Should India Go Sacred or Secular?

Meherab G

Yunus S

A2

 

 

     One of the biggest obstacles for success in India is the conflict between being sacred or secular. The whole controversy is centered at the colonization and exploitation of India by the British. The bitter feelings remain even after fifty long years. Yet the British must be credited for one thing. They exposed India to the modern world, a world of computers, new weapons, and cell phones. This technology has helped India's economy grow into a major force in the global market. However, an important question must be asked. Has Britain helped India survive in the global economy, or have they destroyed a flourishing traditional culture?

 

     Pre-colonial India had a rich mix of Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh traditions, creating a cultural paradise. Though these practices and languages still survive today, they have been largely infiltrated by worldly goods, or maiaa, and have supposedly disrupted the natural way of life that most people in India adhere to. Examples of distractions are cell phones, cars, and televisions. Many people argue that India would have been better off left by itself. It would have developed new technologies on its own, and would have adapted then to fit their specific needs. For example, Mohandas Gandhi once said, "You British have committed one supreme crime against my people. You have prevented us from controlling our own government." Gandhi is saying that Indians would have had a better country if they had been left to take care of themselves. Gandhi is justified in saying this. For this reason, the option of "going sacred" has been a tempting path for many ethnic Indians.

 

 

	VS.
http://www.indiafashion.com/25112.jpg   Should women in India stick with these clothes...		http://www.lakewoodconferences.com/direct/dbimage/50121380/Women_s_Jeans.jpg   ...or should they wear these clothes instead?

 

 

 

Here is a an fictional excerpt from the life of an American-born Indian, who has traditional Indian-born parents. This displays the tug of war between traditional India and modern society, through differing points of view of a mother, who grew up in traditional India, and an American-born daughter.

 

D - Daughter

M - Mom

 

 

Daughter: Mom, I'm home.

 

 

Mom: Good. You can help me make chapatis (type of bread) for dinner. Come on, we have a lot of work to do.

 

 

Daughter: Mom, I told my friends that I could play soccer at 4:30 in the park. I was going to finish my homework and go.

 

 

 

Mom: Bhaiti (Daughter), girls are not supposed to go and play these rough and violent sports. That's for boys. Girls are supposed to stay inside and learn to cook. You will learn to make perfet chapatis.

 

 

Daughter: Mooommm!!! Come on. I promised my friends, that I could go. All my Indian friends are going too. It's going to be fun.

 

 

 

Mom: Indian friends? Does that mean, you have friends other than Indians? I don't want any of the American garbage going into your head. No, you are not going to go. Soccer! Isn't that the sport where a bunch of sweaty boys kick each other and fight for the ball. Do you call that a sport? You are not going to play that! Don't even think about it.

 

 

Daughter: But Mooommm!!! I promised. I have to go. I promise I will help you make chapatis tomorrow if you let me go today. Please, please can I go?

 

 

Mom: Ok, ok. Maybe I'll let you go this one time. But don't get into a habit of it. And anyway if you seriously want to play a sport, play cricket. Its fun and best of all, it's Indian! Stop playing these American and European sports.

 

 

Daughter: Ok,whatever. I am going to finish my homeowork now. Okay?

 

 

Mom: Okay. I am going to go make the chapatis. Go finish your homework. That grade on it better be an A.

 

 

Daughter: Bye, mom.

 

 

Mom: Bye, bhaiti.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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