The human race has many achievements to its credit. Today, we take many things for granted that a few generations earlier, nobody had imagined. We are now able to clone living beings and reach anybody in the world instantly. But there are still things that we do not have clear answers to.
Going through this strange adventure called life raises many questions in our mind. Even though every generation lives differently than the previous one, questions like, "What is life," "Who am I?" and "What am I supposed to do here?" remain relevant to every generation. At some stage or another, it is good for everybody to spend some time contemplating over them. Unfortunately, most people live their life in slumber, without realizing the need for introspection. Without being sensitive to one's own needs, one cannot be sensitive to the needs of one's surrounding either.
Some brand these questions as too philosophical and do not consider it practical to ponder over them. Others settle for ready-made concepts from books and hearsay. Only a few really scientific minded people go deep into this enquiry and find an undying "Wow!" in their life. This "Wow!" is the preface for a higher state of consciousness.
The irony is that the answers are worthless but these questions themselves are priceless. Whether we choose to ponder on them in our life or not, such questions never lose their relevance and delving into them brings its own rewards each time. They serve like a compass, giving us a sense of where we are headed, helping us to know our path better and offering perspective on whether we need course correction.
The very nature of this quest is that those who know do not tell and those who tell do not know. Those who came before us too faced this puzzle. Actually, the accumulated wisdom of civilizations across generations is passed on to us as culture. Whichever culture we look at, they seem to be guiding us to a life of happiness, joy, love and fulfillment. This wisdom of cultures is a collective wealth that belongs to the entire humanity and not just one religion or a section of people.
The World Culture Festival is a celebration of the diversity of cultures on our planet. A global event of this magnitude sends out the message that not only can all of us co-exist with our differences, not just tolerate them but also appreciate and celebrate them. It is also an opportunity for religious leaders, businessmen, politicians and everyone else to come together and renew their vision to work for the welfare of society.
There is a lot of richness that all of us carry within us and it increases manifold when it is shared. We can all add to the beauty in our lives, if only we come together. The ancient Vedic idea of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam is that the Earth is one family that has arisen out of a vast vision of life. When we rise above the problems, stress and tension that occupy our tiny world, we are confronted with this vastness and coming from this space, life becomes a celebration. There is a need in society to for people to come together and celebrate values like togetherness and service from time to time, for it uplifts the human spirit. The World Culture Festival symbolizes that this grand vision is not just a utopian idea, but a living reality.
This post is part of a blog series produced by The Huffington Post in partnership with the Art of Living Foundation for the World Culture Festival. The goal of the series is to present thought leadership, opinions and solutions from leaders of multidisciplinary sectors of business, politics, arts, culture, music and religion who are assembling in India for the World Culture Festival, along with 3.5 million people, to celebrate humanity and promote peace, harmony and harmonious co-existence. The effort is also part of The Huffington Post's "What's Working" solutions.
