One of the most painful words ever spoken to me after becoming a Christian was not “heretic,” “unbeliever,” or even “traitor.” It was a single Hindi word: doglā.
This was not meant to be a description. This was meant as an accusation.
For those who used it, becoming a Christian meant that they had somehow abandoned their roots, betrayed their family, and exchanged their identity for something foreign. The implication was clear: I was no longer truly Indian.
That word stayed with me for a long time.
Not because I believed it, but because it forced me to ask a question that many Indian Christians quietly wrestle with:
Can someone be fully Indian and fully Christian?
I believe the answer is not only yes, but absolutely yes.
What Does “Dogla” Mean?
The word dogla (दोगला) is primarily a Hindi expression. Traditionally, it has been used to describe someone perceived as “mixed,” “double-faced,” “disloyal,” or someone who no longer belongs completely to one side. Depending on the context, it may refer to mixed heritage, but in everyday language it is more commonly used as an insult implying hypocrisy or betrayal.
The term is also understood in Marathi with a similar figurative meaning, reflecting its wider use across parts of North India. While it is not a native expression in languages such as Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, or Malayalam, the sentiment behind it is familiar across India: the idea that someone has abandoned their identity or heritage.
When I embraced Christianity, this was the word that some people chose for me.
It hurt.
Not because my identity had changed, but because people assumed it had changed.
Did My Faith Make Me Less Indian?
I was born in the remarkably spiritual and historical land of Bihar.
Bihar gave birth to Buddhism through Gautama Buddha’s enlightenment in Bodh Gaya. Bihar is also the birthplace of Jainism through Mahavira. It is sacred to Sikhs because Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru, was born there. I was raised in a Hindu home where faith was not merely practiced but was deeply respected.
My mother was perhaps the greatest teacher I could ever have. She taught me to respect all religions. I still remember how our home reflected this conviction. Images of Hindu deities stood alongside Jesus and even the Kaaba, not because our theology was systematic, but because reverence for God, however understood, mattered deeply to her.
She was devoted to Shiva and passionately encouraged others to become disciples of Shiva. I participated in this movement for some time. I sincerely wanted to know God.
However, a sincere search eventually led me to difficult questions.
As the years passed, I explored different philosophies and religions. I even considered converting to Islam, believing it might provide answers to many of my questions. Had it been done, I may have become a Muslim.
However, my journey did not end there.
In 2006, while caring for my mother during her rehabilitation in Vellore after a serious accident, I encountered a group of young people who visited the hospital every Saturday to sing, pray, and encourage the patients. They were simply followers of Christ, whose kindness quietly challenged me.
Soon after, I encountered the Bible in a new way. I watched Doug Batchelor’s sermon, The Richest Caveman. I began studying the Scriptures. I prayed awkwardly yet honestly, asking God to free me from smoking. I had no idea how to pray. Yet something changed. That simple prayer became one of the first unmistakable moments in which I realized that God was not merely an abstract idea. He was listening.
Months later, on October 22, 2007, I was baptized.
I did not become less Indian that day.
I became a follower of Jesus.
Did I Become a Christian for Benefits?
This question continues to haunt many Christians in India.
“Did someone pay you?”
“Were you promised money?”
“Did you become a Rice Christian?”
My answer has always been the same: No.
In fact, becoming a Christian cost me far more than it gave me, materially.
I lost friendships.
Some relatives struggled to understand the information provided.
For nearly 15 years, I lived with a painful distance between myself and parts of my family before full acceptance slowly returned.
During my theological education, no one funded me either. I arrived with very little money in my pocket. I worked as a student worker, cleaning toilets, supervising dormitories, and often working late into the night simply to pay my tuition and survive (thanks to Dr. Chanchal Gayen, professor and the Men’s Dorm dean, who graciously provided me with a student job).
There was no godfather.
No hidden funding.
No secret reward.
Following Christ demands sacrifice rather than comfort (there were times when I had no money to buy even a snack). Thanks to Stanley Kumar, my roommate, for bringing leftover donuts for us all).
Yet, I would choose that journey again.
Because what I received could never be purchased.
I found forgiveness.
I found hope.
I found purpose.
Above all, I found Christ.
Following Christ Did Not Erase My Identity
One of the greatest misunderstandings surrounding Christianity in India is the assumption that accepting Christ requires abandoning one’s culture and nationality.
However, where does Scripture ever ask someone to become less of who they are ethnically?
The apostle Paul declared:
“There is neither Jew nor Greek… for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28).
Paul did not erase ethnic identities.
He placed them beneath the greater identity found in Christ.
Likewise, the vision of heaven is not one culture replacing another culture.
John writes:
“After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne…” (Revelation 7:9).
Notice what remains.
The nations remain.
The languages remain.
The cultures remain.
What changes is not our humanity but our allegiance to it.
Christ does not erase cultures.
He redeems people.
Being Christian did not make me love India less.
If anything, it deepened my love for her.
It taught me to pray for my country.
To serve my people.
To love my neighbors, regardless of their religion.
To forgive rather than hate.
To pursue truth rather than prejudice.
When Faith Is Mistaken for Betrayal
I understand why many people struggle with the concept of Christianity.
India’s history includes painful memories of colonialism, and for some, Christianity is still viewed primarily through this historical lens.
These concerns deserve honest acknowledgment.
However, Jesus Christ cannot be reduced to colonial history.
He was born in first-century Judea, lived under Roman occupation, and called people from every background to follow Him centuries before European colonial powers arrived in India.
To reject Christ because of colonial history would be akin to rejecting mathematics because it was taught in a colonial classroom.
History matters.
However, the truth must be evaluated on its own merits.
What Really Changed?
If someone asked me today how Christianity changed my life, I would not begin by talking about church membership.
I would talk about the character.
It taught me patience.
It taught me to forgive.
It gave me hope when my life felt empty.
It challenged my pride.
This transformed my understanding of grace.
It taught me that greatness is measured not by success, but by service.
It gave me the courage to forgive those who misunderstood me.
It taught me that every human being carries the image of God and deserves dignity, regardless of their religion, caste, language, or ethnicity.
No, I have not become a perfect person yet.
However, I can honestly say that Christ has made me a better person.
So, Am I “Dogla”?
If by dogla, someone means that I have abandoned my family, culture, or country, then the answer is no.
I remain a proud Indian.
I still speak my native language.
I still cherish my homeland.
I still carry the memories, values, and traditions that shaped my childhood with me.
However, if dogla simply means that my deepest allegiance now belongs to Jesus Christ, then I accept the misunderstanding with grace.
Every follower of Christ eventually discovers that identity is no longer defined by the labels society gives us.
It is defined by the One who calls us His own.
Jesus once asked His disciples,
“Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15).
Perhaps there is another question that each of us must eventually answer:
So, Who am I?
The answer is simple for me.
I am Indian.
I am a follower of Christ.
These two truths do not compete with each other.
They complete the story of who I am.
If someone still chooses to call me dogla, I pray that my life will speak louder than the label.
This is a personal story of my journey and convictions. I do not intend to diminish any religion or culture but to explain how following Christ has shaped my life while leaving my love for my country and my people unchanged.
Your friend,
Santosh Kumar