Not Just Diwali, Can We Joyously Celebrate Eid And Christmas Too?

Posted: August 21, 2018

Tags:discrimination inclusion parenting stereotypes

India is known for its diversity and harmonious existence of many cultures. But that is being threatened by many schools these days.

Yesterday I was chit-chatting with one of my neighbors about the holidays that are coming up this week. I was telling her that for Eid my son’s school would be getting a holiday. She replied saying that her son’s school does not celebrate Muslim festivals by giving holidays; instead it would be a holiday for Varalakshmi as it is a Hindu festival. Her son goes to a school that promotes Hinduism.

My son on the other hand, goes to a Christian convent school where they encourage all Hindu, Christian and Muslim cultures. School children are expected to celebrate all holidays and mingle with everyone.

My neighbor went on to say that in her son’s school they won’t even give holidays for Christmas and New Year. I asked what was wrong with New Year? She said that it is an English holiday and not the Indian New Year. I was shocked.

How can you, being in today’s progressive era, promote such views to our future generation? What are we teaching our kids? Are we teaching them that other cultures are inferior? How will these kids in the future work in India or abroad? Will they ever find an office where everyone is a Hindu? What has happened to our India known for its diversity? Have you forgotten about multiculturalism?

India is a country which is an amalgamation of thousands of distinct cultures, co-existing for thousands of years. We share similar interests in dance, music, food, history, movies etc. Mahatma Gandhi, The Father Of Our Nation, had promoted Ahimsa (non-violence); with which he brought all religions together. Today we are forgetting all that, and retreating towards separating India into different religions. Won’t this break our beautiful country?

It seems like instead of moving forward we are moving backwards. Let’s stop and think. This is very wrong. We shouldn’t do this to our rich and diverse country that prides on keeping people from different cultures together.

As women let’s stand up and stop this discrimination. Please don’t teach your children to promote only one culture.

Image: Pexels

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