"A Passage to India" by EM Forster is a literary work that operates on two levels simultaneously: personal and impersonal. Scenes involving the characters' innermost thoughts and feelings alternate with scenes in which the voice of the omniscient narrator vocalizes, directly addressing some of the weightier issues that are at the heart of the novel. The theme of religion works the same way. On a broader level, it allows Forster to provide social commentary by supporting themes of colonialism and ethnic relations. Its depiction of the tensions that exist within different segments of Indian society foreshadows historical events that occurred years after the novel's publication. However, each of the three major religions is also represented as a philosophy through which man makes sense of himself and the universe around him. The presentation of its effects on individual characters allows Forster to explore philosophical concepts such as infinity and the head versus the heart. The reactions and personal values ​​of the adherents of each religion, in turn, reinforce the other themes of the novel, connecting everything to Forster's grand vision. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay On a socio-historical level, religion is described as a divisive force. The "Mosque" and "Temple" sections are separated by the "Caves" section, which represents the gulf that lies between Muslims and Hindus in India. The Marabar Caves are associated with the idea of ​​denial: the journey to them is said to have "challenged the very spirit of the Indian Land, which keeps men in compartments", and ends in disaster. Its insidious presence, both in the structure and throughout the novel, quashes any hope of unification between Indians and Muslims, despite Dr. Aziz's heroic rallying cry at the end of the novel ("Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs will all be one!" ). Nearly a quarter of a century later, the partition of India into the Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan justified Forster's premonitions. Meanwhile, the only Western religion, Christianity, is conspicuously absent, not only in the structure, but also in the rest of the novel. Eastern places of worship are described in detail by Forster and are locations of important plot events (e.g. Doctor Aziz's first meeting with Mrs Moore). The mosque and the Hindu temple are both evoked in concrete terms while there is no mention of anything Christian built on Indian soil. Religion appears only through biblical characterizations and references, both of which leave no lasting impressions. Thus, Forster implies that Christianity, and by extension British colonialists, have no place in India. Despite their attempts to subjugate the Indians, they will never succeed in settling the country permanently. Once again, Forster's prediction was accurate. In 1947, India gained independence from the British, 23 years after the novel was published. The description of the places of worship also illustrates the central contrast between the attitudes of the English and the Indians: the former are rational and reserved, while the latter displays emotion openly. Both the mosque and the Gokul Ashtami festival are described through the use of imagery and evoke a sense of the spirit behind the religion. Dr. Aziz's silent appreciation for the beauty of the mosque ("...the competition between this contest and the dualism of the shadows pleased him...") and the various sensations he vaguely experiences (e.g. the amateur orchestra, the smell of jasmine flowers) create an impression of calm, showing how Islambe a source of comfort to the emotional Dr. Aziz. His recitation of a poem shows how he connects with Islam from his heart. The Gokul Ashtami festival is described differently: it is a vibrant explosion of color and movement, with a myriad of sensations described one after another. There is a sense of collectivity: even Professor Godbole's vision is tempered by his interactions with the other characters (e.g., talking to the drummer, his colleague untangling his pince-nez). Although the vitality of the festival and the mosque scene convey different atmospheres, both are full of feelings. Christianity, however, is never put into practice (with the exception of Adela's brief prayer on the morning of the trial). Only the formal trappings of religion appear, such as biblical quotes and missionaries, reflecting the rationality of the English people. Religion, although something personal, is not close to their hearts. The exceptions are Mrs. Moore and, ahead of the trial, Adela Questad, but they fail to calm their mental turmoil. The first religion that appears in the novel is Islam, which is described as a religion that revels in past glory. This is demonstrated through the characterization of Dr. Aziz. The decadence of Islam is one of his favorite topics and he possesses