Message of Sri Ramakrishna and Revisiting Indian Society

Indian society is undergoing a growing crisis related to a much debated issue
‘Indianness’ – a sentiment of being an Indian – socially, culturally and spiritually. This
logocentric term ‘Indianness’ implies a monolithic characteristic of Indian people. Thought,
action, behaviour, movement – all are under the lens of (in)visible eyes to shape all the
Indians in a same mould. Democracy itself appears as a socio-political normativism as if it
ought to be upheld by everyone. Plurality of reasons is being limited because of such
normativity. At this time, message of Sri Ramakrishna, a well-known Bangalee legend, might
be thought provoking while ‘Indianness’ lacks plurality of reasons. Once Sri Ramakrishna
said ‘jato mat tato path’. He taught mankind to believe in all-inclusiveness irrespective of
people’s social, cultural and spiritual identity. His thought supports plurality of reasons and
subjective reality which are the need of the hour in present day Indian context. This paper,
therefore, intends to highlight the relevance of the message of Sri Ramakrishna in present day
India.