Indian Talent, Global Content
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Indian Talent, Global Content |
November 2008: What's in the breeze |
How Can Writing Benefit India?
“I say, the Indian economy is growing!” This was the high note of my conversation with a cabbie in downtown Kuala Lumpur, as we crept along in the rush-hour traffic. And it had me thinking: today India has so many associations. The land of IT experts, wellness and yoga, not to forget Bollywood. Today it is quite likely that a food lover in far off Netherlands cooks up an authentic, if a little mild, Mirchi ka Salan, thanks to a well written cookbook from a local bookstore or an informative website. Most likely this person is also health conscious and follows a yoga program. Perhaps she likes to keep a good home and regularly checks up on Indian fabrics to find something to liven up her drawing room, not to speak of her wardrobe, all supplemented no doubt, with information from books, periodicals or the internet. Writing in ancient India – Global significance Credit must be given to all those Indians who have taken their culture with them to foreign shores. But there is another element to this – the writers who have aided this process. They have helped spread the culture of a great and diverse nation to far flung corners, sometimes unknowingly. It is a process that started as far back as civilization itself. All over the world, prehistoric rock carvings not only tell us about the civilizations that created them, but they also reveal a need for early man to lend a kind of permanence to his expressions. This brings us to how writing has benefited India. Over the years, as language evolved, the need to preserve knowledge grew and Indian oral traditions were laid down in the form of texts. Ancient Indian texts are testimony to a civilization rich in languages and the pursuit of study in science and mathematics as well as the fine arts. Some of the earliest forms of documentation in India could be the inscriptions found on rocks and pillars. These describe the life and times of the Emperor Ashoka and his reign that leaned towards non-violence after he embraced Buddhism. Together with scriptures such as the Vedas and the Upanishads, these ancient texts of India continue to lend their significance to modern times. Globally, people are discovering that ancient Indian texts are not just about religion; but they also contain powerful messages on the business of living. This is especially true as more and more people turn towards spirituality. Reading a single couplet on conquering fear often helps alleviate confusion where long sessions of oral counseling may not have any effect. This is because writing is a medium that allows for silent reflection and interpretation which is necessary to grasp the essence of a text. Nature of Indian writing The one word used to describe India is ‘rich’ – not in the monetary sense though. And everyone will have a particular experience to corroborate it. My favorite is the Indian dawn. An Indian dawn is a magical experience – whether at Kanyakumari or in a cramped balcony surrounded by high rises, or even through a little window facing a brick wall. One can literally feel the problems of yesterday fading as a new day dawns, bringing in its sights, sounds and smells – a dew-laden breath carrying hints of incense or the aroma of ginger tea from the little roadside tea stall. All around, things come to life. It is this spirit that an Indian writer’s pen captures. The passion of an Indian afternoon, dusk, sea shore or noisy bazaar – for that matter, a noisy share bazaar, all are imbued with passion that the writer has lived. A well written article speaks for itself, and is a joy to read; but an Indian writer pulls the reader into what is defined as the ‘Indian experience’ by many. Since Indian writing in English is also of a very high quality, it helps reach out to a universal audience. Indian writing is representative of India: rich, vibrant, friendly and heartfelt. Writing in modern India – Economic potential Apart from attracting holidaymakers to its forests and beaches, India is fast becoming a favored destination for outsourcing work, with a vast talent pool culled from various areas of expertise. Apart from IT expertise and writing assignments, foreigners are also heading to India for medical reasons in what is termed as health or medical tourism. The internet has made information accessible and what would previously need a few physical trips to an information bureau, or phone calls, can be accomplished within a matter of few minutes. Writing can thus provide precise information that can prove helpful for those considering specialized treatments. But perhaps the greatest benefit that writing could provide India is in the economic upliftment of its rural populace. It is often said that India lives in its villages. Humble but utilitarian products of bamboo, jute, terracotta and coir have acquired designer status, thus helping the cottage industries immensely. Rural handicrafts from India have firmly created a separate identity for themselves, both within the country and abroad. Yet, not all enterprises in India are so well known. As is the case with any geographically diverse country, there are many regional differences in India. To give a small example, the Rhododendron squash – a drink made from the flower of the same name – is well known to those living around Garhwal, a mountainous region of India; but may be entirely unknown to someone living in Cochin, in the south. Writing can help bring these differences into focus and draw attention to the sheer diversity of the country. It can help unlock economic potential for those involved in the making specialized products. We can apply the same logic to other industries. Any talk of Indian fabrics and colors evoke bright, rich and glittering images. Benarasi and Kanjeevarams are well known all over the globe and are rightly, an Indian identity. Indian cotton cloth and jute products need no mention and can be found in almost all parts of the world. But how many people know of the elegantly quiet and yet sinuous drapes of the Assam silks? Or the earth splendors of the Naga weaving patterns reflected in shawls? Not many. A fifteen year old almond colored Assam silk sari bought on a short visit to Guwahati still catches the eye of your mom’s friends. The Naga shawl gifted by an uncle nearly 20 years back still spells the word ‘regal’ with animal motifs woven into an earthy tapestry of red, white and black. Writing can bring such masterly weaves to the forefront, across time zones and geographical boundaries, leading to demand for the product and employment to workers, often entire families. Writing: one last word The wonder of writing as a medium is that it forms the backbone of most communications. Speeches are written before they are delivered; the news on television is written in reports first and then broadcast – not to forget the referrals to websites for details. So then writing indeed bridges many worlds. What better than this medium to capture nuances of the land where contrasts merge and form a rich tapestry that is India. Incidentally, I did wonder about the talkative cabbie’s knowledge of India. Chillibreeze's disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author(s) and do not reflect the views of Chillibreeze as a company. Chillibreeze has a strict anti-plagiarism policy. Please contact us to report any copyright issues related to this article.
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