Guest guest Posted May 19, 2001 Report Share Posted May 19, 2001 panditaindrani ji, Thank you. The thread actually started unwinding from a post of mine in the Indology list which elicited a musing from Prof John Oliver Perry. While I was still scratching my head you have stated my embryonic thoughts in a fashion that I cannot improve upon.... I am copying your post to Indology. M. S. Chandramouli - Joperry2 (AT) aol (DOT) com INDOLOGY ; indictraditions Sunday, May 13, 2001 12:01 AM [Y-Indology] Indianness (again!!) In a message dated 5/10/01 7:03:36 PM W. Europe Daylight Time, INDOLOGY writes M. S. Chandramouli<< Just as a Punjabiand a Tamilian can have important differences in their cultural attitudes but still be subsumed in a general Indianness that is whollyaccurate (depending on the quality of the generalisation) >>I have yet to hear of a generalization (or see the required "quality") that is "wholly accurate" about all Indians. The best definition of what is required to be an Indian is probably that of the State of India, which, even so, has great difficulties applying its laws concerning Indian citizenship. (Just ask the legal experts who specialize in this area). I would like to be enlightened, but expect that to understand what is required to be an Indian requires being an Indian-- a view which, from my perspective, seems rather racist, or, if race is not the issue, then find the right word for me. (Of course, in some minds/traditions the only way to have and know the true Indianness is to belong to a particular caste-- or varna. But surely no one wants to make that claim here and now.)Thanx.ATB panditaindrani <i_rampersad>Sat May 19, 2001 4:13amRe: Indianness (again!!) --- pallavi & madhu <pjhaveri@m...> wrote:> India is a geographical entity. So there are sure> limitations of "Indianness".Indrani: Thanks for the kind words pallavi & madhu.Does the limitation of "Indianness" exclude people whoare "ethnic Indians" in other parts of the world? India is a geographcial and political entity. So thatan "Indian" born in INdia is not the same as an"ethnic Indian" like me born in another part of theglobe, having Indian origins, and culturally definingmyself as "Indian" in external and internal attitudes.An "Indian" does not only mean a person with an Indianpassport or having been born in that geographicalentity. (There is this HIndu friend of mine who ismarried to a Pakistani. Once the latter wascriticizing India and I objected (quite friendly)mischieveously telling him that he was Pakistani. Hetold me that he was talking as an Indian since that iswhat they were before Pakistan was created). So is a person born in India, but having no allegianceto the land or its cultural values, more Indian thansomeone like me who can call india everything exceptjanmabhumi?Scholars have been able to identify that core body ofvalues that define "Indian culture" and i think thatpractitioners of this culture are manifesting an"Indianness" regardles of their country of origin,race, religion, language etc. I remember being at the first GOPIO conference in newyork city in the late 80's. I was wearing a sari whenthis Indian woman (from India) comes up to me toprotest (quietly) that I was wearing her dress (INdiandress) and that I was really not "INdian". I told hera thing or two.If it is one thing that i have neverallowed anyone to do for me in the multi-culturalsetting of the Caribbean has been to define me. Idefine myself. My Indianness is strengthened by my Hindu worldview. > But Hinduism,( even though deeply rooted in India),> can be a point to associate with.> India can be "Punya Bhumi (Holy land ) to people> like you. > It can also be Dharma Bhumi ( Land of your Dharma)> for you. > And land of pilgrimage. Teerth Bhumi.> > Your land of birth (Janma Bhumi) and Karma Bhumi is> Trinidad. It is only a Hindu (of course a generalization here)who can have this spiritual bonding with India inthese terms. This love, respect and bonding with Indiatranscend Durant's view as quoted by you. It is alsomy ancetral motherland. Well,t here is matri bhumi soperhaps i shall call this pitri bhumi?Yes, my janma bhumi is trinidad but my karma bhumi isnot only trinidad but extends to the whole world(Vasudhaiva kutumbakam). My first base is trinidad,but it does not end there. That is what my indiannessteaches me.We have over one million people of indian origin inthe Caribbean and our "indianness" (degrees to whichwe continue to manifest the external and internalvalues of the antecedent culture of ourancestors)varies from place to place, and iscontingent upon factors as religion, degrees offreedom to "be" and so on.The same thing applies to people of indian origin inother parts of the world. Yes, we have taken our"Indianness" with us around the globe. (Krnvantuvishwam aryam : Make the world arya ): We arespreading that arya culture or indian culture aroundthe globe as mandated by the indigenous culture ofindia. Is that not Indianness? I think it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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