Dehradun, July 4 -- The tendency among 'educated' people in India is to describe 'proper' behaviour according to a largely western template. This view overlooks the development of Indian civilisation in a manner that has made the best of both worlds - its ancient wisdom and modern technology, the latter largely obtained from the West. Unlike many other civilisations, it has not been overwhelmed or wiped out by the waves of invasions that have occurred over the millennia. Some may describe this as cliched thinking, but those who live close to the people and are not cut off in ivory towers of privilege, wealth or various kinds of power, get to see the depth of the civilisational impulse in the everyday behaviour of commoners.
This is why Ind...