Conflict Resolution and Indian Dialogical Traditions: Challenges, Resistance, and Celebration

Indian culture is necessarily dialogic, communicative, rich in content and argumentation, and impressively original which animates a remarkable legacy and the historical and academic challenges that engendered it. Sustained reflection across a vast collection of ancient Indian writings enables us to see how the legacy of the tradition of Jignasa has been complicated, subtle, and searching the question of heterogeneity and inter-connectedness. Amartya Sen appears to be amused by this tradition. In early Indian cultural history dialogue is uniquely associated with an “enquiry into knowledge” or what is known as “Jijnasa.” But it has also played its role in conflict resolution, therefore, it is necessary to see how this dialogy in its journey has tried to fulfill this role. It is probable that dialogue may have helped in formulating the conditions for representing freedom of expression. Among other facets in Indian history and culture dialogue in particular may be considered to provide a sense of importance to the individual in his/her existential journey. Interestingly therefore, it can be conjectured that the dialogue has emerged from the tradition of Jijnasa, which means “an enquiry into.” This process of enquiry is an approved norm in almost all domains of knowledge in the Indian traditional system and associated with dialogue. The meaning of the term Jijnasa, described in Sanskrit is “Jnatumichha” which means “the desire to know.” Considering this desire for knowledge, the dialogical practice appears to have prevented any anachronistic judgment that could occur while acquiring knowledge and must have further facilitated much clear understanding of the issues concerned. To catch the conscience of dialogy leading to public debate on many issues we may go to various sources in the early Indian cultural tradition. It may be argued from the liberal humanist perspective that one of the impacts of the legacy of public reasoning is that it tries to accommodate the ideas of secularism and tolerance. For instance, Emperor Akbar’s institution of “Din-e-Illahi” is an insightful attempt in terms of developing a trend of tolerance. The focus appears to be on the development of a pluralist approach. It is equally important to see that other such attempts are also made by the followers of the non-textual traditions like Kabir, Dadu, Rajjab, Raidas, Meera, and many more folk poets who resist any kind of intrusion, authoritative or otherwise in their liberal approach to religion or “seeking truth” as they often express through their songs. The impact of this perspective is unique in the sense that Emperor Akbar is considered a secular person by all and sundry. And, the historians across the world have added an epithet to his name calling him “Akbar the Great.” While the followers of the non-textual tradition are not only not rejected by the people of almost all the communities in India but also remembered with consistent reverence through their songs which continue to inspire young and elderly equally.