One Love

China (also the rest of the eastern countries) amazes me. I have literally fallen in love with this nation and its ways. The name “China” has Indian origin (from Sanskrit Cheena). I wholeheartedly wish India and China get together and form what has been known as Chindia lately. It will be the dawn of a super power. Both nations show tremendous growth in economy (though India is way behind China) and the recent President’s visit seems to have set a new start in the bilateral relations. May be things could have been sorted out with much care immediately after Independence. Nehru’s lack of introspection when it came to political diplomacy, appointment of his kin Krishna Menon, who triumphed at the same, ruined a possible chance to avoid enmity. Tibet and Dalai Lama only formed one of the inevitable causes for deteriorating the relations further. It will forever hurt that the then President, Nehru was so complacent when it came to handling a frenzied situation, put a regiment at stake with a neighboring country, with his mind lost in visiting (rather touring) countries across the world (while his own lay burning). He paid no heed to the compromising conditions (which was supposed to be a reasonable deal) put forth by the Chinese (in an attempt from their side to save further destruction caused by war), and he openly declared to “teach China a lesson” (Haha!) with seldom knowledge of the inadequacies faced by his own army! I can’t recall the numbers accurately; in the final encounter, each Indian soldier (with tattered clothes, famished because of lack of appetite, eye sight blurred because of a false promise from the government to provide them with sunglasses for protection against the harsh sunlight reflections in ice-capped mountains) had to fight several (5 I think, not sure) fresh, energetic, well-equipped, brisk Chinese soldiers. The end of a once glorious troop with its brigadier captured and taken to China. I would suggest the book Himalayan Blunder. The author (brigadier) describes that there is no humiliation for a soldier greater than being captured alive, set free in his home country after term served, and then being a target for the doubts and questions raised on his patriotism by his own country – which he had to go through. The book awakens and provokes every emotion present in you. The plight of Indian soldiers – no matter how much I describe here, I’ll hugely fall short from conveying its intensity.

“Not everything from the west is good” - was the remark that my Chinese born-brought up in Canada-USA citizen-visiting India boss put in front of our team when we were discussing some social issue. I’d say, nothing from the west is good! (not referring to South America) One of the worst feelings (or the best - depends) for a person is when he does not want to be himself anymore - which is the driving factor for him to change. Change is the rule of life - change in persona, an individual human being or the change/evolution seen in a set of people-forming a civilization - as I have elaborated in my previous post. We do live in a civilized society. But present Indian way of living – I do not understand. Is it some kind of a hybrid model of the Eastern world meeting the western world leading to a renewal and replacement of our good old traditions and customs? If yes, why the change? Or, is it that the customs and our way of life have been forgotten because we do not have enough time to ponder over it? Why do we think the west is good? (When I say “we”, I mean the changing lot of us, the changing aspects and who think the west is the best) I am referring it to be thought of as being “good” by us, because, you wouldn’t change or favor it, had it not been good. Or, is it because our way of living was “not so good”? (Phew! I am complicating it!)

The North American continent (which forms the prominent part of the” West”) - have we noticed has no age-old civilization of their own? A bunch of European people followed Christopher Columbus’s discovery –English, Dutch, French, Spanish and so on formed colonies and it is their descendants that form “The West” now. The very first line in wiki on American History -“The first residents of what is now the United States emigrated from Asia over 15,000 years ago by crossing Beringia into Alaska. Archaeological evidence of these peoples, the ancestors of the Native Americans, dates to 14,000 years ago”. The natives of that land are the Indians or the Red Indians. Even if you browse, its history starts with Columbus (1493 AD)! The so called “western civilization” formed because they got a vast, never-inhabited land (almost a continent), started from the scratch, applied and implemented all the success of Industrial revolution and the boon of newly emerging technology and made it what it looks today. Yelli namma centuries old traditions and civilization, and where the recently emerged set of burger-eating civilization! (Pizza is again Italian) No match whatsoever! Australia also comes under “The west”. The British sent prisoners to Australia (mainly Irish) and the formation of colonies again. The Aborigines of Australia are the native Australians.

So, with all these in mind, why is it that we do not want to be us anymore? What is it that the west has that entices the “changing us” so much!?! Are we so vulnerable to change that we are putting no efforts at all to resist the change? Or let me put it as - changing in the streams one necessarily has to, to keep in pace with the world is acceptable. But, it does not mean one has to give up what forms his roots’ identity. To give up our culture, heritage, (worst – some of them even despise it) is not agreeable. If this continues, there will be nothing of our Indian Civilization left for the future generations to dwell on. It will probably settle down to Graduate course on "Studies of Indian Culture and Heritage" by the Universities that exist in the West.

The Indian peninsula and the South-East Asia are rich with culture and heritage that the West cannot attain even after billions of years. Every custom Hinduism – Sanatana Dharma (includes Hindus, Buddhists, Chinese, Jains, Sikhs etc), Islam follow has a reason behind it (superstitions exempted). We have had great mathematicians like Aryabhata and Bhaskaracharya. Aryabhata – inventor of zero. To imagine the mathematical world without zero is itself scary (at least to me!) What would the poor infinity (1/0) do!! How would the metric system take birth! Bhaskaracharya’s renowned mathematics treatise “Leelavathi” – is the name chosen for a prestigious International math award. Chanakya – a great administrator and politician, a shrewd observer. I happened to flip pages of the Arthashastra at a book store and I directly landed on the page which gave “Ways of torture” (The description itself sounded torturous!) What a keen observer! The Buddha and his principles. Epics of Ramayana and Mahabharatha define Dharma, inculcate morals and values. We gave the world Nalanda University – where the affluent from across the world came to study. What happened to our way of living?! At least it deserves reminiscence, recognition and respect - and today’s generation aren’t even aware of how great a civilization they are born in! Swami Vivekananda - with his speech in Chicago caught the world mass back in 1893. Every other aspect is changing, ranging from no Akbar – Birbal stories, no Tenali Rama, no gilli danda and kuntepille for children to HARIKATHE, YAKSHAGANA – which might vanish within 5-6 decades. Vedas – I myself don’t know wholly what it is actually about. Yes, we have to change with time. But, not to the extent of letting go all that should be held on to.

Back to relations with China, if media leaves the two countries’ diplomats alone (stop forecasting China war 2012!), they would settle down to form a close relationship. http://www.hindu.com/2010/06/10/stories/2010061062390800.htm I loved the last line in the article - A top member of the Indian official delegation summed up India-China relations in terms of “pengyou” and “zhengyou.” “Pengyou” is a superficial friend. “Zhengyou” is a serious, real friend who will frankly admit to problems and work at overcoming them: “We have a zhengyou relationship with China.” Great!