In the beginning, I wish to appreciate the Christian Forum Dimapur for convening Inter Faith Meet and giving me the opportunity to put forth my viewpoints as a representative of the Hindu society in Dimapur on a very critical and crucial issue of promotion of communal harmony in Dimapur.
I must mention here, that though I represent a Hindu society of Dimapur, I will be speaking for everyone staying in Dimapur, in Nagaland. I will be raising concerns of everyone. I will be the voice of those who attempt to build harmonious relations among different groups. I will address concerns of those who should enjoy fruits of harmonious relations. As a Hindu, I can not confine myself to a particular religious sect, but I will be speaking for the whole humanity when matters relating to harmonious and peaceful living are raised for the discussion.
I will speak for the Truth.
I will speak for the justice to all.
I will speak for equality and fair play to all.
I will speak for the aspirations and ambitions of all.
Every individual lives in a society. He is a member of several communities as soon as he is born. Religious group, though important, is one of the communities that he is a member of. It is only in the community that the individual has a sense of identity, a sense of belonging, and a sense of recognition.
Communal harmony is to be maintained with in a group as well as between different groups. It is not only religious community but also other communities where harmonious relations are needed to be developed.
Hindus are the best example of the humanity who has practiced communal harmony for thousands of years. With the advent of modern, secular state where the diverse natured citizens came together for a common cause, with common aspirations and hopes, harmonious relationship between various groups of people have assumed a great work of scholarship from the thinkers and the law makers of the state. The life line of a democratic society is assembly of citizens in different communities. The state strived for installing a common purpose and aim among different communities for the harmonious relationship among them. The state prospers, and develops with the development of harmonious relations among its citizens. For faster progress and comprehensive development communal harmony is essential. Harmonious relations among citizens engenders peaceful and creative mind in members of society.
The state prospers with the prosperity of its citizens. The prosperity of citizens is possible only when the society is peaceful; when the society produces and nurtures talents in varied fields; when the society creates an environment that brings into fruition the ideas of visionary; when the society gives freedom to experiment; when the society carefully understands the dreams of young minds and helps to bring them into reality; when the society gives opportunity to everyone to prosper and improve upon its living values and standards. A society that is vibrant in nature; a society that enjoys life as if the citizens are sons and daughters of divine is a harmonious society.
Bharatvarsh is identified with multifarious people, language, customs, dress, religion, climates, topographies, and many other aspects. What is outstanding is that the country celebrates this spirit of variety. Bharatvarsh in 21st century is vibrant, modern nation ready to lead the world. The confluence of tradition, values and modern science has given Indian society a solid base to leap ahead. The harmony among its sections of society, the civilized manner of bypassing the differences is an example in itself for the world to emulate. The institutional and professional standards are of world class.
The society and citizens are opening up and are broadening their perspective. Children, youths, women, businessmen, industrialist, politicians, and the common man have a common dream of making Bharatvarsh a prosperous and developed country. It is only because of the harmony among the society that has allowed them to dream bigger and bigger. It has enabled them set targets larger and larger. The standards of rational and scientific thinking are high here.
Various aspects and talents of an individual’s personality require several associations and groups for blossoming and creativity. The vibrancy of individual’s personality is exhibited in a group. The society that wants to grow takes care of such vibrant youths and vibrant communities that help to generate such a competitive level among the members of a group.
Children in schools in Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Chennai, Banglore, Pune, Hyderabad dream about going to Mars, forget about Moon, in space shuttles designed and created by them; they dream about unraveling mysteries of space; dream about exploring seabeds; and exploring nature’s beauties. They want to put their brains to everything and want to unravel the functioning of nature. They do not hold themselves back in thinking, in examining, in analyzing the life sciences. They are preparing themselves for the age of nano technology.
The youth in Mumbai, Kolkata, New Delhi, Chennai, Banglore, Pune, and Hyderabad think about joining IIT’s, IIM’s, AIIMS, and other higher educational and professional institutions to make a career. They are ready to go to Harvards, MITs, Cambridges. They want to be known as world class authors and poets in English. They want to be Zakir Hussains, Rashid Khans, Hari Prasads of classical Indian music. They are ready to devote their life in service of music, arts, and paintings. The sportsmen in the country cherish a dream to represent Bharatvarsh in Cricket, Tennis, Football, Hockey, Chess and other games. The role models are Sachins, Sanias, Dhonis, Anands, Bhutias and Kunjuranis.
The women in the country want to be fighter pilots, doctors, engineers, computer engineers, directors of multinational companies, multinational banks. They are busy in developing self help groups, and cultural societies. They are dreaming of expanding there careers in journalism to unravel the hidden information and keep masses informed.
