<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Indian and Hindu culture is treated on par with "lost cultures" aka Inca/Mayan civilization, while Hindus have been living that culture hidden away in their homes, successfully leading double lives as though the culture did not exist.
This was IMO - the most successful covert, culture saving operation in the history of the world and successfully staved off the culture-erasing assault of Islam and Christianity, although Hinduism was not left untouched.
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Very well said. Please read "Essays - Literary Occasions" by VS Naipaul. In one of the essays (I dont recall the name), he traced back as to how Hindus survived as Hindus in caribbean. He relates how the ship that brought his ancestors to Caribbean was named 'Ganga', and quite a metaphore, ganga still remains with them in caribbean. He relates the struggle of 4 past generations before him to remain a true Hindu, and how his grandfather and father rejected 'progress' to preserve their ancestors culture, how his father who was the first journalist on the island, used his skills NOT to eliminate the culture of their ancestors, but to further develop it. He explains, how every Hindu home on island still has a temple, and Hindu male (or female) still treasures his/her Shikha. How mango and Ashok leaves are still sought after to perform the rites, and how dispite christianist aggression, Hindi and Bhojpuri are still the languages of the homes. He did also compare the change in culture of immigrant Hindus in Suriname which was a Duth colony and that in Trinidad which was a British colony. Trinidad Hindus, he explains, did change the ways of their ancestors, as compared to those in Suriname. Those in Suriname, are more closer to their origins, and a happier, more succesful, and wealthier lot.
I myself had the opportunity to come across so many Hindus of Indian descent from Suriname in The Netherlands a few years back - who despite having lost contact from India for generations, still have faithfully preserved the Hindu civilization in their homes, and lives. I met several gentlemen with a thick Shikha/choti on their heads, and tilak on foreheads. I met several of such talking and singing in Bhojpuri, and sending their children to a "Vishnu School" to learn Hindu culture. They perform all the sanskars as close to the tradition as possible.
I remember my grandfather who was a teacher in a missionary college. He would wear pants and jacket etc at college since such was the norm. But as soon as he came back home, he would change to dhoti. He only wore dhoti to go anywhere other than college. By several example of his own life, he taught us that traditions of our ancestors must be respected and upheld.
This was IMO - the most successful covert, culture saving operation in the history of the world and successfully staved off the culture-erasing assault of Islam and Christianity, although Hinduism was not left untouched.
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Very well said. Please read "Essays - Literary Occasions" by VS Naipaul. In one of the essays (I dont recall the name), he traced back as to how Hindus survived as Hindus in caribbean. He relates how the ship that brought his ancestors to Caribbean was named 'Ganga', and quite a metaphore, ganga still remains with them in caribbean. He relates the struggle of 4 past generations before him to remain a true Hindu, and how his grandfather and father rejected 'progress' to preserve their ancestors culture, how his father who was the first journalist on the island, used his skills NOT to eliminate the culture of their ancestors, but to further develop it. He explains, how every Hindu home on island still has a temple, and Hindu male (or female) still treasures his/her Shikha. How mango and Ashok leaves are still sought after to perform the rites, and how dispite christianist aggression, Hindi and Bhojpuri are still the languages of the homes. He did also compare the change in culture of immigrant Hindus in Suriname which was a Duth colony and that in Trinidad which was a British colony. Trinidad Hindus, he explains, did change the ways of their ancestors, as compared to those in Suriname. Those in Suriname, are more closer to their origins, and a happier, more succesful, and wealthier lot.
I myself had the opportunity to come across so many Hindus of Indian descent from Suriname in The Netherlands a few years back - who despite having lost contact from India for generations, still have faithfully preserved the Hindu civilization in their homes, and lives. I met several gentlemen with a thick Shikha/choti on their heads, and tilak on foreheads. I met several of such talking and singing in Bhojpuri, and sending their children to a "Vishnu School" to learn Hindu culture. They perform all the sanskars as close to the tradition as possible.
I remember my grandfather who was a teacher in a missionary college. He would wear pants and jacket etc at college since such was the norm. But as soon as he came back home, he would change to dhoti. He only wore dhoti to go anywhere other than college. By several example of his own life, he taught us that traditions of our ancestors must be respected and upheld.