India as catalyst of civilisation

[Guest guest]

India as catalyst of civilisation

By M.S.N. Menon

 

It was the exploration for spices that changed the power equation

between East and West, and gave rise to new empires. Not this alone.

It led to the discovery of new continents, the development of

ship-building and the navigational sciences. At the centre of it all

was India, the source of the spices.

 

But India was also the great catalyst of human civilisation. It began

with the Buddhist mission of Ashoka, the greatest emperor of history.

He sent his own son, Mahendra, on this civilisational mission. "Go

forth, O bikhus, everwhere for the good of the many, for the happiness

of the many...Move forth with dharma as your light," he told the

Buddhist monks. "There is no higher work than the welfare of the whole

world," according to him.

 

Ashoka entered into treaty arrangements with Antiochus of Syria,

Ptolemy of Egypt, Antigones of Macedonia, Mages of Cyrene and

Alexander of Epyrus for the propagation of Buddhism. His was not the

way of conquests. Buddhist missionaries were working in all these

regions two centuries before the birth of Jesus. Buddhism spread

throughout Asia and influenced the thoughts of Europe.

 

Peninsular India played a major role in propagating Buddhism in South

East Asia and South China. Buddhaghosha, Dharmapala, Amoghavarsha,

Buddhidharma-these were the great names associated with the first

Indian diaspora. The great temples of Angkor Vat and Borobudur,

inspired by Buddhism and Hinduism, are among the great wonders of the

world.

 

Simultaneously, the commerce of India spread to Rome and Greece, as

also to China. For 2000 years (1000 BC to 1000 AD) India was the

dominant economic power of the world.

 

The second wave of the Indian migration began with the colonial era.

It consisted of Indian workers. They went as far as West Indies and

Americas (Jamaica, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Surinam), South

Africa, East Africa, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Fiji. They became the

pioneers of these lands.

 

Fiji is a creation of Indian workers. For two centuries, they gave

their blood and sweat and tears to this land to make it what it is

today. C.F.Andrews, (a friend of Mahatma Gandhi), who did a report on

the Indian workers in Fiji, says that "their patience, fortitude and

simplicity won our continual regard." The University of South Pacific

is an Indian creation.

 

In the Americas, the Indians worked with former African slaves. In all

these places, they worked for both freedom and development. Which

explains how Dr Cheddi Jagan became the first Prime Minister of

Guyana. And Trinidad produced V.S.Naipaul, the celebrated recipient of

the Nobel award.

 

Mauritius is the best example of Indian enterprise. India is proud of

the Mauritians. Indians form only three per cent of the South African

population. But they enjoy a disproportionate influence in the

country, thanks to the goodwill created by the Mahatma. President of

the Inkatha Freedom Party, Dr. Buthalesi says: "Without the blood,

sweat, suffering and toil of Indians, South Africa would not be what

it is today."

 

In East Africa, Indians from Punjab and other places were brought for

the construction of the railways. Most of them took to trade and

industry after their contracts expired. They contributed much to the

political awakening of East Africa. In 1914 they set up the East

African Congress and in 1932 the Indian Chamber of Commerce and

Industry. It was an Indian who formed the first trade union.

 

The third diaspora consisted of the highly educated and skilled

Indians-doctors, teachers, engineers, IT specialists, etc. It began in

the sixties of the last century. It was at first called the "Brain

Drain". It almost drained India of its human talent. Today, they are

to be found in almost all advanced countries making a major

contribution in almost all important fields. They enjoy the highest

income among immigrants in the USA and also occupy key positions in

government and industry. The Silicon Valley is their creation. They

have contributed to America more than what America has contributed to

India, says former President Bill Clinton. A very high tribute.

 

The Indian presence in Britain is most conspicuous. There are five

Indians in the House of Lords, and about a dozen or so Indian

industrialists among the top ones. Today, Indian food is a must with most.

 

Last, but not the least, we have our workers in the Gulf-about three

million of them. Their remittances to India (about 22 billion dollars

per year from all the NRIs) constitute the biggest segment of the

foreign exchange receipts.

 

No wonder, India continues to stir the imagination of peoples. They

want it to play a major role in the affairs of the world.

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