India as the World sees her
If Statistics were to be believed, then one out of every six persons in the world is an Indian. Little wonder that this statistical fact coupled with the growing fear of over-population (and racial domination) should cause a wide variety of opinions about India throughout the world. Moreover, India with its glorious history and cultural heritage, vast land, and rising power and influence has always drawn eyes to itself. Aliens, individuals or nations, vary in their attitudes from open hatred or disgust to frank appreciation and friendliness, towards India. Yet, by and large, the Westerners, in particular, have no great love for India.
It is not merely over-population that is considered one of the banes of India. China, with its bigger population is being wooed by all big powers. It is, perhaps, the adventurous Indian who is despised. A spirit of adventure and a zeal for emigration are taboo for all non-Europeans. While China discourages emigration, India has no reservations about it. While our emigrants do not represent India and Indians at the best, it is commonly presumed that the whole of India and its people are like these people. Thus criticism is sharpest from these corners. U.K., U.S.A., Canada and Australia were the first to take up the cry; they were followed by African countries, and now the oil-rich Middle-East nations will follow suit.
Politics plays a vital role in moulding one’s attitude. India with its non-aligned policy, in itself admirable, has created enemies Uncle Sam has been spurned too often for the grand old man” not to remember. Without any other visible supporter India has to brave it out alone. The West is irritated at our near self-sufficiency. It would be happy and full of praise if we sought their food and wealth with begging bowls in our hands. It should not be surprising that certain Western nations were planning to cripple us. Nevertheless, western governments do not really show us what their people feel about us: for government policy is one matter, while public opinion, another. Thus, our Foreign Policy determines to a great extent the feelings of foreigners towards us. Russians seem to like us, and our films still more. But this may be that there are no Indian immigrants and few tourists, for any change of a clash of ideas to take place. Arabs are none too merciful about oil-prices for India, despite obvious overtures on our part. China sits coolly antagonistic ; Pakistan seethes with designs of another ‘Jihad’.
An evident and irreversible fact is that India is a rising power. Together with former U.S.S.R. and China, India will topple the Western Powers supremacy. And this is just the thing Westerners do not want. A strong Asia, with a Big Power in S.E. Asia, India (and the entire sub-continent) will frustrate Western interference in this strife-born region. It is clear, therefore, why India is disliked. Brown Orientals, not long ago servile, over-populated, ingenuous and sly, poor, yet persevering enough to stand on their feet—how can the ‘White’ master endure such insolence. Africa, none too white by comparison, despises Indians too. We are too brown to be white; too yellow to be black-and herein lies our tragedy, in the colour conscious world. Further, the third world nations see us becoming powerful without gladness—envy raises her head at each success of India.
India is a vast land, with different climates, people, languages and customs. Its problems are equally diverse. That we are disliked is also due to this reason, that we are not under-stood. Famines still stalk the land; tiger feed on new-horn babes; magicians and yogis still perform miracles; thick dark secret jungles cover the country and harbour vile thugs—fancy foreigners. Perhaps their text-books are outdated. It may be mentioned in this context that mass media is largely controlled by western nations. It should not cause surprise that wrong impressions are still being aired-without any offence to the accuracy of the BBC. We are poor and backward but at the same time India does have an infrastructure for economic growth. Contradictions do come in hundreds in India, but there is a basic unity in the apparent chaos. A country which can explode a nuclear device, can surely feed its people. India is in the coils of social and economic unrest: an ancient culture, suppressed and enslaved by Muslims and the British, set free to meet a modern world. This struggle is not appreciated by superficial spectators, those who understand India, love it and have faith in it. Taking caste, for instance, very few aliens understand it or view it in right perspective. Yet it is one of the keys to Indian society and its reform.
Our neighbours are none too friendly. Pakistan has always tried to oppose us, while China desires our total annihilation to make room for their seven hundred million odd. India’s successes in maintaining its integrity are viewed as aggression against our foes. No one has taken up the cause of the under-dog
Where some respect, and even awe, is found is when foreigners look at our history. With the exception, perhaps, of African countries, the entire. world is full of praise for our cultural heritage. Indian music, classical not film, is widely appreciated. Its nuances are not fully understood, but there is a conscious effort on their part to grasp them. Our philosophy, sculpture, architecture, painting, calligraphy and the minor arts are keenly lapped up. Until recently, Indian art treasures had a big market in the west. Ancient languages, especially literature, have been praised by scholars. Sanskrit literature has won the acclaim of the West, particularly German scholars.
Even the British were full of praise for our wild life and natural beauty. With such a variety of landscapes and climates, the lover of nature has no need of goading to come to India. Unlike the West, with what little it has to offer, India with its vast treasures, is a poor seller. If tourism were developed in India, foreigners would blush at their claims of superiority. A country like India merely needs to be woken up from its long sleep, to meet the modern challenge. For the non-intellectual Westerner eager for colour, light and merriment, our festivals are the best malt to offer. What needs to be done is great; meanwhile all sorts of things are said about India. It would be our greatness to overlook and where necessary provide safe-guards, for elephants walk on while dogs bark.
Opinions about India are as numerous and different as the hues and tints of the setting sun. The world swoons at our music. It wishes to ramble in the Himalayas. It laps up our art treasures. It hopes earnestly to go into a trance with a young. It wants to see the Taj. It wishes to travel with the little ‘Maharaja’ and see white tigers. It secretly fears our growing might and self-reliance. It objects to our growing nuclear. It intrigues, plots, chides, hates our institutions and our people. But it does not see India as it is. It views India through blue spectacles.