Industrialist and businessmen in the country are dreaming about constructing a wonder in world car market. They are dreaming about buying British, American Norwegian companies to establish their empires in the world. They are ready to compete with the world. They are busy in launching bigger and bigger industrial plants. They are busy in providing employment to lakhs and lakhs of people. The examples of Ambanis, Tatas, Mittals, are open for everyone to take inspiration from. Politicians are busy in launching new schemes for the development of their constituencies; making new laws that will empower them to take the country on a faster track of growth and development. They want Bharatvarsh to be a super power of 21st century.
Communal harmony in Bharatvarsh is reflected in the dreams of children; it is reflected in the performance of little champs, and Indian idols; it is reflected in blossoming personalities of girls; it is reflected in the aspirations of youths and their hopes of fulfilling their dreams; it is reflected in beneficial and constructive atmosphere for industrialists and businessmen; it is reflected in empowering women in different fields; it is reflected in courage of common man to ask questions to politicians; it is reflected in empowering common man to demand information from the parliament and other law making bodies. It is reflected in new schemes of development. Every citizen aspires to be a functional and honorable part of the society. He wants to see an authentic reflection of his identity in the spirit of society.
Communal harmony is disturbed when negativeness creeps into society, when unfair means are dominant, when narrowness destroys the fabric of society, and when there is disregard for the interest of society. Society becomes weak and social fabric is shredded by instability, fear, and suspicion. The best competitive spirit is not achieved due to fear. Fear is a dark room where only negatives are developed. The enthusiasm of life dies where there is no peace of mind. The essence of enjoyment is lost when there is instability, anxiety, and suspicion reining the society.
The role of the civil society is of immense importance for developing harmonious relations among its citizens. It acts as a watchdog. It decides on the values to be upheld by the society. It helps to curb the level of corruption that might creep in the society with the prosperity. It is the forum to appreciate the constructive work of its citizens. The civil society exudes the confidence of vibrant society; it displays the certainty, conviction, firmness, hope, assurance, boldness, self-reliance and verve. The civil society of the country has done its contribution by making the society to participate in the dream of the 21st century.
The Christian Forum Dimapur aims to strengthen the civil society of Dimapur. The Forum should strive for the participation of Nagaland in Bharatvarsh’s dream of 21st century. Communal harmony in Dimapur will achieve higher status when children start dreaming about joining IITs, IIMs, and AIIMS.
It will reach still a higher status when students of Nagaland prefer Dimapur as their destination to make their life. If parents from Guwahati, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Pune choose Dimapur as their destination of higher studies, it will be the ultimate feather in the cap harmonious conditions in Dimapur.
Children from Dimapur topping the music competitions, dance competiotions, painting championships will be a matter of extreme joy. Musicians, artists, tourists flocking Naga Hills will be a treat to watch. The ultimate thing of harmony will be Tatas and Ambanis chooshing to build industries in Nagaland. New crop of industrialist from Dimapur launching their shares in Mumbai share market will echo harmonious relations in Dimapur. The happiest day of communal harmony in Dimapur will be a sight of a complete family of grand parents with their grandsons and granddaughters enjoying their evening after a day of hardwork at the office, sipping a coffee in a nearby restaurant, and having a casual stroll by the roadside late in the evening while coming back from multiplex movie theater.
I remember Ravindranath’s composition which won him the Noble prize:
Mind Without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high;
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up
into fragments by narrow domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason
has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action---
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
I wish to thank the Forum again for giving me the opportunity to express my views on communal harmony in Dimapur.
1) Swami Chinmayanand, Bharat Sevashram Sangh, Dimapur Nagaland-
2) Debu Sharma, President, Shiv Mandir Committee, Ranga Pahar, Dimapur-
3) Sameer Kumar Saha, President, Hindu Seva Samiti, Dimapur, Nagaland_
4) Om Prakash Sethi, Vice- President, Shri Digambar Jain Panchayat, Dimapur-
5) Phanidhar Mech, President, Mech Kachari Public Organisation, Dimapur-
6) Dr. P. K. Bora, President, Namghar Samiti, Dimapur-
7) Jaspal Singh, Chairman, Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee, Dimapur-
8) K.K. Pal, President, Ram Thakur Mandir and Buddha Mandir Committee, Dimapur-
9) Jagdamba Mall, Vice President, Janjati Vikas Samiti Nagaland, Dimapur-
10) Binita Jigdung, Dimasa Dharmasabha, Dimapur-
Dated Dimapur the 16th February 2008.
