Before focusing on the Indian culture, let us first
understand what is culture and what are the rising challenges faced by us in
enjoying and evolving global culture of Humanity. Socially, Culture is learned behavior of a group of people
that are considered the tradition of that people and are transmitted from
generation to generation.
Is this the only definition of culture?
No. It also has its
Psychological and Organic insights which are required to be understood well.
Psychologically, Culture is a collective programming of the
mind. The tools practiced by culture in order to program the mind include:
Symbols (words, proverbs, gestures, pictures or objects)
that carry a particular meaning in a particular culture. Symbols represent outermost
layer of a culture.
Heroes (persons, past or present, real or fictitious) who
possess characteristics that are highly prized in a culture. They serve as role
models for ideal behavior.
Rituals (ways of greetings, paying respect, ceremonies, etc.)
as collective activities in reaching desired objectives, considered as socially
essential.
Values are at the core of any culture. Symbols, heroes,
and rituals are the tangible or visual aspects of the practices of a culture.
The true cultural meaning of the practices is intangible. This is revealed only
when the practices are interpreted by the insiders. Values are
broad tendencies for preferences while dealing with different situations and
people in life. Values can be inferred from the way people act under different
circumstances.
Ways to ensure consistent and frequent practice by
masses cutting across all the layers of culture (Symbols, Heroes, Rituals and
Values) creates the integrated impact in programming the mind. Because repeated
actions create habits, habits influences character and common characteristics
of majority of people creates culture.
The integrated manifestation of cultural tools at different
levels of depth is summarised through a diagram here.
Is Culture just another socio psychological program made by
few elites utilizing the tools to be enforced upon masses?
No. Culture is macro mirror of how human masses are evolving
over a period of time across the community segments, Naturally, Organically.
Across cultures and countries, it has been observed that inorganic / artificial
/ centralized ways of changing culture proves to be short sighted and hence
unsustainable. It will be the Organic Culture that will be sustainable. Hence
it is vital that we understand the 5 key elements of Organic culture.
Organically, Culture means collective behavior that
·
Protects environment
·
Minimize degradation, erosion and pollution
·
Reinforces Universal unity with individual responsibility
·
Reinforces human productivity with optimum development and
utilization of human potential
·
Ensures continuity of the culture through decentralized and
self sustainable systems made to last
The global challenge is in facilitating organic evolution
of masses for humanity through effective application of cultural tools. Here is
where we can learn from the India which serves as Organic Culture Leader of the
world in past, present and future.
Let’s see few examples of how the Indian culture applies various
tools for organic evolution of the Indian community;
The Indian
culture to protect environment:
The Indian culture is well known for continuing its ancient
faith in environmental forces treating them as God. List of environmental
deities goes much beyond the five elements to cover rivers, mountains, trees,
animals & birds. This include teams of species across the food chain (rat, cobra,
peacock and eagle as one team AND bull, lion visualized to reside together as
part of one family). The list also includes fruits, flowers, leaves, grass and
even insects. This is because one core
values of the Indian culture is that every atom has life in it. This include
stones, sand, constructions and basically every matter. And hence all matters
require to be treated with respect and care.
With this background in mind, it is no wonder that this
culture has contributed significantly in making the India a nation with very
high bio diversity. Highest number of NGOs, volunteers and experts contributing
to environmental causes are the Indians.
Nurtured by the Indian culture, scientific inventors such
as Dr Jagdish Chandra Bose made number of pioneering discoveries in plant
physiology. He used his own invention, the crescograph, to measure plant response to
various stimuli, and thereby
scientifically proved parallelism between animal and plant tissues.
Although Bose filed for a patent for one of his inventions
due to peer pressure, his reluctance
to any form of patenting (same as in case of many inventors from the
Indian culture) was well known. To facilitate his research, he constructed
automatic recorders capable of registering extremely slight movements; these
instruments produced some striking results, such as Bose's demonstration of an
apparent power of feeling in plants, exemplified by the quivering of injured
plants. His books include Response in the Living and
Non-Living (1902) and The Nervous Mechanism of Plants (1926)
makes the reader Cultured in real sense as the reader starts being respectful
in dealing with all.
