INTERFAITH CONGRESS

CULTURE PHILOSOPHY LITERATURE AND RELIGION . REVISITED

Exact transcription of the lecture delivered by
Prof S.A.R.P.V Chaturvedi In
the International Conference on Interfaith 2009 at
Somaiya Auditorium, Mumbai on 7th and 8th Sep 2009
Man – Status of Advancement

Mankind is entrenched in the egoistic notion of his primacy. In the right sense, his pre-eminence is his ability to develop and apply the salient tools of his mind, such as rationale and compassion to aid his intellect, for the global or at least non-invasive
individual benefits.

Man has two dimensions; personal and its extensions. His skill includes the art of designing a single way for multifarious goals and multiple ways for a single destination. For accessing the paramount goal of liberation, freedom from the precincts, infringement
and depletion, the human race is being gifted with the tools for moulding personal nature through the forms of literature, culture, religion and philosophy.

Man begins with literature, behaves with culture, believes in religion and builds himself through philosophy. Development of society, political society, science and technology are all the extensions and expansions of personal enrichment. Personal enrichment fashion ways and goals for sustenance and progress.Antiquity, Depth and Revisit Historians, archeologists and theologians are in endless chase and debate about the origin of these components.

But they are as old as the creation itself.

• In a resolute creation model, naturally all these tools of understanding should have been innate provisions for a higher understanding.
• Even if these tools are unveiled at a specific time, its conception, inception, repetitive drill, compilation and preservation should have caused a very long journey. So they are time immemorial.
  
• As something that never existed cannot exist or newly emerge; it is candid that conception, development and universalisation of this quadrate are ingrained and activated by external stimuli.
  
• Each division has an inaccessible altitude and unfathomable depth. They have assumed different shapes according to the land and mind frames of inhabitation.
  
• There are similarities, identities, vast deviations and irreconcilable disparities amidst them. Research and dialog is in the frontiers of bringing amicability and to form a festoon out of different units of heritage. Bringing unity with identical networks and reconciliation of variations are in the process.
  
• Most opine that this is an insoluble and ineffective trial. But just as rain makes the ocean water potable and canals make mighty streams irrigable, extraction of the essence and simplification of the same in suitable standards can create the interest and impact of learning, practice and proliferation.
  

The Concept of Revisit

• Just as there are universal and transferable standards in factors like time, mass and distance, there are no acceptable standards for LCRP (Literature, Culture, Religion and Philosophy). Pride in a zone may be of no value in the other and even a mark of shame in
  
• yet another system. The parameters are vague for they are not discernible in few and they are dissimilar in many systems claiming the same origin and purpose.
  
• It is the prime obligation to setup common standards, by considering the emerging inclination of the mass, principles of justice available to the sense of civility and the destined drive of the present towards the future.
  
• This process is designated as `Revisit` and the purposes of revisit are  enlisted below.
  
• Clarity: Revising the concept models and recharging the action trend to boost clarity is the first purpose.
  
• Context: No knowledge can be beneficial, unless the design and action is based on the contextual study, including the factors of place, time, need, intensity and strength.
  
• Unity: LCRP is more searched for their intricacies and specialization of salience. But revisit has a refreshing approach of them for active unity instead of a phenomenal one, which is timely needed.
  
• Continuity: Considering the perennial combat of the world with its need, applications, disruptions and solutions, ceaseless action should be initiated. Lack of continuity degrades enthusiasm and vibrancy and the effect of earlier trials also gets deteriorated.
  
• Correction: Revisit enables correction of earlier and existing models, wherever there is illogical absurdity and misleading.
  
• Modification: Advancement of ideal extracts and methods of approach can be effectively employed through revisit.
  
• Denial: Revisit in the sense of reformation can certainly displace a redundant and insidious model.
  
• Action: It is for the necessary translation of concepts into action.
  
• Solution: Concentration on a specific issue for timely relief is the solution approach of revisit.
  
