Sadhguru on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Kashi Corridor | Sadhguru

Summary

The speaker reflects on the historical and cultural significance of Kashi (Varanasi), highlighting its transformation into a modern smart city while preserving its ancient heritage. Emphasizing Kashi's legacy as a place of knowledge and spiritual growth, the speaker discusses its importance over millennia and its unique distinction from other ancient civilizations. The narrative explores Kashi's enduring appeal and its recent development under the Prime Minister's initiative, making it a cleaner and more accessible city without losing its historical essence.

Takeaways

• 😀 Kashi is described as a 'Tower of Light', symbolizing clarity and knowledge rather than faith.
• 🏙️ Kashi (Varanasi) is a city with a rich history, possibly dating back over 10,000 years, and is considered a place of learning and maturity.
• 🌟 The speaker emphasizes the importance of Kashi as a place that will be remembered forever, highlighting its significance in cultural and historical context.
• 🏛️ The speaker discusses the challenge of modernizing Kashi while preserving its ancient structures, aiming to convert it into a 'smart city'.
• 🌳 The script mentions the similarities between shepherds in Kashi and those in Madhya Pradesh, suggesting a deep historical and cultural connection.
• 🌐 The speaker compares Kashi to other ancient civilizations, such as the Chinese along the Yangtze River and the Egyptian along the Nile, emphasizing the unique achievements of the Indian civilization.
• 🏗️ The transformation of Kashi into a modern city while respecting its historical significance is seen as a great blessing and a testament to human ingenuity.
• 🐐 The speaker recounts personal experiences with shepherds in India and their remarkable ability to travel and adapt, drawing parallels with historical trade routes and cultural exchanges.
• 🐘 Historical references to Indian workers and elephants in the construction of the Balbec Temple in Lebanon highlight the global influence and contributions of Indian civilization.
• 📚 The script emphasizes the value of seeking knowledge and understanding over blind faith, which is seen as a fundamental aspect of Indian culture and philosophy.

Q & A

What is the significance of Kashi according to the speaker?

Kashi is described as a 'Tower of Light,' symbolizing clarity and knowledge. It is not merely a place of faith but a place where people went in search of enlightenment and learning. The speaker emphasizes that Kashi is a place that will be remembered forever and is a great blessing.

How old is the city of Varanasi according to the speaker?

The speaker mentions that Varanasi is not just a 1,000-year-old city but is much older, possibly around 10,000 years old. The visible structures are about 1,000 years old, and efforts are being made to convert the city into a smart city while preserving its ancient structures.

What is the speaker's view on the concept of 'smart cities'?

The speaker suggests that being able to build a city or a structure that lasts for a thousand years is a sign of intelligence. He questions the idea of making a city 'smart' by merely using technology, emphasizing that true intelligence lies in sustainability, ecology, and the ability to preserve historical significance.

What is the speaker's perspective on faith and knowledge?

The speaker differentiates between faith and knowledge, stating that faith is a Middle Eastern concept that has spread globally, whereas the Indian civilization has always valued knowing over believing. He emphasizes that India is a land of seekers, not believers, and that the pursuit of knowledge is the fundamental difference between Indian culture and others.

What is the significance of the 'Faith Corridor' mentioned in the script?

The 'Faith Corridor' is a project undertaken by the Honorable Prime Minister. The speaker mentions that there was a risk involved in its construction due to the potential for damaging historical sites, but the project was completed without any destruction, highlighting the importance of preserving heritage.

How does the speaker describe the transformation of Kashi?

The speaker initially visited Kashi 12 years ago and found it to be both fabulous and filthy. He appreciates the significant improvements made since then, noting that the filth has been largely removed, making Kashi just fabulous.

What is the historical connection between India and the Middle East mentioned in the script?

The speaker talks about the ancient trade routes between India and West Asia, mentioning that cities like Aleppo were built based on the taxes levied on Indian traders. He also mentions the genetic and cultural connections, such as the similarities between shepherds in India and Syria.

What is the speaker's view on the role of technology in modernizing ancient cities?

The speaker is skeptical about the use of technology in modernizing ancient cities like Kashi. He believes that the focus should be on preserving the historical and cultural significance of these places, rather than merely applying modern technology.

