The Technology Rainbow – a campus for the application of the Indian Worldview to technologies, preferably in or near Auroville
Purpose
To bring together at one place the convergence of the latest technologies in such a way that it
1. “brings broad sunlit uplands”, that is to say, “a fairer, brighter, nobler life for all mankind”
2. “restores the peace of the human spirit”
3. “make the material basis stronger, completer and more effective for the manifestation of the Spirit.”
Explanation
“Rainbow signifies peace and deliverance” – Sri Aurobindo.
“The Technology Rainbow”, therefore, suggest usages and applications of technologies that facilitates the emergence of a beautiful life and beautiful world, understood in its broadest sense, namely, the manifestation of the spirit in matter.
Discourse
Towards the end of his book, The Renaissance in India, (previously known as The Foundations of Indian Culture), first written in 1918, Sri Aurobindo, while stressing the great importance for India to apply and transform to “some characteristic modification moulds of our own spirit” whatever she takes from the West, mentioned the perils of pell-mell imitation of European industrialism. At the same time, he acknowledged that industrialization is a compelling necessity for India. However, its blind duplication without first applying Indian view of life and the world could result in, as he put it: “social discords and moral plagues and cruel problems, and I do not see how we shall avoid becoming the slaves of the economic aim in life and losing the spiritual principle of our culture.”
What is the Indian view of life and the world in Sri Aurobindo’s light?
Briefly, a healthy and developed life, mind and body are meant to embody, to realise, to manifest something higher than them – the soul, the spirit, the consciousness, which is the source of life, mind and body, and which alone can give perfection to mind, life and body and to the world creation.
Referring to the push for Industrialism in India, Sri Aurobindo then summoned that “Each capable Indian mind must think it out or, better, work it out in its own light and power, …. and contribute some illumination or effectuation. The spirit of the Indian renascence will take care of the rest, that power of the universal Time-Spirit which has begun to move in our midst for the creation of a new and greater India.”
Eight years later, in 1926, during informal conversations with the disciples on the topic of industrialism, Sri Aurobindo took the view that India must first acquire wealth and opulence through industrialism. The harmful impacts of industrialism can be dealt with later by applying innovative ideas and schemes.
An extract from a conversation with Sri Aurobindo
Disciple: Yes, but cottage-industries leave the social life intact.
Sri Aurobindo: Why should the present form of social life remain intact? New forms of social organisation will rise with the advent of large-scale production. It is the tendency of Indians towards poverty which is really responsible for their cry against machinery.
Disciple: The problem is: how to introduce big machinery and yet avoid all the evils arising out of it?
Sri Aurobindo: The evils are bound to disappear. The different ideas and schemes suggested in Europe show that people are trying to correct the defects. Unless one enters into industrialism how can the evils be overcome?
Disciple: Will India have to pass through all the evils of industrialism?
Sri Aurobindo: But why should India wait till other countries solve the problem, so that it may imitate them afterwards?
Disciple: How will India avoid the evils?
Sri Aurobindo: Let her first acquire wealth. Without wealth they cannot expect to make any progress.
(Ref. Evening Talks with Sri Aurobindo, Recorded by A.B. Purani, Conversation dt. September 9, 1926)
Almost a century has passed since the above conversation took place. Today, with the advent of the internet, the Artificial Intelligence (AI), and various other technologies “new forms of social organisation” are emerging. Here, to use Sri Aurobindo’s words, “each capable mind must think it out or, better, work it out in its own light and power, …. and contribute some illumination or effectuation” so that advances in technology contribute to
1. “a fairer, brighter, nobler life for all mankind” (“broad sunlit uplands”)
2. “restores the peace of human spirit”
3. “make the material basis stronger, completer and more effective for the manifestation of the Spirit.”
Present status
Only an idea and a cherished dream
Credit acknowledgment
An American technological consultant, Shally Palmar, in his article ‘An EPCOT for the 5th Industrial Revolution: Showcasing the Possible’, proposed the idea of a campus for the latest technological advances. Aryadeep S. Acharya then applied the Indian worldview and perspective in the light of Sri Aurobindo & the Mother to this idea. The result? The Technology Rainbow – a campus for the application of the Indian Worldview to technologies.
References & Notes
1. “Broad sunlit uplands” is an extract from a speech of Winston Churchill to the House of Commons on 18th June 1940, pointing out how victory over Nazi ideology will pave the way for the life of the world to move forward to a “Broad sunlit uplands”.
2. “a fairer, brighter, nobler life for all mankind” is an extract from Sri Aurobindo’s Independence Day message to India on 15th August 1947 pointing out how the emergence of a free world union of all the nations and the growth of idea of human oneness could help bring about a fairer, brighter, nobler life for all mankind.
3. “..restore the peace of human spirit” is an extract from an article Sri Aurobindo wrote during his times in active politics. The article “Swaraj and the Coming Anarchy” was published on 5th March 1908 in a journal Bande Mataram”. The full sentence reads: “India is the guru of the nations, the physician of the human soul in its profounder maladies; she is destined once more to new-mould the life of the world and restore the peace of the human spirit.” (The Complete Works of Sri Aurobindo – CWSA, V. 6 & 7, p. 906
4. “to make the material basis stronger, completer and more effective for the manifestation of the Spirit” is extracted from the Mother’s answer to