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I belong to the typical Indian bourgeoisie; hence I prefer to stay around them. My house is located between the two extremes of society the penury and the affluent. This sankranti when I looked out of the window to see the kites in the sky, I saw the penury side of the house which had had people on their roofs flying kites, shouting, howling and making merry, sounds of celebration filled the air, on the other hand the affluent side was quite with barely one man flying a kite, the sounds of silence reigned. I saw this phenomena every festive season, be it Diwali, Dusshera or any other festival. The penury did everything may be more than required to celebrate the festival, whereas the affluent did the least or nothing.
- I was perplexed at such phenomena, on one side there was money required to celebrate, however no celebrations, on the other side, little money and complete celebration. When I started pondering over this phenomenon, I thought that the answer to this phenomenon can be sought only from the history of India. While going back and forth on the cultural history of India, I struck upon a write up on wikipedia on the growth of literacy rate in India, by close analysis I found, the western style of our education systems has given leeway to our religious and cultural values.
The first census of Indian population was conducted by the British in 1881 during which the literacy rate in India was 3.2%, the second census was conducted in 1931 during which the literacy rate was found to be 7.2%. At the time of Independence a census was conducted which indicated the literacy rate as 12.2%. Present literacy rate in India stands at 66% out of which the highest literacy was recorded at 12.63% during 1991 – 2001 decadal censuses.
The present world average of literacy is 84% 18% more than current literacy rate of 66% in India. If an average of last 60 years since independence is taken the literary rate has grown at the rate of 1.2% per year. India will reach the world literacy rate by 2025.
Since the liberalization of 1991 India has grown in leaps and bounds, the economic condition of Indians has changed. 1% people cross poverty line every year, the penury is becoming the new bourgeoisie and the bourgeoisies is growing in affluence.
- It is startling to know that with the increase in literacy rate the religious values of Indians have been declining at the same rate. As the literacy rate of Indians is growing the religious beliefs are shattering, these values hold no sheen for the GenY. With growth of literacy rate came the financial prowess and along came the influence of western culture, history shows the India has been invaded not only by different conquerors but also by numbers cultures and Indians have adopted every culture very easily.
If Indians are considered to be one of the happiest people in the world, it is because of the ability of religion and culture to bind people together. The life in westerns countries is highly objective; socialization is only on necessity basis, low social contact leads to frustration, which makes people either suicidal or homicidal.
India, which is one of the oldest civilization know to mankind has survived since time immemorial on the teaching of the Vedas, Upanishads & Gita, today faces a threat from western style of education leading to a complete destruction of society. The education rendered in present times is of utmost necessity for any individual to survive in the competitive society; however the religions and spiritual education should be the part of our education systems.
To save India and Indians from falling prey to such downfall of religious and cultural values, Indians should follow religious and cultural values with complete zeal. Education and affluence should not result in decline of Religious and cultural values.
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