That would be curious if you are amid aliens but more if you are amid in your people, exploring them- who have been the victim of alienation for the ages.
Now days we are living in the world of modes of sharing, over- shadowing, moving life, delimited by the time for twenty four hours, and of modernity. We have different modes of sharing knowledge- that rigor come out of strenuous efforts of human civilization- to push back ignorance. Ignorance of wheel revolutionized every aspect of life, including way of thinking. Past imagination has become present’s reality. And we moved out of the thousands of ages of ignorance.
New world become synonymous for time saving transactions, of fast life, of presenting self one for highly advanced.
But in this race for advancement we are leaving behind a lot: our emotional power, our primitive- ness.
My last two days were spent around tribals and villages. It was new experience to talk to them by being part of them. This is first time, I really experienced the cultural diversity of India where all are conglomerate to a place for sharing and experiencing culture, and vibrancy that is surviving at ground level at our life.
The Soft Power:
India’s cultural diversity is unique in world still; we are in connection
through the common thread of fraternity, humane- ness, and emotional bond.In North from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanya – Kumari in south and in west from Gujrat to Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, in East, the vibrancy of living and cultural diversity echoing through the expressions. This is power of ours that won the heart of people around the world.
Whether it is folk dance of Jammu Kashmir or north eastern state each has power to deceive the human feeling and emotions. Whether it is BundelKhandi’s folk culture of Madhya Pradesh or religious hymn of temples, or marriage songs of locals, each shows various moods of culture and vibrancy inhibit in it.
The power of expressions:
Culture passes over the period of time , leaves imprint on human civilization, that for period of time, reflects through the various cultural expressions.
Each expression, anointed with the human feeling and sprits, have the meaning that directly or indirectly speaking to the masses in more poetic way. Some times becomes message to the masses.
Expressions in various modes, with power, sprit, enthusiasm, and élan, mould with power of presentation, speaks the story of each phase that we passage through.
Whether it is drum beat or rendered atmosphere with the various Taal of Tabla or it is soothing beats of Sitar that plays with the trembling beats of Phakhawaj or Drum or it is traditional folk music having their own saga to render the sprit with absolute diversity.
My own discourse:
I was amid tribal talking to them about their lives, their values, and their traditions. Thee was familiarity with them only to certain extent. And what is most familiar is unanimity between them and me. Instead of ours so called and conceit full representation of culture, that enriched with our modernity and ours advancement in the life.
I was precisely more humble to them so they were. Delicacy of mine intercourse with them was inchoate in sense that was of mine never being the part of such enriched diversity. Real and diverse India was there: Dancing on various rhythms of different regions.
Rajasthan’s snake dance spectle with various expressions of a snake through different part of body and face and with of heavy drum. Tribal like Gond and Bheel community of Madhya Pradesh region were dancing and nuance the culture of their home – Forest. Adorn with the Peacock feather on their head and with colorful dress, and same, was awesome, dancing around a man who was with small Begul.
Punjabis are known for their brevity and intense feeling for love –song. Haryana’s folk dance which was passionate with the feeling of bickering of male and female partners was beautifully portrait the place for human feelings in our culture.
And final course of journey was end up with bathe in pious Bhakti Sangeet. Surrounding was rendered with spirituality and diversity in confluence with the various slokas in praise of Lord Krishna beautifully intonate with the Hindustani classical music.
Krishna was painted in various moods as thief of Gopi’s clothes to in pure divine form by Shankaracharya’s praise for lord.
Culture versus Modernity:
We in days of modernity in which we tirelessly, self prophesying that we are modern is getting away very far from the culture that is serving at the ground. That is speaking the language of those of which we were and are part of. In this race for modernity where we are running twenty four hours- seven days, getting away from the primitive-ness, nature. Are we having time to think about it?
Are we having the space to allow them to be part of our life?
Or just leave them to get away in alienation so that one day they become show piece in our lavish bedroom! As an antique piece!