• Observation: Monitoring the feeling, flow and force on regular and frequent intervals is observation. It is a subordinate to continuity. 
• Inter-Disciplinary Vision Literature, Culture, Religion and Philosophy are all well allied by an internal network. All are meant for synthesizing nobility in the society in their own style of approach. Each and every form has spiral, centripetal and centrifugal movements. Research, involvement and experience in every field may deepen the vision in the same discipline or lead to other divisions and also stretchy to be led by others. It is necessary hereby to cite few of the theories regarding their merger.
• Vision of Beauty - Beauty comes out of orderliness, benefit and sense of admiration. The world has a design of beauty with provisions for maintenance and restitution whenever needed. Literature is assembled beauty of concepts, characters, emotions and fusions.
  
• Culture reveals the inner beauty. Religion unveils the beauty behind and Philosophy takes us to the beauty beyond.
  
• Understanding - Culture supports us in realizing literature. Religion throws light on culture and its purpose and Philosophy enriches religious experience.
  
• Culturalism - Identity, Composition, Comprehension and Appreciation in all fields are provided only by cultural endowment. Literature is the yield of Culture, Religion its maturity and Philosophy, its finale.
  
• Solace and Bliss - Considering solace and bliss as the final fruit of everything, they are explained as the tools for perceptible bliss, permeable bliss, inner bliss and eternal bliss respectively.
  
• Religious Theory - Religion is an exercise for a mature mind to keep on expanding it towards infinity. So, valuable Culture, Literature and Philosophy are the merchandise of religious findings.
  
• Acquisition Theory - There are four dimensions of the knowledge domain. Literature exposes the known dimension of the known, with its enterprising presentation. Culture brings the unknown of the known. Religion defines the known of the unknown and Philosophy dives deep into the unknown of the unknown.
  
• Philosophical Theory - Philosophy is the route for solid knowledge structure. Only from this understanding, the roots of Literature, Culture and Religion have emanated.
  
• Fusion - In these four divisions, any essence or pair or group may be prevailing or compliant. In literature, we see lot of religious and philosophical works. We have cultural and religious philosophy and so on.
  
• However these explanations never negate the autonomous existence of any of them, but such isolated forms will be uncertified by precision tools.
  
• Independent literature is prosaic, anti-cultural with peripheral or ephemeral effect.
  
• Independent culture will mislead the society and is a form of threat.
  
• Independent religious will be primitive and impracticable.
  
• Independent philosophy is vague, obscure and aimless.

Purpose of study

A research may have myriad of purposes. More than for development of technical understanding or inter-relative studies, it is now widely solicited to develop interfaith dialog and action for harmonious coexistence and integral protest against social evils and global challenges. An effective program to ignite awareness, minimize frictions and initiate fraternity amongst various communities through literature, cross cultural relations, religious principles and philosophical advocacy is being contemplated here.

Literature is the simplest way for connecting the society. Bringing elements of common interest makes people to feel and be .closer, which is suitable for mutual recognition and interaction. Cultural exposition and sharing secrete sense of deep involvement in between differing communities. Religious appliance requires meticulous care in interpretation and settlement as they have to deal with intractable social mind set up, but yet can be worked out through persistent exercises.

Philosophy is comprehendible only by persons with sharp acumen and mostly such people are either cordial or innocuous, due to which they do not need any counsel. But they can guide others.

The Purpose of Interfaith is

• To Sermonize the need of dialog and collective well being
  
• To tutor the possibilities for achieving the same
  
• To craft an understanding about the other systems and their rudimentary values to enforce mutual respect, even if not reverence.
  
• To instill mutual adjustability to circumvent disturbances and their consequential tensions between faiths.
  
• To apply the tools of arbitration, non-violence, judicial shelter and democratic demand in cases of violation.
  
• Even though these rules cannot bring absolute peace, to provoke social awareness and integrity, for favoring a prospective harmonious society, interfaith programming is essential.

