How often have we heard or read these words. From what or whom are we trying to "protect" our fragile Indian culture? And are we really protecting the accurate form/s of Indian culture? Let's retrospect.
First of all, is our Indian culture (whichever form) so fragile that it needs protection in the first place? The best part about culture is that it can and should evolve and expand to capture the sensibilities of the current/living generation. Just as our understanding of the universe has progressed over generations so has our understanding of human emotion and psyche. That's what has led to the abolition of slavery, sati, child marriages, child labour etc. Our culture has evolved to accept that these acts were wrong and against humanity. So the protection of culture could be termed an oxymoron, as protection is against the very definition of a culture.
Now that we know that culture shouldn't be protected but allowed to grow let's question whether the culture that most Indians claim to be protecting are really indicative of Indian culture. On the forefront of the so called protectionists are Indian women and their behaviour in society. It is claimed that, according to Indian culture, women are supposed to be suppressed and have less freedom than Indian men. This includes draping their body with "decent" attire, no drinking or smoking in public and worst of all blaming the rape of a woman on the woman's indecency. We need to understand that the root of the inequality towards women stems from the archaic thought that men are superior to women and now that our present generation has (or have they?) learnt that that's wrong it's time our culture evolved into accepting equality for women. When these protectionists tell women to dress better to prevent being raped, I say tell the men to stop raping!! Maybe our culture should evolve to abhor rapists and punish them for the animals they are, that would make more sense as a culture.
The most widely used phrase by the so called protectionists is "westernization". Apparently our Indian culture is so fragile that a breeze from the west is enough to shake its foundations. Valentine's day, night clubs, divorce, nuclear families are the some of the few victims of westernization claims. Again, westernization is being mistaken for an evolution of culture that is growing to accept changes in human behaviour. Unfortunately for India, we started on the back foot of a history of deep rooted cultural and religious beliefs which pushed the inevitable evolution of our culture behind. And now that our culture has finally begun to evolve we are being criticized of aping the west, whose culture has had the luxury of evolving much earlier.
On a more positive note, although it will take a while for most Indians to adjust to this evolution of culture, I believe the transition will happen and no more will we, the progressive Indians, be accused of operating AGAINST THE INDIAN CULTURE.
First of all, is our Indian culture (whichever form) so fragile that it needs protection in the first place? The best part about culture is that it can and should evolve and expand to capture the sensibilities of the current/living generation. Just as our understanding of the universe has progressed over generations so has our understanding of human emotion and psyche. That's what has led to the abolition of slavery, sati, child marriages, child labour etc. Our culture has evolved to accept that these acts were wrong and against humanity. So the protection of culture could be termed an oxymoron, as protection is against the very definition of a culture.
Now that we know that culture shouldn't be protected but allowed to grow let's question whether the culture that most Indians claim to be protecting are really indicative of Indian culture. On the forefront of the so called protectionists are Indian women and their behaviour in society. It is claimed that, according to Indian culture, women are supposed to be suppressed and have less freedom than Indian men. This includes draping their body with "decent" attire, no drinking or smoking in public and worst of all blaming the rape of a woman on the woman's indecency. We need to understand that the root of the inequality towards women stems from the archaic thought that men are superior to women and now that our present generation has (or have they?) learnt that that's wrong it's time our culture evolved into accepting equality for women. When these protectionists tell women to dress better to prevent being raped, I say tell the men to stop raping!! Maybe our culture should evolve to abhor rapists and punish them for the animals they are, that would make more sense as a culture.
The most widely used phrase by the so called protectionists is "westernization". Apparently our Indian culture is so fragile that a breeze from the west is enough to shake its foundations. Valentine's day, night clubs, divorce, nuclear families are the some of the few victims of westernization claims. Again, westernization is being mistaken for an evolution of culture that is growing to accept changes in human behaviour. Unfortunately for India, we started on the back foot of a history of deep rooted cultural and religious beliefs which pushed the inevitable evolution of our culture behind. And now that our culture has finally begun to evolve we are being criticized of aping the west, whose culture has had the luxury of evolving much earlier.
On a more positive note, although it will take a while for most Indians to adjust to this evolution of culture, I believe the transition will happen and no more will we, the progressive Indians, be accused of operating AGAINST THE INDIAN CULTURE.
