Hi Drew,
So I finally get to hear from you. It is so good that you are spending time doing community service. In fact, doing something for needy is thought to be one of the greatest things to do in all cultures. I myself did some community service in school by teaching at a school for the underprivileged. It was indeed a life changing experience, as you have put it.
I also see that you have read the poem and your interpretation is bang on target. However, I shall give you an elaborate explanation (line-by-line) about what sense it makes in an Indian context.
Rabindra Babu, as Tagore is lovingly called, wrote in Bangla and English. He was a scholarly man of his time and people looked up to him for guidance in Bengal. The poem is written in the pre-independence era (that is, during British Colonial Rule) and you are correct to point out that the poem places great hopes for the future of India. The word "Geet" means song in many Indian languages including Bangla (=Bengali) and Hindi (National language of India). "Geetanjali" means a tribute in songs. Originally written by Tagore in rhyming Bangla verses, it was later translated by him into English.
I will put the poetry lines in RED and the explanation in BLUE so that it is easy for you to understand.
Here is what I make of the poem:
Mind without Fear
Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
During the British Rule in India, the natives were treated in many derogatory ways. Signboards such as "Indians and Dogs are not allowed" were common in many places including Railroad carriages. Generation after generation, Indians had taken this discrimination to be their destiny and they continued to serve the British with lowered self-esteem as they thought they had no choice but to do so. Tagore, who was a revolutionist in more ways than one, and a father figure in India's Bengal Province, was hopeful that Indians will shun their racist rulers' rule and they shall instill in themselves self-pride and confidence of being the architects of their own future. Through the means of this poem, which was read by many in Colonial India, he hoped to enlighten a spark in them so that they would have the fighting spirit in themselves and with confidence in themselves, they would overthrow the British, to be the masters of their own land.
Where knowledge is free
It is a well known fact that in third world countries like ours, education is restricted to the few people who can afford it. During the colonial times, it was common practice by the British Government to deny admissions to the ethnic Indians. The British were busy in plundering Indian resources and wealth, and their last priority was social upliftment of Indians, education being one areas which they chose to conveniently ignore. Only few ethnic Indians belonging to the lower end of British aristocratic hierarchy could gain education, so that they could be kept as loyal servants to British interests. Large masses of people were deliberately kept uneducated by the British so that they could not rise against the British Colonial Rule. Girls were denied education (even today in rural India) as it was thought that educating them was a waste of money, as they would finally marry off and go away. The priests also restricted education to a chosen few from the upper classes of the caste system. The end result was that there were actually very few educated Indians, and illiteracy was rampant. Tagore wanted education for all. His line of thought was "India will be free only if Indians are educated". Hence the emphasis on "free knowledge".
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls
These lines are strictly in reference to the various forms of discrimination, which were common during the pre-independence era. The "Narrow domestic walls" are actually the divisions that the Indians made among themselves (Tagore considered India to be a home, and the narrow domestic walls to be divisions among its people). Tagore wanted that Indians should unite in the efforts to over-throw the British Rule in India, and unless they did so, they would never be able to achieve independence.
In pre-independence India, it was a common practice for people to discriminate among each other on the basis of caste. The caste-system is one of the biggest evils India faces till today in some parts where modern education is not popular and in remote rural areas, particularly among the tribal people. People from the higher castes (Brahmins=Priests, Kshatriyas=Warriors, Vaishyas=Traders) looked down upon the lower castes (Shudras=Untouchables). They would refuse the lower caste people basic human dignity and make their life miserable. Even among the higher castes, there was much hatred for each other, and inter-caste alliances were uncommon. Gandhi was an advocate of caste-equality and he named the Untouchables as "Harijans" (men of the Lord).
There was also much suspicion and mistrust between the Hindus and Muslims. Originally they were united but later "Divide and Rule" policies of some religious extremists and the British Government itself, made them hostile towards one another, thinking of each other as enemies and not friends. The political ends of the extremists and also the British were met when the Indian Subcontinent was divided into the predominantly Hindu India and predominantly Muslim Pakistan [which later was broken into Pakistan and Bangladesh due to unrest in the latter against Pakistani upper hand in political affairs. The Indian Government played a key role in the liberation of Bangladesh by comprehensively defeating Pakistan in a 1971 war on the request of the Bangla leaders.] Gandhi was against this division but when extremists run the show, moderate voices like his are often downcast.
Even in the households per se, there were discrimination between the men and women. Women were thought to be the weaker sex and were often on the receiving end of discrimination by men. They were refused a higher standard of life like men, and kept to serve men like servants. Many women were not allowed to see the light of the day as they were to wear veils all through their lives. Treatment was not sought for diseases for women. In fact female infants were killed after birth as they were thought to be a "burden" on the family resources as their marriage would require dowry to be taken to the in-laws house (common even today in rural areas and a reason for unfavorable sex ratios, in some places it is difficult to find a bride because female infanticide and feticide is common).