Literature

There are three instinctive drivers. One is innate, the second is inherited and the other is influenced by the surroundings. Literature is an orderly manifested presentation of delicate and subtle basics of human thought, expression, behavior and impact.

A solid and real literature embellishes the facts, forces, formulae and fruits of life, endowed with cogency and enthralling cadence. Bedecked by structural mellifluousness, either through abstract ethics or characteristic depiction, it prompts the balanced and involved view of the reader and enables him to experience identity, joy and transformation.

Literature, in all divisions, promotes feeling and hopes of responsibility, ability, integrity and divinity. A purposeful literature should thus assemble intra-personal, domestic, social or national and divine efficacy. Any word or statement of elegance, purport, fascination and inspiration deserves to be literature and any literary piece that does not contain or create such force, may not be creditable in prudent and personal views. Literature is a form of presentation, whereas culture, religion and philosophy are the themes.

Culture

• Perfect system of action and reaction is the soul of culture. It deals with personal behaviour, his instincts and reflexes, spherical behaviour in the environments of learning, family and occupation, and public behaviour, which is action and response in various social circumstances.
  
• Any wider impact is a reflection of collections of inner-space transitions. Culture shapes individual and paves the way for spreading the same luminosity in a mass. As per Culturalism theory, all perfect systems emerge from a resourceful cultural pool.
  
• Human mind is prone to anger, avarice, aversion, anxiety and apprehension. The ethical dimension of culture produces virtuous antibodies for the suppression of the same, and replaces the space by estimable attributes. Onerous exercises for self control and determination are prescribed by ethical guides.
  
• Respect and Obedience to nature, women, elders, learned, leaders, masters, faiths, nation, law and parents.
  
• Love and Dignity in marital relationship and even in friendship
  
• Mercy and Service to downtrodden, inefficient, abandoned, aberrant and the animals.
  
• Decency and Discipline in the forms of non-intrusion, non-violence, perseverance, magnanimity, truth, honesty, and transparency.
  
• Education and elite association are few among the methods for gaining culture.
  
• Culture directs the intelligence to configure different explicit forms of arts through its aesthetic dimension. These cultural derivatives offer innumerable options to celebrate and boost joy, exhaust and eliminate fear and misery, relish tranquility and provide valuable opportunities to expose and absorb others to share and unite.
  
• Music, dance, drama, painting, natural appreciation and humour are few of the aesthetic models of culture.
  
• Culture is one among the hottest topics of debate today. Cultural nihilism says that culture is a self organised product for self and external conveniences. This school of thought prevents the society from understanding the values of life and makes existence and achievements lifeless.
  
• Cultural Extremism is at the rigid end which never admits tolerance and change. It never mind about the reason and adaptability factors. Cultural extremism is accused by liberals as a cordon for social affinity, scientific and national progress.
  
• Cultural Liberalism is the liberty to fashion one`s own culture without any standard base. It represents adaptation and fusion from all sides, without assessing its suitability. It is an abode for recurrent modifications on fascination grounds.
  
• Personality is defined by appearance along with attire and etiquette. Tradition blames the modern way of dressing and cosmetic bounty that they naturally lead to precarious exhibitionism.
  
• Co-learning and Co-working of genders have become a necessary part of the society. Lack of parental guardianship and modernity license have patronised new art forms of dating, valentine bondage, premarital and extramarital relations, addiction and various symptoms of ethical calamity.
  
• Opportunities which have promoted the excellence of a minor society cannot be justified for the moral insecurity and depreciation of the mass.
  
• Self control and avoidance of unfavourable circumstances, both are eyes of cultural vigilance.
  
• Tradition includes dress-code, demeanours and flexibility or by its popular name, social freedom, as diagnostic devices for nature impression and depiction of inner discipline. It describes about the subtle impact of every inch of thought, exposure and action in character, which may not be digestible to the fashion world.
  