What is the meaning of the word 'Kashi' according to the speaker?

The word 'Kashi' literally means 'Tower of Light.' The speaker emphasizes that light represents clarity and knowing, not faith. Kashi was a place where people went to seek knowledge and enlightenment.

How does the speaker describe the cultural and intellectual richness of Kashi?

The speaker describes Kashi as a place where every street had enlightened beings and various kinds of knowledge. It was a place that drew people from across the world in search of learning and understanding.

Outlines

00:00

🏙️ Kashi: The Tower of Light and Legacy

The speaker discusses the transformation of Kashi (Varanasi), emphasizing its historical significance and recent developments. Kashi is described as a place of immense spiritual and cultural importance, often referred to as the 'Tower of Light'. The speaker praises the city's ability to maintain its ancient structures while embracing modernity, turning it into a 'smart city'. The speaker also highlights the city's deep-rooted traditions and the challenges of preserving its heritage amidst development. The Prime Minister's efforts in developing the city are commended, and the speaker shares personal anecdotes about his first visit to Kashi, noting the stark contrast between its spiritual allure and the physical filth, which is now being addressed.

05:01

🌐 Global Trade and Cultural Exchange

This paragraph delves into the historical trade routes and cultural exchanges between India and West Asia, particularly focusing on the city of AlU, which was built 8,000 years ago. The speaker recounts his personal journey through these regions, noting the striking similarities between the shepherds in Madhya Pradesh, India, and those in the Middle East. The narrative also touches on the city of Alo, which was destroyed by war, and the speaker expresses his sorrow over the loss of such a historically rich place. The discussion extends to the genetic and cultural connections between the people of these regions, highlighting the deep-rooted ties that have persisted for millennia.

10:03

📚 Kashi: A Center of Knowledge and Enlightenment

The speaker reflects on Kashi's role as a center of knowledge and enlightenment, drawing parallels with other ancient civilizations such as the Chinese, Egyptian, and Mesopotamian civilizations. Kashi is portrayed as a place that attracted seekers of knowledge from around the world, emphasizing its historical significance as a hub of learning. The speaker also discusses the importance of inquiry and knowledge in Indian culture, contrasting it with the concept of faith. The narrative highlights the city's energetic essence and its enduring legacy, despite the changes brought about by time and tradition. The speaker concludes by reiterating the importance of preserving the spirit of inquiry and knowledge that defined Kashi.

Keywords

💡Kashi

Kashi, also known as Varanasi, is an ancient city in India that holds great historical and spiritual significance. It is referred to as the 'Tower of Light' in the script, symbolizing enlightenment and knowledge. The speaker emphasizes the city's ability to draw people from across the world due to its reputation for wisdom and learning, as evidenced by the script's mention of it being a place where 'every street had 10 enlightened beings.'

💡Faith

Faith, in the context of the video, is contrasted with the concept of 'knowing' or seeking knowledge. The speaker suggests that the culture of Kashi and India at large has historically valued the pursuit of knowledge over blind faith. This is illustrated when the speaker states, 'This is not a land of Believers this is a land of seekers.'

💡Smart City

The term 'Smart City' is used to describe the modernization efforts of Kashi, integrating technology and sustainability into an ancient city. The speaker questions the concept by asking if simply adding modern trappings to an old city makes it smart, ultimately arguing that the true measure of a city's intelligence lies in its ability to endure and adapt over time, as shown by the statement, 'If you can build a building that lasts for a thousand years, you are smart.'

💡Indus Valley Civilization

The Indus Valley Civilization is one of the world's oldest civilizations, mentioned alongside the Chinese and Egyptian civilizations in the script. The speaker notes that unlike the other two, the Indian civilization has a unique legacy of success and continuity, as evidenced by the existence of ancient cities like Varanasi, which is claimed to be '10,000 years old.'

💡Ad Yogi Shiva

Ad Yogi Shiva is a revered spiritual figure in Hinduism, referenced in the script as having a historical connection to Kashi. The speaker mentions Shiva's desire to visit Kashi, indicating the city's spiritual significance and its appeal to seekers of knowledge and enlightenment, as seen in the line, 'so if he wants to go to Kashi his time there is a lot of debate about it, but nothing is less than 15,000 years.'

