As someone of Indian origin born in Kenya and living in the UK and someone who has lived amongst many cultures, I believe I can address this question. I can observe India as an outsider and from my vantage position I can tell things which Indian’s may not think are unique for them because they are normal to them. Let us look at the famous poem written by Tagore in 1910:
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
Tagore wanted an India in which the mind is without fear and the head is held high.
India today certainly is a place where the mind is without fear. In countless countries the masses have no freedom and are suffocated under the tyranny of religious or ideological bigotry. Tens of millions of people living under dictatorships of one kind or another have no rights. They can only live by following the dictates of the regime. Suppresion stifles creativity and the human spirit wittels just like a beautiful flower wittels. The biggest victims of this intolerance are women. Any society in which women are not allowed to flourish remains chained to its negativity and wastes away the immense potential of its female population. India has given women every opportunity to realise their full potential. From women fighter pilots to the recently appointed Commander Prerna Deosthalee the first woman officer of the Indian Navy to command an Indian Naval Warship, women of India are freely pursuing their careers. Over a thousand Indian women have been inducted in the Indian Navy. The Indian women scientists leading the quest for interplanetary travel, the leading politicians, CEO’S of mega corporate bodies, Indian women are helping build a strong and prosperous India.
If India was misogynist who would have had the pleasure of hearing the beautiful voices of Lata Mangeshkar and many others. The Western concept of Feminism has pitched men against women and in many cases made it easier for men to exploit them.
A Communist Party is in charge in Kerala and for decades Communists ruled Bengal. Indian democracy has given them all the freedom to operate. There is no fear for the Communists even though their eventual goal is to overthrow the democratic institutions of the country! Would American democracy tolerate an American state run by Communists? Impossible!Tagore would be happy to see his first wish fulfilled.
Tagore aspired for an India where there were no walls of barriers. In the heart of Delhi there is a beautiful lotus temple of the Bahai faith. Indian’s have made it their own. They go and enjoy this place of worship and even bow down as a mark of respect. From Tibetan Buddhists to the Parsi community, Syrian Christians, Jewish people and even the animist tribes, India has added them to its kladeaspoke.
Tagore wanted an India where tireless striving would lead to perfection. Right from the time of Independence every Indian has consciously or unconsciously tried for perfection in whatever vocation they took up. This is a country where a man polishing your shoes on the street under a building housing some of the greatest heart specialists is not fazed by his occupation. He concentrates on giving the best shine to your shoes. Today Indians are excelling in all spheres of life. India’s elite educational institutions are producing people who are sought by worlds leading economies as well as emerging small nations. Dr. Akshata Krishnamurthy is the first Indian woman to help NASA’s Mars Rover Mission.
This is a country where philanthropy is second nature to people. A guest is still seen as a form of god, people feed stray animals, industrialists will not only support his employee but also his or her family. They will build hospitals, schools, orphanages, doctors will go to villages to serve the poor and the sick. This is a country where revered Vinobabhave managed to persuade rich landlords to donate their land to the poor. In Western countries there was huge violent conflict between the peasants and the landed gentry. It led to massive bloodshed and a revolutionary Communist ideology which has stifled the citizens living under these regimes.
Tagore would be proud that in the spirit of Vasudev Kutumbakam India under the leadership of PM Modi has helped many poor countries during the time of Covid.
The modern human being is engulfed in so many difficulties that he needs tools to look after his mental health. India is a country with a great spiritual heritage. It offers Yoga, Meditation but more than that it offers festivals. Almost every month the Hindu faith has a festival. From Janmastmi, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, Onam, Navratri, Holi, Baisakhi and much more. Which other tradition has a sublime festival like Raksha Bandhan? Family is the key to a nations moral well being. Despite all the pressures the Indian family life remains fairly intact. In the West individualism has significantly weakened the family structure. This has damaged the national fabric of Western societies significantly.
The four seasons also bring their special joy. The coming of the Monsoon has been vividly captured by great poets of yore. The music, songs, dances, the melas, chanting the holy names of God all these can help the modern human being. In contrast many countries are dour and weighed down by religious traditions which frown upon any enjoyment of human spirit. In contrast Hindu traditions are fun and even mischievous. They even appeal to all ages. Young Krishna and Hanuman were full of mischief whose stories appeal both to the young and old while Lord Rama was a sober virtuous prince and King who set an example to all.
Tagore would also be very happy to see that in India today the children of the poor and the disadvantaged can get to the top too. Children of Rickshaw drivers as well vegetable vendors have become high achievers in sports as well as in education.
Then there is Indian food. Food has a special place for Indians. It is sacred. Some of the most poignant episodes of Ramayana and Mahabharata are associated with food. It has to be made with love and when offered(Vegetarian food) to God It becomes Prashad. In the West a wedding would in most cases have 50 guests. There is no way it can be changed to 51! In Indian weddings It could be 500 or more. Last minute additions are most welcome! In the West if a few guests are invited for dinner the preparations start many days in advance!
In conclusion Indian’s are very lucky to be born in a country where the mind is without fear. Living in fear of despotic rulers is soul destroying, it is suffocating.
I am aware of the many issues that India needs to work on and the many hurdles the average citizen faces. There is so much more to do but a democratic India where one’s freedom is guaranteed is a far more fortunet place to be than a place where your every move is watched by a tyrant of some sort.
Nitin Mehta
November 2023
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