• Modernism thinks that this ‘in and out’ has no connectivity at all and also that discipline can be maintained with self determination, irrespective of any external frame.global cultural stamina, which has infected the western community. Due to continuous engagement in scientific and economic pursuits, west has lost its immunity in self and social control, due to which, the west has become the first and the worst vulnerable region for ethical degradation.
• Failures in parental, matrimonial and generation bondage have created a new trend of untouchability, where there is nobody to touch and care. Juvenile prisoners, addicts and suicidal warriors throng in competition. Social refineries of the west are now in serious rumination about regaining ethical awareness and consensus, by investing all the time and resources that they have minted by its dereliction.Without cultural framework, any self styled discipline, audacity and insecure freedom will
  
• certainly dismantle any orderly society or even an organised one. In the present context of Interfaith, cultural exchange, in its level-headed way, can tremendously lubricate collective survival mechanism. Festivals and art forms of every faith and system are to be demonstrated with their essential messages, so that it can kindle involvement in their own people and also others. This get-together shatters the cloud of selfishness and egoism, thereby binding everybody with inborn love.

Religion

Only a Religion can offer the high level identity of a person with his spiritual address. As religion is the only discipline dealing with soul, source, struggle and solution, without a proper religious direction, the soul will lose its dignity and become naked. Organised religions begin with the scriptures, the message of God to the mankind, which was brought to the common level of understanding by a spiritual lineage in the form of messengers or masters. So, eventually, a person devoid of scriptural care is motherless and the one who does not have the compassionate guidance of the master from a tradition, is fatherless and any independent tinsel is a spiritual orphan.With a caring mother, all the religious offspring suffer under irresponsible, perfunctory, affection less, cruel, and tyrant fathers in the forms of institutional anarchy, kleptocracy, plutocracy, foolocracy and tyranny.

Purpose of Religion

• The world is created by God. So use this life with worldly resources in a proper way.
  
• All of the fellow beings are created by His will. Love them as you love God. Avoid evil, excuse mistakes and withdraw from exploitation of anybody for a private cause.
  
• God is embodiment of goodness. So, being good is the tool of receptivity for divine link, guidance and empowerment.
  
• Cultivate and preserve these qualities by recital, adulation and entreaty without gap.
  
• Infuse the same in your family, friends and followers.

Division in Religion

Religion is not a single element with unanimous faith and uniform pathways. It is a cluster of different ways and directions adhering to a common nucleus.

• Spiritualism - Worship of an impersonal God, different from gods or the source of them.
  
• Ritualism - This believes in external rites under specific conditions, as a supportive or dominant tool for internal practices, facilitating mundane and mystic fruits.
  
• Mysticism - an absolute system of inner exercise through self  restraint, celibacy and austerity, where God is felt and dealt. Transformation in mystics bestows trans-physical reflections upon one`s nature and experiences.
  
• Occultism - the leftist branch of religion, which fraternises non- divine power agencies for filthy and fiendish needs.
  
• Personalism - God with a form, also available with a personal relation and bondage of love, friendship or affection is worshipped with intimacy.
  
• Positivism - Tools of prognostication and remediation on life issues and crisis.
  

All these divisions, except Spiritualism, are within the demarcations of religious tenets. The logical beauty, depth and differential analysis, if shared in intellectual level may sponsor debate or appreciation and in common levels; it will erase the myth that religion is a perfectly fictional product, devoid of any sense, logic or purpose.

Purpose of Interfaith

• Distance - People of different religious communities stay extremely away from each other and even their social binding is marginal. Such interfaith programmes will at least curtail the distance.
  
• Diversion - If they are feeling totally against each other, interfaith at least can organise mitigation of ill-will.
  
• Dilemma - It is the position of disquiet for fanatics with their tenacious religious dogma and invitation from interfaith dialog. For them, dialog offers personal and organisational tuning.
  
• Disaster - This is the tenor of hard core terrorists. Dialog has a remote possibility of rehabilitation. There are four dimensions in religion
  
• Elite path - where there will be countable members.
  
