Why the existing Hindu media is not growing...
09/11/2010 23:33:30  Dr Mrs Hilda Raja

Why the existing Hindu media is not growing is a disturbing query posed by Sri Deivamuthu-editor of the National Spirit and the Hindu voice. He has also elaborated on it-with his vast expertise and his experience .I have identified the following five areas for some introspection to be done by all patriotic Indians persons and also by the Hindu Religious leaders

1-Lack of Leadership

This is easy to understand if one ponders why the Hindus are unable to form a vote bank? If the Christians can and the Muslims can then why are the Hindus reluctant to come together? If the Muslim clerics can issue fatwas which are so piously adhered to by the Muslims will the Shankaracharis of India be bold to come together and issue directives to their followers? .First will they come together at least? More than 90 percent of the Muslims and the Christians will follow the directives that emanate from their pastors and clerics. Can the same be assumed of the Hindus? The Hindu leaders do not speak in one voice and unlike the World Council of Churches,World COUNCIL OF Islamic Call, and the World Jewish Congress do not come together to give an anchorage and a forum for concerted action and leadership. This goes to show that there is no unity -forging material lacking in the Hindus. Where are the Religious leaders to inspire? Where is the Sananta dharma upheld? Hinduism has come to mean rituals and festivals to be celebrated but the depth of its meaning, its values, its rigorous discipline are all overlooked. Where does the youth get this? The young mind is a vacuum as far as their religion and its principles and values are concerned

2-English Education and the educated:

Most of the educated Hindus feel that being a Hindu-buying that which contributes to Hinduism is too narrow. These educated in Convent schools and Minority run institutions are brainwashed into a kind of pseudo secularism and want to belong to that category which claims to be ‘broad-minded’ .They refuse to realize that Hindutva is nothing but cultural patriotism. One cannot be patriotic without upholding one’s culture and all that goes along with it. Take for example the youth who viewed Obama interacting with the students in St Xavier’s commented’ Here is a leader-the greatest in the world but when he interacted he was just a simple man. Will India get such a leader? This was the general question and impression. Why should India get a leader like Obama? Obama is a Christian to be more precise a Baptist-that sect which does not tolerate even the Catholics in Nagaland. His upbringing and his religion will give him a particularized perception of world view. Why should the young expect India to have such a leader? This is a pointer .The ‘English’ educated are estranged and to a certain extent alienated from the Indian ethos and the Indian masses .It is one thing for politicians like Rahul Gandhi-Sachin Pilot, Scindia to try and vibe with the masses during election campaigning. There it starts and there it stops. The uneducated hardly matters-they watch movies and are busy eking out a livelihood. The Constitution guarantees the Fundamental right of Art 29 and 30 –these two Articles have wrought havoc. These create ghettos - instilling an enculturation that makes the divide real .This takes place during the formative years of our young which has brought out a young brigade which is more western oriented-‘broadminded’ and elitist-as they want to believe. The youth are alienated from the ‘crowd’-the rabble which according to the elite is too unsophisticated, illiterate and thus all that this ‘crowd’ holds is to be discarded, at least must put a distance between the ‘crowd’ and the educated.

3-‘Be Indian,buy Indian’:

Does China have to prod its people to ‘Be Chinese buy Chinese,for that matter does the USA propagate to its people ‘ Be Americans and buy American’? Is this a hangover of the colonial rule we went through?(Take even sports and games the hockey is a poor cousin to cricket.) No country has to coin such a slogan but we had to because of the hysteria and craze over foreign goods, foreign fashion and style of life and everything foreign-including the ‘white skin’ The adherence to even Hinduism and its icons which belongs to the humble and the downtrodden, to the millions of youth is distasteful and are look upon with dislike. There is no ‘class’ in such. May be I am a bit generalizing but I cannot help because from my own experience I had noticed that the youth people are reluctant even to boldly proclaim their religion.

In the schools if private and government Aided the teaching of religion is forbidden. But the government Aided Minority education institutions can happily do what want-they teach their own religion-in fact force it down on Hindu children

4-Hindutva:

Hindutva is a much misunderstood concept. The very term immediately makes people think that it is all about Hinduism. This puts off not only the non-Hindus but even the Hindus. The meaning of Hindutva has not seeped down neither has it been associated with patriotism. It will be interesting to undertake a survey and find out. So the political parties which uphold Hindutva is by and large looked upon with disdain and people reject it for its ‘narrow’ sectarian outlook. This applies also to the media which propagates Hindutva.

5-Money and Media;

Is another dimension which has prevented the Hindu media from growing. Hindu media cannot compete with the large sums of money pouring in from the Islamic countries and the West.

Media and Evangelization is an aspect which cannot be overlooked. While the Hindu media does not and fortunately so indulge in using the media for conversion the Islamic and Western do. There is thus an indefatigable crusading spirit which keep them going and which helps these to over look ‘who is the boss’. The Evangelical zeal is missing in the Hindus.

It must be sadly admitted that the Hindus seem to have missed the boat and is rather late in trying to look at media as one of the most important prop for upholding the Hindu ethos, and Sanatana Dharma. Well the one consolation is the fact that it is better late than never and I see the signs of rejuvenation and a revival of Hinduism. It is when one is pushed to a corner that one brings out the best to fight back. Hindus had taken life as it came-satisfied with their lives and with the feeling that nothing can happen to this oldest religion of the world. Suddenly they are threatened and this has created an awakening. Long ago Swami Vivekananda had given the bugle call in 1893-to Awake and Arise….it is very valid today.

 Let us hope that patriotic Indians will come together and make amends. Let us hope that the Religious leaders will take note of their own lack of leadership and courage. Let us hope that the Hindu media will resurrect-that Hindus will sink their personal differences and egos and stand as one man to utilize the media to the maximum in spreading the Sanatana Dharma and all that it holds to make the Indian truly Indian-proud of his/her heritage and paramapara,- the rich Vedas. Towards this let every Hindu subscribe to one Hindu paper/magazine. Let this be an obligation. Let every Hindu tuned in the Hindu channel and let the rich sponsor and patronize the Hindu media. Hindus should be active and not passive.Let us be brave and confident fully aware that “ India ’s Gift to the World is Light Spiritual”and utilize the media to propagate this.