Page 34 - GOTIL (ENG) Sample

2 Glimpses of Traditional Indian Life

of the Bengalis. But although I had adopted the practices
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and philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, my outlook on
life was still very British. I considered “my own” culture
the best, not recognizing that other people have different
values that also may be valid. It took me some time to
accept that my ethnocentricity was simply a form of false
pride. The process of adjustment was sometimes painful.
I had to reevaluate my conceptions of right and wrong
and of proper and improper behavior. Ultimately I came
to accept that the way Bengali people act and think is not
inferior or wrong just because it is different.

Quoting the renowned Bengali poet Michael Madhusūdana
Datta, Śrīla Prabhupāda once told Prabhāviṣṇu Swami,
under whom I served in Bangladesh, that he should preach
in Bangladesh with the courage of an Englishman and the

8. Although the names Bengal/Bangladesh and Bengali/
Bangladeshi have been used almost interchangeably in this essay,
the distinction should be understood. Bengal is now politically
divided into West Bengal, a state of India; and Bangladesh, East
Bengal, now an independent nation. Thus all Bangladeshis,
except a few minorities, are Bengalis, but not all Bengalis are
Bangladeshis.
Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism is the sect of Vaiṣṇavism founded by
Caitanya Mahāprabhu and now spread all over the world in
the form of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement.
The culture of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas in Bangladesh and West
Bengal is practically identical. But one major difference is that
Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavism is the predominating culture of Bangladeshi
Hindus, whereas in West Bengal the same culture is prominent
but not predominating.