ThePowerofCulturetoCreateaBetterFuture

 

TwinkleSharma

Sir Padampat Singhania Education Centre, Uttar  Pradesh

 

Culture of any nation is the sum total of its religion, art, language, literature and social institutions of living beings.

 

India, our nation has been a land of variety and several influences and has absorbed all these, over years. This land and its culture has given rise to several movements, religions and thoughts which have travelled all over the world and have had a great influence over their people and society.

 

Religion has always been the centre point of our society and culture. It has been a way of life. India has been termed as a land of many religions and has absorbed all these in its cultural heritage.

 

Swami Vivekananda in his famous speech in 1994 at Chicago mentioned that “I HAVE COME FROM A PLACE WHICH HAS UNIVERSAL TOLERANCE AND HOLDS ALL RELIGIONS TO BE ONE.”

 

Indian Culture is an amalgamation of so many religions Hinduism, Buddhism, Jain, Islam, Sikh, Christianity, each with its own space and following in perfect harmony. Universal acceptance and tolerance has been the important part of our culture and our history that has shown innumerable examples where religion came with foreigners both invaders and travellers and became firmly rooted in our cultural journey and heritage. What better example can be there of AKBAR, The Great  Mughal Emperor who founded ‘RELIGION OF HUMANITY’.

 

Swami Vivekananda when once asked to comment on unity of Hinduism and Islam replied that “INDIA CAN GET STRENGTH WITH BODY OF ISLAM AND SOUL OF   HINDUISM.”

 

Every nation and its culture has its own moments of crisis and separation, but our land withstood all these upheavals because of centuries old tradition of religious tolerance, acceptance and   unity.

 

Art and literature are important cornerstones of any habitat. It is also reflected in our ancient Sanskrit texts, Vedas and Upnishads, epic poems and stories like Ramayana and Mahabharta, and a vast selection of folk lore in several languages and parts of India reflecting various cultural streams. Later Persian and Urdu, Christian and Buddhist literature intermixed with these and several sacred texts came to the forefront.

 

Among all these literary texts one can never forget the ‘BHAGVAT GITA’ also called “God’s  text  of wisdom and life’s instructional guide”. Swami Vivekananda quoted from this sacred book- “HE WHO EXISTS IS ONE SAGES CALL HIM VARIOUSLY.” This book also taught us that one should work rather than worry over anxiety of result.

 

Indian Architecture also reflects many dimensions from early paintings to wonderfully crafted Ajanta Ellora paintings and Khujaraho statues.

 

The Taj Mahal, a world seemed monument is a classic example of bondage between Persian, Mughal and Hindu architecture.

 

Social traditions and values make an important part of cultural history. Generations of families have followed the family values of India which is a point of surprise for the whole   world.

 

Youth is the building block of any nation’s life. Youth of today’s India, in this world of declining morals and ethics and fast pace life, are at loss. Our rich cultural heritage will give proper shape and direction to their capabilities. Here comes the role of Yoga which is considered a way of life all over the world. It will definitely help our youth not only in physical development but also in spiritual and mental make up. Iskon temple and educational institutions like Ram Krishan Ashrams are good examples of this tradition. Recently India celebrated the150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda. He’s the greatest youth icon India ever had, a strong pillar of high morals and spiritual values, quite useful for today’s youth. The stress has been on ATMA-NIRMAN and NATION  BUILDING.

 

In this commercial centric world, our culture which has unique value of acceptance, tolerance, tradition of scientific fervour has successfully kept our nation united despite a spectrum of traditions, religion and lifestyle only because of absorbing each and everyone and following the principle of universal brotherhood.

 

About 100 years ago what Swami Vivekananda holds true even now: “INDIA ALONE HAS TO BE OF ALL LANDS, THE LAND OF TOLERANCE AND OF SPIRITUALITY. THE WORLD IS WAITING FOR OUR ‘GREAT IDEA’ OF SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE OF WHOLE UNIVERSE FOR WORLD PEACE.”