THE IMPACT OF WEST OF INDIAN CULTURE
The Christian sea-powers in India
brought with them western civilization and culture in the country. It not only
introduced many new elements into the Indian cauldron but also disturbed the
existing disposition of various forces in Indian society like the last stone
which starts an avalanche; a process of change began but it has not yet ended
and its future no one could yet foresee.
In the closing years of the
eighteenth century channels of Indian culture were getting dry. The culture of
the country had become moribund, decadent and effete. The creative spirit had
disappeared in fine arts, literature, science, philosophy and religion. India
needed a violent shock and a rude challenge to remedy the state of affairs.
This was provided by the people of the Western countries and their culture.
It was in the closing years of the
eighteenth century that western civilization and culture challenged all old
values and beliefs of India Consequently old rites and rituals, customs and
tradition, crumbled. India was literally in the melting pot. When the edifice
of Indian culture was collapsing the western culture attempted to super –
impose its structure on Indian soil. It changed the vision and revolutionized
those who came into contact with it. Its immediate result was the
indiscriminate imitation and adoption of western mode of life and habits.
Fortunately this process was quickly arrested by the forces of the Indian
socio- religious reform movement of the 19th century which has been
already discussed in the chapter on Modern India.
(I)
Western
influence in education
