Western culture has enlightened us in several ways but it has also destroyed the hold of early Hindu culture. We need to get back to our ancient roots
Despite 500 years of occupation and some conversions, Islamist rulers could not influence the Hindu culture any significantly. In the 200 years of British rule, however, there were significant conversions to Christianity, particularly in the tribal areas and the urban centers. Moreover, there was a much deeper conversion to the European culture. It was mainly done through capture and control of education.
Western education gave us enlightenment in certain areas. But it completely destroyed the hold of early Hindu culture in these segments of population. So much so that they started to hate all early Indian traditions and ethos. And after independence, with Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru absolutely dominating the Government as well as the public life, Western political, economic and social concepts were introduced.
Some distinctive features of traditional India were:
Political and social features: Inherently democratic, decentralised power town, village and clan based; public goals (good of group over individual); no preponderance of bureaucracy; community cohesion; everything negotiable; consensus important; family important; and pluralism important.
lifestyle: More leisure; more time — time means lived life. Spiritual focus and informal social control. Subsistence strategy related to ecology, population size and structure and settlement pattern; limited but nutritious diet.
Production is for use or subsistence, division of labour is generally based on age and sex. Units of production are family, clan, village, age-group. Unit of distribution and consumption too is socially-based (family etc). Consumption is to satisfy basic needs.
The above mentioned features have all become a thing of the past due to uncritical transplantation of modern Western system and procedure into India and the subsequent
pressure of globalisation. But it remains a matter of consideration whether some of the mentioned features should not have been retained at all. In fact, some of the traditional features have already been adopted under modern garb and the value of many others is being recognised.
For instance, political features are being emulated now like in a federal structure and the panchayat system. Similarly, the importance of work leisure balance in lifestyle management is being emphasised now. We have incorporated the above subsistence strategy into our sustainable development plan. We may also have to review and reinstate some of the above production, distribution and consumption norms.
In Abrahamic religions, man is the master in the universe. But in Hindu belief, humans are a minuscule part of the cosmos and, therefore, have to live in consonance with the cosmic order where the essence is respect, cooperation and harmony. This has been the approach of Hindus in all
aspects of living, including ecology and environment. There was this tradition in early Bharat that before cutting a tree, prayer was said seeking forgiveness for causing harm to the tree for a greater cause.
Vegetarianism has its roots in the civilisations of ancient India. Vegetarian diet was closely connected with the idea of nonviolence towards animals (ahimsa), and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers. Even the allegedly illiberal Manusmriti states, “There is no sin in eating meat... but abstention brings great rewards.” Mark the absence of dogmatism.
Texts of Aryabhata and Bhaskaracharya contain calculus that was written many centuries before Newton. All mathematical calculations and theories of modern science are based on two fundamental discoveries of ancient science of India. These are the concept of zero and the principle of place value in powers of the radix. Apart from this, early Bharat made ample contribution to atomic science, metallurgy, medicine and surgery,
cotton textile engineering, water conservation and architecture and town planning.
Traditional medical sciences like ayurveda and herbal medicines are till today very successfully applied in curing many ailments in India and even in developed countries. Further, home remedies to cure diseases and ailments that employs certain spices, vegetables, or other common domestic items are making a strong comeback. Home remedies are typically passed along by lay people (a practice that has been facilitated in recent years by the Internet).
India's contribution in literature, poetry, drama as also music, dance, painting and sculpture is immense, to say the least. Indian culture has given many gifts to the world. Yoga, for example, or at least its more physical aspects like asanas and
pranayama, is spreading like wildfire around the world. Meditation is another gift.
Indian cuisine, now popular all over the world, has distinct and rich flavours full of spices. Food from each region can be distinguished by uses of different herbs, spices and cooking techniques. India is also popular for its desserts, known as mithai. Hopefully, the modish intellectuals will desist from their habitual superficial denunciation of all things ancient Indian.
(The writer is a commentator on contemporary issues)