A few months ago, the Madhya Pradesh govt. introduced Yoga in the schools. I viewed this as a positive development. In these days of adult diseases among children like obesity, stress, diabetes etc. a healthy start to the day at least in schools was a great idea. Moreover, the whole world has adopted India's ancient way of healthy living. In fact I was surprised to see that America is celebrating 2008 as the "Yoga Year". In Doha, the education council has started a campaign to increase the questioning mentality of its population aptly named 'Ever Wondered'. And, Yoga was the first of its features.So, this form goes past the boundaries of strict religion.
What does India do at this announcement ? As everything today, it created a controversy. And soon this initiative was made optional. The various Chinese & Japanese forms like Karate & currently Tai Chi have been accepted readily in our soceity but something which is indigenous knowledge is being debated on whether all sections of people can practise yoga.
Showing posts with label In the news. Show all posts
Showing posts with label In the news. Show all posts
April 29, 2008
April 25, 2008
cheer leaders expose culture dilemma
The IPL cricket tournament is sure generating more HEAT in the Indian Summer in every sense of the term. Fireworks, Bombshells, International cricketeers and of course cricket itself.
Yesterday, the ministers in Mumbai at last had enough of the blatant body display and spoke their mind to the press. They want this to be stopped. Well, it was to be expected. I was wondering at the delay in this protest.
Even though an ordinary Indian is bombarded with lude and nude dances from films and albums. It must be a different matter for them to see these bosomy, white dancers in flesh !and so much of it ! At every venue,I'm sure the men must be rushing to catch the front row seats.
Can you blame them ? Even today most of India' women are clad from head to toe. Now the spectators can sing the popular song from Guru " Ek Lo , Ek Muft" , the English translation in this context being "Buy Ticket for Cricket and get a freeshow" , loudly.
Now what do our know it all newsreaders do? They are all excited. To them any dissent towards Art, Movies etc in the name of culture is like a personal barb. Yesterday, the NDTV newsreader made this statement after reading this particular news about the cheerleaders, he said "What is Indian Culture ?" in a most sarcastic tone & laugh.
Have these 30+ snobs been imported from some other country ?Why do they make a mockery of anything traditional or ancient or historical? Oh ! they are a global channel and I think the rules for broadcasting are that they have to denounce these and glorify everything modern. Is'nt there a middle path ?
India has gone this far today because of her traditional and cultural strength . I'm sure she will survive the current, brash set of news men/women who are and want to be Global Citizens rather than Indians and are trying to influence the youth in being the same.
Yesterday, the ministers in Mumbai at last had enough of the blatant body display and spoke their mind to the press. They want this to be stopped. Well, it was to be expected. I was wondering at the delay in this protest.
Even though an ordinary Indian is bombarded with lude and nude dances from films and albums. It must be a different matter for them to see these bosomy, white dancers in flesh !and so much of it ! At every venue,I'm sure the men must be rushing to catch the front row seats.
Can you blame them ? Even today most of India' women are clad from head to toe. Now the spectators can sing the popular song from Guru " Ek Lo , Ek Muft" , the English translation in this context being "Buy Ticket for Cricket and get a freeshow" , loudly.
Now what do our know it all newsreaders do? They are all excited. To them any dissent towards Art, Movies etc in the name of culture is like a personal barb. Yesterday, the NDTV newsreader made this statement after reading this particular news about the cheerleaders, he said "What is Indian Culture ?" in a most sarcastic tone & laugh.
Have these 30+ snobs been imported from some other country ?Why do they make a mockery of anything traditional or ancient or historical? Oh ! they are a global channel and I think the rules for broadcasting are that they have to denounce these and glorify everything modern. Is'nt there a middle path ?
India has gone this far today because of her traditional and cultural strength . I'm sure she will survive the current, brash set of news men/women who are and want to be Global Citizens rather than Indians and are trying to influence the youth in being the same.
October 02, 2007
bridge
Today in India the word ' bridge' only means 'sethusamudram' and as every colloquial name in India , you have a British one too. For this it is Adam's Bridge. This has fired up everyone's imagination. People are digging into history books to see if Ram existed. What do you do if it is NOT recorded in the language spoken by the most no. of people on this planet - English in India( a recent recorded survey says this) Do you just say "It is Grandma's Tales" (courtesy Barkha dutt of NDTV)
Our historains are a special lot. I think they just endorse what history was unearthed by our foreign rulers. To be fair to them they have brought in many a monument under the heritage list. But is that enough ? How do you explain history in thousands of years to our young generation. Why are we being short- sighted to the past ?
We are unlike America which has a very short history after blotting out that of the native Indians. But why are we hiding ours ? There are enough ancient texts which would surely bring a cohesiveness to the past.
But then we feel that we should not let that past see the light of today because it concerns one sect of people.
This is the sad phase of secularism.
Our historains are a special lot. I think they just endorse what history was unearthed by our foreign rulers. To be fair to them they have brought in many a monument under the heritage list. But is that enough ? How do you explain history in thousands of years to our young generation. Why are we being short- sighted to the past ?
We are unlike America which has a very short history after blotting out that of the native Indians. But why are we hiding ours ? There are enough ancient texts which would surely bring a cohesiveness to the past.
But then we feel that we should not let that past see the light of today because it concerns one sect of people.
This is the sad phase of secularism.
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