Separated by millennia but seen together in one glance

ONE OF THE MANY things that fascinates me whenever I visit India is what often appears in one brief glance. It is far from unusual for there to be in one field of vision both something that has been in existence many centuries, or even milliennia, alongside something that is brand new.

Yesterday, I was enjoying lunch in Bangalore’s Kamath Hotel near Commercial Street when I looked up and saw the following reflected in a mirror. A man was sitting working on the restaurant’s computer – probably 21st century technology. Above his head, there were idols depicting Hindu deities, which were in place because the management hoped that their divine influence would benefit the business.

Whereas the computer is but a few years old, the abiding belief in the importance of the Hindu deities in the smooth running of life has been around for much longer than anyone can remember.