Berkley Center

The classes that I’m taking were the first exposure I had to the ingrained nature of religion in India. Three of my five classes (Contemporary India; Social Justice; and Nation, Caste, and Gender through Film) all dealt with very different topics, and yet religion was somehow always an important topic of discussion in each one.

Although India is an officially secular country, it is intriguing to witness how religion still plays such a substantial role in its culture. For example, the prominence of caste identity is a reflection of how deep-seated Hinduism is in Indian society.

In our classes, we have spent an ample amount of time on the concept of caste. Before coming to India, I had always learned that caste was outdated and illegal in India. After coming here and experiencing the country firsthand, however, I have learned otherwise. The Dalits, or “the untouchables,” are the lowest caste, and they have historically had very low positions within society. As a result, they have not had the means to provide a voice for themselves.

Men and women like Jyotirao Phule have been strong activists in achieving justice for the Dalits. Phule believed that the caste system was created by Brahmins, the highest caste, to ensure the continuation of their high social status. He believed that God would never create a system that was so unequal, and that the entire notion of caste had to have been invented by men. His reforms included the creation of reservations in Indian government for the Dalits. His activism caused Indians to question the inherent inequalities of the caste system.

It is also important to consider interfaith relations in India. Although India is home to members of a myriad of different faiths, Hindu-Muslim relations are by far the most prominent in my experience.

Growing up as a Hindu in the United States, I have always been aware of the importance of Hindu-Muslim relations because of the films my mom has shown me, the discussions I’ve had at the Hindu Students Association, and the questions I’ve been asked by my non-Hindu and non-Muslim friends.

After spending a few months in India, I’ve come to realize just how prominent the relationship between Hindus and Muslims is in India. When speaking with the Hindu friends I have made in Pune, they tell me that their parents would completely disapprove of any relationship with a Muslim as a significant other. Hindus and Muslims can be friends, but nothing more.

There are many Muslim students who come from the Middle East to study at Fergusson College, and they live in harmony with the Hindu students. Additionally, when we visited a slum called Dharavi in Mumbai, there was a huge number of Muslims openly praying in the streets, but no one was disturbing them or staring at them or questioning them as to why they were there. They simply went on with their business and allowed them to pray.

For one thing, I think it’s great that Hindus and Muslims are able to live peacefully like this, especially after the killing and rioting that took place before, during, and after partition. However, I think it will be a long time before interfaith marriages and dating will be acceptable in Indian society.

For the few months I have spent here, I have experienced firsthand the dynamic role that religion plays in India’s social, cultural, and political life. As my time abroad continues, I hope to investigate more interfaith interactions beyond those that exist between Muslims and Hindus.