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India is considered a spirtitual wonderland to many of its international tourists. Yoga, Hinduism, Buddhism, which are all sweeping international popular interest, are rooted in India. These traditions hold international appeal in our industrialized age that leaves us craving connection to the earth and our bodies. Pune was filled with British, Americans, Australians... learning yoga at the Iyengar yoga school located a few blocks from my school. Rishikesh, a traditional pilgrimmage destination wrapped around the Ganges river in the foothills (mountains) of the Himalayas has become an incredible tourist destination for international travelers who want to "find themselves."
Indian culture has become an emblem of the tranquility of religion, yet the nation remembers Partition as a bloody history that divided its people according to religious affiliation. Partition split India from Pakistan, grounded in a plea from Indian Muslim politicians for complete freedom, not just from Britain but also from Indian Hindus. Why did Muslim leaders fear that a religious group would encroach on their rights? The answer might be grounded in the lived experience of both Hinduism and Islam, since the two religions are so embedded in daily routines. Daily prayer, dietary codes and personal law are important daily features of both, yet I found that there may even be a division in social relations through language and social customs. however many educated Indians believers in either religions think that the division between Muslims and Hindus is only based in political motivations.
What differentiates the religions?