Introductory - Global Sikh Studies

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Thus, for the first time in the history of India, there came into
existence two permanently hostile camps on the basis of diverse
religions, cultures and social values. This left little scope for synthesis,
or of assimilation of one by the other. It is not presumed that the
process of adjustment and harmonization between the Hindus and
the Muslims was not at work. It is always there when people realize
that there is no alternative to living side by side; and in this case the
vast majority of the Muslims were recent converts from the common
stock. But, there is no denying the fact that the cleavage between
these two groups was far too wide and deep for the forces of harmony
to be of much significance. This is proved by the subsequent events.
For, after the lapse of centuries and despite the influences of the Bhakti
movement and the Western culture, this cleavage led to the formation
of Pakistan.
What is, however, unfortunate is that the birth of Hindu groupconsciousness
coincided with a period when the social reaction in the
pre-Muslim India society had become supreme. The liberal social trends
in the Krishna cult had been engulfed by orthodox reaction, and
Buddhism had been completely vanquished. Only Orthodoxy was
left in the field. The Hindus could not longer take comfort in their
military prowess. This deficiency, they tried to cover with their anti-
Muslim hatred. Nor could they claim that their social system did more
social justice than did the Islamic society. Nor would they, in order to
face the challenge, reorientate their social system so as to secure greater
social justice and equality than in the Muslim society.
The only thing they could fall back upon was pride in their religion,
scriptures, tradition, and culture, which they believed to be superior
to any other ones. The caste system was a part and parcel of this
complex which was called Hindu Dharma. As the Muslim rule
destroyed the political sanction behind the caste system, large chunks
of the suppressed sections of the society broke loose and embraced
Islam. All proselytic activity became a one-way traffic. Hinduism
was entirely on the defensive. In order to preserve itself, the more it
was attacked and oppressed, the more rigid and socially reactionary it
became. In this process, Hindu nationalism became identified more
and more closely with social reaction. This it has not been able to