Book Introduction : 'On the Mission of Human Evolution : Indian Culture Challenges & Potentialities'
Just finished the first
chapter ‘Bird’s Eye-View’ of a book which I received two days back. Writing
this introduction about the book based on the first chapter ‘Bird’s Eye-View’
On the Mission of Human
Evolution
Indian Culture
Challenges &
Potentialities
Written By Ma. Nivedita Bhide of Vivekanada
Kendra, Kanyakumari
Since 1999, Vivekananda Kendra has been conducting a 4-week
residential camp-Aacharya Prashikshan Shibir-at Kanyakumari for the teachers of
Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya-s serving in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh,
the Andamans and Bengaluru. Among various academic and co-curricular topics, a
series of lectures on Indian Culture has been an essential part of these Shibir-s.
These sessions often proved an eye-opener for many questions such as
"In India are there many cultures or one culture?"
"What is common between say a person from Arunachal Pradesh
and a person from Karnataka as language, way of wearing clothes, names of Gods,
names of festivals, facial features everything is different?"
"What is it that connects us who may be from any part of
India?"
"How do we move ahead with time while retaining our cultural
values?"
"Why did India witness a period of degradation for a few
centuries?"
"Is Indian culture relevant in the present age?"
"What is it that India has to contribute to the further
evolution of man?"
"Are our Christian and Muslim communities, part of Indian
culture?"
"When we pay taxes to the government, what is the necessity
for us to take out time to serve the society?"
Teachers from Vivekanand Kendra Vidyalaya, as nation-builder
became part of the quest to understand and appreciate the deepest links to our
Motherland and her culture. The book is compilation of the quest.
The book cover has Bharata Mata by Abanindranath Tagore. It
symbolises decolonization. Bharat Mata - depicted as Tapasvini-is the bestower
of Shiksha, Deeksha, Anna and Vastra, that is Abhyudaya and Nishreyasa. It also
signifies that Indians have to do Tapasya to fulfil India's world mission.
Components of Culture
What is Bharatiya Samskriti or Indian culture?
No two answers may be the same. It is difficult to contain in
one definition a culture that for more than ten thousand years has been so
inclusive that it incorporates various streams into itself and responds to
various challenges.
Is culture something like an heirloom that is passed on as it is or does it change over a period of time? If it changes or should change, then what are the dynamics of change? What is to be continued and what is to be changed?
To comprehend this, efforts are made in the book to understand culture with its three components: the vision of life, values of life and systems of life-to practice, to realize the vision and values of life.
Though the book is mainly about Indian Culture, for deeper
understanding and wider appreciation, Indian culture would also be seen in the
context of other cultures.
For a comparative study of worldwide cultures, the cultures can be broadly classified into three:
1. Cultures that emanate from Dhaarmik philosophical traditions
like Hindu Dharma, Bauddha Dharma, Jain Dharma, Sikh Dharma and the indigenous
practices of Janajaati communities in India and other countries. Indian culture
belongs to this category.
2. Cultures that emanate from exclusive religious ideologies
like Christianity and Islam.
3. Cultures that emanate from exclusive materialistic ideologies
such as capitalism and communism.
To understand any culture, three of its components need to be
studied. The book contains an introduction to these three components in detail.
1. Jeevan Darshan-Vision of life
2. Jeevan Moolya and Jeevan Tatva-Values and principles of life
3. Jeevan Vyavasthaa-Systems of life
After an introduction to the above
three philosophical components, the book addresses challenges Bharat as a
nation is facing regarding the splitting of the National Mind. To split the
national mind many targeted questions are floated in the social mind. The book
covers vision-based answers to these purposefully targeted questions,
confusions and misconceptions.
The last part of the book describes the relevance of Indian
culture to tackle contemporary challenges.
This book is a must-read for Indians who have a desire to know
about India and her global mission or for those who have some sincere doubts or
confusion about Indian culture.
To add the book to your cart visit
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