Time for Modern traditions

Casteism is bad. Sati is bad. So many Gods is bad. So much wastage on rituals is bad. So many blind beliefs are bad.

And most people through generations watched silently as a dominant part of their mental makeup was ridiculed. Most realized the fallacy of Caste and Sati. They tried to reconcile with the castigators or ended up in changed paths.

And then things changed. Information revolution made people more aware and confident. Yes there are bad things that got absorbed over centuries. The same are identified and will be cleaned albeit over a long time. But what of the tremendous good in this culture? Who would forsake an entire garden because of few rotten fruits? And who are these modernists and rationalists whose contempt for all that is not understood in their culture is only because of its familiarity? Why do they readily accept or ignore more outlandish claims of other cultures?

If what was truth hundred years ago is proven to be a falsehood now, why is it not possible that what is believed to be falsehood now would be proven true hundred years hence? If science stands for all things that could be explored in the external, why it's counterpart cannot be a culture that encourages you to explore the internal?

Many such thoughts are at the root of the current environment of perceived polarization. It is not Hindu vs the rest, it is not science vs religion, it is not left vs right. No. It is a battle to define identities. What are the now vocal Indians willing to forego in the name of modernization / rationalization. That is the crux and that is a great thing. Let the rationalists use more than just a lack of empirical data to disprove long held beliefs that seem to deliver results but not follow a cause-effect model. Let them disprove the possibility of an inner journey towards an ultimate truth. That is the challenge we have thanks to this redefined identity of the modern traditionalist.

We must be grateful for the times we are living in. Let us not spoil it with petty personal attacks. Let us remain tolerant to all thoughts and all identities.

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