There are number of daily rituals and annual practices that
ensure participation by masses in respecting environment as the Indian. The practices include daily practices such as Earth
and Sun Prayer in Morning and annual practices such as nature based festivals
at the beginning and end of every season.
In summary, it is the Indian culture that has helped the
India retain environmental balance even after very high density of population
residing in limited geography.
The Indian
culture to Minimize degradation, erosion and pollution
Since ages, The Indian culture is sensitive and wise to
offer inspiration and guidelines to prevent and minimize degradation, erosion
and pollution happening around humans in various forms (natural, social &
individual). The Indian scriptures pay respect to Avatars such as Varaha Avatar
and Matsya Avatar saving world from environmental imbalances created by mis
deeds of human race.
To minimize natural degradation, the Indian rituals adore
many specific environmental protectors (specific trees such as Neem, Banyan,
coconut, Ficus religiosa – The Buddha tree and specific plants such as Basil)
ensuring their place in most of the Indian households and villages across the
country. The India was the first one to find use of cow’s dung and urine in
protecting environment from degradation at microbial level.
Most of the Indian farms carry out indigenous methods of regenerating
soil health through organic compost supported by the Indian rituals encouraging
live stock with most farmers. The Indian festivals include Innovative ways of
preserving local variety of seeds and live stock making India the country having highest
variety of food seeds and live stock species. The India is also a country having
very less use of agro-chemicals and hybrid seeds.
To minimize social degradation, the Indian culture has
gifted the community with highly developed model of community life. Series of
community based festivals reinforces the joy of togetherness and sense of
belonging among the Indians. The Indian culture is unique in its inclusiveness
celebrating multi religional festivals (Navaratri, New Year Eve and Holi) with
equal grandeur and massive participation by millions of Indians across
religious preferences. The Indian culture provides detailed guidelines with
modern flexibilities to nurture Indian Family system that respects individual
roles.
It is easy to see children carrying out moral
responsibility of parents in old age and men with chivalry towards women as
essential to be accepted in The Indian culture. This aspects of Indian culture
contributes in lowering erosion rate across various parameters of social
degradation including divorces, single people beyond age of 30, infertility, abortions,
senior citizens having to live away from family in old age homes, sexual
abuses, suicide and people suffering depression and psychological disorders
(most of which are rooted in sense of alienation).
To minimize individual degradation, Indian culture is
leading in innovating natural solutions based on physical, psychological and
spiritual sciences and practices. Ayurveda, Yoga, various methods of meditation
and alternative medicines including energy science and techniques based on
human thoughts and vibrations are just a few examples of the same.
To top it all, Indian culture gave the therapy of non
violence and fasting across centuries (preached and practiced by many
including Vedas, Buddha, Mahavira, Mahatma Gandhi and Anna Hazare) as a tool
for bringing social revolutions and self purification practiced by millions of Indians
even today. The Indian values of vegetarianism, self control, non accumulation
and fasting helped controlling health issues such as obesity to very low level
among Indians.
As a country, India has won hearts of all its invaders with
its tolerant and inclusive culture. It is the Indian cultural value of
Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (World is One family) that has ensured that it never
degraded or invaded any country across centuries setting new standards in world
peace and social rejuvenation. With very low carbon footprint, energy and water
consumption per person, Indian culture provides hope to the world for simpler and
natural ways of community living minimizing degradation of life resources.
The Indian
culture to reinforce Universal unity with individual responsibility
While many people know about Om, Swastika and Caste system
of India, it is very useful to learn about its origin, meaning and relevance in
today’s life for sustainable development of Human-Unity also known as Humanity.
Om symbolizes the spirit of Oneness. In simpler words, let
us remember OM as short form One Me.
