Not only at the Wembley Stadium, right from his stepping down from the plane on the morning of 12th November, there was always a large audience welcoming the Indian Prime Minister. Such a welcome has never happened before, not only for any Indian political leader but any one from any country except perhaps the Pope. Why? All over the world in previous 27 countries PM Modi visited, there has been unprecedented enthusiasm coupled with hope and confidence for future of India. There is an article written by me and published in the celebratory souvenir of the Wembley Stadium memorial titled “The Secret of Modi Mania”, which is available in this edition of Asian Voice.
The charisma of a leader is built over a long period through his thoughts, words and actions. Another important point to remember is that any individual whose idealism and modus operandi is crystallised in his youth, in his early twenties, remains connected to that philosophy. PM Modi is admired by millions and denounced by some. This happens to anyone of substance. You cannot have all in the praising mode. You love or loathe him. But Modi has remained anchored to his philosophy carved during his most formative years.
The words, if I may say so, historic and not normally uttered by a British Prime Minister for a guest have resonance of a budding and brilliant Indo-British partnership. It is not confined to economic sphere alone. Over the last four centuries, India contributed a lot for the development and defence of the United Kingdom. The total contribution of Indian armed forces in World War I was 2.1 million and it increased to 4.2 million in World War II. As many as 74,000 armed personnel from undivided India gave their lives and many more were injured in the defence of the far-flung island nation. The British India treasury lent £800 million (of those days) to the British exchequer to help the war effort. The sacrifice of Indians in human terms was the second largest to that of the UK, while the financial assistance was just second to the USA.
There are many millions of Britons who recollect and cherish this connection and now over 1.5 million Britons of Indian origin added by increasing number of children of mixed marriages are continuously building bridges between the UK and India. PM Modi's visit is just an excellent beginning at the most appropriate time. The leaders of the British government are very clear on the potential of Indo-British partnership. China is the world's second largest economic power but it is slowing down, while India is speeding up. The command economy of China has its own fault lines. The private sector in India as well as free press, rule of law, working democracy, unity amidst diversity are just some of the sterling qualities of India which Britain of all the countries is fully aware of and is correctly appreciative.
World's oldest democracy and the one which is justifiably called the world's largest democracy have begun a new phase of partnership. It is a win-win situation for both as well as others. Modi magic was there in Wembley Stadium and elsewhere and it is bound to permeate through all the layers of British society. Long may live this mutually beneficial compact.
Beeline to India... but why?
During the short Diwali break I read Anthropological Encounters by Mario Rutten, Professor of Comparative Anthropology and Sociology of Asia at the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences at the Amsterdam Institute for Social Science Research. In the 120-page book Professor Mario describes several anecdotes from his 30 years of interaction with India, Indonesia and several other countries. I have known Professor Mario for over two decades. He has been especially focusing his attention to a town called Boriavi near Anand for some 30-odd years. He has a unique bond with the people of that town. During Christmas 2011 I was taking a walk with Professor Mario, his wife Rienke and daughter Lisa (21). Mario would greet people going to farms or shops or at doorsteps, both men, women and children with their correct names in “Dutch Gujarati” – Hello Uncle..., Hello Kaka..., Hello bhai..., Kem Cho... Kyare Awaya... I must confess I have never experienced such a warm bonding between a visiting academic from Europe and the homegrown population, most of whom have never been abroad.
Lisa Rutten, now a full-time university student perhaps to follow in her father's footsteps, has in her own way described her father Mario Rutten in Amsterdam totally different from the one in Boriavi.
Professor Mario has written books and produced documentaries about people from Boriavi who have over the years migrated to the US, the UK and other European countries. It is an amazing contribution – to put it succinctly.
Dr Martin Wood is a researcher and lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of Bristol. He has been conducting research on Hinduism for the past 15 years and on Pujya Jalaram Bapa for the past few years. Recently he conducted his field research at Virpor and related places like Charakhadi and Rajkot. His visit was sponsored by a generous businessman and devotee of Jalaram Bapa, Mr Hitesh Bhagdai. Dr Martin Wood was accompanied by Dr Iros Vaja, Associate Professor and Head of English Department at Matushri Virbaima Mahila Arts College, Rajkot.
In the souvenir published by Shree Jalaram Mandir, Greenford, UK, to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the temple and 216th anniversary of Pujya Jalaram Bapa, there is a very informative article. Dr Wood describes Jalaram Bapa as a simple, loving, godly person devoted to the service of human beings without any distinction of caste or religion.
In the last 10 months I have had the privilege to attend some important events at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) of London University when they opened a special project for India studies. About six months ago, I visited Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies as well as world famous Balliol College in Oxford. In so many British educational and research organisations there is so much scholastic work going on exploring India and building bridges between the two countries. Indian languages like Sanskrit, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi are studiously pursued by students. I met an American student at Balliol who is about to finish his Ph.D in Vedantic Sanskrit for which he spent nearly two years in Varanasi. Similarly, there are substantial number of studies going on in various aspects of Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. Indian culture and tradition has its own attraction for hundreds of students in British University. I wonder why?
Recently I read a thought-provoking sentence by Honey & Co. on Thanksgiving – “Tradition have a way of sneaking into our lives. Resistance is futile.” Somehow at some stage one craves for the search of his roots and tradition. It is both welcoming and rewarding.
I have also noticed that most of the students pursuing their education or research into things Indian are of non-Indian background. To put it differently, why Indian boys and girls are not interested to dwell on their past? Learning Indian languages will not only help in better understanding and interpretation of our culture and tradition but also in this global world with sizeable Indians in most of the developed and developing countries engaging in trade and commerce, industry and professions, will stand to gain.
There is perhaps one simple and convenient explanation! The British Indian settlement has established substantially over the last four to five decades only. The pioneer's focus on how to live more comfortably and how to educate their children. Now, there is a substantial change in priorities and preferences in our future career. Maybe there is increasing number of budding scholars of Indian or mixed origin who will attempt to understand and interpret it and their ancestors.
Sabka Saath...
PM Narendra Modi made over 60,000 audience at Wembley Stadium so happy with his announcement of resumption of direct Ahmedabad-London flight. He received a rupturous and roaring welcome. Narendrabhai was especially generous to me. His two words “Mara Mitra” (my friend) as a prefix to my name was received with roaring approval from thousands of people in the audience. I feel very humbled. Genuinely the credit goes to so many who helped in various aspects of the campaign, to my esteemed readers of Asian Voice and Gujarat Samachar and especially to Manoj Ladwa in London and Bhupadbhai Parekh in Ahmedabad. Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas. Heartfelt thanks to PM Modi and so many others. I am grateful.
– CB
