We are proud of the fact that India is one of the most diverse countries in the world. India is a colourful canvas portraying a unique assimilation of ethnic groups displaying varied cultures and religions. India is home to Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism and Christianity. The Indian culture varies like its vast geography. India has recognised 22 different languages and hundreds of dialects that add to the multilingual nature of the country.
India’s diversity has always been recognised as a source of its strength. British tried to subvert India’s “Unity in Diversity” by propagating own theory of “Divide and Rule”. Unity and patriotism displayed by Hindus and Muslims before and during 1857 war of Independence forced British to follow the policy of Divide and Rule aggressively. Hindu-Muslim living peacefully in India for centuries were pushed for communal divide when first communal riot took place in August 1893 in Mumbai.
Soon British mastered this art and successfully used in every occasion. Biggest casualty of this was partition of India.
India witnessed its worst communal riots in 1948 after the partition. There was a brief period of lull but this was shattered by Jabalpur (M.P.) riot in 1961. Our opportunist politicians were quick to realise that the policy perused by British can be applied in to-to to rule India. This short cut to power they cherished most. These opportunist parties and politicians are growing strength to strength, after successfully using “Divide and Rule” in local elections and now they are fighting general election on this agenda.
It is in our national interest that these divisive parties and politicians are defeated at earliest. India march to development can not be halted by few selfish souls. Our future will be at stake if we allow unwanted elements to divide us in the name of religion, caste, region and language. Those elements need to be indentified and isolated.
In an effort to highlight our Ganga-Jamuni Tahzeeb, common culture and heritage, TwoCirlcles.net is presenting Unity Circle. In this section we will highlight stories promoting communal harmony.
Hindus, Muslims celebrate ‘Holi Baraat’
Bhagavad Gita studied by Hindus and Muslims in this school
Muharram rituals: Not by Muslims but Hindus
Hindus, Muslims pray at Varanasi for harmony
Muslims defer goat sacrifice to respect Hindu sentiments
Many Muslim women celebrate Chhath
Shareef Chacha, breaking the communal stereotype of Faizabad
Kashmir separatists withdraw shutdown call on Diwali
Ram Lalla’s ‘tailor’ stitches together a story in harmony
Hindus chant to Muslim beats in Himachal temples
In Ayodhya, a temple that is open to all faiths
Human life more important than Mandir-Masjid: Muslim cleric
Garlands of harmony from Ayodhya’s Muslim flower artisans
Muslims raise money for installing goddess idol
India first, mandir, masjid later: Religious leaders
Hindus, Muslims amicably resolve religious dispute
Hindu-Muslim peace marches ahead of Ayodhya verdict
Hindus organize Eid Milan in Jammu
Fervour, gaiety mark Ganesha, Eid festivities in Karnataka
Hindu school celebrates Ramzan
Iftar at a Hindu temple in communally sensitive Krishnapura
Meghnath Bhattacharya: A rozedar Communist
19-yr-old Imran sacrificed his life to save two Hindu boys
A dargah, a Hindu caretaker and hundreds of believers
Kashmir: Muslims greet Hindus on Kheer Bhawani festival
Muslims greet Kashmir’s Hindus at temple festival
Lucknow Muslims setup water stall on Hanuman’s Bada Mangal
Hindus raise money for Muslim girl’s wedding
Muslims help in construction of a Hindu temple in UP
The Importance of Hindu-Muslim Dialogue
Muslims’ participation in non-Muslim festivals and functions
The common bases for Hindu-Muslim dialogue
Muslim varsity alumni give healing touch at Kumbh
United we flourish, divided we perish
AMU alumni set up health camp for Kumbh mela pilgrims
A peace caravan at Kumbh to spread message of Hindu-Muslim unity
Why not use gods of sports to bowl out communalism
Bareilly’s Hindus, Muslims rebuild shrines and peace
Hindu-Muslim unity: a historical speech by a leading Deobandi maulvi
Where Hindus and Muslims pray together
Ahmedabad turns 600: Day to recall Vasant-Rajab sacrifice
Dialogue between Islam & oriental religions must for peace in South Asia
Tulja Bai stood up to mob to save Osman’s family
Muslims want strong, prosperous India; say unity must for it
Ram and Rahim as Good Neighbors
Muslims construct Hindu temple in Bihar
For 40 years, Muslim discourses on Hindu scriptures
Muslims join Hindus to celebrate Chhath in Bihar
Communalizing History: Shivaji and Afzal Khan
‘India’s Muslims, Hindus don’t know about each other’
Hindu or Muslim, they are flocking to Ajmer Sufi shrine
Islamic books generate interests of non-Muslims
Sufi-Sants launch Yatra to curb communalism
Only a united society can take on terrorism, communalism: intellectuals
I respect Islam and Islamic obligation by heart: Justice Katju
Secularism In India — A Brief Study – By Kamaluddin Khan
RSS demands restoration of mosques for prayers!
Hindus, Muslims celebrate Lucknow’s ‘Holi Baraat’
Why communalism persists in 21st century India?
Let us rediscover our history of composite culture: Asghar Ali Engineer
President greets nation on Milad-un-Nabi and Holi
Holi – a shared colourful heritage of Hindus, Muslims
India should promote religious harmony abroad: Dalai Lama
A Muslim couple carve Hindu deities out of wheat stalks
India is Darul Aman Mr. Singhal
Muslim man marries off adopted Hindu daughter – to a Hindu
Maha govt announces more FSI for religious structures
Muslim cleric to take Kumbh dip to wash away religious differences
Bahadur Yar Jung and Hindu-Muslim relations
Hindu-Muslim relations in Azamgarh remain intact
Hindu-Muslim unity through religion?
A Hindu police inspector who got a closed mosque reopened after 18 years
An innovative approach to Hindu-Muslim dialogue
Hindu-Muslim unity: a historical speech by a leading Deobandi maulvi
Neither ‘Hindu’ Nor ‘Muslim’ But a Bit of Both: Rajasthan’s Cheeta-Merats
Time to Ponder over Hindu-Muslim relations
A non-Muslim girl reads Quran and desires to memorise it