Introspection

Once a few Indians were discussing with some friends from Western countries about the difference between the Indian culture vis-à-vis the Western culture. Indians were as usual boasting of their spiritual heritage to which the Westerners agreed. But they said, ‘We agree that spiritual principles are deeply rooted in the mind of even illiterate common man of India’. They have less greed. They are contented with small things and have no craze for hifi living. They are pious and God-fearing. These principles of detachment are not understood by even the highly educated people in Western countries.

However, they added, that even an illiterate common man from Western countries understands the importance of cleanliness. He knows disciplined behaviour and has a good civic sense of not throwing garbage anywhere in an indiscreet manner and not spitting anywhere he likes. This understanding is not found even among the moneyed and so-called educated people in India! Indians had to keep quiet.

There is a very interesting true story about this. One Australian lady had come to watch the Asian Games held in India in the year 1982. From there, she went to Kolkata to stay with some close acquaintances. One day she was invited to a function. The Indian audience asked her as to what she felt about Kolkata city, whether she liked it etc. She said she liked it. Still, they insisted that