Divisive forces along communal lines are, unfortunately, alive and well in India.
They play upon people's fear of or suspicion of anything that is even slightly divergent from how things are done in their own community.
But they haven't succeeded in dislodging one thing that unites Indians.
What is this one thing that unites Indians? It, quite simply, is our pride in being Indian irrespective of the community we belong to.
Even our rightwing communal minded friends haven't succeeded in dislodging this pride we feel.
Not yet.
It is enhanced by our enjoyment of things peculiarly Indian which have acquired national status and which are EVERY Indian's birthright.
Let me list a few of these things

• Don't we all - Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Parsis, rich and poor - each and every one of us - without exception, burst phutakas (firecrackers)during Diwali (a Hindu festival)? If we didn't, our kids would want to know why!
• Don't we all throw coloured water on poor, unsuspecting, innocent folks with cruel relish during Holi (a Hindu festival)?
• We have school holidays for Id, Navroze, Buddh Jayanti, Diwali, Christmas and important festivals of every community that lives here.
  Any more holidays and there'd be no school.
  
• Hands up who's been to the Bandra fair (held after Easter)? Or for a langar on Guru Nanak's (important Sikh prophet) birthday? Or a lunch at ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness)?

Here are some more things that enhance our peculiar pride in being Indian; that unite us:

• Russia may have its Beluga caviar - we have bhelpuri (very popular fare sold in road-side stalls)! France has its wines, we have ganna (sugarcane) juice.
  The list goes on - Mughlai, Goan, South Indian, Bengali, Gujarati fare - on any given day, the only real dilemma we face is, to pick one over the rest.
  
• Movie stars, television soaps and plays.
  All of us from every strata of society watch / act in those.
  Why, I would be justified in stating that even the Arabs are hooked.
  
• Who celebrates when Gavaskar hits a century? Is it only the Maharashtrians (his community) or us Indians?

The list goes on.
Is there any denying this peculiar pride we feel in being Indian? Is there any denying that although there are communal minded politicians with one eye on their vote bank who are keen to foment trouble between communities we still enjoy our multiple-community society? Enjoy being Indian? And have done so for a few centuries now? The next question is important.
Have you ever wondered why the communal minded are suspicious of other communities and why their voices are so loudly and clearly heard even if they are just a small proportion of the communities they belong to? It is essential we understand why their voices are so strident and bold as this is the very first step towards deciding what our future actions are going to be.
To find out what a young student, someone who has obviously thought about this disturbing question and researched it well thinks, click on the link at the end