00:00Why is Calcutta still called the cultural capital of India in spite of its financial downfall?
00:07The per capita income in Calcutta is just a fraction of what it is in Bangalore or Hyderabad or even
00:13in Delhi.
00:13There were three villages and then it became the London of the East and so much trading happened here.
00:19People from all parts of the world came, even the Chinese came because there was the promise of prosperity and
00:24there was education.
00:25And because there was education, not all traditional cultural education, modern scientific education and education in liberal humanities,
00:35it was because of that that you could have Ishwarchan Vidya Sagar and eventually Rabindranath Tagore.
00:42Why did so many great social and religious reformers arise from Bengal and Calcutta in particular?
00:50Something very fresh was brought by the British and Calcutta was one of their first major enclaves.
00:57Therefore, Bengal had its Bengal Renaissance.
01:04Why could we not have it on our own?
01:07Because the kind of tradition and cultural practices that say you are fine if you are just following rituals.
01:14You don't need to read, you need to follow.
01:17And even if you are to read, you will read the various kinds of Katha.
01:23You will not read philosophy, you will read stories.
01:26And stories are meant to deeply implant beliefs in your mind.
01:31We have the greatest, highest philosophy that brings you back to yourself.
01:36But that philosophy was willfully ignored.
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