💡Faith Corridor

The 'Faith Corridor' refers to a development project undertaken by the Prime Minister of India, as mentioned in the script. It is an example of the modernization and preservation efforts in Kashi, which the speaker admires for its successful execution without causing destruction, as highlighted by the statement, 'The Honorable prime minister was building that Faith Corridor... no destruction was done.'

💡Seeking

Seeking is a core theme in the video, representing the pursuit of knowledge and understanding over mere belief. The speaker emphasizes that the Indian civilization has always been about seeking truth and wisdom, as opposed to blindly following faith, which is exemplified by the phrase, 'This is a land of seekers.'

💡Maturity

Maturity, in the context of the video, is linked to the idea of personal growth and enlightenment, particularly in the city of Kashi. The speaker suggests that the city's environment of knowledge and wisdom provides an ideal setting for human beings to mature, as indicated by the remark, 'Kashi literally means the Tower of light... there is no better place for a human being to mature.'

💡Tradition

Tradition is discussed in the script as a component of the cultural fabric of Kashi that has evolved over time. The speaker contrasts the rich traditions with the original purpose of Kashi as a center for learning and enlightenment, noting a shift from the city's original intent, as shown in the line, '...this has been replaced by now, traditions and this and that.'

💡Genetic Connection

The concept of 'Genetic Connection' is used in the script to describe the shared heritage and similarities between people across different regions, particularly between India and the Middle East. The speaker recounts personal experiences and observations that suggest a historical exchange of people and ideas, as illustrated by the anecdote about the shepherds and their goats having a 'yellow colored ring' in their eyes, indicating a common ancestry.

Highlights

Kashi is described as a great blessing and a place that will be remembered forever.

Kashi means the Tower of Light and is considered the best place for a human being to mature.

Kashi is one of the oldest cities, with a history dating back 15,000 years.

Kashi was a place where truly smart people were manufactured.

Significant improvements have been made to Kashi, making it a cleaner and more decent place.

The Prime Minister's Faith Corridor project in Kashi was a risky yet successful endeavor.

Kashi's transformation into a modern smart city is seen as a remarkable achievement.

The speaker emphasizes the value of knowing over faith, which is a key aspect of Indian civilization.

India is described as a land of seekers rather than believers, with a deep-rooted spirit of inquiry.

Ancient Indian civilization had extensive trade and cultural exchanges with West Asia.

There is a genetic connection between people in India and regions like Syria and Lebanon due to historical interactions.

The Balbec Temple in Lebanon was built with the help of Indian workers and elephants.

Kashi drew people from across the world because it was a place of learning and knowing.

The speaker shares a personal experience of visiting Kashi for the first time and finding it both fabulous and filthy.

The word Kashi literally means the Tower of Light, symbolizing clarity and knowing.

Transcripts

what's been done right now in Kashi is a

great blessing I actually told the Prime

Minister Kashi is one thing that will be

remembered

forever Kashi is not a place of Faith

Kashi literally means the Tower of light

there is no better place for a human

being to

mature alipo city was built 8,000 years

ago Shepherds there and the Shepherds in

madhia Pradesh are exact ly the same

[Music]

