom the temple was dedicated, would be a great loss to us all. Hindus believe that prayer requests made standing before this statue will be granted, which explains why an average of 30,000 pilgrims visit there on any given day. I struck up a conversation with one of the passengers who saw the labor strike as a manmade adversity that could serve as a spiritual challenge for all of us. His insight inspired me and I joined the others in praying silently that our pilgrimage to Tirumala would somehow be completed. At that moment such peace came over me that I had no doubt that God would grant our request. Shortly after lunch, we were told that the strike had been cancelled and the buses would transport us to the mountaintop. Through God's grace, I had been able to tap into the collective devotion of the pilgrims and to feel their allpervasive love, which I believe changed the course of events. I learned a great lesson that day: Prayer is more powerful than protest!

In a similar situation in other countries, most people would have complained vehemently. But not these pilgrims. Because of the value and historical proof in Indian life that prayer has worked for millenniums, there was no discussion and it was a given that prayer was the natural and proper course of action. More than in any other culture I know, Hindus have connected God with their daily life.

Hindus' deep devotion to God, especially amongst women, seemed to me to be inborn. At most temples, when the services were over, a priest carried a flaming oil lamp among the worshipers. The flame symbolized that God is Light, and most persons present would pass their hands above the sacred lamp and touch their forehead in reverence for God's presence. The women in the temple usually rushed forward to receive the sacrament with such childlike enthusiasm that it was as if God were actually there.

Another revealing incident took place while I was traveling in the modern city of Bangalore. I visited one of its oldest temples, known as the "Bull Temple," which is named after a huge monolithic sculpture of Shiva's Bull, Nandi. A little boy standing in front of the altar was too short to see the image of the deity. He kept tugging on his mother's sari until she could ignore him no longer. When she lifted him up for a peek, he leaned over and lovingly kissed the statue. The child's adoration was not unique, and I witnessed similar occurrences at several other shrines.

I remembered the comments of a Hindu doctor whom I had visited in Western India. He told me that "Because of the devotional nature of the Hindu people, the foremost thoughts of the mother and the father are of God. This devotion manifests itself within the mother's womb during pregnancy through the influences of the parents' conscious and subconscious thoughts, and when the child is born, devotion is part of its nature."

Devotion expressed itself outwardly in various ways, including the strong sense of responsibility that individuals exhibited for their parents and members of their extended family. A man I sat next to while traveling told me a poignant story. His mother had been in a coma in a Bombay hospital.
Against all hospital regulations, the man's wife insisted on staying in the same room and even slept on the floor to be close to her motherinlaw, ensuring that she was timely bathed and kept in clean clothing. Doctors and even her husband's relatives told his wife that his mother would not survive. But against all odds, she did! His mother had a total recovery and now lives happily again with her son and daughterinlaw. He commented: "Loving feelings can save a life."

The deep loyalty that exists between husbands and wives and other family members serves as a living example from one generation to another. An Indian doctor whom I had met told me that his father, a man of modest means, had paid his college expenses. The doctor, who had a large practice said, "I am a doctor and a man today because of what my father sacrificed for me. If my father ever needed me, I would close my practice, withdraw my children from school, even if it meant their missing important exams, and take my family the several hundred miles to my father's home to care for him. I would not allow a servant to touch my father in my presence." To bathe and otherwise assist his father was the doctor's pleasure and duty. His children would see him serve his father, and in turn they would serve their father, and their children would serve them. The elderly die peacefully in India, surrounded by their devoted families, and in the familiar setting of their own homes. They have a "soft" death and pass on fulfilled. To me, this is the quiet beauty of India.

After visiting with many Indian families over a period of years, I am impressed by the sincerity with which each family member accepts his or her familial responsibilities. Duties were not discharged from a sense of obligation as if they were burdensome. An Indian I met on a bus explained that "Duty is performed from love and affection, like a mother taking care of her child." He said his mother and wife still serve in that spirit. Though there was some inconvenience caused from three generations living together in his home, he stated that his wife did not feel burdened by a house full of people and seemed to thrive on her selfless duties. He was emphatic that "Action must be supported by feeling. Once it becomes a duty performed mechanically without feeling, the tradition ends!"

I do not suggest that Indians or any peoples of third world countries should deny themselves the material benefits of Western civilization, yet, it seems to me that many young Indians (as well as the youth in much of the rest of the world) are forgetting the true values of the family structure. The attributes of duty, loyalty and service are often forsaken in favor of selfish considerations and monetary gain. Many are moving away from their ancestral homes, opting to live even in the slums of cities or moving to other countries, in search of treasures without value.

