India has a long tradition of religious pluralism and peaceful co-existence of inter-religious faiths what is this inter-mixing called?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Syncretism
Option (1) Secularism — Incorrect. Questions of secularism are about the state’s relationship to religion, that is, how the state treats different religions. The question asks about the mixing of faiths among the people themselves.
Option (2) Communalism — Incorrect. In everyday language communalism refers to aggressive chauvinism based on religious identity, an attitude that sees one’s own group as the only worthy one and other groups as inferior and opposed. It is the opposite of peaceful co-existence.
Option (3) Syncretism — Correct. India has a long tradition of religious pluralism, ranging from peaceful co-existence to actual inter-mixing or syncretism. This syncretic heritage is evident in the devotional songs and poetry of the Bhakti and Sufi movements.
Option (4) Socialism — Incorrect. Socialism is an idea about the economy and the state: social ownership of the means of production and a more equal sharing of wealth. It has nothing to do with the mixing of religious faiths.
Note: The concept in Option (4), ‘socialism’, is not in NCERT (2025-26); explained here for the benefit of the students.
NCERT (2025-26): “Communalism … But we should not forget that we also have a long tradition of religious pluralism, ranging from peaceful co-existence to actual inter-mixing or syncretism. This syncretic heritage is clearly evident in the devotional songs and poetry of the Bhakti and Sufi movements (Box 6.9). In short, history provides us with both good and bad examples; what we wish to learn from it is up to us.” “…In everyday language, the word ‘communalism’ refers to aggressive chauvinism based on religious identity. Chauvinism itself is an attitude that sees one’s own group as the only legitimate or worthy group, with other groups being seen – by definition – as inferior, illegitimate and opposed.…” |