Cultural Unity of India

History, religion and culture
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vgovindan
Posts: 1865
Joined: 07 Nov 2010, 20:01

Cultural Unity of India

Post by vgovindan »

Yesterday some friends and their relatives from Delhi visited us. During our conversation, one of them, a school teacher with a long teaching career and academic achievements, asked me about my gotra. I said. He responded that there are four villages in Haryana bordering Delhi, which contained only people belonging to that gotra. Immediately, I felt a hidden affinity for those villages and villagers.

The flash floods of Uttarakhand, floods in Srinagar, earthquake in Nepal have all left us with a sense of feeling for the victims not because they are Indians (or Hindus in case of Nepal) in the modern sense, but because there is an underlying current of identification with those places rooted in our culture. The thirth yatra, char-dham yatra, Kasi-Rameswara religious link, establishment of religious seats on all four corners of India by Adi Sankara - all these have contributed greatly towards that. The pauraniks who travelled the length and breadth of this country have bound us all together by spreading the puranas.

This is the cultural unity achieved without a political cohesion which other countries vie notwithstanding their political cohesion.

But this cultural identity has been systematically hacked by the Education system inherited from British, which was a well planned attempt to break India - and they succeeded in that by creating wedge as - Arya-Dravida - Brahminism etc. Gandhiji tried to rebuild that cultural unity by addressing for a conscientious remodelling of our social interaction. But other leaders with Western education did not have the patience to go through that long-drawn-but-sure-shot process of reconciliation. They resorted to legislation and created more fissures.

The recent attempts to break the gotra system which prohibits same gotra marriage also belongs to the same category. The logic of this prohibition is scientifically verifiable in terms of DNA stock of the country.

But one thing is sure. What the western education system could not achieve in two hundred years has been achieved by the present smart-phone generation which has a near total contempt for our culture - thanks to the hedonistic influences of west - where one would like change smart phone, car and, probably wife (or husband as the case may be) too every year and the detestable live-in culture.

PS - But, ironically, the very revival of the substance of this cultural unity - shared human values as propounded in our philosophy - seems to lie in the west. Listen to what Dr Wayne has to say - (the first half) -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCdZWvB_5dM

harimau
Posts: 1819
Joined: 06 Feb 2007, 21:43

Re: Cultural Unity of India

Post by harimau »

The cultural unity of Inda is brought out even more poignantly when one travels to Gaya, Bihar for performing the shraddha ceremony for one's ancestors.

I found people from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra, Maharashtra, and other parts of the country sitting on the river bed and performing the rites.

I was moved by that sight and realised how we all belong to the same cultural ethos though we may speak different languages.

munirao2001
Posts: 1334
Joined: 28 Feb 2009, 11:35

Re: Cultural Unity of India

Post by munirao2001 »

It is not Cultural Unity of India, but Cultural Unity of Bharath. The geographical entity as it is politically and officially recognized is India, the work of British Rule. They do deserve credit for achieving the Unity.
The Scholars based in Western/Developed countries attract. Why so many Indian Scholars and Vedic Pandits and Scholars works do not attract our attention ? Veda patasalas and Temples being built overseas, US of A and UK in particular stand testimony to the Cultural Unity of Bharath-Religious not Political. Parents and Grand Parents in US of A and UK, in particular are taking efforts for their children to be exposed to the Religion and its influences. Growth of Art of Indian Classical Music and its patronage in developed countries has relationship to this revivalism. Great works are in progress in India also. Let the focus be on this while taking note of the other influences, behavior and developments.

VK RAMAN
Posts: 5009
Joined: 03 Feb 2010, 00:29

Re: Cultural Unity of India

Post by VK RAMAN »

munirao: It is true to some extent only. The first time immigrants bring their culture to overseas and try to create surrounding that is familiar to them such as temples, gardens, music, etc but their children and grand children with some exception are far away from these as they get assimilated to the culture they are growing. It is the again first time immigrants who come now from India who follow/support and allow us to continue our traditions and cultures IMHO.

munirao2001
Posts: 1334
Joined: 28 Feb 2009, 11:35

Re: Cultural Unity of India

Post by munirao2001 »

VKRaman

Trait of human behavior of immigrant is to get accepted in the new country and getting well established. Immigrant will imitate and behave like the dominant and socially powerful communities to achieve the acceptance. Achieving the acceptance and securing financial wealth and means, immigrant gets the anxiety and fear of insecurity in alien culture. The duality results in taking efforts and actions to retain the culture of origin country and its influence in conducting the living. Religion- worship and rituals; Philosophy;Literature;Music;Dance;other art forms get the attention and support. The cultural revivalism is both for personal sense of security and also desire for its recognition and celebration.

This is also equally applicable within the various regions and communities within the country.

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