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"There is nothing past for which one may yearn, there is only an eternal newness which is shaped by the wider elements of the past and true nostalgia has always to be productive to create a new excellence. " J. W. von Goethe Every culture expresses unique feature of its own that constitutes its dominant configuration and differentiates it from other civilizations and cultures. Indian civilization is distinguished from other civilizations of the world in respect of its continuity (sanatanata), heterogeneity and its assimilating ethos along with its divinity-oriented integral character.
Unique phase of the socio-cultural transformation and assimilation in Indian society and thought during the so-called period of modernity generated either from the endogenous sources or through the contacts with the external factors.
Becoming increasingly conscious and to act in the light of that consciousness or awareness, make person or a society modern. 1 The concept of modernity has got many implications. Besides analyzing those implications in this article we will also discuss whether that overwhelming storm of modernism has affected the essence or spirit of Indian culture as such or not or up to what extent.
More over it is to be taken into account as how the modes of assimilation, appropriation and integration were functional within the contemporary Indian culture in the tensed situated ness of the traditional Indian culture vis-i?? -vis modernism.
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The word 'modern' generally signifies pertaining to the present time; contemporary; at least not antiquated or obsolete; characteristic of contemporary styles of art, literature and music that rejects traditionally accepted or sanctioned forms and emphasizes exercise of the individual experimentation or sensibility.
2 A 'modern person' is one whose views and tastes are considered such.
The word arrives into Modern English language by way of the Latin adverb modo, which means only, merely, lately (of the time), just now. The word modernus is created from the original ablative singular of modus (mode) added to -ernus, the adjectival suffix of time. Elaboration on the etymology is crucial because of the element of time involved with seeing how the term 'modern' is used because it is time that propels movement and, therefore, evolution.
In literary context modernism is the character, tendencies, or values with adherence or sympathy to the modern while maintaining estrangement or divergence from the past in arts and literature occurring especially in the course of the twentieth century and taking form in any of the various innovative movements and styles. 3 Modernism activates a rationalistic critique of what has been traditionally followed feudal superstructure in the form of political, religious and moral systems and its conceptual framework.
Besides the historical and chronological connotation of the term 'modern' there is above all, the sense it bears now as 'something valuable and worthwhile, not just the latest and the imported, that it is a process rather than a static condition of human living itself. ' 4 True modernity is an active involvement of an individual and a society in its time and its characteristic features and a positive acknowledgement by them of the same. This does not imply a blind and uncritical support and imitation of something alien or extraneous.
Such an attitude consists in one's being aware of the difference of the present time and its rationally-founded convictions in contrast with the preceding or traditional or sometimes even dogmatic ones. It is the consciousness of a different sensibility and of a fresh perception of environment. It does not need to oppose unreasonably the perennial values and paradigms of aesthetics, morality and rationally-founded sciences. Modernity may be understood to be an acute sense of originality of a particular culture in a specific phase of space, time and environment.
This contemporary originality may be meaningful in its relationship to the originality of past cultures, traditions and symbolism which is to be appropriately assimilated and regenerated in its present form. Modernity understood this way can not be compared with amnesia, because something cannot be measured as different, original, and innovative to that which is forgotten. "Modernization as a form of cultural response, involves attributes which are basically universalistic and evolutionary; they are pan-humanistic, trans-ethnic and non-ideological.
It symbolizes a rational attitude towards issues, and their evaluation from a universalistic and not particularistic view point. "5 Modernization in India begins mainly with the western contact and influence, especially after the initiation of the establishment and expansion of the British rule in India. Significantly, the Western or the British tradition at that particular temporal phase had itself gone fundamental transformation through the Industrial Revolution and several other rational reformations.
It is only after the Company's rule that many modern cultural institutions and the forms of social structures were introduced in India. In its early manifestations, an insatiable urge for independence or awakening of anti-colonial consciousness were not instruments of mere politics but they were dynamic and constituent elements in the formation of new ideology and cultural modernization presupposing a national identity of integral nature. The first expression of this vibrant consciousness appeared in the form of social and religious reform movements.
There were at least two phases of the impact of modernism that emerged amongst Indian people of that era: one led to an attempt at reconstructing Indian society on the basis of Western ideas inspired by the Enlightenment and Liberalism, and another that wanted the reconstruction to take place on the basis of reformulation and reinterpretation of ancient Indian scriptures and traditions. The modern period in Indian history begins, as J L Mehta remarks, with Rammohun Roy (1772-1833) in the first half of the nineteenth century with our 'unwilled' involvement in the events of French and English political history.
The beginnings of this social revolt can be easily identified in Roy's thought who vividly criticized the degraded state of Indian society and prevalent evil cults and practices. Meanwhile he also acknowledged the virtues of Western modes and patterns of learning along with concepts of social and liberal legal-institutions. He aimed at cleansing Hindu culture and society of its weakness and dogmatism. To realize these objectives he founded the Brahmo Samaj in 1828 at Calcutta. Main thrust behind it was to transform Hinduism in the mould of modernity.
The assumption was that Hindu society could only be healed of its social evils if it adopted the rational rejection of ancient religious cults of polytheism and idolatry. The Brahmo Samaj intended to restructure Hindu culture in terms of modernity. Roy campaigned for the removal of sati-pratha until Governor-General Lord William Bentinck enacted it in 1829. His revolt against the living Hindu society and his appeal to Hindus to purify their religion and reform their social institutions was the most positive impact of modernization.
Undoubtedly, Roy helped the people and the society a lot and has had secured a place in the history for himself. But his reform-work and the formation of the modifies new society could not affect the great tradition of the Hindu culture as such and without bringing a lasting and comprehensive change to its intrinsic perennial nature (Sanatana svarupa) could leave a partial and temporal impact only. Nevertheless, the extrinsic blemish on the religious and social faces of great Indian culture could get washed out.
As it appears to me, the words 'modernization' and 'Westernization' are not to be equated as one could be modern without being western. The exclusive Westernization of India has not been the modernization of the latter. Even W. C. Smith was not ready to acknowledge the presence of the state of perfect modernity in the West. To be modern means, according to Smith, moving in the direction of an increase in our awareness, so that possibilities open up, alternatives of choice emerge, where formerly we lived within a relatively closed horizon.
The knowledge of what is possible-an ever widening knowledge of ever new possibilities-and technique of implementing the same constitute the modernity. 6 Thus, in original sense of the word, modernity does not treat any traditional, religious or regional factors of conditionality as indispensable obstruction raised on the way towards open and rational thinking. Let us explore whether there were several welcoming notes from the Indian side as regards this modernizing tendency or that-it was all unwilling full.
Governor-General lord William Bentinck. (2020, Jun 02). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/governor-general-lord-william-bentinck-essay
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