India is the oldest civilization in the entire world. In this long journey of 5000 years, we were ruled by many rulers, belonging to different religions and cultures. Further, a lot of people migrated from other countries, and India accepted them with open hearts. Due to this exchange, we can observe a lot of diversity in terms of religion, culture, race, and religion in our country.
However, despite all these diversities, India remained united even in dark hours and faced all the crises with a united spirit. The thread which binds all Indians together is known as “Unity among diversity”. In this article, we will explore the meaning of Unity in diversity in India, the types of diversity in India, what is diversity, provisions of unity in the constitution, its importance and the hurdle in achieving unity.
From Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, Indians follow different cultures, different religions, different languages and different traditions. But living together with love and peace irrespective of these differences describes the concept of unity in the diversity of India.
Before the independence from the Britishers, freedom fighters were fighting for independence with the help of unity in diversity. During the time of the Britishers, every Indian from a different caste, religion, or language was working in groups for independence. It was the unity in diversity which played an important part in bringing unity among all the Indians to fight for freedom. Many groups were made of people from different religions, castes and areas. The motive of every person in these groups was freedom only.
So, let us explain unity in diversity in India essay.
Meaning of Unity in Diversity in India
Unity in diversity consists of two different words that are “unity” and “diversity”. Any difference between two or more people is called diversity. In simple words, diversity is in which the people are not the same, some differences can be related to religion, caste, language, culture etc. Unity means to make a group of people maintain a relationship with people. So if we mix these two words, it creates the beautiful meaning of unity in diversity which is a group of people in which different types of people stay together.
The unity in diversity is defined as the spirit of brotherhood without any discrimination. The term “Unity in diversity” implies the feeling of oneness or togetherness even after having a lot of diversity. Its spirit unites the people together and this bond shows the path of righteousness. This Diversity can be in the form of religion, colour, caste, creed, cultural practices, etc. In our country, these diversified traits are not seen as a conflict, but they are the varieties that enrich our society and the nation. It is used as a symbol of harmony and unity among people belonging to different religions or cultural backgrounds.
Origin of Unity in Diversity in India
The term “Unity in Diversity” was coined in China and North America around 500 BC. It signifies the unity and oneness among people, despite belonging to different castes, religions, cultures, and social backgrounds. At the time of independence, this term was widely used by our freedom fighters to induce a feeling of patriotism in the people. It was depicted that we all Indians are the son/daughter of the holy “Bharatmata” and it is our prime duty to protect its soul from foreign invaders.
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Canada is following multiculturalism country. Joseph-Adelard Godbout was the 15th premier of Quebec, Canada, who used the phrase unity in diversity in Canada. After the use of this phrase by Joseph-Adelard Godbout, Canada has become the best example of unity in diversity. Canadians are very friendly and they welcome all the foreigners who went to Canada. Due to the unity in diversity in Canada, there is very low racism and almost no incidents of hate speech. Staying friendly with everyone makes the country financially strong because it attracts tourism.
In 2000, the Europeans adopted unity in diversity in Europe as the official motto of the country. Before the adoption of unity in diversity in Europe, there were many states in Europe which had different cultures. But after the adoption of unity in diversity, all the Europeans came together to make unity irrespective of their culture and other differences.
When we talk about unity in diversity, we cannot forget about our nation. Undoubtedly, India is one of the biggest countries which has set the example of unity in diversity. There are lots of differences related to caste, culture, religion, colour, etc in India. But fortunately, irrespective of differences, the people of India have been living together for many centuries. Every person in the nation respects each other without checking their differences. This best practice is being continued in India which perfectly demonstrates the unity in diversity in India.
Given our widely diverse country, the “unity in diversity model” set by us is an inspiration for the entire global world.
What is diversity?
Now, the question is, what does diversity mean? Or what is the meaning of diversity? In simple terms, diversity refers to the degree or measure of differences among various groups. It is a sort of reality created by individuals with the concept of acceptance and respect. This diversity can relate to ethnicity, race, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, physical abilities, age, political beliefs, religious beliefs, other ideologies, etc.
