One Temple, One Well, One Crematorium: Mohan Bhagwat&rsquo;s Dream and the Harsh Ground Realities&rdquo;
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When Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat recently evoked the stirring imagery of&nbsp;&ldquo;one temple, one well, and one crematorium&rdquo;&nbsp;for all Hindus, it rang like a call to conscience. It was a dream worth cherishing&mdash;a vision of a casteless Hindu society, bound by shared spaces, shared rituals, and shared humanity. Yet, as noble as this goal may be, the distance between rhetoric and reality remains daunting.
This phrase isn't new. Its spirit is rooted in centuries of struggle by reformers, saints, and revolutionaries who dared to imagine an India free from the rigidities of caste. From the Bhakti movement to Mahatma Gandhi&rsquo;s Harijan Sevak Sangh, many have strived to collapse these walls. Yet, as we inch towards 80 years of independence, caste remains the invisible line that governs our wells, temples, homes, and lives.
Bhagwat&rsquo;s sentiment, though commendable, needs more than oratory flourish. If the RSS truly wants to set the tone for a united Hindu society, it must begin at home. Appointing a Dalit Swayamsevak or Pracharak as the next&nbsp;Sarsanghchalak would be a revolutionary step&mdash;symbolic yet substantial. It would do more for Hindu unity than a thousand speeches.
A Legacy of Contradictions
This vision, ironically, contrasts with the words of Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of Bhartiya Jan Sangh, who, during the Constituent Assembly debates, resisted the imposition of a singular identity. He asserted that&nbsp;&ldquo;unity in diversity is India&rsquo;s key-note&rdquo;&mdash;a statement that resonates far beyond linguistic debates. It captures the essence of Indian civilization&mdash;where consensus, not coercion, shapes unity.
Yet, Bhagwat&rsquo;s call reminds us that despite this foundational ideal, the ground reality is fractured. And history is not without irony. In the late 19th century, Bal Gangadhar Tilak used Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations as a unifying platform to bridge caste divisions and inspire nationalism. His vision was inclusive. But fast forward to 2025, and Ganesh Sthapnas have become contested spaces&mdash;one colony, one lane, multiple pandals. Far from uniting, these religious gatherings often reflect local muscle, not spiritual unity.
The dream of &ldquo;one temple&rdquo; remains precisely that&mdash;a dream. In countless villages across India, Dalits are still barred from temple entry. Wells may be less relevant in the age of borewells and pipelines, but the idea of shared resources is still a sore point. Separate cremation grounds for upper castes and Dalits persist, particularly in rural India. If death is the ultimate equalizer, why do even our ashes demand separate sanctity?
The Irony of Religious Proliferation
The RSS and its affiliates regularly celebrate the construction of new temples. They actively participate in&nbsp;bhoomi pujans,&nbsp;pran pratishthas, and religious yatras. But in a society where caste continues to segregate, should the priority be constructing more temples or ensuring every Hindu feels welcome in the ones that already exist?
The political logic is clear&mdash;religion as a unifying force can consolidate electoral strength. But cultural consolidation at the cost of social fragmentation is a paradox that the Sangh must confront. How does one preach unity while encouraging proliferation of sects, sants, and sadhus who often thrive on identity and exclusion?
If the RSS genuinely wishes to champion &ldquo;one temple, one well, one crematorium,&rdquo; it must lead by example. Stop the fanfare around new temples until access to existing ones is made truly universal. Ban any swayamsevak or affiliate from participating in ceremonies that do not explicitly welcome Dalits and backward castes.
A Fight That Begins With Mindsets
The caste hierarchy is not just a rural malaise anymore. It has percolated into urban life in subtler but no less sinister forms. Dalits are denied housing in certain urban localities; upper castes resist co-habiting; social clubs and private temples enforce their own unwritten codes. The physical segregation may be less visible, but the social walls are just as high.
As a nation, our&nbsp;sanskar&nbsp;(values) are often worn on our sleeves&mdash;spoken about in lofty sermons and advertised in school textbooks. But the true&nbsp;sanskar&nbsp;lies not in our minds, but in our hearts and actions. Until the average Hindu begins to see no difference between castes in thought, behavior, and social interaction, Bhagwat&rsquo;s vision will remain unfulfilled.
Walking the Talk
The RSS has a wide network, arguably the most extensive grassroots presence among socio-cultural organisations in India. If it commits to a campaign of eradicating untouchability with the same zeal it showed for the Ram Mandir movement, India might witness a real transformation.
But change needs symbols and substance. It needs the first Dalit Sarsanghchalak. It needs shared meals in common kitchens. It needs joint prayers in shared temples. It needs leaders who refuse to attend a new temple inauguration unless the existing one admits all castes.
Bhagwat&rsquo;s dream is noble, but as the saying goes&mdash;noble intentions alone don&rsquo;t change the world; courageous actions do.And those who claim to lead the Hindu society must begin by leading with moral courage.
Until then, the temple may have a golden dome, the well may be deep and clear, and the crematorium may have a marble plaque&mdash;but they&rsquo;ll still belong to only some Hindus, not all.

symbols of discrimination (representative images)

India’s harsh caste hierarchy makes Bhagwat’s united Hindu vision harder than it sounds

RSS Chief’s Dream vs Caste Reality: A Distant Hope

India’s harsh caste hierarchy makes Bhagwat’s united Hindu vision harder than it sounds

April 21, 2025 | 15:37 IST