Message of Sri Ramakrishna and Revisiting the Indian Society

What is it about?

Indian society is undergoing a growing crisis related to a much debated issue ‘Indianness’ – a sentiment of being an Indian – socially, culturally and spiritually. This logocentric term ‘Indianness’ implies a monolithic characteristic of Indian people. Thought, action, behaviour, movement – all are under the lens of (in)visible eyes to shape all the Indians in a same mould. Democracy itself appears as a sociopolitical normativism as if it ought to be upheld by everyone. Plurality of reasons is being limited because of such normativity. At this time, message of Sri Ramakrishna, a well-known but ‘non-intellectual’ Bangalee legend, might be thought provoking while ‘Indianness’ lacks plurality of reasons. Once Sri Ramakrishna said ‘jato mat tato path’. He taught mankind to believe in allinclusiveness irrespective of people’s social, cultural and spiritual identity. His thought supports plurality of reasons and subjective reality which are the need of the hour in present day Indian context. This paper, therefore, intends to highlight the relevance of the message of Sri Ramakrishna in present day India.

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Why is it important?

Indian society is undergoing a growing crisis related to a much debated issue ‘Indianness’ – a sentiment of being an Indian – socially, culturally and spiritually. This logocentric term ‘Indianness’ implies a monolithic characteristic of Indian people. Thought, action, behaviour, movement – all are under the lens of (in)visible eyes to shape all the Indians in a same mould. Democracy itself appears as a sociopolitical normativism as if it ought to be upheld by everyone. Plurality of reasons is being limited because of such normativity. At this time, message of Sri Ramakrishna, a well-known but ‘non-intellectual’ Bangalee legend, might be thought provoking while ‘Indianness’ lacks plurality of reasons. Once Sri Ramakrishna said ‘jato mat tato path’. He taught mankind to believe in allinclusiveness irrespective of people’s social, cultural and spiritual identity. His thought supports plurality of reasons and subjective reality which are the need of the hour in present day Indian context. This paper, therefore, intends to highlight the relevance of the message of Sri Ramakrishna in present day India.

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