Indian Tradition – a boon or bane for development?
Indian Tradition – a boon or bane for development?
The
Indian tradition ranges from the pre-Aryan period to the time of the end of the
medieval period. Indian tradition is rich with its various diversities and
unique aura. India is a country that has faced various invasions that brought
with them various diverse cultures and traditions that invariably tried to
supersede or demolish our Indian Tradition. Britishers exploited India not just
in monetary terms but also paved the way to embed western culture in India and
exploit the native culture of India. Various methodologies and products that
have been the pride of our Indians are now striving for this existence.
I would try to substantiate my views using a visit made by me. I recently visited “Gramin Haat Bazaar” organized under swadeshi Utsav celebrated under Pravasi Bhartiya sammelan. There we got to see a glimpse of the local tradition and culture of the Malwa and Nimar regions of Indore. Various handmade products, artifacts, and clothes including sarees, shirts, Kurtis, innovative bamboo products, spices, and many more. The main attraction for all these things was that all the products were organic and most of them were made using Indian methods. It has become eminent to protect and preserve our Indian culture, and Indian practices. India is a land of innovation and what the western world has developed had been developed by Indians centuries ago despite of this India is been seen as an underdeveloped country.
As
quoted by Shashi Tharoor:-
“India is not, as people keep calling it, an underdeveloped
country, but rather, in the context of its history and cultural heritage, a
highly developed one in an advanced state of decay.”
People
resemble this quote but don’t change their mindsets according to these
thoughts. An Indian would prefer denim over khadi. Indians are highly
influenced by western culture and are keeping their eyes off Indian culture.
The solution of problems for which western scientists are struggling was solved
by our ancestors centuries ago with utmost accuracy which is relevant till now.
We can see various Indian literature like Arthashastra, Vedas, Upanishads, and
Smritis which are relevant to date now and cover all aspects of a human from
birth to death and sometimes also after death. This literature extensively
talks about administration, legal system, foreign policies, etc which are being
studied by scientists worldwide.
As
quoted by Max Muller:-
“If I were asked under what sky the
human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply
pondered on the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions, I should
point to India.” – Max Muller
I
would like to use an example of a showroom called “Takali” which had a large
collection of handmade clothes which were procured from different places made
by the most competent artisans around India. The methods and the products used
for their manufacturing are rare in Indian culture for example the blue dye or
Indigo used in different clothes is made artificially costing around 250/kg and
is harmful to both the workman making that product and the person wearing it,
on the other hand, original Indigo which is made by Indigo plant and it costs
around 5000/kg. This is the major disadvantage of Indian products that they are
expensive and the main reason behind them is rare availability and limited
artisans. A thing or a cloth which was common in ancient would have a
reasonable price due to its demand. Today many of the clans who were indulged
in the making of this product are struggling for their livelihood and survival.
We describe globalization as a supporter of diversity but it is a partial truth
as in a real sense it is a way of imposing western culture on other nations
likewise India. We can see that in ancient times a community used to be
independent in itself and it was the responsibility of the community or clan to
provide suitable employment to person and a proper livelihood to a person due
to which we can witness that generations were doing the same work but this
scenario changed and resulted into chaos.
Ayurveda
the medical science of India contains the most extensive research on medicine
in ancient times, it treats the root cause of disease, is free from toxicity,
and is less expensive than traditional medicines. Ayurveda has been extensively
researched by scientists worldwide and it can be witnessed by various studies
like a study published in 2005 in the journal
Cardiology, A 2008 study published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association, In 2012, the Morbidity and
Mortality Weekly Report and many
more. Sadly, India is ignoring its historical knowledge and following the path
of western healthcare. India has not realized the value of its historical
knowledge but its high time for India to start taking some steps.
Various
handicraft products which were available at the fair were made with cow dung,
khadi products, and bamboo. Also, the importance of sugarcane was shown in
quite innovative and impressive ways by making different products like
sugarcane panipuri, sugarcane herbal tea, etc which signifies the importance
and usage of sugarcane other than its core purpose. The cow dung products also show
us the optimum usage of things that can be made, and the range of products
included most of the home décor products. New things that we were amazed to see
were night lamps and mobile amplifiers made of bamboo which signifies a blend
of modern technology using Indian methods of using bamboo for making these
products.
The
big question that arises is what approach should be followed for the solution
of this problem. A great change can be made through technology, it could be
used as a great weapon in increasing the reach of Indian culture. An app could
be launched that includes all the small shops, artists, craftsmen, painters,
weavers, etc that are using traditional methods or are making products inherent
to our Indian definition of culture and tradition. This will increase the reach
of these people and also both Indian culture and economy could take a boom.
Also, this app should be marketed properly and should be given a user-friendly
environment by describing a product including all details of the methodology,
historical background, significance, benefits, raw materials, etc which could
amaze the viewers with our rich culture. As an Indian I was amazed to know
about the weaving of a saree or making of a handicraft product, so a foreigner
will surely get attracted to it and will want to give it a try to it.
Alongside
this, Government should also provide short-term subsidies to these small
enterprises and workers to give them a space to bloom. Zero-interest loan
schemes, direct procurement of goods from these enterprises, subsidized raw
materials, etc could be provided to improve the condition of this sector and
give it an environment to flourish. Tax concessions should be provided to these
products and these products should be designated with a standard mark like the
ISI mark which could help in maintaining the originality of the product and
also provide a systematic platform to buyers and sellers.
As
a citizen, people should promote these products as it provides a glimpse of
Indian tradition. A campaign “photo Ek, sabhayata anek” could be started which
focuses on the marketing of these products through social media platforms.
Under this campaign, a person buying any product that has a resemblance to our Indian
culture and tradition should post a photo on his social media handles which
would popularise this market. It is not the sole responsibility of the
government to take steps for preserving our ancient traditions it is our
ancestors who have made this and it’s our heritage and our responsibility to
preserve it and spread it over the world.
To
sum up all the points it could be said that India has so much embedded in its
history which is just to be dug and it is the responsibility of all Indians to
keep this culture and tradition alive. India should promote its products and
should make influence its culture and tradition just like we promoted Yoga,
Indian tradition and culture should be represented at global levels and should
be provided with an identity status. After writing and researching these facts
I could say that Indian tradition is an absolute boon for development.
India is
one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. While the world sleeps a
dynamic and pulsating India is emerging. It’s time to fly to India.
- Bhavin
Rawal
Lets us make this statement true with
the cooperation of all the stakeholders of India whether it be the citizens,
government, NRIs, or the well-wishers of India. It’s time for India to fly
using its tradition and culture as a never-ending fuel.
Article Written By:
Divyansh Gupta
DNLU, Jabalpur
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