Page 30 - GOTIL (ENG) Sample

xxviii Introduction

farming communities established across the globe.
Such communities would have Kṛṣṇa consciousness
as their basis; dependence on land, cows, and Kṛṣṇa as
their sustenance; simple living and high thinking as their
motto; and Vedic culture as their way of life. Glimpses of
Traditional Indian Life may give vision and direction to
the founding fathers of such communities. And to those
searching amidst the kaleidoscope of alternative lifestyles,
it may provide orientation toward a way of life that has
endured through time.
Furthermore it is hoped that this work will enlighten its
Indian readers as to the value and depth of their own
culture and inspire them to return to its roots rather than
foolishly aping the West. Yet Glimpses may also appeal
to sociologists, anthropologists, or anyone interested in
broadening his knowledge of humankind.

The first section of Glimpses is based on personal
recollections of the several years I spent in West Bengal
and Bangladesh; the rest is comprised of interviews with
initiated members of ISKCON who were brought up in
traditional ways in different parts of India. A picture
emerges of a rich and deeply religious culture with many
features common throughout the subcontinent yet also
with abundant regional variations. And while some points
are repeated, each narrative reflects the interviewee’s
unique vision and realization.

Although several terms and concepts discussed herein
will be unfamiliar to some readers, I have not endeavored