people my understanding is there are

three old

civilizations the Chinese

civilization along the yangi river the

um I'll talk Egyptian Mesopotamia

Euphrates tiges rivers and there is the

Indian civilization or the Indus Valley

Civilization I am not aware and I don't

want to put this in a in a context which

appears chauvinistic or anything I'm not

aware of any of the other two

civilizations having

succeeded what we have succeeded and I'm

not because you blessing us this evening

you take a city like Varanasi which is a

10,000 year old

um City not 1,000 sir oh much older much

older see at the time of AD Yogi Shiva

he wanted to go to

Kashi so if he wants to go to Kashi his

time there is a lot of debate about it

but nothing is less than 15,000 exactly

so I I I meant 1,000 not in the sense

that I'm circumscribing at 1,000 I said

the structures there which you see now

the visible structures of 1,000 C 1000 I

said you are trying to convert that into

a smart city where the structures are

1,000 years old that's smart no that's

smart but no I'm saying if you can build

a building that lasts for a thousand

years you are smart well My worry is

that for instance in you want to make a

smart City

anywhere if it's an area based

development like let's say a new city or

New Delhi you take an area Define limits

Etc and you convert everything there

smart what happen use of techn techology

proper sustainability e ecology and so

on we couldn't dig there because you're

very worried that you would you know you

dig anywhere they're a precious thing

they're precious thing so when we when

The Honorable prime minister was

building that Faith Corridor I remember

some of my friends in the Press is in my

common friend they used to say he's

under taking such a risky task that this

will go wrong that will go wrong you

know he's taking his political

reputation I went there when it was done

nothing happened from one place to

another no destruction was on you have

faith and you

have confidence in your ability that's

why you are able to take a city which is

15,000 years old or or less and today

you give it the trappings of a modern

Smart City where else in the world has

that been done I would like to look at

in a different

way what's been done right now in Kashi

is a great blessing there's no doubt at

least there's a decent place to go to I

went to Kashi for the first time only 12

years ago because I never went in search

of any spiritual places for me if I

close my eyes my life is settled I don't

have to look for anything I never went

to any socalled Pilgrim places or

whatever 12 years ago I went because I

have read and heard so much I wanted to

see so when I went there and it was an

experience for variety of

reasons so the media came and asked me

what do you think for the first time you

in Kashi what do you think I said Kashi

is fabulous and

filthy I said you're saying it's filthy

I said yes it's fabulous and filthy if

you remove the filth it'll be just

fabulous fortunately that's largely

happening today we say it's fully

happened significantly happened no

question about that about CIA being

smart is fine with

me but we must understand Kashi was a

place we where we manufactured truly

smart people ultimately people have to

be smart cities are smart phones are

smart dumb idiots what do you do with

them give them a

smartphone see because essentially we

will call we will call something or

somebody smart only if they're smarter

than us isn't it you'll say this is a

smartphone cuz it's smarter than you in

some way you'll say this man is smart

because you find he's smarter than you

otherwise you wouldn't call that if he

was less smarter than you you will say

he's a fool isn't it I was using it more

in the sense of no no I I understand why

you're saying that and I understand what

is the purpose of what's being done I'm

saying it's one of the I actually told

the Prime Minister this you're doing so

many things for the country many many

things but Kashi is one thing that will

be remembered for ever ever forever

after thousand years if you come also

this opening of this Corridor is one

thing that will be celebrated for always

you use the word faith I would like to

dissociate myself with faith faith is a

very Middle Eastern word which is spread

across the world

here we always valued knowing our effort

is to know not to believe this is not a

land of Believers this is a land of

seekers always see for thousands of

years we've been trading with West Asia

for examples ALU city was built 8,000

years

[Music]

