Sadhguru on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Kashi Corridor | Sadhguru
Summary
TLDRThe 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- 🐘 Historical references to Indian workers and elephants in the construction of the Balbec Temple in Lebanon highlight the global influence and contributions of Indian civilization.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
🏙️ 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.
🌐 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.
📚 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.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Kashi
💡Faith
💡Smart City
💡Indus Valley Civilization
💡Ad Yogi Shiva
💡Faith Corridor
💡Seeking
💡Maturity
💡Tradition
💡Genetic Connection
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
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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
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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
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oh
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