Tagore thought that a reformation of India to overcome all these divisions would be necessary to put up a united front to the British and force them to leave India. It is a separate matter that his voice was largely ignored when the extremists came to the centre stage of Indian politics and they were only concerned in gaining power among their own groups. For them it was least important if India remained united or got divided. A mass uprising during World War II ousted the British in 1947, although India could not longer remain united as each one wanted a share of their own after the British left.
Where words come out from the depth of truth
This line is with reference to the virtues of Truth. Tagore thought that a Nation can be prosperous if its foundations are laid on truth (as much as a building can stay intact if its foundations are laid on concrete, rather than on quicksand). He basically wanted that Indian leaders should have Truth as a central dogma while pursuing their goal of independence from the British. Only if the efforts are truly directed towards the ouster of the British, rather than having an upper hand over each other, India could achieve independence. Also, all efforts of the Indian masses should be to work selflessly towards the goal of independence (altruism) rather than expecting anything in return for their efforts to do so.
[It is an Indian belief that one who is true to oneself is true to the World. Gandhi, who is the Father of the Nation, was the prime advocate of Truth, and has written a book "My Experiments with Truth", in which he has outlines "Satyagraha"- a method of peaceful resentment to injustice. India is really fortunate to have had such virtuous men as leaders during her infancy as an independent nation. But for their concrete virtues, enshrined in our constitution, we would have been nowhere near what we are today. Thanks to such thorough gentlemen, who have raised a billion children to their current status in the World.]
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Indian talent and scientific achievement really suffered during the British Rule. The industries were shut down and farm produce was taken at throw-away prices to the UK. India's economy was in ruins and her people poor and illiterate. Poverty had induced stagnation. There was no motive for any achievement among the "tired Indian masses", who had been weakened by a 200 year old colonial grip. Destiny was a cruel joke for Indians. Tagore wanted to undo this spell which the British had caste over India and he wanted Indians develop scientific temper and work towards their betterment rather than taking everything lying down. He wanted each person to work for the betterment in their field. If everybody achieved something or the other, the Nation would cumulatively gain a lot. Slowly Indians would have the motive to outdo the best, and it is this passion, which would take India to a higher level in world order.
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
"Dead Habit" is in reference to all the discrimination, evil and stagnation that India was ridden with during the pre-independence era. Tagore wants to suggest that reason, which is ever clear, should be kept supreme when people act. It is not to be superseded by the evils which plague the society. If people act with righteousness and reason, there is no way they can not achieve what they aimed for. But deviations from reason, under evil influences, could end up in the targets remaining un-achieved. So reason must reign supreme in the minds of Indians when they plunge themselves into the gigantic task of Nation Building rather than evils which fragment the Nation.
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action---
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
In these lines, Tagore calls upon the almighty, as if somehow to guide the Indian mindset. He wants that somehow Indians should be put into action after waking up from their age-old Colonial slumber. They should widen their thinking from narrow thought and their actions should speak much louder for their words and thought. It is only then that India will be able to achieve the Supreme Goal of Independence and Freedom. Freedom will feel like heaven, Tagore opines.
I should hope that the poem is now clearer than ever for you. That said, I am now looking forward to having more questions from you based on the Indian culture and social setup. Your interest in India is really encouraging for me to answer questions for you.
Meanwhile, I (ppp2003_aseem@hotmail.com) have added you on Windows Live Messenger on the address given by you (hypebeastsk@hotmail.com). I look forward now to a real time conversation with you on Windows Live. India is 15 and a half hours ahead of Hawaii time, which means, if you talk to me some day at 7:00 pm (Hawaii time), then it would be 10:30 am (India Time) out here. This is a convenient time for me to chat with you. Please do let me know the day in advance and I will surely be there to talk to you.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon,
ASEEM.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Economic Growth vs Tradition
Hi Drew,
You asked me some culture related questions which are really valid questions and they display to me that you indeed have good amount of knowledge about India - a very good trait for a budding economist! I have tried to answer your questions below. Once again The questions you asked me are in RED and the answers to these questions are in BLUE.
Has the job market really exploded, I'd imagine especially in terms of jobs in programming, or the infamous call centers.
With a whole new sector opening up, it is bound to attract with a many new job opportunities. It is true that the jobs market has exploded. Many people who are not so well qualified are able to work and earn a decent salary from the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry.