• Sentimental arena - which forms the bulk mass of weaker beneficiaries and powerful extremists.
  
• Religio-political – the root cause of all exasperations.
  
• Interfaith – new movement which aims at renaissance and unity.
  

In this census, Interfaith is very recent and limited in support and resources. To conquer the society against the sentimental holocaust and political cyclone is really a strenuous and time consuming challenge.

Philosophy

Philosophy is the journey inside knowledge divisions to find their absolute nature, source, dimensions, relativity and purpose. Apart from religion and other studies of the unknown, philosophy forms the higher learning of any section of study. The gluttonous curiosity in knowing about world, life, man and knowledge is still a conundrum to research and experience. Few such basic questions are

• Creation of the world and its purpose.
  
• Creation of innumerable species and their role
  
• Responsibilities and goal of human life
  
• Civilization  - its direction and destiny
  

Based on these requisites, different systems of thought have originated from both east and west. Non religious and even anti religious thoughts like atomism, absolutism, materialism, pantheism, transcendentalism and relativism have emanated from the reservoir of thoughts.
The main diversion of philosophy query are

• Ontology – the study of fundamentals.
  
• Cosmology – the study about the purpose of life.
  
• Teleology – the study about the purpose of life.
  
• Epistemology – the study of origin of knowledge.
  
• Metaphysics – the study of para-sensual experiences.
  
• Eschatology – the study of life after death.
  
• Thaumatology – the study of miracles.
  
• Aretology – the study of power lead and virtues.
  
• Agathology – the study of theory of good.
  

It is from this study area, differences of opinion among the various schools have blossomed. Philosophical level of Interfaith is a high end tool and for bringing the same to the level of common understanding, the receivers should develop insight and undertake repetitive study.

Issues in Interfaith

Like organic food, nature and other campaigns, interfaith has also become a fashion, style and show. Those who are not accessible to their own followers are seen with leaders of different faith with a lustrous smile. Being available with multi-faith leaders has recently got a status of media attraction and public attention. It is also a part of interesting political game.

Few institutions wear the mask of interfaith fraternity to cover their unpleasant faces before the society. These shows and hidden agenda have fogged up the zeal, diligence and sacrifice of real affiliates. If all faiths had been limited only by thoughts and inner experience, quarrel and dialog will find no place to live and rule. Proclamation of beliefs and installation of centers have multiplied and constructed religious consciousness and also divided and destructed the society.

It is even humorously told that their thought is about when and what to speak and speech is about when and what to think.

Three major problems in interfaith are

A) Most of the discussions are held between mindful and already moderate people who have no chances of mutual harm or disharmony. Taking this to the needed and non conducive environments should have been the purpose of gathering and discussion, which has not been made effectual.

B) Almost in all meetings, the fragile devices of showing similarities and common meeting points in philosophy, ethics and practices, form the main frame. Generally in compromises, effective similarity in common principles of love, brotherhood, peace and honesty are projected and in clashes, defective similarities in violence, historical irrelevance and character assassination are handled.If ignorance and philosophical delusion alone is the major cause for all the disputes and confrontation, an intellectual support can guide them to truce or harmony.But the emotionally charged sections with scriptural direction and state or non-state support cannot be handled with special and slow tools, meant for the thinkers and wise. In spite of reinterpretation of passages and new trend of concord, inter-faith pursuit is slow, for it needs a high level transformation in the whole society and no doubt our present activities will nourish our ability to arrive at the goal. In spite of reinterpretation of passages and new trend of concord, inter-faith pursuit is slow, for it needs a high level transformation in the whole society and no doubt our present activities will nourish our ability to arrive at the goal. More than the scriptures, ideals and prophets, we have to focus the need of dialog directly with the concerned institutions, society and people. We should realize that showing rules before somebody, who deliberately differ in deeds, is lunacy.

C) Due to fear of repulsion and revenge, the basic problems are not discussed in depth in such conferences.