In Ancient times, Viraat Swaroop of Lord Shri Krishna
demonstrated the oneness (with entire universe) giving cultural message for every
human being to realize the oneness within them with complete sense of responsibility
towards the universe.OM symbolizes the same. Doctrine of Advaita (there is none
other), Aham Brahmasmi (I am God), Soham (I am Thee) are all shades of the same
universal responsibility.
Religiously, newer religions originated in Indian Culture reinforced
the universal responsibility with appropriate improvisations to address
changing needs of humanity. Ahimsa of Buddhism and Paryushan of Jainism, Ek
Omkar of Sikhism, Religious fusion of Din –e- ilahi and Oneness with God celebrated
by Sufism are Spiritual milestones of
Indian culture.
Historically, India has been the biggest example of
unity in diversity (ethnicity, religion, social systems, languages and so on). India
is biggest democracy with parliamentary powers in hands of Lacs of people representatives
spread upto each village level. This makes India a clear example of
decentralized culture of the people,
by the people, for the people.
Simple rituals such as greeting gesture of Namaskara
symbolizes the fact that even though the palms of two hands appears to be
coming from opposite directions, the thumbs and the fingers matches each other once
they meet each other with openness. Similarly, even if the other person appears
to be different from distance, when we open the palm of our perspective fully
to understand the others perspective fully, then reciprocity establishes total
harmony, compatibility and consensus. As said first in Indian culture, after
all, we all are One.
The Indian
culture to reinforce human productivity with optimum development and
utilization of human potential
To optimize productivity,
Indian culture developed social innovations such as Ashram Dharma (Role changes
as per Stages of human life) dividing 100 years of individual life across four
different roles. First 25 years of age is culturally allocated for Brahmacharya
ashram (Time to study).Between 26 to 50 years of age, Grihastha ashram (time to
start, develop and manage a household).Between 51 to 75 years of age
Vanaprastha ashram (time with Nature and provide need based mentoring to
younger members). Between 76 to 100 years of age Sanyaastha Ashram (time to introspect,
detach and develop balanced perspective towards ups and downs of life). This
Ashram Dharma provides relevant guidelines on how to live life even in today’s
times.
Another social innovation called Varna tradition (function based
caste system and function based approach to professionalism) was developed in Indian
culture for optimizing human productivity and potential. The Varnas were
broadly divided into four functions namely Brahmans (Education and R&D), Kshatriyas
(Defense and politics), Vaishyas (Business and economics) and Kshudras (those
providing support services).
All four Varnas (functions) were given equal importance with
same dignity of labour. This system was designed and promoted as an
organizational structure in line with human anatomy. The scientists and
educationists were visualized as Head of the body. Defense personnel and
politicians were visualized as lungs and heart. Entrepreneurs and economists
were seen as abdomen (digestive, regeneration and excretory organs). Service
professionals were recognized as limbs (hands and legs) without whom the entire
body will be handicapped.
The caste system has always been based on profession and
Not by birth. The Indian culture offered complete individual freedom to choose
any profession of choice irrespective of their family profession. Family
profession was offered as natural first option considering its inherent
advantages in talent management for self, family and the profession itself as
described ahead.
Varna tradition offer following key contributions to Indian
culture viz;
·
Effective talent management (acquisition, development and
retention)
·
Professional excellence with optimum risk management and
high ethical standards
·
Advance adaptations and alignment with the Varna whose time
has come to rule the humanity
Now let me explain each of the above contributions in detail;
Effective talent management (acquisition,
development and retention):
The function based caste system is uniquely effective in talent
management over generations of families in similar profession. The system
ensures that the new generation gets functional exposure, aptitude development
and induction in the function at quite an early stage of life. This also serves
as practical reason for parents to provide due attention in grooming career of
the child with detailed attention to their education and strengths as the child
will be very likely to act as their professional successor at the age of 26.
This system also enables professional excellence to reach
new heights of achievements with every generation. This also serves as
practical way of ensuring that professionals are not wasting their highly
productive years of performance in trial and error or reinventing the wheel.
Instead, they are given decisive role to lead during their most productive age
group of 26 to 50. Need based guidance and timely mentoring of seasoned senior
professionals is also available in the same family. This also serves as
practical reason for respecting elders serving as business consultants and
professional mentors.
