BY AMBASSADOR BHASWATI MUKHERJEE*
India’s cultural and civilizational heritage is her gift to the world. Understanding what constitutes our culture and civilization requires a historical journey into the past—one that is neither linear nor static.
Any serious discussion of history must begin with historian E.H. Carr. In What Is History?, Carr concludes:
“History is a continuous process of interaction between the historian and his facts, an unending dialogue between the present and the past, a dynamic, dialectical process, which cannot be limited by mere empiricism or love of facts alone.”
Another crucial dimension is the interlinkage between culture and imperialism, particularly in the nineteenth century. In his seminal work Culture and Imperialism, Edward W. Said observed:
“Partly because of empire, all cultures are involved in one another; none is single and pure, all are hybrid, heterogeneous, differentiated and un-monolithic.”
This insight offers an apt description of Indian culture itself.
Following the arrival of the Dutch, Portuguese, French, and British in India, systematic efforts were made to belittle or downgrade India’s heritage. This was the age of colonialism and imperialism. As Said noted, the notion of “inferior races” helped justify imperial expansion. The culture of imperialism demanded reverence for the colonizer’s culture while dismissing others—an idea fundamentally at odds with India’s civilizational ethos.
One of the most authoritative works on the subject, A.L. Basham’s The Wonder That Was India, firmly rejects the earlier Western view of Indian civilization as unpolitical, purely spiritual, and unchanging. Basham demonstrates instead that Indian civilization has always been dynamic and adaptive. India’s rich oral traditions also played a vital role in shaping this evolving culture.
The civilization that emerged in the valleys of the Indus and the Ganges, though geographically defined by the Himalayas, was never isolated. Settlers and traders arrived via land and sea routes from both East and West. As a great maritime power, Indians themselves traveled widely. These exchanges produced a complex, multidimensional culture reflected in India’s art and traditions—from the dancing Buddhas of the Gandhara school, influenced by Greek aesthetics, to the monumental temples of North and South India.
The Aryan period witnessed the development of Vedic literature and the Puranas. The earliest literary sources include the Rig Veda and the two great epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Ancient Indian architecture and sculpture were similarly dynamic, not static. Despite centuries of cultural cross-fertilization, India’s civilization did not disappear with the arrival of Muslim rulers.
That said, India’s ancient culture was severely impacted by invasions beginning in the tenth century. Many elements of this heritage were destroyed, including repeated attacks on temples such as the famed Somnath temple. Yet history also records the emergence of a syncretic Indo-Islamic culture. Mughal architecture and miniature painting evolved through the adaptation of Indian resources, craftsmanship, motifs, and design sensibilities. The Taj Mahal stands as the finest expression of this eclectic cultural synthesis.
India’s civilization is also a gift to its vast diaspora. As a multicultural nation, India—working in partnership with its global diaspora—has used culture as a force to connect, to build relationships, and to heal the ruptures created by history and politics.
Internationally, one of India’s most significant contributions has been its ancient civilizational philosophy. The idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, found in the Maha Upanishads, is among the earliest expressions of global citizenship:
Udāra-charitānām tu
Vasudhaiva kutumbakam.
For the generous-hearted, the world is one family. This idea underpins UNESCO’s ongoing dialogue among cultures, religions, and civilizations.
Through its diaspora, India’s vibrant cultural heritage has spread worldwide, reminding us that values such as tolerance, inclusiveness, and cultural exchange—intrinsic to Indian civilization—are more relevant than ever in today’s fractured global order. Cultural diplomacy now plays a critical role in disseminating these values. Indian arts, culture, and spirituality have drawn people from across the world for centuries.
Indian spirituality, in particular, has had a long global presence. One of its most visible contemporary expressions is the worldwide spread of yoga. At the personal initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortly after his election in 2014, the United Nations General Assembly declared June 21 as the International Day of Yoga.
Culture and cultural diplomacy have thus emerged as powerful tools to connect nations, strengthen bilateral relations, and heal historical wounds.
The most pressing challenge, however, is preservation. Culture is a living entity. It survives only if nurtured by successive generations, including those in the diaspora. Unless India’s civilization and cultural heritage are presented in ways that are meaningful and appealing to young Indians, this legacy risks fading.
India’s composite culture remains her enduring gift to the world. It reflects the long arc of history—how India absorbed influences from elsewhere while retaining her civilizational core.
During a recent visit to Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan, I was struck by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s message at the entrance, which resonates deeply even today:
“India represents the wealth of mind which is for all.
We acknowledge India’s obligation to offer to others the hospitality of her best culture,
and India’s right to accept from others their best.”
India has done so—and will continue to do so for generations to come. That is why we are Bharat. That is India.
*Ambassador Bhaswati Mukherjee is a retired Indian diplomat. She is an active commentator on international affairs.