As the twentieth century draws to a close and a new millennium is about to begin, it is my hope and prayer that all of us will do our part to strengthen our individual families, and by extension, the family of man.

Righteous Action (Dharma)

It is impossible to understand India unless one understands the concept of dharma. Dharma has many meanings to the Hindu. No single English word can summarize all of its connotations. Within an individual's own life, it refers to one's inherent duty to live in harmony with the eternal principles of righteousness that uphold all creation. Thus, the social and moral implications of the Indian philosophy of dharma are reflected in the highest virtues expected from each member of the community. It is seen most clearly in village India. I recall once in a small town in Rajasthan, a young boy saw me drop my wallet which contained a huge sum of money by his standard. When he came up to me to return it, I tried to offer him a few rupees, but he would accept nothing. I asked someone nearby to explain to the boy why I wanted to give him something for his act of honesty. After talking to him, the man explained to me that the concept of accepting a gift for doing a good deed made no sense to the child. Dharma is a noble act and needed no outside reward.

The Guest Is God

Though I come from an area of the United States where people pride themselves on their "Southern hospitality," it could not compare to the gracious treatment I received in India. There is a beautiful Hindu story about the archangel, Narada, whom God sent to earth incognito to see who was worthy of a visit from The Most High, Himself I was treated so thoughtfully in all of the homes I visited, whether rich or poor, that it was as if people considered me to be Narada. I learned quickly to limit my compliments for any objects I might see in an Indian home, as my hosts were quick to offer me almost anything I admired. The Indians' willingness to give away their prized belongings prompted me to examine the value system of my own country, where the need to acquire more and more "stuff " is a major goal of life. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna emphasizes the importance of non-attachment to things of the physical world. If one does not carefully distinguish between the soul and the ego, then one's physical and spiritual focus is directed outward toward the object of temporary values. In the end, all worldly things return to dust, but the soul can return to God.

India's Gift to the World

India's spiritual heritage is legendary. Throughout the millenniums, India has been blessed with more masters persons who during their lives on earth have merged their souls with God than any other country in the world. There are many welldocumented stories of their miracles. The famous master Trailanga Swami, who lived in Banaras during the late 19th century, displayed miraculous powers that cannot be dismissed as myth. Until recently, there were living witnesses to his amazing feats. Many persons witnessed him drink the most deadly poisons with no ill effect. Thousands of people saw him levitating in a sitting position on the surface of the Ganges for days at a time. He would even disappear under the waves for long periods, finally to reappear unharmed. Though Trailanga seldom ate, he weighed over 300 pounds. The yogi never wore any clothing and was arrested by the police for his nudity on several occasions, and locked in a cell. Each time, even with posted guards, he unexplainably escaped and could be seen walking on the prison roof, his cell still locked. The police had no clue as to how he did it.

For over 2,300 years, travelers, from the most powerful countries on earth have come to India in search of her priceless spiritual wisdom. When Alexander the Great returned to Persia after his unsuccessful invasion of India, the most valued treasure that he brought back with him was not gold, jewels, silks or spices - but his guru (spiritual teacher), the yogi Kalyana, called "Kalanos" by the Greeks.

On a designated day in Susa, Persia, the sage Kalanos gave up his aged body by entering a funeral pyre in view of the entire Macedonian army. The soldiers were amazed that the yogi had no fear of pain or death and never once moved from his position as he was being consumed by flames. Kalanos embraced many of his close companions before leaving for his cremation but refrained from bidding farewell to Alexander, to whom he simply remarked: "I shall see you later in Babylon." Alexander died a year later in Babylon. The Indian guru's prophecy was his way of saying that he would be with Alexander both in life and death.

When the Chinese traveler Hiuen Tsang attended a huge religious gathering, the Kumbha Mela, in Allahabad in 544 A.D., he recounts that Harsha, king of Northern India, gave away the entire wealth of his royal treasury to monks and pilgrims attending the event. When Hiuen Tsang prepared to return to China, he declined Harsha's offerings of jewels and gold. Understanding that his spiritual development was more valuable than worldly wealth, he accepted, instead, 657 religious manuscripts. Likewise, through the science of yoga, India has given the West a far more valuable gift than all the material wealth or technology the West could give in return. Even today, India offers great inspiration to those persons who are seeking a oneness with God, and through yoga anyone can find the direction he or she needs to succeed. That is India's gift to the world.