Indian Civilization and culture is a short essay written by Mahatma Gandhi. The main theme of essay is comparison between Indian and Modern civilization and features of Indian Civilization.
Indian Civilization and Culture Class 12 Summary By Mahatma Gandhi
Summary of Indian Civilization and Culture by Mahatma Gandhi
The story of an essay begins with Mahatma Gandhi who say, I believe nobody in world can confront Indian Civilization and culture. For Example, civilization was created in Rome and Civilization was created in Greece but where are these civilization now, no one in the world knows about it.
They exist a long time ago, we know about it but now they are disappeared. As well as Egyptian civilization is also destroyed. And Japanese civilization has become modern and westernized.
On the contrary, Indian Civilization is still same like it was before. Gandhi Ji say Our India is immovable which means it hasn’t changed and it is its real glory and shine. The world accuses us that India’s people are so uncivilized that they can’t change their country civilization.
They say, you can’t make Indian modern or teach outside things as they accepts their own civilization and culture only. Although they see other civilization and culture but doesn’t change themselves with it. Gandhi Ji says this is the real beauty of India.
Gandhi Ji asks what is Civilization ? Civilization is way which take people towards its duty and make his habits better. The more we will follows our duties, the more our qualities and morality will improve. Gandhi Ji says we don’t need to learn from others as our civilization is great and we can learn from it.
Our mind is like a bird, bird always want to fly more and want to get as much as food as she can get. No matter how much food birds have they always want to get more. Our mind is like bird only. Humans always want more no matter how much they have. They want more money, they want more cars, food, home no matter how much they have it. These things our ancestors have noticed before and they teach us that we should not be attracted to materialistic things as it take us on wrong path.
We can’t achieve happiness on the basis of money or materialistic things. Happiness is mental thinking, it depends on your mind what makes you happy. When modernization comes in country, they build big cities, buildings and Highways but Gandhi Ji says its just a show off. Its a way to diverting our heart happiness into the wrong direction.
We should find our happiness in small villages where we belongs to and do not get attracted to big cities. Gandhi says it has always been believed in our culture that King’s sword doesn’t have as much as power as sword of ethics have. In simple words, Knowledge is power.
Gandhi Ji compared Indian civilization with western civilization says our Indian civilization ask us to bring for morality inside. And tells us to increase our Morality and do good deeds. Whereas western civilization teach immorality.
It tells us that we would never die and we can do anything for it. Indian civilization believes in God whereas western civilization doesn’t believe in any god. Believing in God give us courage from inside that we are not alone and god is always with us.
Gandhi Ji says I have no hate for western civilization, I’m not saying modern civilization is very bad, it is also good as it give us good thing like western literature. Gandhi Ji says biggest lesson I learned from Modern civilization is that we should be away from this civilization we can’t accept it as it is not good for our country. Modern civilization only suits its origin America and England not my country, India.
Gandhi Ji say so what is modern civilization ? Modern civilization is such civilization which teach us to worship materials. Instead of worshiping god, it teach us to worship money, materials and gold. As well as it make us worship greed within us.
Gandhi Ji says Indian Civilization and Modern civilization both have good and bad qualities. Both suits their origin places. Western civilization is not good for India and our Indian civilization won’t suit western. Western civilization important characteristic is that it always increase human needs. Whereas our Indian civilization tells us to leave a attachment of materialistic things.
We are happy in what we get. Gandhi Ji believe western civilization is very attractive, it attracts people. He has a fear it may attract Indian towards it. There are some changes in our Hindu Religion but its foundation never change.
Gandhiji says European civilization suited European people but it destroyed India. They lived in Indian for 200 years and try to change India but Indian don’t want to accept it so that is why it impacted India badly.
We can’t accept other civilization as we are stubborn and we need our civilization and culture only. Our civilization teach us “Plain living and High thinking”. Civilization give us strength to change and move forward in your progress. Real civilization gives us comfort and teach us to live in harmony.