When you call the call centers are "infamous" it is just an American perspective that you portray. Indian call centers are one of the most professional in the World. It is but natural for the American people to be Anti-outsourcing because it is your jobs which are being taken away. But here I ask a question. In India you will find many people who are college educated and hold expert degrees and they work in call centers. They not only are prepared to work at much lower salary than Americans but due to their academic credentials, they contribute to value-addition in the BPOs. Doesn't it then make sense for American companies to set up shop in India?
As I reason out, lack of competitiveness in American BPOs has caused their clients to shift to India. And from a businessman's viewpoint, Indian or American, any BPO which gives him better value for money is the one he would appoint for his company. Nothing so gravely wrong, I must say.
Indian programming companies today, especially Infosys, Satyam, Wipro and TCS are giving nightmares to giants like IBM. Again, the cheap and abundant work-force is really making it a cut-throat competition for the foreign firms. IBM recently launched its Indian arm, which is not employing more personnel (mostly Indian) than any other IBM concern worldwide because they are highly skilled and really cheap to employ.
Also are these jobs considered to be a goal for many, or are they merely lower rank jobs?
These jobs are in no way among the most coveted ones. You are correct to point out that these are infact the lower ranked jobs. They involve working at odd hours (American Day = Indian night), lack of recreation and family time, and also carry with them health issues due to odd working times.
More and more people who are unable to find other suitable jobs tend to work for BPOs. It is definitely not anybody's first choice to work in a BPO. Also an increasing trend is that the students from College and high school pass outs are opting to work for the BPOs as this is a source of pocket money for them.
My main question is, with all this growth in business, how are traditional Indian values holding up?
India is a really dynamic country and with the many influences (Islamic, British, Turk, Mongol, etc.) in the past, it has learnt to cope really fast with changes.
Since the times of Indus valley civilization, India has been a popular trade destination. The British Colonial Rule exploited India's trade potential to the maximum, which pushed our country into poverty. Wealth is not something new to India, we were the "Golden Bird" and the "Diamond of the British Crown" until we were looted and plundered. But now it is a resurgent India, which is working towards attaining all its lost might and wealth, not by war but by a peaceful rise – trying to achieve its rightful place in the World.
Rise in business is bringing out the best of Indian traditional values, rather than destroying them. I would site an example of how economic development has helped us to promote our culture in a bigger way. Recently, a grand Hindu temple was inaugurated in Delhi on the banks of River Yamuna. This temple is very large and its art work is very intricate. The marble works cost a good fortune. It takes one whole day to go around the temple. But how was this temple made in a third world country? The pious people of the Hindu faith contributed via donations to make this temple. Where did the people get so much money from? The burgeoning economy ensured that people have enough for themselves and enough to donate as well. The temple has a museum on Hindu mythology and the entry ticket is nominal. But you shall see, this is a way to generate money for maintenance of the temple, and thanks to increased tourism in India, it is a really viable source of income.
I would like to say, that increased wealth has helped us protect, preserve and promote our culture in a more effective way. In the 1990's when India was on the verge of an economic collapse, Indian disrespected their own culture and tried to ape the west. Then the India-story happened. India suddenly came into the limelight within a period of 10 years. This has instilled confidence and faith in Indians and made them proud of their culture, so much so, that racist and cultural attack against an Indian film actress in the UK's Big Brother television show evoked a mass uproar in India and there were calls to punish the British government by restricting trade with the UK. Later, British Prime Minister Tony Blair had to apologize to Indians in the British Parliament, only then did the issue die down.
Is the household still being maintained in the same way as it had been before? Are families beginning to be structured in a different way?
Traditional Indian families were agricultural joint families in which all blood relations lived in the same household. More and more Indians are now forced to split families and live in separate nuclear families as their job compulsions might force them to move to a different location. But there is no love lost. Indians are very emotional people and they find the earliest opportunity to go and meet their family. Summer and winter vacations (winter vacations are just like your Christmas and New Year vacations, you will find people from different faiths enjoying the Christmas spirit) in India are great times for the economy, because people travel great distances to unite with their families, add to that the shopping spree, it is boom time for the economy. Even otherwise, it is a common practice for Indians to live in their relatives' home than in a hotel if they are traveling to the same city as their relatives. All in all, the split household is still very much bonded with eachother.
I hope I have answered your questions satisfactorily. In case it is not so, you may ask for clarifications.
Take care,
Aseem.
(Just a piece of news i saw on CNBC right now: Indian exports to Walmart placed at $1 Billion a year.)
You asked me some culture related questions which are really valid questions and they display to me that you indeed have good amount of knowledge about India - a very good trait for a budding economist! I have tried to answer your questions below. Once again The questions you asked me are in RED and the answers to these questions are in BLUE.
Has the job market really exploded, I'd imagine especially in terms of jobs in programming, or the infamous call centers.
