'Indians, Germans can learn from each other'

No wonder Kirsten Rautenberg from Germany, despite the fact that she is on her second visit to India for a long stay is still amazed and indeed smitten by the way India is nurtured much against the deep rooted cultural and traditional values.

Kirsten is a journalist in the local daily in Germany besides working as Research Assistant (PhD) at University of Applied Sciences in Bremen. In a candid talk with City Herald, Kirsten shared her views over the changing facets of Indian culture she experienced after a gap of six years from her first visit and now. She visited Manipal as an internee some six years back.

She is now in India as a visiting faculty in Manipal Institute of Communication as a part of Lecture Exchange Programme. Kirsten says that obviously India was her first and last choice. “I had heard a lot about India back at home and I really wanted to be part of the Indian culture. Because I think the culture here is very different. During my last visit, I was in India for six months and this time it is like home coming for me,” she said.

Describing the change that she has seen in India in a span of six years, she says: “It is much more western now and one can come across more of western influence than earlier. I feel sad because Indians are losing their tradition. Materialism is capturing spirituality. I feel it is the repetition of what exactly happened in Germany some 30 to 40 years back. People lost their tradition and religion and there was a movement of individualism that supported outstaying. We lost contact with joint families. This development is now already into India,” opines Kirsten.

However, Kirsten has her own views and counter views over this ongoing development in India. She says it is not always good to be close to family as it may prove complicated in some other way. This happens when it comes to career option and some of the major decisions of your life. “I don’t think all traditions are good. To lose something in order to find what you like is not bad,” she states.

Speaking about Germany, Kirsten says that Indians and Germans can learn from each other and the best example is the present new wave movement in Germany in search of spirituality. It is a sort of big movement where Germans are trying to find solace by practicing Yoga. This is new trend that is highly influencing Germans since last five years. People have recognised the fact that capitalism does not give them security.

“We don’t want to believe in money anymore. We want to believe in something else,” she adds. Patchwork religion is a new concept emerged out of the recent changes in the mindset of Germans. “We pick from every religion what we like. It is a sort of modern movement. As a result, lots of people are into Buddhism and Hinduism believing in spirituality,” she said.

She feels women in India are under tremendous pressure. The scenario was present in Germany earlier. However, there was a movement of emancipation at the end of 1960s. Many women started fighting for their rights that which led to upsurge during 1970s and 80s. It took many years for German women to stand equal to men and even now the women are not treated equal with men in many aspects.

Women are less paid for the equal amount of work. It may take another 15-20 years to achieve what the women deserve. However, the project introduced by the government called Parents Money, where parents are paid to look after kids has resulted in fathers looking after their children. This movement should take place in India, she adds.Kirsten likes Indian lifestyle because it is more relaxed and less stressed when compared to Germany. “However, everything here takes lot of time and it is a challenge to be slow as we are used to be in hurry. Indians run off the time. India is a kind of free country where everything is less regulated,” she opines.

Kirsten feels that Indian sarees are very much elegant and feminine. “The colours used in sarees are fabulous and we don’t use bright colours in Germany.” When it comes to food, Kirsten says India is a paradise. She is a veggie since 20 years. “I love masala dosa,” she giggles.     What disturbs more for Kirsten in India are the children who stand in hot sun for begging. She says most of her friends are afraid of poor children begging in India. There are beggars back at home but only adult beggars and not children, she concludes.