Hinduism is the religion of peace.

Lord Rama the epitome of Dharma

Hinduism is the religion of peace. The history of India is the living proof how India has been tolerant to other faiths. India got itself divided based on two nation theory of "Hindu" and "Muslim", yet it harbors more Muslims then Pakistan harbors "Islam". Is Pakistan predominantly a Muslim country as tolerant as India? We all know the answers. Silence is the intelligence.

I have a real life story to illustrate why "Hinduism" is the religion of peace.

One fine day when i was returning from Delhi to Kathmandu, I was caught in the boredom of the sleeper class of the train. I had to travel from Delhi to Raxaul on a train and then catch a bus from Birgunj border to Kathmandu. I was travelling in a sleeper class because that was the only ticket I and one of my colleague finally managed to get it in the 11th hour. Had he not traveled with me I would have been choked to death by boredom.

In an Indian train, there are lot of compartment from first tier to third ac to sleeper class, inside every compartment there are sub-compartments which is like a mini room. In the mini room there are 6 beds 3 in each side. The 3 layered bed out of which the middle bed is folded in the day time and and at night it is reinstated for sleeping. The baggage's are placed below the lower seats. The sleeper class lacks AC.

I was allocated the upper berth and my fellow Nepali brother was on the upper berth of the opposite side. We were as usual talking about our lives and how great the journey to India had been. I infact love India as my own country. I am also very appreciative to the fact that Nepalese are mostly Hindus and we don't need visas to visit religious Hindu sites. We can roam freely in the premises of Somnath temple to the corners of Odishha, from Ma Vaishno devi temple to the beaches of Kanyakumari. Indians they treat us no different then them. India has given me everything.

One elderly gentlemen was particularly concerned about a luggage that was placed under the seat by another gentlemen at the start of the journey and had not visited even once after travelling 13 hours to check it. The concern suddenly gained momentum, we had all people gathered in our sub compartment and people were suspecting it. There have been many train blasts and terrorist attacks on train.  Particularly the 2006 Mumbai Train bombings where more then 200 people were killed and 700 people were injured. The terrorist had used pressure cooker bomb for the explosion.

Different people had different opinions. There were two Muslims gentlemen who were travelling in the other mini room and they looked very scared and conscious too. There were also people of Mongolian ethnicity from Sikkim who were travelling in the same compartment and they were no different when it came to reaction.

Soon people started to inquire about the luggage. None came forward from the compartment to claim it. The elderly gentlemen then decided to inform the police for the suspected object. The two older policemen came to the scene. They look concerned too. They informed their heads and the heads had given them the orders to open the bag. The police men were reluctant to open it at first. They were procrastinating. They even had a disagreement within them so as to who would open the bag.

One of the policemen then agreed to open the bag. He then first put his ears near to the luggage to hear if anything was making a sound. He then laid the luggage flat amidst so many people surrounding us. I and my fellow Nepali were looking helplessly from the upper berth. Every thing was happening under our nose and I have to admit, like all the gentlemen out there even I was scared. I was scared that my inner suspicion  about the bag would materialize and we would be taking the short route to the heaven.

The police then opened the chain of the mini front pocket because the main luggage was locked. While he opened the luggage, the first thing he took out was a razor blade and a shaver. People were holding their breath. All people who were watching the incident was on their toes. The moment was getting very unpredictable. Anything could be found in the baggage. The next thing that came out of the front pocket of the luggage took our breaths away and it made our hearts pound even faster.

The policemen took out a something that looked like a book covered in a red cloth. People's jaw dropped. My eyes widened. My fellow Nepali traveler suddenly had a serious face. The policemen looked scared and there was a pin drop silence on the compartment. Every people were concerned what would that book be. Was our greatest fear going to be materialized or anything could happen. It was the moment that took our breath away. Not only did it take our breaths away, it took all the springs out of our faces. We all had winter in our faces and everything had withered.

The policemen then slowly unraveled the cloth and then looked astonished. Sudden euphoria could be seen in the policemen face. The policemen looked relaxed. He then in a very happy and calmed voice affirmed, "ये राम चरित्रमानस हे", which means "this is Ram Charitra Manas". People then took long breath and made a sound of sigh of relief "aah". The two Muslims with Hijab on their head and a muffler on their neck looked relaxed and with a sigh of relief went to their mini room. I and my fellow Nepali traveler looked at each other and he said to me "Almost".

Seeing the Ram Charitra Manas book every one returned to their seats, even the policemen didn't look further. They said this luggage belongs to a Brahmin. So no threats persists. Suddenly out of nowhere an elderly person comes to the scene. The elderly man below my seat recognizes him and asked him, "Why did he leave the luggage and not came to inspect it?". He then replied that he was travelling with his wife and daughter in the same train. Because of the non availability of the train seats. His wife and daughter got the ticket of the same compartment while as he got the ticket to the compartment that was very far from the compartment to his family. So, he had decided he would keep the luggage here and then be with his family.

He then furthered stated that he heard from another person that "there was something suspicious luggage on the another compartment and police were then searching and inspecting it". He then out of concern for his own luggage had come to our mini room to inspect it. People then were advising him that he should have at least come to inspect the bag and not leave it unattended.Would all the people be relaxed and not be bothered at all?, Just a book of Ram Charitra Manas changed the whole perspective of the situation. Doesn't the idea of Hinduism itself propagate peace or else why would the whole compartment be so relaxed to the uncovering of the Ram Charitra Manas.

The train never stopped as it was running on its own pace. Nothing had changed but somewhere in  the situation, I had hit a realization and my perspective had changed.