Types of Diversity in India
There are mainly 4 types of diversity in India that is evident in India:
1). Geographical Diversity in India
2). Cultural Diversity in India
3). Religious Diversity in India
4). Language Diversity in India
Despite all these diversities, we find that there is unity among them which is as follows –
Unity in Geographical Diversity in India
The diverse geographical area is a matter of dispute among various countries like Nepal and China which are separated by the Himalayas. However, in our country, we accept this diversity with an open heart that further strengthens our unity.
The geographical area of our country is very vast. There is the Himalayas on the top and the most fertile northern plains and the plateau of Central India. There is a lot of diversity in terms of rivers and natural wildlife. But, this diversity has nowhere impacted our unity. From the very beginning, the entire geographical part was known as Bharat Varsha. This name is also present in our sacred Vedas and Puranas.
Unity in Cultural Diversity in India
So let’s try to answer what is cultural diversity. From time immemorial, there is a large number of diverse cultural and ethnic groups prevalent in our country. Broadly, the people of India shall be divided into four major groups on ethnic grounds. The first group is of the Neolithic and Paleolithic men who have been living in this country from the remote past. The second group of people belongs to the Mongoloid type and they are found in the area of Sikkim and Nepal. The third group of people belongs to the Dravidians group, which are living in the Southern part of the country. The fourth group includes the Indo-Aryan group living in the Northern part of India.
Despite having different cultural groups, there is a lot of unity in terms of ideas, philosophy, literature, etc. and it is the beauty of India that there is unity in cultural diversity in India. Being the country of festivals, it is observed that people from all cultural backgrounds come together and celebrate all the festivals. The manner of performance of social ceremonies is usually the same in all parts of the country. Further, every achievement of our country is celebrated by all the cultural and ethnic groups. Thus, there is a feeling of Unity in cultural diversity in India.
Unity among Religious Diversity in India
India is a union of all the diverse religions in the world. All the religions ranging from Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Islam to Christianity can be found here. They also have their sects and sub-divisions. The Hindu religion itself is divided into countless creeds namely the Vedic religion, the Sanatan Dharma, the Brahmo Samaj, and the Arya Samaj.
However, religious unity is still evident as all religion provides the same teaching of good deeds and moral conduct to everyone. Thus, a peaceful relationship is maintained among diverse religions in society. Further, the incarnation of God Vishnu and Shiva is worshipped in various forms in northern and southern parts of the country. Our Holy books like Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bhagwat Geeta, etc. are read in various parts of the country. All the religious beliefs preach the unity of India.
Diverse Languages and Unity in India
In our country, more than two hundred local languages are spoken in various parts of the country. In northern parts, the main language of Hindi also had its subparts. The tribal people follow their language and the hill tribes of Central India speak Austric types of languages. The southern area is mainly dominant with Tamil, Telugu Malayalam and Kannada.
Even though there are numerous languages among various races, there is a feeling of national unity and togetherness among all the Indians. The feeling of togetherness binds us together.
Caste Diversity and Unity in India
India is the home of more than 3000 castes or Jatis. A caste is a small social unit that is hereditary and more often practices a common traditional occupation. This concept of concept is highly popular amongst the Hindu culture. In the past also, all the communities were divided into 4 categories: Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudrayas. A caste may have its own rules and norms and a person had to follow this. This jati system is not static and continuous mobility can be seen there.
However, despite this huge division, we still respect each other’s values and virtues which helps us to stay united.
Objectives of Unity in Diversity in India
The Unity in Diversity holds special significance for our country. It serves numerous purposes, which are as follows-
National Integration
In the present times, a nation needs to integrate all the people to survive and prosper. It is very easy to manipulate and divide people in the name of caste, religion, and sects. If this happens, the growth of the country gets derailed and the entire nation suffers on account of this. So, it is essential to inject the feeling of harmony and brotherhood, despite having cultural, regional or social differences among them. The recent turnaround in Afghanistan highlights the importance of an integrated nation.
Global Recognition
Our entire global community has experienced the evils of racism, extremism, and other forms of social discrimination. From this experience, the biggest lesson that can be learnt is that “unity in diversity” is the only thing that could remove all these evils from our society.
So, a highly diverse country, that remains united not only builds a strong platform of growth but also attains recognition at the global level. It becomes an example for the world to follow.
Ensuring Nation’s Growth
It is an unsaid truth that Unity in Diversity plays a very vital role in achieving the path of growth and development. The country which is subject to internal issues would be highly distributed in security matters, and the process of development would be very slow.
