Why I am a Hindu, Sashi Tharoor

Why I am a Hindu by Sashi Tharoor.

I started reading this book to look for reasons not to feel guilty being a Hindu, practising rituals and festivals that have become habit. Because these days, people can't be just an ordinary Hindu without bring judged politically. We are now such a highly polarised people.

The book helped me in that respect. Starting from the philosophical basis of Hinduism and it's practices and slowly moving to the political hinduthva ideology. Philosophy of hinduism being very difficult to absorb, it may be interpreted in many ways. Also it could be the maladjustment of a predominantly introspective philosophy being converted into a social, political and nationalistic ideology.

Anyways, if a group of people defined their hinduism and propagating it, well, that is not my hinduism. I align myself to the philosophical and spiritual hinduism of which tolerance and pluralism are the most prominent aspects.

Thank you, Dr. Tharoor for providing the shield. It is not an easy read with all the case studies and citations, nevertheless a worthy effort.

Preetha Raj

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