ago that city was built on the basis or

on the value of what taxes were levied

on the Indian Traders from that they

built a whole city tax City it is tax

gate for Indians just imagine what is

the volume of trade that should be

happening to build a whole city based on

taxation initially they were Bandits who

were looting them then they came to

their census what is the point looting

and destroying the business the best

thing is to tax them they started taxing

them bidn tribes they learned Taxation

and with taxes they built big cities

uh palm and aleo both were built like

this it was a very interesting drive for

me I drove from beut to Damascus and you

know Iraqi border and this all these

things because I wanted to go through

that Indian route where they went it's

it's so incredible some things this is

before the Syria War just before just

before now that Alo when you look at it

tears will come they made it into Rubble

what a beautiful city it was you know uh

uh so when I travel like this the

connection even the genetic connection

is so strong because when people travel

for business when you're walking 3,000

4,000

kilomet not everybody will come back you

know not everybody will come back

because it's not a plane ride you just

go and maybe you'll find a wife or a

husband there and settle down things

happen you won't believe the Shepherds

there and the Shepherds in madhia

Pradesh are exactly the same people you

will see in India the Shepherds who

bring these goats and sheep across South

India and come back every year that's

the routine now it's come down

significantly earlier they used to walk

down I was so fascinated these guys used

to come and camp in my farm near my I I

was in a very remote farm so these guys

will come with 2,000 3,000 sheep these

2,00 3,000 sheep are immense value only

two guys they just carrying daggers all

the time I was so inspired by these guys

because I have tracked I've been in

jungles by myself I can survive just

about anywhere by myself without any

outside support no food no nothing I can

survive in a jungle but these guys were

so organized every day new you know

babies are being delivered they carrying

12 to 15 little babies for first three

days and then as they can walk they'll

put them down and they'll walk if they

come and stay in your farm for two

nights your farm is fully fertilized

okay it's an incredible Thing This Is

How They traveled so they always had a

yellow colored ring in their

eyes and I go to Syria and I'm

driving and I see one goat her going

like this and he looks at Meo coloring I

stopped right there I I went up to him I

had a Lebanese person with me and you

know he started talking and asked where

is he from what is he and all this so we

asked are you from India at any time

have you heard the stories he said no no

no my forefathers have talked about

meeting wise men in India and coming

back but we are not Indian we belong to

Syria but exactly same ring lello

colored ring so genetically also there

is such an exchange happening for

thousands of

years so in all

this in Lebanon the balbec temple is a

place where 4,300 years ago every

Lebanese child reads about it that

Indian workers Indian sculptors Indian

elephants came and worked to build

balbec

Temple certain Foundation stones are 400

tons elephants brought them up the hill

and they did this and where are

elephants in middle in West Asia they

Indian elephants which went there and

worked but our children have never been

informed about it because we don't want

to talk about any great exploits that

our people have ever done all right so

when these things were happening the

even at that time they refer to us as

hind even today because Hindustan is

short word is hind even today there are

thousands of women both in Lebanon Syria

and even some in Israel whose name is

hind first name is Hind

it's fashionable to have the name hind

because it was an aspiration for

everybody to go go to that magical

country which was rich wealthy

prosperous intelligent and above all

they had a

knowing the knowledge was so deep so our

for us knowing is important not Faith at

a given time we were over up to 600

Nations at a time politically in this

country but still even people from

outside saw as as one nation because

this was the only we were the only

strange creatures who did not have a

belief system we did not believe in

absolutes we believed in seeking that

you must seek you must know this is it

that is it doesn't exist even when

so-called Divine entities came in this

country all they got was a debate they

could not ever deliver Commandments to

us see uh

ad Yogi Shiva comes his wife freaks him

with questions endless number of

questions Krishna comes he's a popular

man even in his time but he dares to

actually speak profound things only with

one guy he comes with hundreds of

questions so no commandment was ever

possible because this is a land of

seeking we never believed anything this

is the fundamental difference between

this you know cultural nation and the

rest of the world we are not people of

Faith Spirit of inquiry we are people of

seeking we want to know well already it

said in this book somebody said that

Rama said this Krishna said this it

doesn't matter we respect them but we

still have to know our own truth this is

the basis of our existence we should

never give it up Kashi is not a place of

Faith Kashi people went because it was a

place of knowing that's a reason why

they went Kashi Drew people people from

across the world Known World of that

time people came in search of that

because it

was not probably it was the place of

learning and knowing there was no such

one concentrated place anywhere on the

planet at that time so naturally Drew I

like the way Mark Twain defined Kashi he

said uh it is older than the legend it

was there when Rome was not thought of

it was there when Egypt did not exist it

was there well before that there is a

beautiful poem that austa wrote so ausi

and some of the sapta rishis along with

ad Yogi are in Kashi after staying in a

city like that there was no City like

that they Eliz this city there is no

City like this in the world and all that

stuff then ad Yogi says tell to a you

must go south you must spread my word

there so before leaving Kashi he R and

he writes a poem a long poem how he is

going to miss this place he's not saying

he's going to miss Shiva he's missing

the

city he writes a long poem saying how

his heart is going to bleed moving away

from the city and how wonderful it is

and it is there is no better place for a

human being to mature they say every

street had 10 enlightened beings at that

time every street had various kinds of

knowledge and knowing

well that is been replaced by now

traditions and this and that we know all

the Havoc that's happened in the place

but still it's a tremendous

energetically tremendous place because

the word Kashi literally means the Tower

of light light does not represent Faith

light represents Clarity and knowing

[Music]

oh

[Music]