Peaceful co-existence
The human resources of a country are its most valuable assets, and the state must make optimum utilization of them. If the people of the country are safe, and there is a feeling of harmony, brotherhood and oneness in the society, they could contribute to the best of their abilities to the development of the country. The peaceful co-existence can only be maintained through a sense of unity in a diverse country.
Main Reasons behind the Unity in Diversity in India
India is a diverse country. Due to a continuous period of migration, initiation, and transfer, we witnessed different cultural, religious, linguistic and functional groups in the country.
With this influx, we see the rise in faith from the prehistoric period to the Vedic times. When the Aryans arrived in the country, a different culture with altogether different practices was set up in the country.
Hinduism not only became a religion but it emerged as a way of living life for all the people. Further, with the migration of strong religious communities like Islam and Christianity, cultural integration took place, which in turn gave rise to tolerance and solidarity in the country. Small religions like Judaism are also welcomed with a high spirit of oneness.
The indigenous religions of our country, including Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism played a crucial role as they always focus on removing the differences and spreading love. The other cultural and regional groups embraced the new lifestyle and a culture of “unity among diversity in India” started making highlights.
In the present times, our country is on the path of transformation and modernization. Though there may be differences of opinions among different groups, it never results in differences of heart in the country. We have always respected the legacy of our forefathers and will continue it in the future. The feelings of acceptance, tolerance and correction run in our bloodveins.
Provisions for Unity in Diversity in India under the Indian Constitution
The constitution of India was drafted while learning from our past hardships and experiences. It was evident from the British colonial period that unity is the biggest strength of our diverse country. There shall not be a feeling of alienation in any section or subsection of our society as it may prove very dangerous for it.
In 1938, Jawaharlal Nehru made a declaration that the constitution of our country shall be formed without any external interference. After this declaration, a meeting was organized, which was attended by the representatives of almost all the sections of the society including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Parsis, Anglo-Indian communities, Indian Christians, SCs, STs and women. All the representatives supported this declaration in a single voice and a constituent assembly was set up for this purpose.
The constituent itself is composed of members from various castes, religions, sexes, etc. to represent the views of our diverse society. On the recommendation of the assembly, the constitution was drafted and it provides for numerous provisions to maintain unity in our society. The spirit of our Constitution i.e., the preamble provides the term like equality, socialism, secularism, etc. to protect the rights of our diverse society.
Some other provisions are as follows –
Provisions for Geographical Unity in the Constitution
Article 1 of our Constitution states that India is an “indestructible Union of the Destructible states. It simply means that the geographical unity of our country shall be duly respected. The borders and territory of India always remain intact from internal or external pressure. The states and the union territories are not empowered to alter their boundaries if it affects the unity of India as a whole.
Provisions for ethnic and Cultural Unity
The constitution of India is the custodian of our pluralist society and respects its various cultures and ethnic groups. The constitution provides that our nation is a shelter home for people coming from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. It also ensures that the principles of equality and social justice shall have been duly complied with. Article 29 of the constitution puts an obligation on the state to protect the distinguished culture and traditions of various ethnic groups.
Provision for Religious Unity in India
The constitution of India defines it as a secular country. This means that the state will not have any religion but it will protect and respect all the religions in the society. As per Article 25 of the constitution, the people are allowed to preach and propagate any religion. The state is not empowered to interfere in the religious matters of the public. Further, the state is directed to ensure that there shall be no discrimination on the grounds of religion against any person.
Provision for unity in diverse languages
The constitution of India doesn’t impose any single language as it is a heterogeneous country. Schedule 8 of the constitution recognizes 22 languages of our country. The southern belt of the country is not comfortable with the usage of the Hindi language, thus the official work of the parliament and the union is undertaken in the English language as per Section 3 of the Official Language Act, 1963.
Lastly, the constitution of India gave every citizen without any discrimination to approach the court for the enforcement of their fundamental rights under Article 32 of the Constitution. The judiciary has from time to time held that Unity in diversity is the distinguishing character of Indian society and we shall preserve it.
