"If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered over the greatest problems of life, and has found solutions of some of them which well deserve the attention even of those who have studied Plato and Kant, I should point to India. And if I were to ask myself from what literature we who have been nurtured almost exclusively on the thoughts of Greeks and Romans, and of the Semitic race, the Jewish, may draw the corrective which is most wanted in order to make our inner life more perfect, more comprehensive, more universal, in fact more truly human a life...again I should point to India."
--Max Muller
I wonder why not even an ounce of it was taught to me in school.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
7 comments:
I met two American writers yesterday. When asked what I was taught at history class in school, all I could think of was abstract words like Renaissance, Medival something, Boston tea party and Chola kings. Not even what was connected to it!
School helps us realize how much we ought to learn outside!
Buddy,,,
Its true..
But arent the kids too engrossed in Harry Potter today??... Even I like the Harry Potters and Da Vinci Code, but must say we ppl are brazen to the indian style of writing.. And in some space of time it shall die.
Poornima: You are poor at history. Like me :)
Manish: I love Harry Potter, just saw LOTR. They are lovely. The point is no-one cares for Chandragupta Maurya and Chanakya, who are as good.
oye......
very correct....the rich history of india is really very cheap.....meanwhile i got the chanakya series.....pretty amazing :).... man i miss the good old days of cacking for hrs in pika's room (211 hi tha na)
I wonder why not even an ounce of it was taught to me in school.
Do you wonder about this now that you have come across what Muller once said? Would you have felt the "need" to know Indian Philosophy if some non-Indian wouldn't have glorified it? Maybe, the answers lie within ourselves, and we could understand our education system in a better light.
BTW, I feel rather sad for you and others who have lost touch of Indian writers or screen/stage plays which tell the story of rich Indian history, because I am myself a huge fan of both and I know a huge group who fall in my category. The culture isn't dying, if at all, I believe it is only taking a more positive drection lately!
I wonder why not even an ounce of it was taught to me in school.
Would you have wondered the same if you haven't come across this appreciation of Indian Philosophy by a non-Indian? Did you ever felt the need of knowing what Indian philo says as such before?
The asnwers would come to you if you look inside yourself.. even about as complex issue as educational system in India or abroad..
Varun: O ! I miss "those" days. Miss 'em like hell.
And yes, it was 211.
Anu: Ever-ready to fight, are we ? It was just a quote honey, nothing more.
We can discuss the rise and fall of Indian philosophy and my knowledge and appreciation of it at a more opportune place/time :)
Post a Comment