extensive knowledge of past Mughal emperors, such as Akbar and Alamgir, which he usually brings into conversations with Fielding and English women, impressing them with his passion. However, the Muslims in the novel do not blindly follow their religion. Some Islamic ceremonies, such as circumcision, prevail, others, such as polygamy, are rejected by educated Muslims. Traditional religious values ​​are therefore tempered by Western ones. Dr. Aziz initially rejects her arranged marriage as he has been "touched by Western feelings...he did not like the union with a woman he had never met." Adela's question about polygamy was like asking if he was civil and made Dr. Aziz feel insulted. He felt more of a need to defend himself since monogamy was a new belief. As the novel progresses, Dr. Aziz's initial enthusiasm for Islam fades. The Shrine of the Head and the Shrine of the Body in Mau go against Islam's prohibition of idolatry. Dr. Aziz, although initially dismissive, soon agrees, even bringing his children to visit him. Despite Islam's apparent lack of resistance, Muslims in the novel consider themselves superior to Hindus. They use various unflattering adjectives (e.g. “flabby,” “flabby”) to describe Hindus. Dr. Aziz criticizes Mrs. Bhattacharya's false invitation to English women on the grounds that they are Hindus, then ironically proceeds to make the same mistake himself. The engineer, Mr Syed Mohammed, described Hindu religious fairs with disdain, and Dr Aziz once hit a Brahmany bull (which is sacred to Hindus) with a polo stick, enraging Panna Lal. This lack of respect for other religions is one of the reasons why the divide between Muslims and Hindus is so deep. Each thinks of the other in terms of religious identity and not as individual persons. Dr. Aziz reconciles with Mr. Das but considers him to be a Hindu first and foremost, while Mr. Das thinks that "some Muslims are violent" without considering whether Dr. Aziz himself falls into this category. The herd mentality is too strong to allow the continuation of the brief unification brought about by the trial of Dr. Aziz. However, Dr. Aziz himself eventually seeks work in a Hindu state, because his hatred of the British is stronger than his dislike of Hindus. He still makes superficial comments about Hindus, but is less harsh ("...he hoped they would enjoy themselvesto carry their idol around, because in any case it did not interfere in the lives of others."). Like Islam, Christianity is also presented as a religion that erects barriers between people, despite the presence of biblical quotes that encourage mutual acceptance. This shows the hypocrisy of the Anglo-Indians, who do not practice what they preach. “In the house of our Father there are many mansions” is the message preached by Maurice and Mr Sorley, the two Christian missionaries, yet the Anglo-Indians treat the natives with contempt, dehumanizing and humiliating them. Mr. McBryde's wife expresses her opposition to the missionaries, apparently because she sees the Indians as inferior beings and therefore unworthy of paradise. Anglo-Indians are not particularly religious: they seem to ignore the missionaries, whose lack of resources is demonstrated by the fact that they live outside the slaughterhouse and travel third class on the railways. Ronny Heaslop embodies the typical Anglo-Indian attitude towards religion, the “sterile public school” brand ” which lacks practical application. It is part of the Anglo-Indian identity and not a way of life ("Ronny approved of religion as long as it approved of the national anthem, but objected when it attempted to influence his life"). However, since religion is intended to serve as a moral guide, its textbook version, which focuses on a clear division between good and evil, is not sufficient in India, due to its lack of explicit boundaries. The only person who can be considered a "true Christian" in the novel is Mrs. Moore, who is one of the most spiritual characters. His loving acceptance of the wasp and his consideration for the Indians ("God put us on Earth to love our neighbor...") show his innate good nature. However, she too cannot find comfort in Christianity. The phrase “poor, chatty little Christianity” is used, foreshadowing Mrs. Moore's disillusionment with religion. Its principles are not vague, on the contrary, Christianity is the most organized religion and is associated with churches, chaplains and missionaries. However, the word "talkative" implies that his teachings are merely rhetorical, since the deeper side of divinity, that which is unknown and incomprehensible to man, is not addressed. Mrs Moore thought more of God in India, but given the familiarity and structure of English society this offered little consolation. The echo in the Marabar Caves gave Mrs Moore a vision of denial, where man is powerless to influence his surroundings. As a result, he