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Book No. – 49 (History)
Book Name – The Concept of Bharatvarsha (B.D. Chattopadhyaya)
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1. Perceptions of Heterogeneity and Irreconcilable Differences
2. Of Spaces and Peoples
3. The Many Meanings of Dharma
4. Religious Practice: Negotiating Heterogeneous Sources
5. Conclusion
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Accommodation and Negotiation in a Culture of Exclusivism: Some Early Indian Perspectives
Chapter – 7
Table of Contents
- ‘Composite culture’ is a term conceived retrospectively during the growth of nationalist ideology in India, used to gloss over fundamental differences and explain the continuity of Indian society.
- ‘Composite culture’ is not equivalent to Tagore’s idea of striving for relationships and equilibrium amidst contradictions, nor does it fit the context of ancient society.
- The term ‘composite’ implies a combination of parts, which would have been opposed by Brahminical thinkers, who viewed saṁkara (intermingling) negatively.
- Brahminical thinkers opposed the idea of ‘mixed’ cultures, whether in social groups or human conduct.
- Non-Brahminical traditions may have accepted the simultaneous existence of cultures but emphasized the essential differences between them.
- The notion of ‘fundamental unity of India’ took India’s historical unity for granted, and both ‘composite culture’ and ‘fundamental unity’ were products of the freedom struggle era, reflecting a wish fulfilment.
- Despite reservations about these terms, it is necessary to understand how India evolved with contradictions and variations into a distinct society.
- The process of India’s societal evolution involved historical trajectories that accommodated contradictions, leading to the forging of Indian society.