• Vegetarianism and cow worship are the mandatory principles of Hinduism, even though not widely practiced. Islam encourages beef against the sentiments of them. A preferable tolerance is possible only by respecting the sentiments and reform as per the global tide, which fosters vegetarianism.
  
• Idolatry is a special practice in Hindu culture and the strong monotheistic religions are iconoclasts. So this vast cleavage has instigated tough disagreements and quarrels between these two religions.
  
• Interfaith has one more duty of cloning moderates and reformers in every religion and work for their population growth. Especially in Islam countries, concern about democracy, women liberation and human rights, and legal-judicial reforms is actively growing.
  

Interfaith systems should awaken the national, religious and even the global civilians to think and work for relief and reforms.

Anti-social movements exploit those who are in illiteracy and dearth and those who are suitable for reprisal and aggression and train them for turmoil. Interfaith organisations, apart from religious counselling, should act with social networking for rural empowerment, social work and education charities.

Tolerance

This is the slogan for all interfaith movements. Even though known to common sense, clear instructions regarding the qualified targets, intensity and response methodology of tolerance are not available.

• The problem with the tolerance advocates is that they assiduously preach tolerance to the reactors without emphasizing the actors to feel free within the tolerable limits. Tolerance is a decent bilateral communication, which cannot be extended in situations of intentional non reciprocation and adversity.
  
• Tolerance has its merit only in suitable grounds, where it is designated as magnanimity. In a case of excessive tolerance, shown when the dignity and pride of the culture and nation is butchered, it is named as `shamelessness` .
  

Tolerance because of inability is cowardice and tolerance towards heinous elements is betrayal to one`s own conscience and the society. Interfaith organisations should promote this regal tolerance among its subjects.

Casteism

It is recorded in scriptures and a deep rooted, unruly practice of the same has divided and weakened the Hindu society. Social forces are more responsible for their implementation and burgeoning and political diplomacy plays a major role in sensational marketing of casteism to procure and stabilize power accession. Pointing out the same or a different type of bigotry and unrest in other religions cannot be a proper excuse or solution. Reformers anyhow argue that castes are based on qualities and mode of occupation and organized lot of revolutionary amendments against caste discrimination. Still casteism has even now its monstrous shape and plays a major role in political destiny. The caste system now needs the form of social vision, more than a religious view, considering religious demography and futurology. Being suppressed by the upper caste and abandoned by the priesthood, now, the once underprivileged section has three resorts.

• Counter-suppression, using their integrity, constitutional and legislative provisions
  
• Absorption into communist range
  
• Conversion to Christianity or other religious
  

The same caste system, handled for political benefits can be undertaken for social renaissance. Religious representations for all castes with respective forms and ways of worship should be designed and incorporated. Without understanding and organized net working between caste groups, Hinduism can never be ready for self protection or interfaith friendship. Personal caste feelings can be kept aside and even professional zones of caste can have their stipulation as both of them are not easily and instantaneously erasable. But a public platform for unity should be staged with immediate effect.

Terrorism

A new fear by name Islamophobia is spreading in all corners of the world, not only terrifying non Muslims but also Muslims. These terrorists refer their source to Holy Quran and eulogies their operation as a religious duty and divine order.

Interfaith advocates and moderates in Islam brotherhood have given a new vision to the sense of holy war `Jihad`. According to them, it was a contextual insurgency where it was unavoidable to safeguard the religion. Few scholars interpret "Jihad" as a spiritual empowerment against evil. Anyhow these explanations are neither going to reach and reform the fundamentalists and their blind faction. Being temperate is not just being amicable or away from problems. It requires the same intensity in a positive direction, without which, triumph over evil and restoration of peace will become unfeasible.

Moderate Muslims are very limited in number as well as verve.

• In 2006, an Islam network by name `Al Jazeera` conducted an opinion poll among Muslims, regarding Osama Bin Laden`s twin tower attacks. 49% were in favour of Bin Laden justifying the attacks.
  
