India Quick Takes

India is a democracy of approximately 1.3 billion people. The only nation with a larger population is China.

Approximately 80% of India’s population identifies as Hindu. The next largest group is Muslim, at 14%. Just over 2% is Christian and just under 2% is Sikh.

India declared independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Even today, however, the nation still struggles with the legacy of colonialism. For example, light skin is often favored and the sale of whitening creams continues to be a staple of the cosmetics industry.

Narenda Modi has been the Prime Minister since 2014. He is a Hindu nationalist, promoting Hinduism as the true religion of India, much like white nationalists claim the U.S. is a Christian nation. In some respects, Hindu nationalism (Hindutva) is a reaction to British colonialism, reclaiming an indigenous religion as resistance to the imposition of Christianity. In recent years, Hindutva ideology has resulted in state-sanctioned violence against minorities, especially Muslims.

Economically India is still a developing nation with significant poverty levels. There is, however, a growing middle class. Average life expectancy is about 70 years old and ¾ of the population over age fifteen is literate.

New Delhi is the nation’s political capital. Mumbai (where the Phadkes live) is considered India’s financial center.

Gender Equality in India

Although gender equality is written into India’s Constitution, Indian women still face significant discrimination. There have been improvements in women’s education, representation in government, and economic opportunities. However, fewer than 20% of Members of Parliament are women (78 total in 2019). And while literacy rates have risen, only 66% of women can read and write compared with 82% of men. Gender-based violence continues to be a significant threat, and according to the United Nations, India ranks 125th out of 159 on the Gender Inequality Index.

With the rise of Hindutva ideology, traditional Hindu teachings about women have also posed a challenge. Like all patriarchal religions, Hinduism assigns different roles to women and men, giving men the power to command both politically and in the home. There have been progressive feminist Hindu challenges to this traditional interpretation, citing the presence and power of female deities as models. Nevertheless, the religion’s strong dualism tends to maintain male power and provide an excuse to prevent women from attaining or asserting power.

Radha-Krishna Stories

Since the rise of the Bhakti movement during medieval times, Radha-Krishna stories have been among the most common in Hinduism. Versions of the stories vary, with some depicting Radha as the incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi, who is paired with Lord Krishna; others depict Radha as Krishna’s consort.

In all the stories, the couple represents the highest possible level of eternal love and devotion. In some traditions the pair met as children. In others theirs is the expression of perfect physical love between adults, while in still others it is an exalted spiritual bond.

In some traditions Radha and Krishna merge to form one powerful deity that encompasses both male and female spirits, not as opposites but as a singular force. As one Temple put it, “Krishna is the embodiment of love, affection, wisdom and wit and Radha is the female manifestation of all these traits. If Krishna is the sun, Radha is the sunlight.” (templepurohit.com)

In the film, Maneesha mentions attending a nearby Radha-Krishna temple, and she bases her own writing on the story of the couple’s love.