Happy Diwali!

The Diwali season this year has got to be special. In fact, a more special one to all the country men; for, we had more to cheer about and celebrate than just the festivities, colors and the brilliant display of rockets that illuminate the night skies – a much more sophisticated, technologically advanced rocket that carried a billion hopes to the moon. Yes, am talking about the Chandrayaan-I mission.

May be, it is not unprecedented endeavor, and some have done it already. Nevertheless, it provides a launch-pad that would propel India onto the frontlines of space exploration. It is just a piece in the jigsaw puzzle. With the recently commissioned Deep Space Network, follow-up missions like Chandrayaan-II and plans to put man in space by 2015, it would be more than a journey. And, it is your prerogative to be proud.

But then, isn’t India more about exploring the Inner Space? The rich and diverse spiritual heritage that has passed on from generations has been the guiding light to the rest of the world. A spiritual superpower status that it commanded, it was (and still is) the torch-bearer to a serious seeker. The magnetic spell still remains, as even today seekers from the west are drawn to the shores of this country to acquire the wisdom and experience the healing touch that it has to offer.

Amidst the clamor of modernization, we are probably sidelining this gift that has been conferred upon us. May be, it is time to recognize that we should not overlook our strengths in order to acquire newer capabilities. With an unusual surge of optimism, I would say, we can do better in both these worlds. I hope I would live long enough to see that day!

Heard of the term ‘ABCD’ (American Born Confused Desi)? I guess, most probably, you do. Let me play a prophet and enlighten you with my prediction. Extrapolating the current situation in our country, it is only a matter of time that a new breed will come to dominate the centre stage.

A generation born and raised here, overwhelmed by the west, and characterized by an inherent distaste towards its very roots. Slowly, but surely such a transformation is already underway, beneath the ground. The seeds of such a new breed have already been sown, and I can see them sprouting! This very generation is what I call ‘IBCD’ (Indian Born Confused Desi).

Having a deep-rooted faith in science, they overlook its limitations, tempting to believe that science is all-pervasive and can explain all. Science is the new religion. Huh? Anything that lacks a scientific explanation, is probably rubbish, and is contempt-worthy. And, our culture bears the brunt, being a soft-spot for obvious reasons.

Perhaps, it is in our genes – an all-embracing nature. No wonder we seep-in the western culture (especially, American and British) with utmost ease, like a sponge. I have traveled around the world a bit, but have not come across a community that would desecrate its own roots and culture, under the pretext of modernization. Believe me, they belong to the so called developed society; yet, they are not overwhelmed by the onslaught of 'alien' culture. In fact, I have heard common people in Europe discuss about the influence of the American culture on their lives.

Probably, as fallout of this social transformation, a kind of self-effacing psychology is creeping into the minds of the IBCDs. Ironically, most of these IBCDs have not visited these western countries. Some go that extra mile – bashing our culture and dismissing it as rubbish is tantamount to being modern. Yeah, they cannot afford the humiliation of being out of vogue.

Do not get me wrong. I am a youth of this country too. And, I am all for modernization, and not against aping the west; but, not at the cost of originality. If this continues unchecked, a few centuries down the line, our culture would be extinct. I shudder at this thought. God forbid. Think about this: India was the cradle of human civilization, a super-power once upon a time. As a parting thought, I hope that this truth will dawn upon the IBCD generation, and some day in the future the glory will be restored! “IBCDs. Are you listening?”.