Mark Twain once said, "India is the cradle of human civilization, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great-grandmother of tradition". I guess Mr. Twain might have forgotten these statistics:
- 1618 Languages
- 6400 Castes
- 29 Festivals
- 6 Ethnic Groups
Each and every state of India has its own, unique lifestyle and values. The magnificent heritage of our motherland compels me to make a paradox out of it - Is India a country of 28 states or a state of 28 countries?
India's royal history has proved to be an inspiration for the world. Her assorted geography draws millions of tourists every year and her divine literature has influenced many foreign experts. So much to the extent that if you go to a bookshop (in India), you will find that most of the Sanskrit books are authored by foreign scholars.
India's royal history has proved to be an inspiration for the world. Her assorted geography draws millions of tourists every year and her divine literature has influenced many foreign experts. So much to the extent that if you go to a bookshop (in India), you will find that most of the Sanskrit books are authored by foreign scholars.
Interestingly, other countries have mixed feelings for India. Some call it underdeveloped, while others consider it to be a hub for wisdom and knowledge. Take for example - Italy. Italians look at India as a mysterious and mystic sub-continent, where there is a lot of spirituality. They also feel that Indians are brilliant in mathematics. They believe that it is an equally poor country, where it may be dangerous to go because of inadequate health facilities, terrorism and surprisingly, snakes!
I've had my share of experiences, too. I had, once, asked the following question in Yahoo Answers - What is India's position in the world?
Somebody wrote 'To the south of China...' while someone else started 'I hate India' and all that stuff. But what really shocked me was this - 'the a**hole of the world'. I found it extremely derogatory and wanting to receive no more insulting replies, I simply deleted the question.
Indians crave for things made in Germany, made in Switzerland, made in Japan, etc. But they don't realize that India produces the things that are most essential for the mere existence of humanity. For instance, Humility - Made in India.... Respect for elders - Made in India.... Non-Violence - Made in India.... and Simple Living - also made in India....
Though all this don't give India a monetarily high status in the world, they have, undoubtedly, made India an ethically high society.
Though all this don't give India a monetarily high status in the world, they have, undoubtedly, made India an ethically high society.
If a survey would be conducted asking how big and how high is India, I would have surely replied that my country is as big as the knowledge it contains and as high as the wisdom it carries...!!!
जय हिंद.
