Decolonising the Indian Mind

[Guest guest]

Namaskar Mitra,

 

'Decolonising the Indian Mind' by sanjeev nayyar, February 5, 2004. Excerpts

below from the article.

http://esamskriti.com/html/inside.asp?cat=672&subcat=671&cname=decolonizing

"Foreign rulers redefined India's economic, social and political landscape. As a

result several misconceptions arose about the followers of Dharma for e.g. they

are continuously criticized for the Dowry system and treatment of their women.

But did you that

Dowry system is a result of socio-economic changes brought about by the British

in undivided Punjab (read "Dowry Murder, Imperial Origins of a Cultural Crime"

by Veena Talwar).

In 1661 the islands of Bombay were given in dowry to King Charles II of England

when he married Catherine de Braganza of Portugal.

It was only in 1920 that women in the U.S. earned right to vote & contest.'

Indian identity & thought continues to be defined by erstwhile rulers. When a

persons identity is defined by another the person who defines calls the shots.

Examples of imported words and concepts are - name of our country ie India,

democracy, secularism, religion, hinduism, hindi, calendar, words like

discipline & sacrifice. Corresponding Indian thought is Bharat, dharma,

secularism redefined, sanatan dharam, sanskrit, vikrama samvat and Indian

meanings of sacrifice.

Unfortunately the Congress took over from where the British left. Socialist

policies after Independence made profit a dirty word. Yet a majority of Indians

continue to worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth. In fact, wealth creation has

always been important to us. "From times immemorial, the great aims of human

endeavor have been classified in India as dharma, artha, kama and moksha

roughly translated as moral behaviour, wealth, worldly pleasures and

salvation". (Kautilya The Arthashastra by L N Rangarajan published by Penguin).

While Artha has a much wider significance than merely wealth, making profit was

never a dirty word. What mattered was how the wealth was earned and spent.

For nearly fifty years after Independence we pursued inward looking socialist

policies. Such an attitude hindered India’s progress in many ways. Notably, it

reduced her share of world trade (1950: 1.29%, 1970: 0.68%, 1990: 0.52%, 2000:

0.67%), increased poverty and created a shortage economy. Yet historically we

have always been global citizens. Symbols of Indian influence are visible and

well known in South-East Asia, the Far East and the Middle East."

Sri Aurobindo wrote: "Our first necessity, if India is to survive and do her

appointed work in the world, is that the youth of India should learn to think,

- to think on all subjects, to think independently, fruitfully, going to the

heart of things, not stopped by their surface, free of prejudgments, shearing

sophism and prejudice asunder as with a sharp sword, smiting down obscurantism

of all kinds as with the mace of Bhima". (India's Rebirth by Sri Aurobindo).

I believe that India's future is intertwined with the status/respect accorded to

Indian women. India will progress faster if her women are empowered at home and

at work.

A thinking outward-looking India that shares spirituality and knowledge with the

world would help her become a global power again.

Share the Wealth, Cheers & Om

sanjeev

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