Why the Hindu Community Must Learn to Stand by its Own

How long can a civilization survive when its own people doubt its value? What happens when a community defends others more fiercely than it defends itself? Can any tradition thrive if its practitioners remain passive, divided, and self-doubting?

These are not rhetorical questions. They are urgent reflections confronting the Hindu community today. In an age where assertiveness defines survival, Hindus often find themselves apologizing for their existence, unsure of their voice, reluctant to stand in solidarity with their own.

The real crisis is not external aggression — it is internal erosion. Erosion of belief, solidarity, and self-worth.

Internal Betrayal Is More Dangerous Than External Opposition

In a recent conversation around the sacredness of Kashi, when evidence of Hindu ownership and spiritual legacy was presented, the response from the opposing side was not denial but dismissal: “So what?” That reply did not shock as much as the silence or skepticism from some Hindus who questioned the validity of reclaiming what was once undeniably theirs.

This is the predicament. The opposition does not need a spokesperson. It already has one from within the Hindu fold.

As Savarkar prophetically stated, “I am not afraid of anybody else. I am afraid of the Hindus who speak against the Hindus.” When one’s own voice rises to delegitimize their heritage, no external enemy is needed.

Cultural Sacredness Begins with Self-Respect

Imagine someone walking into a gurudwara with tobacco or without covering their head. The community would never allow it. Why then is the expectation of modesty and reverence in Hindu temples considered regressive? Where is the outrage when cows are mocked or temples desecrated — not by outsiders but by those born into the tradition?

Every great empire — from Vijayanagara to Travancore — was built on a trinity: the devata (deity), the guru, and the kshatriya (protector). No king ever rose without divine sanction, no community thrived without spiritual center. Kshetras are not just temples — they are the spiritual fortresses of Hindu civilization. To let them fall into neglect or controversy is to compromise the energetic nucleus that sustains the entire structure.

The Silent Courage of the Marginalized

Consider the Tamil Brahmins still practicing rituals and maintaining temples in hostile socio-political climates. They are not cowards. They are quiet warriors. Choosing to stay back in Kumbakonam instead of fleeing to Silicon Valley is not weakness — it is resilience. But what’s tragic is not just the external attack — it’s the internal abandonment.

Even among educated Hindus, marrying a priestly Brahmin from a heritage-rich town is seen as less desirable than marrying someone settled in California. When ritual is ridiculed and rootedness is treated as backwardness, civilizational decline becomes a choice, not a fate.

Stop Outsourcing the Battle for Dharma

Unlike other communities that fiercely advocate for their interests — through business, lobbying, and grassroots mobilization — Hindus often reduce their activism to pressing a button once every five years during elections.

But politics is not a messiah. It reflects the will of the community. If Hindus will not push for their own causes, who will?

It is not enough to chant slogans. It is not enough to post on social media. What is needed is everyday action — economic, cultural, spiritual.

Economic Unity Is Cultural Survival

In Hyderabad, there are businesses that have operated for over a century — not because their products are extraordinary, but because their community sustains them. It is a lesson in loyalty. It is strategic economics. Every rupee spent within the community helps preserve cultural real estate, social visibility, and generational continuity.

Why hesitate to buy groceries, electronics, or even chappals from a Hindu vendor first? Why feel shy about helping a temple priest’s family or a local Sanskrit school? This is not extremism. This is economic nationalism. Every other community does it — openly and unapologetically. And that is why they thrive.

Final Thoughts: What Are You Waiting For?

When Argentinians and Russians travel to Sabarimala, recognizing its spiritual magnetism, why is it hard for locals to do the same?

When every kshetra holds the pulse of a culture, why leave it to decay until courts must decide its fate?

When your gods are still alive, your mantras still vibrant, and your traditions still magnetic, what excuse remains for inaction?

Why let apathy write the obituary of a civilization that has outlived empires?

It is not enough to defend Dharma in theory. It must be lived in practice, through choices made daily — in markets, homes, temples, and conversations.

Because if Hindus do not stand by each other, no one else will.

And if Hindus do not believe in their own future, they will not have one.