This arrangement of working with family and relatives in
same / similar business also helps in sustaining work life balance. This is
because it integrates professional and personal life as one. Wherein you are
able to be with your family and relatives for more hours in a day in spite of
putting long hours at work (with them). Better work life balance achieved
through this route has also helped in putting Indians among the top most
citizens in terms of longer and much odder hours of professional work without
similar rise in burn out ratio of Indian professionals. This in turn
contributes to the fact that such Indians are less likely to change their
family profession and more likely to retain their functional specialization as
part of social identity and cultural heritage. Indian culture grooms people to
Work Hard and Smart and simultaneously also Play Hard and Smart.
Professional excellence with optimum risk
management and high ethical standards:
The big risk of massive unemployment in India is addressed
by Varna system providing cultural career options in appropriate vocations to
most members of the Indian society.
Over and above the advantages of function based families, function
based communities also have unique advantages of functional sharing, learning,
timely pre warning, social psychological and practical support by the community
to the family and the professional individuals.
This professional networking and support system in the form
of social community is most effective in preventing and managing risks and
converting the risks into professional opportunity to learn and grow together. Indian
economy is robust enough to manage any economic crisis thanks to the vast yet
closely knit social network of individual entrepreneurs supported by their large
(joint) families and community who can empathies with the individuals more
accurately due to their relevant professional understanding and similar pain
areas.
To substantiate above fact, there are many examples of
global scientists, famous kings, artists, economists, businessmen and role
ambassadors in support services indicating professional excellence and innovation
milestones created by them based on centuries of research, development and social
support system across generations.
The system has also made Indian professionals more ethical
in business conduct with inherent pressure from family and social community
belonging to the same profession. Considering the collective risk of reputation
loss not only for self but also for family and community in same profession,
the long term risk of violating ethical requirements becomes much more costly
than the short term advantages offered by unethical short cuts.
Advance adaptations and alignment with the Varna
whose time has come to rule the humanity:
Certain professions in India (including celebrities,
artists, teachers, politicians, defense personnel, family owned businesses and
agriculture) are followed in the families across generations. There is steadily
rising trend of leading business management schools from all across the world studying
and teaching how to manage family owned businesses. This is happening because
of success and sustainability of Indian family business houses in fast changing
uncertain business environment.
The secret behind success of Indian professionals across
functions and across the globe resides is in their preparedness in advance and ability
to adapt to newer ways of being professionals with need based professional
support from the family and relatives.
Varna tradition (here taken as 4 different approaches to any
work or anyone) has helped Indians prepare towards changing their behavioral approach
in line with the corresponding values of particular Varna whose time has come.
Thousands of years ago, changing importance and influence of Varnas were predicted
in Indian culture. As many Indians followed the cultural predictions and
prepared their attitude accordingly, they were more prepared to grab more
opportunities, adapt and succeed in line with the changing times.
As per the predictions, globally, the Varnas have been
ruling the world of humans in same sequence of its mention in Indian culture. Indians
were among the nations which responded to each of these changes in much better
ways as compared to most other countries that were caught totally unaware at
the level of masses. To understand the same, let us observe the socio
professional world over last few centuries.
Toward the end of 19th century, Global Brahmans
(Education and R&D) Scientists and educationists played most influential
role causing series of path breaking discoveries, innovations and industrial
revolution. The core values of Brahman Varna are learning attitude, simple
living and scientific approach to life. India changed its gear by accepting
English as global language for its talent to produce numerous educationists and
scientists during this period.
In first half of 20th century, Kshatriyas
(military leaders and politicians) played decisive role. This was the time
wherein world wars on battle field and cold wars on political front influenced
human lives including professions and social challenges across the world. The
core values of Kshatriya Varna are courage, generosity, power and forgiveness.
Indians were among the first courageous nations that participated extensively
as peace keeping force during world wars. Like a hard core Kshatriya, India
showed generosity and forgiveness towards invading armies of neighboring
countries giving won over land back to them even after victory of Indian
military power.