With a whole new sector opening up, it is bound to attract with a many new job opportunities. It is true that the jobs market has exploded. Many people who are not so well qualified are able to work and earn a decent salary from the BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) industry.
When you call the call centers are "infamous" it is just an American perspective that you portray. Indian call centers are one of the most professional in the World. It is but natural for the American people to be Anti-outsourcing because it is your jobs which are being taken away. But here I ask a question. In India you will find many people who are college educated and hold expert degrees and they work in call centers. They not only are prepared to work at much lower salary than Americans but due to their academic credentials, they contribute to value-addition in the BPOs. Doesn't it then make sense for American companies to set up shop in India?
As I reason out, lack of competitiveness in American BPOs has caused their clients to shift to India. And from a businessman's viewpoint, Indian or American, any BPO which gives him better value for money is the one he would appoint for his company. Nothing so gravely wrong, I must say.
Indian programming companies today, especially Infosys, Satyam, Wipro and TCS are giving nightmares to giants like IBM. Again, the cheap and abundant work-force is really making it a cut-throat competition for the foreign firms. IBM recently launched its Indian arm, which is not employing more personnel (mostly Indian) than any other IBM concern worldwide because they are highly skilled and really cheap to employ.
Also are these jobs considered to be a goal for many, or are they merely lower rank jobs?
These jobs are in no way among the most coveted ones. You are correct to point out that these are infact the lower ranked jobs. They involve working at odd hours (American Day = Indian night), lack of recreation and family time, and also carry with them health issues due to odd working times.
More and more people who are unable to find other suitable jobs tend to work for BPOs. It is definitely not anybody's first choice to work in a BPO. Also an increasing trend is that the students from College and high school pass outs are opting to work for the BPOs as this is a source of pocket money for them.
My main question is, with all this growth in business, how are traditional Indian values holding up?
India is a really dynamic country and with the many influences (Islamic, British, Turk, Mongol, etc.) in the past, it has learnt to cope really fast with changes.
Since the times of Indus valley civilization, India has been a popular trade destination. The British Colonial Rule exploited India's trade potential to the maximum, which pushed our country into poverty. Wealth is not something new to India, we were the "Golden Bird" and the "Diamond of the British Crown" until we were looted and plundered. But now it is a resurgent India, which is working towards attaining all its lost might and wealth, not by war but by a peaceful rise – trying to achieve its rightful place in the World.
Rise in business is bringing out the best of Indian traditional values, rather than destroying them. I would site an example of how economic development has helped us to promote our culture in a bigger way. Recently, a grand Hindu temple was inaugurated in Delhi on the banks of River Yamuna. This temple is very large and its art work is very intricate. The marble works cost a good fortune. It takes one whole day to go around the temple. But how was this temple made in a third world country? The pious people of the Hindu faith contributed via donations to make this temple. Where did the people get so much money from? The burgeoning economy ensured that people have enough for themselves and enough to donate as well. The temple has a museum on Hindu mythology and the entry ticket is nominal. But you shall see, this is a way to generate money for maintenance of the temple, and thanks to increased tourism in India, it is a really viable source of income.
I would like to say, that increased wealth has helped us protect, preserve and promote our culture in a more effective way. In the 1990's when India was on the verge of an economic collapse, Indian disrespected their own culture and tried to ape the west. Then the India-story happened. India suddenly came into the limelight within a period of 10 years. This has instilled confidence and faith in Indians and made them proud of their culture, so much so, that racist and cultural attack against an Indian film actress in the UK's Big Brother television show evoked a mass uproar in India and there were calls to punish the British government by restricting trade with the UK. Later, British Prime Minister Tony Blair had to apologize to Indians in the British Parliament, only then did the issue die down.
Is the household still being maintained in the same way as it had been before? Are families beginning to be structured in a different way?
Traditional Indian families were agricultural joint families in which all blood relations lived in the same household. More and more Indians are now forced to split families and live in separate nuclear families as their job compulsions might force them to move to a different location. But there is no love lost. Indians are very emotional people and they find the earliest opportunity to go and meet their family. Summer and winter vacations (winter vacations are just like your Christmas and New Year vacations, you will find people from different faiths enjoying the Christmas spirit) in India are great times for the economy, because people travel great distances to unite with their families, add to that the shopping spree, it is boom time for the economy. Even otherwise, it is a common practice for Indians to live in their relatives' home than in a hotel if they are traveling to the same city as their relatives. All in all, the split household is still very much bonded with eachother.
I hope I have answered your questions satisfactorily. In case it is not so, you may ask for clarifications.
Take care,
Aseem.
(Just a piece of news i saw on CNBC right now: Indian exports to Walmart placed at $1 Billion a year.)
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