Picto Diary - 04 December 2019 - AM - Old Delhi
Above: Temples. Old Delhi. Chandni Chowk 04 December 2019.
Visible in this image, on Chandni Chowk Street, are a Sikh Temple, a Jain Temple, and a Hindu (Siva) Temple. Down the road, not visible in the image is a Baptist Church and a Mosque.
Hinduism is by far the dominant religion of India with over 800 million adherents. But, there are also 200 million Muslims, 25 million Sikhs, 25 million Christians and nominal numbers of disproportionately influential Parsees and Jains.
Where, at the time of Indian and Pakistani independence in 1947, Pakistan's Mohammed Ali Jinnah envisioned Pakistan as a Muslim state, Gandhi and Nehru believed India should be/remain a secular state, where there would be freedom of religion, whatever the creed.
The Ghandi/Nehru dream has held fast for over sixty five years, but, now shows signs of fraying. In 2014, the Congress Party of Nehru lost power to the BJP party headed by Narendra Modi. The BJP has a strong Hindu nationalist bent. There are many BJP party members who believe that as Pakistan is an Islamic state, so, India should be a Hindu state.
In August of this year, Modi's government announced that it was suspending Article 370 of the constitution, which grants autonomy to Kashmir, India's only Muslim-majority state. The provision, written to help preserve the state's religious and ethnic identity, largely prohibits members of India's Hindu majority from settling there. Modi, who rose to power trailed by allegations of encouraging anti-Muslim bigotry, said that the decision would help Kashmiris, by spurring development and discouraging a long-standing guerrilla insurgency. To insure a smooth reception, Modi flooded Kashmir with troops and detained hundreds of prominent Muslims. In effect, Modi's actions have cast India's two hundred million Muslims as internal enemies. It appears that Nehru's secular state is giving way to Modi's Hindu nationalism. The implications of this are far reaching, in a world where tribalism... as opposed to the multiculturalism of the progressive west... seems to be gaining strength everywhere.
Jinnah's hostility to a united India at time of partition seems, in hindsight, to be justified. What is the future for India's Muslim population in a country where Hindu nationalism is not only on the rise, but, encouraged by the Indian government?
Above: Electrical Wiring. Old Delhi. 04 December 2019.
Not embarrassed, locals are eager to point out the spaghetti bowl wiring of their neighborhood. The fusion of this ancient city with modernity was overseen by Rube Goldberg. I'm thinking "Blade Runner," or Mos Eisley as popular culture metaphors for Old Delhi.
Above: Street Food. Old Delhi. 04 December 2019
Samosas and parathas off the street for lunch.
Above: Skilled Service Wallahs. Old Delhi 04 December 2019
From handymen to plumbers, you can find them in this spot. The sharing economy, facilitated by the internet, has come up with virtual markets for service people. Via a private equity fund, I'm an investor in Task Rabbit, an online service where you can find just about any "service wallah" you need.
Above: Jama Masjid Mosque. Old Delhi. 04 December 2019.
Built by Mughal Emporor Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656. Shah Jahan also built the Taj Mahal, at Agra and the Red Fort in Old Delhi. After their victory in the Revolt of 1857, the British confiscated the mosque and stationed their soldiers there. Twenty five thousand people can pray in the courtyard at a time.
Above: Bishop and Drums do bicycle rickshaw. Old Delhi. 04 December 2019.
Addendum:
Bishop,
This is really great insightful commentary! Thank you!
Cornucopia,
Park City, UT.
Steve, you truly present India very well... Tribal surely, but a legacy of British imperialism and misrule. We Irish know all about that. Jean and I are on our way to Florida this morning... Staying with RJ and Laurie in Fort Lauderdale tonight... I forwarded these two Indian travelogs of yours to RJ... I presume he's not on your list..
James Joyce,
Connemara, Ireland