Glory-that is India

Sir,
India has lived a long civilized life united by a common culture which, for many centuries, has been characterized by a remarkable continuity. During the course of this mighty long history numerous religious beliefs were propounded and numerous religious practices were evolved in India. A large number of people hold the Vedas as the source of their religion, they are Hindus. A considerable section of our countrymen reject the Vedic authority, but they are Hindus. A majority of this country is image-worshippers, yet they are Hindus. Quite a few people like the Arya Samajists decry the wisdom of the image-worship, but they are Hindus still. Those who call themselves agnostics are also Hindus. There is a school of thought propounded by ancient Indian age, Charvaka by name, which refuses to believe in the existence of God. They are pure materialists but they are Hindus. Hindu is not the name of any form of worship, but a confederation or a parliament of numerous religious practices sharing a common love of this country, its history and its cultural heritage.
Hinduism is…. A package of beliefs and forms of worship, ranging from the highly primitive to the most abstract, living side by side at the same time, and not unoften at the same place .It gives opportunity to each and every individual to shape his or her own god according to his or her own need, genius, perception, environ- ment.Some may worship trees, some stones, some animals only. Even in a family, the husband may worship one god, while the wife worships another and the son yet another.
Hinduism has a basic geographical configuration .It is a tolerant Indian umbrella under which sects and sub-sects, quite opposite and opposed have lived and continue to live without developing any religious clashes.
Yours etc……
Predhuman K Joseph Dhar
Jammu