Self-Reliance or Self-Destruction

How long can a civilization survive when its own people doubt its value? What happens when a community defends others more fiercely than it defends itself? Can any tradition thrive if its practitioners remain passive, divided, and self-doubting?

- BY P. MOHAN CHANDRAN

These are not rhetorical questions. They are urgent reflections confronting the Hindu community today. In an age where assertiveness defines survival, Hindus often find themselves apologizing for their existence, unsure of their voice, reluctant to stand in solidarity with their own.

The real crisis is not external aggression — it is internal erosion. Erosion of belief, solidarity, and self-worth.

Internal Betrayal Is More Dangerous Than External Opposition

In a recent conversation around the sacredness of Kashi, when evidence of Hindu ownership and spiritual legacy was presented, the response from the opposing side was not denial but dismissal: “So what?” That reply did not shock as much as the silence or skepticism from some Hindus who questioned the validity of reclaiming what was once undeniably theirs.

This is the predicament. The opposition does not need a spokesperson. It already has one from within the Hindu fold.

As Savarkar prophetically stated, “I am not afraid of anybody else. I am afraid of the Hindus who speak against the Hindus.” When one’s own voice rises to delegitimize their heritage, no external enemy is needed.

Cultural Sacredness Begins with Self-Respect