Provision for Economic integration
As per Article 19 of the constitution, every person, irrespective of caste, religion or culture, has the freedom of trade, commerce and intercourse in the country. They are free to trade without any external interference. The recent Goods and Service Tax (GST) have paved the way for “one nation one tax”; therefore facilitating unity in the matter of trade among diversified groups.
Importance of Diversity in India
For any culturally and religiously diverse country, unity must be maintained among various groups. The failure of this will lead to the breakdown of the entire state machinery. The chief importance of Diversity in India is as follows –
Maintaining Integrity and sovereignty
The integrity and sovereignty depend upon the sentiments or the feelings of the people toward the country. In a country having a different ideology and religious background, it is easy to get them to disintegrate with the country. If they feel alienated, then it will be easy for the internal and external forces to harm our sovereignty. Thus, it is very essential that the feeling of oneness shall be run in the entire country.
Ensuring growth and Development
The development and growth of a country depend upon the efforts made by every segment of our society. So, we must keep our country integrated so that each group works with their full efficiency and ensures the development of the nation as a whole.
To ensure peaceful habitation
There may be some internal conflict amongst people ranging from different groups and cultural backgrounds. At that time, we need to ensure that our unity comes into play and we resolve these issues peacefully for the betterment of all.
Advantages and disadvantages of unity in diversity
The unity of diversity is the most important factor in running a society by setting the harmony between every single people whether they are the same or equal to one another. The spirit of unity e with diverse people opens different sources and ideas to live our lifestyle differently. With lots of benefits of unity in diversity, there are also various disadvantages of the theory of unity in diversity.
Advantages of unity in diversity
When a person meets another person at a place where he sees that there is something different between them, at that moment, a person feels curious to know about the lifestyle and the way of living that person. It is the beginning of the unity in diversity which can give many benefits such as:
- Increase the moral
Unity in diversity builds the morale of the person with differences. When a person comes from a different place, he wants everyone to accept him with all his qualities and differences. When people accept each other irrespective of differences, it automatically increases the morale of a person.
- Solution of social problems
Social interaction with people who are not the same can help to solve the various social problems which we are facing in today’s time. These problems can be like water pollution, air pollution etc. Maybe you have the experience that when you talk with a person for the first time and tell them about your problem, the person may not be able to solve your problem but he can give you his life experience related to that problem if any.
- Build relationships
The unity in diversity builds the relationship of trust among the people who are not the same. Curious to know each other in a better way, we started making bonds with them which built the team spirit between these people. It is a well-known fact that teamwork always wins and gives better results.
- Help to grow business
Unity in diversity helps the businessman to grow his business on an international level. To increase the business in a country where you don’t know anything about the country you can’t start your business. Here comes the role of unity in diversity which builds the confidence in a businessman by knowing the culture of that country, which is useful for him to expand his business throughout that country.
- Source of tourism
Unity in diversity helps the county to gain tourism which helps the county in financial growth. A country like India where people from different cultures live together attracts tourists to see the different cultures just in one country.
- Agricultural growth
It helps to increase the agriculture sector. There are thousands of crops which are produced in different places. With unity in diversity, these Crops can be produced all over the world which can solve the problem of agriculture and will grow the economy.
- Advancement in technology
In the present time, technology is everything. Unity in diversity helps people to share their technology so that everyone can use advanced technologies. People can learn various skills to survive and live a better life.
Disadvantages of unity in diversity
Almost every successful step in life requires unity in diversity. But there are some disadvantages of unity in diversity which may also create problems.
- The rise in social problems
Unity in diversity can raise different social problems in society. Every person on this earth is not good, some bad people can take the benefit of unity in diversity which can raise new social problems in society.
- Corruption
It may cause corruption in the country and also lead to illiteracy in many areas.
The Obstacle in the Path of Unity in Diversity in India
The biggest challenge confronted by India is the religious enmity. Some selfish people try to disturb harmony in the name of religion to get some political gain. The Hindu – Muslim conflict is the ideal example of this. We also witness religious riots in various parts of the country. They are mainly undertaken to fulfil their agenda and create disturbance in society.
Regionalism is also a barrier to achieving unity. It refers to highlighting the interest of a particular religion over the national interest. It not only hampered the law and order situation but also caused disintegration in the country.
In India, the pace of development has never been uniform. Some places have developed a lot whereas some are still lagging. This results in widespread immigration and violence in less developed areas. Sometimes, the demand for separation can also be heard. The story of Jammu & Kashmir very much resembles this.
