Sometimes you have views about a topic but you are not able to express them or articulate them in manner which is easier for others to understand. But then sometime you find books and you have that Aha! moment. You go like “Exactly! this is what I wanted to say too”
The Hindu Way
Rating
★★★★ (4 out of 5)
The Storyline
This book apparently is a followup to Tharoor’s earlier book “Why I am a Hindu“. This is sort of a refresher course on Hinduism for many of us. The author tries to explain the history of Hinduism in the book, the several deities, scriptures, customs, etc. that are being followed in the Hindu religion and how they are different for Hindus living in different parts of India or even the world.
The book also discusses briefly how Hinduism is a different religion than other religions of the world. What it stresses on, what it propagates, what it doesn’t teach, what principles are being followed, etc. However, the author stresses that it doesn’t claim to be a superior religion and doesn’t insist on one book of truth or one set of principles.
The book also details how Hinduism progressed in thousand of years, under different atrocious regimes and still survived and even flourished. The great saints and philosophers who tried to explain Hinduism as per their own understanding, how different sects, religions came out of Hinduism.
And in the last couple of chapters the author explains why the Hinduism that’s being propagated today is not the Hinduism that he adheres to. It’s not the Hinduism that existed for thousands of years. The hate politics in the name of Hinduism is besmirching Hindus rather than furthering their cause.
What I Think
People who know me know that I love Shashi Tharoor’s writing and read and followed him quite a lot. The only reason that I picked this book with the audacious title was because of Tharoor’s earlier writings and his public viewpoint on this topic. I have earlier read his “Riot” and was impressed in the manner he handled that topic many years earlier. I was sure he would provide a balanced view.
Turned out, I was actually in for a treat. I got to know many unknown facts about Hinduism and a fresh perspective on some already known facts. The way he explains the all encompassing nature of the religion and the reason why is it different than others made for a good and interesting read.
Like the author mentions in the book that his father was a devout Hindu and would worship everyday and go to temple but he was never mandated to do that. Same is the case with me and thousands of other Hindus. It was never taught to us that ours is the greatest religion, or our truth is ultimate. We were free to try out our explorations. And sometimes mothers, might not have all the answers and would gently rebuke that “this is how it is“. But never ever were we punished or stopped from asking the questions.
One of the beauty of Hinduism that I liked all through my life is that I never had to defend the tenets of my faith or neither the religion. I have always held the view that the religion protects me (in an abstract manner), I am too small to protect the religion. And moreover the religion doesn’t need my protection, unlike some people today who claim to be the ‘defenders of my religion’.
I love my religion for several reasons and one such reason is that, I have been told that gods make mistake, and then they repent and take corrective actions. This makes feel more connected to my religion and see gods in a more humane manner.
I can also argue and have a good debate with other practitioners of my faith about the ‘not so good things’ about some of the customs being practiced in the religion without being labeled. Religion has a very big role in molding my thoughts, my habits, my outlook towards the world without being prescriptive or threatening. And for that I am very proud.
As the book mentions and I along with millions of other Hindus concur, that there are multiple ways to reach to the ultimate truth.
The book is a good refresher if you don’t know about Hinduism a lot (even if you are a Hindu). The book cites several teachings and views of Swami Vivekananda and his Chicago address. Also proponents like Raja Ram Mohan Roy and others and their works are cited.
In the end the book take a tough stand against the fanatics who claim to be Hindus and goes against the basic premise of the religion. The angst of the author and dislike for atrocities being committed in the name of Hinduism clearly comes out.
Last Words
Not everybody will like this book. Especially many readers of other faiths might disagree with a few things that the author have written about those religion just to elucidate the difference. Like I said in the very beginning, you need to have an open mind to really understand the intent of this book. This book in no way tries to sell Hinduism or tries to make it appear as a better one. Neither the book takes down any religion or at any point even remotely hints at converting to Hinduism. If you really understand it, it simply is saying “hey, my Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Judaism, Buddhist brethren looks like we are all on the right path and we all will reach the same destination. BTW this is what my path looks like.”
Thanks to Shashi Tharoor for writing this book. It might not be his best work but an essential one. It seems like he is speaking for millions of Hindus like me, trying to make the world understand Hinduism. And at the same time reminding those who have gone astray in the name of Hinduism, what the religion is actually about.
I strongly recommend it to everyone, The Hindu Way. We need more books like this one in today’s world.
You can buy this book at low price from Amazon.in
the book this week 