“I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stuffed. I want the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible. But I refuse to be blown off my feet by any” —- famously stressed by Mahatma Gandhi.
Since the Mahatma was an epitome of confidence and possessed an international mindset, he didn’t treat the hymns of the Scottish gem “Abide with me” as threat enough to get blown off his feet! Rather he allowed the window of his mind to let in the breeze of all possible cultures of the globe and this is the reason why that enlightened humanitarian had succeeded in appreciating the melody and philosophy embedded in every line of the evergreen Henry Francis Lyte classic.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
Yes, one and only closed orthodox parochial minds can find an all-time great song as a “threat” or “alien” just because it has originated in another land! Since Indian society is presently being dominated by forces of intolerance and orthodoxy, it is hardly surprising that “Abide with me” will be compelled to make a hasty retreat from the historic “Beating Retreat” ceremony with immediate effect with many “nationalists” zealously supporting that decision! After all, emphasis needs to be placed on “own heritage” and “Indian music” by discarding all traces of all things “colonial/foreign”!
I wonder, do these sets of “nationalists” possess more love and respect for India than even Mahatma Gandhi! By sacrificing all norms of material comforts, luxury, professional career; this bare-bodied person had selflessly devoted his whole life for the mission of Indian independence from the grasp of colonial power. Yet he was liberal and broad-minded enough to make a clear distinction between crude British imperialism and the rich British culture harbouring no hatred for the latter. Also Gandhi was a devout Hindu (but with no antipathy towards people of other faiths unlike the Hindutva brigade). So Gandhi didn’t find any problem in embracing the British/Scottish/Christian hymn “Abide with me”.
In contrast, what are the contributions of the “nationalists” of today towards the welfare of India apart from fragmenting this nation of all through the petty walls of religion, caste and language?
And what is the exact definition of ‘Indian music’? Qawwali Sitar Sarod to Hindustani classical music can certainly never pass the “litmus test” of Indian-ness thanks to Persian Arabic Turkish influences! So what exactly forms “Indian music” in the ears of our “nationalist” folks? Perhaps only Hindi songs would be accepted as “Indian” just like in the guise of “national pride”, one and only Hindi gets imposed upon this multilingual country.
On this Jan 29, let’s appreciate the melody of “Abide with me” in our private ambience and get enchanted by the philosophy embedded in it with prayer to God to remain with us through life and death. If we can remain faithful to the song’s aesthetic spiritual and human appeal, surely the merchants of hatred will make a hasty retreat with their theory of exclusivity.