In second half of 20th century Vaishyas
(Businessmen and economists) started ruling human culture through
liberalization, globalization and capitalism with growing materialism across
countries. The cold wars were replaced by hot waves of corporate wars. Nations
were made smaller by larger powers of MNCs. Individuals were made more
calculative and money minded in majority aspects of life. India scored as among
the biggest economies that opened its doors very fast for globalization with
high levels of transparency to consider all ethical businesses for inclusion in
economical development.
21st century has started with Kshudras (those
providing support services) playing decisive role in revolutionizing Service
sector. Kshudra Varna symbolizes the core values of service attitude
substantiated by openness to do any kind of labour as per requirements with
agility, mobility, adaptability and versatility. India’s performance in IT
sector across roles from inventor to programmer from maintenance to call centre
has been most remarkable across continents. This clearly indicates preparedness
of its masses (with family background from different Varnas) to adapt to
Kshudra approach to work very constructively, professionally and with total
commitment.
In short, with clear guidelines and values practiced over
generations, Indian culture facilitates optimum development and utilization of
human potential as per changing requirements of human life stages at micro
level with talent qualities required at macro level.
The Indian
culture to ensure continuity through decentralized and self sustainable systems
made to last
Key cultural concept
across different religions developed in India (Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Taoism & others) is that of Karma and re birth. Karma approach (as you sow,
so you reap) is the principle of causality where intent and actions of an individual influence the future of
that individual. Karma is closely associated with the idea of rebirth wherein karma in the present affects one's future in the current life, as
well as the nature and quality of future lives.
In other words, Karma
provides total empowerment and internal locus of control to individuals in
designing individual future through present intensions and deeds. This approach
is followed with deep rooted conviction in its high accuracy and timeliness of
results. The faith is also put on the hope that the results will be delivered
for sure at the most appropriate time and manner within or across lifetimes for optimum well being (Win
– Win) of the concerned stakeholders.
The idea of rebirth
significantly reduces escapism from present life (one main reason behind low
rates of suicides) and reduced intensity of worries related to ill health, old
age and death. At the same time, it significantly enhances individual
responsibility to have good intensions and perform good deeds for betterment of
own lives with highest levels of humility and respect for all.
Karma creates the bed rock of Indian culture wherein Indian
masses are governed by self analysis and course corrections in order to gain
and sustain inner alignment with goodness in thoughts, words and actions. The
Indian culture ensure continuity of the culture through such decentralized and
self sustainable systems made to last.
The commitment to continuously move ahead in life is the
final value of Indian culture. This can be observed in the form of symbols such
as Swastika in Hinduism, prayer wheel in Buddhism and Pradakshinas (circumambulation
of sacred places) in Hindu, Jain or Buddhist context. Common aspect of all
three symbols is the fact that all of them are guided to be moved in clockwise
direction only. Clock wise direction is indicative of going in line with the
universal plan for progress and further evolution for all. Once aligned with
WIN Win plan of the universe, the followers are designed to succeed. Anti clock
wise Swastika / Backward Swastika as used by Nazi party of Hitler indicated
attempt to reverse the evolution cycle of human evolution and hence was
designed for failure.
Values of Karma and symbol of Swastika both indicate that
life will shape up as per our intentions and deeds hence we need to make our
contribution in line with macro plans of inclusive progress for all.
What is Humanity?
From my perspective, Humanity is an integrated recipe of benevolence
containing compassion, humaneness, kindness,understanding, tolerance, gentleness, leniency, mercifulness, generosity, magnanimity, care and dignity.
What is Indian Culture?
The Indian culture is the biggest, most diversified
expression of living the Humanity.
If we want to learn more about how to practice humanity,
then we should meet more Indians who will demonstrate the oneness through their
compassionate behavior PROVIDED we can reciprocate to Namaskara of the Indian
with open palms to explore the magic of oneness of humanity.
Happy to be Indian Human!
Shilpa Savant offering Namaskara to you for your culture
and humanity
