Advocate Kishan Sanmukh:
India, one of the world’s oldest civilizations, boasts a rich tapestry of traditions, knowledge, and culture spanning thousands of years. From the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, Mahabharata, and Ramayana to systems like Yoga, Ayurveda, Vastu Shastra, Astronomy, and Mathematics, India earned the title of ‘Vishwaguru’—world teacher. Yet, as Advocate Kishan Sanmukh Das Bhawnani from Gondia, Maharashtra, warns, “Until we tell the youth about our thousands of years old tradition, knowledge, and culture, we will remain the same as the British have shown us.” Today’s youth, though technologically advanced, are often swayed by Western culture, disconnected from their roots due to colonial distortions.
British colonialism not only enslaved India politically but also imposed mental and cultural subjugation. Thomas Macaulay’s 1835 education policy aimed to create Indians “English in tastes, opinions, morals, and intellect,” dismantling traditional gurukuls and glorifying English over Indian languages and philosophy.
Indian achievements were belittled, and history was rewritten to favor invaders, fostering a sense of inferiority. This legacy lingers, with many youths viewing Indian traditions as backward, embracing Western fashion, food, and lifestyles instead.
India’s knowledge is vast and scientific. The Upanishads delved into the soul (Atman) and ultimate reality (Brahma), with concepts like Maya influencing modern quantum theories about reality’s nature.
Ayurveda, rooted in the Atharvaveda, emphasizes holistic health, balancing three doshas and using natural remedies like turmeric for its anti-inflammatory properties, now validated by modern science.
Sushruta, the father of surgery, described advanced procedures like rhinoplasty in the Sushruta Samhita, while Charaka’s Samhita detailed 360 bones and heart functions.
In mathematics, Aryabhata’s introduction of zero and decimal systems revolutionized calculations, while his Aryabhatiya proposed Earth’s rotation.
Baudhayana’s Sulba Sutras predated Pythagoras with geometric principles for altar construction.
Bhaskaracharya’s work on planetary motion and gravity, and Pingala’s binary system in Chanda Shastra, laid foundations for modern computing.
Yoga, uniting body, mind, and soul, is globally recognized for mental health benefits, with practices like meditation reducing stress, as studies confirm.
Indian culture’s strength lies in its diversity unified by harmony—Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb, Buddhist, Jain, Sikh, and Sant traditions coexist, enriched by family values and the guru-shishya bond. Art, music, and dance, like Bharatanatyam’s storytelling or Hindustani classical ragas, inspire life beyond entertainment. Teaching this fosters self-pride, countering Western cultural sway.
Disconnected from traditions, youth lose identity and self-esteem, adopting consumerism over values. Family structures weaken, and national consciousness fades, perpetuating mental slavery. For instance, many prefer fast food over Ayurvedic diets, unaware of millets’ nutritional benefits, praised by modern nutritionists.
Without understanding yoga’s depth, they equate it with gym workouts, missing its mental clarity benefits.
Reconnecting youth requires collective effort. Schools should integrate Vedic math and Ayurveda into curricula, as seen in initiatives like CBSE’s inclusion of Indian knowledge systems.
Families can share stories during festivals like Diwali, embedding cultural values. Media and digital platforms, like YouTube channels promoting Indian art, can amplify traditions.
Tradition and modernity must balance, not conflict. Integrating Ayurveda with allopathy, as in India’s integrative healthcare models, enhances treatment.<grok: YogiFi, an AI-powered yoga mat, blends tradition with technology, guiding users through asanas.
India’s future rests on its youth. Rooted in tradition, they will build a self-reliant nation; otherwise, they remain tethered to Western frameworks. Reforming education, promoting research, and raising cultural awareness are vital. Bhawnani’s call is a guide: only by embracing our heritage will India reclaim its Vishwaguru status, freeing youth from colonial shadows to forge a proud, independent identity.
(Compiled by Advocate Kishan Sanmukh Das Bhawnani, Tax Expert, Columnist, Litterateur, International Writer, Thinker, Poet, Sangeet Madhyama, CA (ATC), Gondia, Maharashtra. Contact: 9226229318.)
