Religion defines this land.

12 September 2015 at 14:40 ·

"Religion and spirituality define this land. Gandhi strived hard to make people realize its importance not just in governance but in everyday life, in everything we do. The apathy and ignorance of secularists has left the ground open for miscreants and petty opportunists to play havoc on this land, essentially spiritual."

Ashraf Patel Dear Aparna Krishnan secular does not mean non religious .. this duality between secular and religious is a myth.. secular means separating religion from state .. and yes some secular people maybe not religious .. and spirituality can be non religious

Aparna Krishnan Yes, I know. This is a quote.

Aparna Krishnan This land is religious, and to understand it and get get anchored in it is important. For any real and deep rooted social processes. Anyway i am not really interested in debates. I am just tabling my learnings from my village.

Aparna Krishnan I beleive in the essential religiousness of this land.

Ashraf Patel I believe too .. about the religiousity of the land in some way as you state it ..that is a reality . And that religiousness can be rooted in tolerance respect social justice freedom and love ..it's just how we define religiosity .. which includes embracing different faiths and non faiths

Aparna Krishnan I understand from the people, I learn, and I report. I have relinquished any mandate of 'correcting' or 'teaching', if I really had one. I like to think I did not. If anyone needs correction and teaching it is the urbans, sadly deracinated, and criminally consumerist. The village people, their practices, their skills, their religions, are what can yet save this earth.

Aparna Krishnan So I object to Rationalists who come to Reform Villages. They would be better put to work in rapacious cities which destroy hinterlands.

Ashraf Patel Yes I can see that .. that's your call .. I am not making a case for conversion of any faith .. I am making a case for recognising the diversities of belief ..and I am sure you know the names of many very religious people who have exploited their land and the people .... so evil and good is not determined by what religion people come from or non religion

Aparna Krishnan To correct religion in an essentially religious land one has to be rooted im religion. Basavanna, Brahmayya garu, Nanak, Meera, Gandhi.

Aparna Krishnan Or at least respect the core religiousness of people.

Aparna Krishnan Where religion deviated from thet the gurus have strived to correct. Narayana Guru, Kabir. But for that effort. religion needs to be respected and not sneered at.