realized his own insignificance and got tired of living. Similarly, Adela Questad started praying after the Marabar incident. However, it was ineffective because he had not reconciled his feelings and his intellect. Christianity emphasizes rational moral codes without promoting true spiritual understanding. It is a reflection of the Anglo-Indian character; logical to a fault and incapable of understanding India's "confusion". In contrast to Islam and Christianity, Hinduism is a religion described as a unifying force and which is not hindered by racial barriers. Ms. Moore is a Hindu at heart (“then you are an Oriental”). As a result of her simple kindness to all creatures, Mrs. Moore is Indianized as a Hindu goddess, "Esmiss Esmoor" – she is symbolically elevated to the spiritual plane of which she was keenly aware. Mrs. Moore's spirit is also carried forward through her two children, Ralph and Stella Moore, whose instinctive appreciation for Hinduism is further evidence of the religion's inclusiveness. All the main characters (representatives of the three religions) appear in the final section of the novel: we hear theAdela's voice through her letters and that of Mrs. Moore, through Ralph Moore. Images of peace and harmony dominate, as even Doctor Aziz (who is initially sceptical) is involved in the joyful mood of the faithful and behaves kindly towards Ralph Moore. The atmosphere of unity is further strengthened by the description of the procession, which unites people in devotion and ultimately also brings Dr. Aziz and Fielding together, when their boats collide in the water and with some devotees. Therefore, Hinduism presents the possibility of connection between people of different religious and ethnic backgrounds. Hinduism focuses on the unification of man and God through love and equality of all creatures. This is demonstrated through Professor Godbole, the main representative of Hinduism in the novel. In the heat of the festival, he has an almost divine gaze on Mrs. Moore and... the wasp. Like a benevolent God, he finds within himself the possibility of loving them equally. “It doesn't seem like much, but it's still more than me,” he thinks of the two. This is reminiscent of Mrs. Moore's appreciation of a wasp on the coat rack, demonstrating the simple acceptance that is at the heart of Hinduism. Professor Godbole recognizes that he can only do so much, like a small part of the universe. Yet Mrs. Moore, in spirit, and the wasp he saw, together, are part of the larger universe and therefore more spiritually related than he is. This is in contrast to the Christian missionaries' rejection of the wasp ("We must exclude someone from our gathering, otherwise we will be left with nothing"). dietary restrictions. Ironically, the inscription "God Si Love" on the temple wall was misspelled, although Hindus actually practiced the biblical phrase. For Hindus, God is not an inaccessible figure up there in the heavens. It is a force that flows through the blood of all living things. The games played during Gokul Ashtami, such as giving butter to the deity, may seem obscene and distasteful, but they show how close God is thought to be to His subjects. Then he is given human attributes such as the pleasure of playing. They don't just pray to God, but see themselves as a part of Him and the larger universe. Hinduism also contains acceptance of the unknown. Professor Godbole's "song of the unknown bird" enchanted everyone from the Anglo-Indians down to the humble water chestnut picker. Its haunting quality emerged precisely because it could not be identified, yet it touched their souls. This parallels Ronny and Adela's failure to identify an unknown bird. Their discomfort indicates an inherent need to categorize things, rather than feel and appreciate them, as they did with Professor Godbole's song. There are things outside the bounds of human understanding, and knowing this is the key to understanding the infinite. The cosmos is so immense that no one can fully penetrate its mysteries. Mystical events such as Professor Godbole's vision and Ralph Moore's guidance of Dr. Aziz to the Rajah's statue demonstrate that there are unseen forces at work. Trying to "label" things will only create confusion, which is what Adela experienced when she entered the Marabar Caves, leading her to Dr. Aziz's false accusation. Although Forster seems to favor Hinduism over the other two religions, by setting an entire section against the backdrop of the Hindu festival of Mau, he is careful to present its disadvantages as well. There are divisions within the religion itself, between Brahman and non-Brahman. There are strict rules even for Brahmins, such as touching a non-Hindus requiring another bath. Hindus are also not averse to arguing with Muslims. An example is their protest against the cutting by Muslims of a branch of the sacred pepul per tree.