ANTODAYA: THE SOUL OF INDIAN CULTURE

ANTYODAYA the very heart of bharatiya culture as given by Deen Dayal Upadhya, meaning that the last person in the ladder or the chain gets the benefits of growth and development. Today’s neo-liberal era in stark contrast to it, where greatest good of the greatest number and survival of the fittest takes the centrestage everywhere.  Profit seeking market culture has become a part and parcel of social, economic and even political and cultural fields. Humanitarian ethics and values are being  given negligible importance. Unless and until we don’t put everything in black and white about market ethics and responsibilities, human values will continue their downward trend. Corporate ethics as well as social responsibilities and security are the cornerstones of Indian culture. Deen Dayal Upadhyay’s philosophy of antyodaya should set the norms for market economy. As Upadhayay stated in the following address before thousands of delegates in Kozhikode : “  We are pledged to the service not of any particular community or section but of the entire nation. Every fellow citizen is has the blood of our blood and flesh of our flesh. We shall not rest till we are able to give to every one of  them a sense of pride that they are the children of Bharatmata.  We shall make mother India: Sujala Suphala (“ overflowing with water and laden with fruits”) in the real sense of these words. As Dashapraharana Dharini Durga with her ten weapons, she would be able to vanquish evil; as Lakshmi, she would be able to disburse prosperity all over and as Saraswati; she would dispel the gloom of ignorance and spread the radiance of knowledge all around her with faith in ultimate victory let us dedicate ourselves to this task.”

   Thus, neo liberal theory is based on only one dimensional theory that is only profit making be it by hook or by crook. It completely lacks social and moral responsibilities which is the core of bharatiya culture. We believe in healthy materialistic and spiritual progress where everyone is benefitted and lives happily and peacefully. Deen dayal’s antyodaya philosophy should be a role model for today’s globalised world.