• In US, there is an ongoing dispute between the state and Muslim charities. Authorities believe that anti-social networks are supported in the pretext of donations and now Muslims are agitating that their fundamental as well as religious rights are seized.
  
• Muslims with latent fervour, change their moderate attitude at the time of religious sensations. Recent reports from Lebanon illustrate the aggressive behaviour of Muslim neighbourhood at the time of crisis, which was moderate and friendly before.
  
• Islam needs to develop more interfaith forces to compete with its fundamental elements and we see lot of young and energetic moderates, functioning amidst threat and peril.

Conversion

• It is also a mode of violence in which religions are mutely sliced into pieces. Dissemination of God`s message is the foremost religious duty and every person has his freedom to choose and leave his religion. But conversion may be the effect of one`s preaching and a premeditated effort to convert is unjust.
• Barring Zoroastrianism, all religions have their gates open and any saint should render their warm welcome to the neophytes. But this candour becomes cunningness, if trading and denigration apparatus are handled with vindictive passion towards target acquisition in conversion.
• Instead of natural selection, exploiting one`s ignorance or any other weakness and considering the conversion campaign as a revenge, aim or competition with another religion, becomes a cheaper and condemnable act.
• Apart from the converters, the bridegroom and the previous institution are also to be equally blamed. An isolated, insecure place invites robbery. In the same way, lack of care and isolation from religious bondage, along with personal weakness and emergency, tempts anyone to feel the need of a conversion. Values of culture, heritage and religion may not be palpable to a common man in distress, who believes only what he needs and feels.
• Apart from legal ban and restrictions, widening And intensification of  religious services disable conversion possibilities.
• Unless and until our own faith is organised and rightly presented, no interfaith extension will be effectively fertile.
• In real sense, any person shifting from his religion for his betterment or relief is neither a loss for his previous religion nor an asset to the new one. But sense of duty to safeguard the religion and the role of quantitative majority in socio-political decisions have resulted in persuasive remonstration against conversions.
• Conversion is a thundering impediment for open minded symposium and inter-religious amity.  Suitable Tools As specified, Literature can ignite and unite minds. Various research and demo programmes are now being organised world wide, on interfaith music and other arts.

Interfaith pilgrimage is a trip to various centers of worship, discussion with scholars, interaction with students, and common public and special visit and survey of areas noted for frictions and clashes. An exclusive syllabus on interfaith should be available representing each religion. A common interfaith bible with extracts from all religions should also be provided and a mobile campus for facilitating the teaching and the training should be made available in all needed places. A permanent as well as a mobile pictorial or visual-media exhibition about the beauty, variety, atrocities and ugliness of religious collisions should be made evident for youth, students and other contenders to gain awareness and grow into action.

Current Affairs

Wrong appraisal has always been the beauty of human mind. That which appears to be limited is always underestimated and any big mass is overestimated, without the study of the quality factor.

• Everywhere, we hear the glory of Indian heritage, its youth and dispersal of its universal repute. Indian heritage once flourished and even after repetitive blows, it re-emerged and now it is just surviving. The growing number of institutions, festival crowds and western involvement are not the parameters for both health and progress of the religion.
• Scriptures, temples, rituals, philosophy and morale are the genuine custodians of religious status, which are not satisfactory. We see lot of imperfection, commercialisation and fraudulence in emerging trends. Unmonitored wild growth of spiritual personalities, firms and services and receivers, without any sense of guidelines, have resulted in a drastic quality deficit. Religious heads of Hinduism with other scholars and soldiers should first standardise the basic pillars of our religion and reinstall quality in it.
• Instead of a destructive turn over towards addiction, alcoholism and other adverse means, it is commendable that the vacuum and despair of the post-modern society, especially youngsters, is occupied by a spiritual involvement. But it is a stodgy fact that they are mostly victimized by poor systems and commercial concerns.