The Look West Saga....

Is it alright to hug your opposite sex friends and casually give a peck on the cheek when we meet them? What do our elders think of celebrating valentine's day? when did we start identifying Rachel as our friend? When did we start going out for 'Girls night outs'? How did we come to accept that even women can smoke or when they drink?

What I am trying to say is the presence of western culture in Indian society is undeniable. Over the decades it has slowly crept up into our once tightly nit web of traditions and beliefs. How did it come to this day when we suddenly realize the enormity of it? How did it start? Did it start when Mr.Nehru made 'Jana Gana Mana' our national anthem instead of 'Vande Mataram' to please his white skin counterparts?

There are I think two ways this could have happened. One is the necessity and eagerness to please our western counterparts by understanding their cultures and beliefs like our Mr. Nehru. The other is to simply try to follow them because it is considered high societal and modern. It may even be safe to say that our understanding of the word 'Modern' is synonym of 'western culture'.

What we believe as western ways of life were present in our society albeit in different forms or under different names or even in the dark. But the major change is our acceptance towards all those things.. One example of it is drinking in women. There are sections of our society in which both sexes have been consuming alcohol from generations when it was considered for our women folk a must to be teetotalers. Though the shorts and mini skirts or even the bikinis were present in the early decades, they were not as prevalent as they are today. Today western clothing is the normal attire. It has even come to the point where if you don't wear western clothing you are simply not modern enough. What were once considered taboo are totally acceptable today.

The key role for this change has to be given to the television. Don't we all like to watch Rachel of Friends rather than 'Tulsi of Kyonki...' Don't we all adore Hollywood actors and actresses forgetting our very own dream girls of Bollywood.

Ignoring all the needs, wantings and reasons for obsession to follow them I would like to analyze where this obsession would lead us, what would be the end effect on our Indian society. Is it really true that by trying to follow two different belief systems we are confused and strayed? Where does our moral compass lie in deciding good and bad?

What do you think? Do let me know.