The spirit of inquiry is the soul of scientific discoveries and inventions. No society or community will progress without a strong tradition of inquiry and investigation. Spirit of inquiry is based upon open mindedness and curiosity. Evidence based practices are the foundation stone of the spirit of inquiry.

 

Theoretical knowledge must findamatch with the practical experiences. Reform and improvement are the sine qua non of an inquisitive society. One of the most important ingredients of the spirit of inquiry is the healthy traditions of dissent. Debates and discussions are the lighthouse of the spirit of inquiry. Hypothesising new ideas and analysing the present ones keep the traditions of the spirit of inquiry alive. A society which is bedrocked on the spirit of inquiry does not believe in blasphemy or any type of conversion. Research is a continuous phenomenon. Dynamism, evolution, exchange of ideas, critical mindset, etc, are all the dimensions of the above society. The journey of the spirit of inquiry begins in the Indian subcontinent with the emergence of Indus Valley Civilisation.Ahighly advanced civilisation as it was, it fosters a high level of multiplicity in the fields of religious practices and beliefs. As per the historical accounts, they used to worship female and male gods. Animals, trees, natural forces, etc were also sacred to them. No dogmatic or fixed doctrinal commandments are traceable there. The earliest text, the Rigveda starts with the hymns of gods and natural forces. Hymns achieve more effectiveness in the rituals of the Yajurveda.

 

Hymns and rituals gain rhythm and tone in the Samaveda. The seers include many material and mundane dimensions of human life in the Atharvaveda. The journey from the Rigveda to the Atharvaveda reflects the undying urge of the Vedic sages to renew and refresh the repository of knowledge. Then emerged the six Vedangas in the form of Siksha, Kalpa, Nirukta, Vyakarana , Chhanda and Jyotish. How to pronounceaMantra, how to perform rituals, how to know the etymology of words, how to use correct language, how to give rhythm to a verse and how to calculate movements of planets are the subject matters of these Vedangas. The spirit of the inquiry does not stop here. The texts known as the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads are the emerging trends of the Vedic mind. The churning of knowledge gave rise to the six systems of Vedic philosophy named Mimansa, Sankhya, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Yoga and Vedant, all describing the material and divine dimensions of existence in their own manner.

 

The Buddhist, Jain , Charvaka and Lokayatana streams of philosophy propounded the truths of human life in quite different ways. The Ramayana by the sage Valmiki epitomises the virtuous character of Lord Ram for defending the Dharma or his pious duty. Veda Vyasa composed the Mahabharata depicting the all encompassing existential truths of human life. The immensely rich, varied and long traditions of Sanskrit literature, grammar, poetics, dramatics etc are the mirrors upon which diverse thought processes are getting reflected.

 

The Kamasutra of Vatsyayana and different erotic carvings at many historical places are the testimonies of freedom of speech. Besides the traditions and literature quoted above, there are numerous regional and local traditions, highly rich and fulfilling. This colourful and immortal journey of Indian traditions has the engine of inquiry with the fuel of dissent on the path of open mindedness and steered by debates, discussions and respectful dissent.