The ethical difference also led to conflict between the groups. Some tribal areas in the country including, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Orissa want a self-run government as they don’t want interference in their life. They are under extreme fear that with growing modernization, their forests will be destroyed and their whole culture will be extinguished.
It is generally believed that the people belonging to the upper caste are superior and they could easily mistreat the lower caste people. In the workplace as well as in educational institutions, discrimination based on religion, culture, social, etc. can be easily witnessed.
Sometimes, external groups such as terrorists, extremists, etc. also try to hamper the peace of the country and incite violence there. Manu a time, India has been subject to such an atrocity.
Difference between unity and diversity
Both unity and diversity together make an important meaning of these two words. Unity and diversity show a sense to bind different peoples in one relation. Unity and diversity are two different words with different meanings.
Unity Vs Diversity
| Unity | Diversity |
| Unity shows the spirit of oneness. It is a state of being one undivided family. | Diversity is a quality of being different. |
| Unity shows the relationship between different people by making them a single unit like a family. | Diversity shows the differences between people who belong to diverse classes. These classes can be based on their religion, language, caste etc. |
In a place, there can be people with different views, opinions and ideas. These different views and opinions of persons show diversity between them. But when these people with different opinions and perspectives form a family, this family is called unity. Hindu undivided family is one of the best examples of unity in diversity. A Hindu undivided family is a group of people belonging to one family. Every person has his personal opinion of a specific thing, but a family relation which unites them with each other shows the unity between them.
Steps to Maintain Unity in Diversity
A person can take some small steps to maintain unity in diversity. The following steps can help the person to gain more knowledge from a person who may be different from him. A person should take care of these points when he meets with new people:
Respect the opinions
A person while talking with any other person from a different religion, caste, and language, should respect his opinion and choices.
Suppose you are travelling with a person who belongs to Punjab. He will be much more comfortable in the Punjabi language. So if he is mixing his Punjabi with your language then you should not make fun of this. You should respect his language and opinions.
Let them express their views
It is one of the most important factors to make somebody your friend. You should let him express his views on a topic. It is totally up to you whether you will accept his views or not. But at least you should let him express exactly what he thinks about a particular thing.
Never ask about their differences
There are many differences which attract people towards them. Some differences like language, culture, dresses etc attract people. You can ask anything about language and culture. But there are many other differences on which you should not ask the person. One of the differences is financial status. A person should not talk about the financial status of another person.
Never make fun of differences
Unity in diversity means accepting the person with his differences. A person should not make fun of different people. It may have a bad impact on the mentality of other people.
So, whenever you are going to meet somebody different from you, you should take care of these points.
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FAQ related to the unity in diversity in India
What is unity in diversity in simple words?
Unity in diversity is the concept of living with diverse people together. Diverse people means people who are not similar to each other. They are different due to their religion, culture, gender, creed etc.
Why is unity in diversity important?
The unity in diversity increases the teamwork between people at the workplace. It helps the people to improve the quality of the work and their lifestyle.
How can a person maintain unity in diversity?
To maintain unity in diversity by respecting the choices of other people, allowing another person to express their views and always interacting with people without questioning their religion, caste and financial strength.
Conclusion
After discussing unity in diversity in India, we can conclude that India is a vast country with different religions and practices. The language of one area is different from that of another. The outfits worn by them also tend to differ from area to area. The physical appearance is also not similar throughout the country. Despite all these diversity, the beauty lies in the fact that we Indians feel a sense of unity and oneness among them and India is a diverse country. There may be differences of opinion but all the minds focused on the development of our country. Thus, we can conclude that Unity in diversity is our biggest strength.
I agree on some points that there are differences between Hindu and Muslim communities related to their ideology and rituals. But these differences are caused by politicians who are brainwashing these communities just for their benefit. Even today Hindus and Muslims live together and respect each other’s culture and rituals.
The whole country celebrates holidays on Eid, Diwali and 30 other major different festivals. Hindus and Muslims exchange gifts and sweets during these festivals. This shows unity in diversity in India.
There is an adage that United we stand, divided we fall”. So, as a country, we should try to remain united so that we become less vulnerable to the attack of others.