New Delhi, Oct. 12 -- I was watching a video of a meditation studio in Manhattan when it struck me yet again. Twenty people, mostly American professionals, sitting cross-legged on expensive mats, were following breathing techniques that our grandparents and ancestors practised every morning. The instructor in the video was a 20-something American man from California, explaining pranayama with the earnestness of someone who had discovered fire. The irony wasn't lost on me. Here was this ancient Indian wisdom, repackaged and sold back to the world at premium prices, while India watched from the sidelines.

This actually captures a larger paradox. Walk through any global city today and you'll find yoga studios at every corner, turmeric latte...