We have all heard the horror stories of technology converting us into little digital islands. However, there are positives to be gleaned from being wired with social networking sites, mobile apps and websites helping the young and restless connect with tradition.
Speaking Tree posts articles on their website, Facebook page and mobile app. The articles address various topics from the science behind superstitions to finding spiritual solutions for everyday hassles and forums for open discussions.
The artistically inclined can check out online galleries such as Indiaart and Saffronart. “We have hundreds of talented artists in the country who are capturing current times on their canvases,” says Manisha Lath Gupta, CEO of Indian Art Collectors. “Through technology, Indians who don’t have access to physical galleries can view and collect Indian contemporary art, as we ship artwork worldwide.”
Technology is become a friend when it can bridge the gaps caused by space and time. There is online storytelling for children who refuse to move away from computer screens, and yoga apps that do not just teach exercises but make people aware of the story behind every asana.
Social networking sites help people from across the world have a taste of different cultures with pages such as Indian Culture and Tradition and Aromas of India’s soul. “There have been times when my mother has asked me to participate in rituals through the webcam,” says Ganavya Doraiswamy, an NRI and moderator of the page TamBram Tips.
“Technology is making the distance between us feel so much smaller. Our rules and traditions perhaps weren’t made for this world that exists on the internet, but with pages like this and others, we are adapting it, and helping it survive.”
“A combination of new content, forms and channels is playing an important role in keeping ancient tradition alive in India,” says Pradeep Rajadas, a social media expert and director of Sociall.in.
“It is unfair to say that India is a ‘young’ country and therefore does not care about its past. Young India has moved into the future, to discover the tools to re-connect with its past.”
