Question

An Essay on Common threads between India
and Africa with reference to the
History, Culture and Literature in English

Answer 1

   
   Here I am mentioning the important points that relate to the African continent and the subcontinent of India.  A thread means a basis for cooperation to work together officially by the two governments or by the people of two regions. 

  They can come together for development of the regions while attempting to preserve their culture, literature and history.   That also means fighting against threats on culture, history as well as the literature.

1.  It seems that advanced countries steal traditional medicinal secrets from India and Africa.  Then they develop medicines and then claim as their own through an IPR.

2.  Destruction of rich heritage/monuments due to internal fights and from cross border conflicts.

3.  Disappearance of Ancient local practices.  Youth and children getting influenced by foreign education, media and films, have forgotten what their grandparents taught them.

4.  Sports.  Cricket and football are common sports enjoyed by spectators in both regions. 

5.  Diminishing importance of local languages.  So the languages and the traditions and history are gradually lost.  Instead of development of local languages, youth run after the external world.

6.  Influence of American, European, Chinese cultures, literature, institutions which may be conflicting with the local one.  This could be in terms of economics, politics, culture, education, medicine, life style etc.

7.  Violation of social rights of children and women.  Abuse of children's rights.

8.  Poverty, hunger, illiteracy and backwardness among people at the grass root level.  So similar programs and plans for their development, literacy, employment, women empowerment, equality of women in the society, crimes roots are common.  Perhaps India is a bit better.

9.  Both regions work for World Peace and no war.  They are members of the United Nations, Non Aligned Movement, Common Wealth and Indo-African cooperation  bodies.  World bank and UNO bodies aid them for development.

10.  Status of people in rural areas.    Both regions are  considered as underdeveloped countries in terms of many indices.

11.  Religion is one practice that is respected in these regions.

12.  People of both countries were enslaved for a long duration.  They had the culture in living in big families and valuing their family traditions.

13.  People of these regions are after getting technologies.  Indian can aid African countries in economic development, space technology, Telecom, information technology, electricity, electronics and energy sector.

14.  English is one commonality between commonwealth countries, that allows people to cooperate.

15.  These regions have been inhabited for a long long time before other continents.  So there is a long history and well evolved traditions of living that are suit local living.

16.  Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela followed similar fight against the British for Independence.  Satyagraha and nonviolence is respected in these regions.

17.  People of both countries are treated as Color skinned.

18.  There are many areas in which India and African countries can do business and trade.

19.  Nearness to Equator.  Having tropical forests.  People are agriculture based.

20.  Both regions have rich folk and village based literature.  Both cultures are similar in the sense that they are significantly different from those of Advanced countries.