On Temples, Gurus, and Holy Cows – Impressions of a Modernizing India

As a young person, I viewed India as an exotic country headed by Gandhi and Nehru, with a heroic fight for freedom, the largest democracy with a rich past and much poverty. Over the years, I have gained much respect for India and its people- some of my best collaborators and friends are Indians. Over the years, I watched admirably how, despite discrimination and obstacles, Indians climbed to top positions in science, business, and industry. India is becoming a rising global power- yet many of its problems prevail – so I was glad to be invited by Professor Sangeeta Bansal to speak at a conference at the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi. I decided to use this opportunity to enhance my knowledge of India and to augment my understanding of supply chain and economics there. 

Compared to my trip to Hyderabad around 2000, I realized India underwent a huge upgrade. It is a new country- with modern roads and buildings, a digital economy, a much faster pace, but it still maintains the complexity and charm of its past. In New Delhi, I encountered many beautiful and flower-rich squares leading to the parliament and president’s palace, the giant India Gate, and the vast park populated with numerous tourists and vendors around it. I took a Ricksha ride in Old Delhi, watching thousands of stores and stalls selling spices, medicinal herbs (one vendor commercial promoted his unique herbs, saying they help the Maharajas [Kings] satisfy their twelve wives), and wedding gowns for grooms and brides (wedding display status – Rihanna was paid $8 million to perform in the pre-wedding ceremony). I was captivated by the immense displays of fruits and vegetables, jewelry, and furniture. I encountered the diversity of India’s humanity – the fashion-conscious upper middle class, the smartly dressed merchants, and masses of low middle class and numerous poor people. Driving throughout Delhi is challenging- the driver must respond to trucks, cars, tuk-tuks, rickshaws, cows, dogs, and even monkeys. Amazingly, all co-exist somehow peacefully. 

Visiting India is like taking a program in comparative religion. I visited the Swaminarayan Akshardham, one of the biggest Hindu temples in the world, The Jama Masjid mosque, which can accommodate 25,000 people, and the beautiful Lotus Baháʼí Temple.  (Photos below).

I perceive that Judaism, Christianity, and Islam (the Abrahamic religions) believe in an absolute ruler, an all-knowing god that requires loyalty from people, delegates authority to angels, and communicates through prophets. The Hindu religion emphasizes the division of labor between gods (and people). There is a complex heavenly bureaucracy; each god has responsibilities and capabilities, and people select the gods they worship. The gurus, who introduce people to the gods and teach them, are considered special and revered. I respect both perspectives and seeing the differences in heaven’s structures between Western and different religions may affect how culture evolves on Earth (alternatively, differences in the structure of societies may lead to differences in the governance of heaven). 

India has been traumatized by conquerors and religious conflicts. For millennia, numerous dynasties ruled India, and Hindu religion and civilization flourished. From the 8th century on, Islamic conquerors made inroads into the northern Indian peninsula, and in the early 16^th century, the Islamic Mughal Empire conquered most of the Indian subcontinent. The Mughals were tough rulers, forced conversion, and destroyed and defaced Indian temples, in some cases replacing Indian temples with mosques. The Mughals built outstanding structures. For example, The Qutb Minar (Minaret) is 72.5 meters (239 ft) high, making it the tallest (72.5 meters) brick-built minaret in the world with five stories, the base story with a diameter of 14.3 meters to the top story to 2.7 meters. A Hindu temple (pictures of the remains are on the left) preceded the minaret and the mosque around it (seen to the right). Unfortunately, India’s history is plagued by the mutual destruction of temples and cruelty from both sides.

India was traumatized by the Mughals, and Hindus are proud that they were able to maintain much of their culture despite the repression. The British incursion started in the 18^th century, and Britain had complete control of India from 1858 to 1947. While British rule had its many faults, Indians I spoke with viewed it as the best of two evils. Some Indians I spoke with suggest that the Taj Mahal and other Islamic structures were saved from the cycle of mutual destruction by the British.

