I have just returned to Mumbai from my favourite hangout, Goa, where I attended the first international Indology conference. The theme of the conference was ‚ËœIndian culture, ancient wisdom in modern times‚.It was during the three-day conference that I became aware that I had been so busy with keeping Conscious Food going that despite delivering nutrition lectures myself, I had strayed far away from academics. The Kala Academy, overlooking the river Mandovi as it meets the ocean, was a perfect setting for the seminar on Indology. In such natural surroundings and among scholars, spending three-and-a-half days in an auditorium wasn‚t as claustrophobic as I had expected it to be. Yet perhaps the most beneficial fallout of the conference was that it reconnected me to the vast reservoir of knowledge that our scriptures offer. In the pursuit of daily living, one tends to forget that there is a deeper level at which one functions. Tuning in to that, makes a leap of consciousness possible.Of course eventually, only if we can use academic information practically in our daily lives is it of any real value. Therefore some of the lectures made me wonder what prompted the speakers to go into minute details of comparisons and interpretations that seem so irrelevant. But I guess each person steps to the tune of a different drummer. Attending the conference revived my urge to study Sanskrit. No, not just to be able to read insightful shlokas and sutras but to be able to understand for myself, the vast knowledge contained in the Vedas. The Bangalore-based Prof. Srinivasa Rao confirmed my intuition by stating in no uncertain terms that there are too many errors and inconsistencies in different translations of the Vedas, and warned of the dangers of following erroneous interpretations. It was exhilarating to meet such a genius, so self-effacing and simple.Although not a social scientist, I have always looked to our traditions for solutions and/ or guidelines for better living. To cite a simple example, when I had to decide where to site the kitchen in my home, I chose the south-east corner according to Vaastu principles. I had been very happy with my decision until I learned that in Kerala, kitchens are advised in the north-east. This is just one indication of the inconsistencies of Vedic interpretations. If only I could read Sanskrit myself, I would save myself much confusion.Architect Abhijit Sandhale says he is ashamed to admit that the longevity of present day structures is no more than 70 years. Especially when our heritage buildings and monuments have stood the test of time for centuries. This observation connected with one of my inner queries as to why our sense of aesthetics has deteriorated with time.Shraddhalu Ranade from the Aurobindo Ashram, Pondicherry gave one of the best presentations which gripped everyone‚s attention. He spoke of the richness of our culture where even in our greeting, in the form of a namaste, there is a wonderful symbolism of respecting the self in the other. Moreover…
