Old vs New

I truly experienced mixed feelings today-there was a wistful tug of the old and at the same there was a pull of the new that just wouldn't be ignored for a second. Years (a little more that a decade) ago during Dusshera I used to go to watch a firecrackers display at a temple on the outskirts of Hyderabad. I distinctly remember the old temple with a huge 'ratham' shelter at the entrance. A sort of fair used to be held in the grounds around the temple. For as far as the horizon went I don't remember seeing any other construction. In these deserted barren fields we used to sit and enjoy the fire works. For a good half an hour the sky would turn red, green, pink, gold, silver and the sparkles would rain down on us. Once, I remember, we were a little late so we could see the display from a distance. It was a beautiful sight. Those were the days before the 'akash mela' type crackers were sold in shops during Deepawali. Besides, sitting right under the lit up sky in a barren field is a totally different feeling from watching it from the terrace in the midst of the concrete jungle.

Yesterday I went for a drive towards Gachibowli - financial district. I had been to this place a yr and a half ago and was totally mesmerized by it. The buildings were amazing then. I have never been able to put into words what I really feel when I see an imposing modern construction. The DB building in Berlin, the arch in Paris, La Tour Eiffel... So many wonderful constructions. I have a special love for constructions that are all glass, metal and wood. So, yesterday I saw the ICICI building and... hhhuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Isn't civil engineering freaking awesome???!!!

Coming back to the topic, on the way to the financial district I some how remembered that old temple and told my friends about it. Today I went for a drive to the same place with my family. On the way I asked my dad about that temple. He took me there... and it was right there... right next to the financial district!!! One moment I was ogling at the ICICI building and the next moment I was horrified to find the empty ground gone, the now shabby looking temple smothered between buildings with a road right next to it. For a while all I could think was "how could this be? It can't be the same temple... Its not right!"

Then it struck me... all our wonderful big strides towards progress, towards the beautiful wonderful future, are trampling over many such invaluable memories. True, we should move forward, but I have a strong suspicion that we are going about this the wrong way. There is some thing really wrong with how we look at modernization. There is a huge element of randomness/chaos in our plans for the tomorrow. How can it be right when everything old is ignored without a second thought and all thats new is the only right thing? How can we step into the future without the watchful presence of the past? The problem with our rich old heritage is that, for whatever reason that suited the people of the eras gone by, most of it doesn't have an explanation. It has been converted into a superstition you either believe or not. The sound reason behind was not passed on through the generations and this has prevented us from having the power to mold it to present practicality.

I hate traditions, I really do! Not many people can really explain to me WHY the hell we ought to follow them. My first reaction to anything someone says "we OUGHT to do" is "why?" I really want to know the science behind it but I know my tone suggests irritation, but I do want to understand it and try it to make it appropriate for the present. I don't want to leave our past behind. There is so much beauty in it. It runs too deep in our blood to be able to renounce it altogether. But isn't adapting our heritage to the present times the only way to walk into the future with the best of the past in our hearts?