100 years ago, no Indian really drank Chai/tea !

100 years ago, no Indian really drank Chai/tea (it was marketed by traders only when there was surplus production. Otherwise they were produced for export outside). Must be, because in none of the mythologies, we have mention of tea or coffee! We don't offer this to our GODs and GODDESSES. So must be true.

500 years ago, no Indian ate chillies (it came with the Portuguese from South America, when they ruled India). Funny; this has to be an insult. How can this be true? Chillies came from a different country, other than India? And tea as well? No ways!

1000 years ago, most regional languages and their current scripts did not exist (even Tamil spoken was an old Tamil/Dravidam/Sanskrit). Kind of believe this. Because language (Oriya) we speak at home, didn’t exist a century ago.

1500 hundred years ago, most of the vast temple complexes made of carved stone did not exist (caves temples did, free-standing Gopurams did not).

2000 years ago, stone images of Buddha did not exist (the Indo-Greek immigrants inspired sculptures for cultural heroes). How old is Konark temple then? What about sculptures at Khojuraho and other places? And more over person who build Konark was not a Indo-Greek immigrant! I can’t be confident, how do I know? 2000 years ago? Please forgive me.

2500 years ago, Ramayan and Mahabharata (Hindu Mythologies) did not exist in written form (they were transmitted orally). Now this is too much; 2500 years ago? I wish I was born in that era. I really wanted to. Why? No brainer! I would have been in the pages of history by now! For all the good reasons, for sure.

But the one thing that has been consistent in India, even 3000 years ago, is the belief that nothing lasts for ever. Hence after the yagna, the yagna-shala was set aflame and clay images of deities thrown in water. From this belief in impermanence came ideas such as karma and maya, which are the distinguishing features of Indic philosophy, impacting Hindu, Buddhist and Jain thought.

I don't have enough knowlege but if I go by what I know there is mention of Karma, in all the holy books. But I honestly felt the usage of Karma an instrument to live a peaceful life, lost long time ago. Now; another religion has taken over the goodness of Karma, and that is the religion of selfishness and greed for material gain more than essential. Recent globalization is to blame for to some extent; which introduced many options in front of us; to confuse us; as to what exactly should be priority in our life. Goodness of Karma was lost somewhere long time ago, fighting for its identity against huge success of selfishness in current time.

If I believe the cycle of Karma or cycle of life – good and bad take their turn and follow each other. I sincerely hope we all get back to a new age of karmic life, a peaceful and harmonious life ahead, someday, soon, in OUR life time….prevailed all over as before centuries ago. That will be good!