I had a great time traveling from New Delhi to Agra, where the Taj Mahal is located. I enjoyed the trip and learned a lot because I had an incredible guide, Gajendra, who is very creative with a camera and produced my videos here. Like the pyramids, the Taj Mahal (Palace) is a fascinating burial place. Both are attempts by the powerful to have their memories last forever. The Taj Palace is part of a big walled yard with a beautiful entry palace, garden, pool, and a mosque. A Mughal Emperor built the Taj Mahal to house the tomb of his beloved wife. It was commissioned in 1631, and the construction took 17 years. In the Mughal society, like in many societies, the Kings relied on heavy taxes of landlords and others and used much of the proceeds to finance public works (castles, walls) that glorified them and protected their properties, and employed and enslaved much of the population. The Taj Mahal is not the only outstanding mausoleum in India. The design of the Taj Mahal was influenced by Arab architecture and it is a significant improvement over another outstanding mausoleum, Humayun’s Tomb (see below, another creation of Gajendra), that I visited in New Delhi.

From Delhi, I went to the exotic city of Jaipur, which is part of the “Golden Triangle” of tourism, with Delhi and Agra. This city of 3.1 million residents was founded in 1727, and it is a well-planned city– “The city in pink”– with white streets and amazing palaces.  Some of the most beautiful structures are the result of ugly practices. The rulers’ wives were not allowed to go to public places, so the palaces had windows. One such palace is the Hawa Mahal (below), which has 953 windows. This enabled the women to view the street.

Jaipur has many other amazing palaces and a wonderful astrological center, the Jantar Mantar, built in the 18th century with 20 main instruments. They include huge sundials, which are accurate to the minute. There are devices designed to predict people’s fates in the present based on their exact time of birth.  Astrology was a major science that lost its influence because it lacked practical application and accurate prediction power. Yet, it relied on math (trigonometry) and sophisticated engineering. Astrology was also linked to religious beliefs and practices in ancient India. I think that religion and science were introduced as an attempt to explain the world and the way humans should operate within it. Modern science does not claim to explain everything but insists on verified empirical evidence. Since science admits that it cannot explain much, it leaves space for other approaches and holds multiple beliefs.

The rulers of Jaipur were first located in a palace called Amber Fort located in Amer, which I found fascinating.  Reaching the palace is a strenuous ride which I took on the back of an elephant. It has multiple walls for security and an entry yard below the palace where the elephant ride ended. Another inner yard with palaces included a hammam (a lavish Turkish bath). In these amazing mirror rooms, Maharaja met with his advisers and a spacious hall where the Maharaja met with citizens. A private yard with a garden was the Maharaja’s private residence, with 12 rooms (which looked like a motel) for his wives and a large dining and meeting hall. The back of the palace had a steep exit path where monkeys, cars, vendors, and tourists intermingled, reminding you that you are in India.

I enjoyed the first-rate conference in New Delhi and meeting with excellent economists and incredibly promising young students. These encounters inspired and influenced my thinking. It and the visit made me optimistic about India. The country underwent an immense transformation during the last 15 years. It’s easy to observe the improvement of transportation and power infrastructure. I noticed the outcome of an incredible digitization process that led to the greater inclusion of hundreds of millions in the formal economy and the establishment of a world-leading financial sector, enabling greater access to consumer credit and reducing the challenges of innovation and supply chain expansion. 

India has the fifth largest economy globally, growing faster than other leading countries. Agriculture still employs nearly half the population, and manufacturing is growing. India is the second largest producer of steel in the world. India is the world’s largest provider of generic medicines by volume, with a 20% share of global pharmaceutical exports. India is the third largest information technology and business process management company, contributing 7.4% of the GDP, a share that is likely to increase. Still, India’s income per person lags, and the growth challenge to improve individual welfare will continue. Agricultural productivity is low, and rural poverty is significant. However, I learned from Professor Ramesh Chand, who has policy influence, that India views its agriculture as a core of the bioeconomy. With improved productivity, it will produce “everything but minerals.” He expects to have a relatively small farm but to continue bringing industries to the rural sector, improve farmers’ human capital, and generate significant incomes off the farm. 

India is rising to become a superpower. It is challenged to improve its human capital, enhance opportunities for its population, and achieve equality among members of different religions and castes. India’s human diversity seems to be an asset, and upgrading the capacity of the disadvantaged is a source of vitality. Being a growing power, India needs to reach out and encourage building trust and cooperation with its neighbors like Pakistan while, at the same time, taking measures to protect against extremists. Paying less attention to past grievances and emphasizing opportunities for collaboration and growth is important for India and is a good prescription for other regions worldwide. 

My ten days in India were incredible. I’m glad I made new friends and expanded my horizons. I wish I could have had longer visits to this enchanting country earlier, and hopefully, I’ll have other opportunities.