Religious harmony in India

A symbol of religious and social/communal harmony.

Religious harmony in India is a concept that indicates that there is love, affection between different religions throughout the history of the Indian subcontinent. In the modern-day Republic of India, the Indian constitution supports and encourages religious harmony.[1] In India, every citizen has a right to choose and practice any religion.[2] There are examples of Muslims and Sikhs building temples together.[3] In India, different religious traditions live harmoniously.[citation needed] Seers of religions call for religious harmony in India.[4] For popular film stars in India like Salman Khan, festivals of Hindus and Muslims are equal.[5] According to Dalai Lama, India is a model for religious harmony. He mentions that "In the last 2000-3000 years, different religious traditions, such as Jainism, Islam, Sikhism, and others, have flourished here.[6] The whole concept of religious harmony is the most valuable treasure of India." In a lecture organized on the silver jubilee of Seshadripuram Educational Trust, Dalai Lama further said that though religions have various philosophies and spiritual traditions, all of them carry the same message of love. He also emphasized the importance of acknowledging each other as brothers and sisters. As mentioned by Dalai Lama, reviving ancient Indian knowledge helps us to live peacefully and in perfect harmony with other communities. This kind of knowledge guides us to the right path and paves the way for a happy and peaceful community and world.[7]

  1. ^ Article 51(A) e. Constitution of India. Retrieved 27 June 2017. 51A. Fundamental duties It shall be the duty of every citizen of India (a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;... (e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women; (f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Indian Culture". Mapsofindia.com. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  3. ^ William, Raju (12 July 2003). "Muslim couple, Sikhs build temple for Hindus". The Times of India. Ludhiana. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  4. ^ "Seer calls for religious harmony". The Times of India. 23 April 2002. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  5. ^ Ahmed, Afsana; Sharma, Smrity (14 November 2004). "Diwali and Eid are equally special". The Times of India. Retrieved 17 June 2013.
  6. ^ "India is a model for religious harmony: Dalai Lama". NDTV.com. 25 November 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2013.
  7. ^ "Religious harmony is India's treasure, says Dalai Lama". The Hindu. 24 December 2017. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 18 October 2021.