Patenting India’s Culture and Way of Life

The Western world has repeatedly tried to patent India way of live. I was watching this video http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=KSwhpF9iJSs on Youtube called “Super Brain Yoga” and found it hilarious. While growing up in India, I used to every morning and evening do these sit ups crossing my arms and holding my ears. All people from South India follow this custom as part of their salutations to Lord Ganesa (the remover of obstacles).

Even in school and at homes to discipline children they are asked to do this “Super brain Yoga” and now the West it discovering it and actually spending dollars to research it.Wow! amazing!!

Most things that people take for granted in India and which is a part of the culture,  handed down through generations as home remedies and way of life, is being commercialized and patented in the Western world. Here is a great article on some of the things being patented, like the yoga sequences which are about 5000 years old http://www.sarkaritel.com/news_and_features/infa/december2008/31race_for_patents.htm  and the vast number of herbs, fruits and vegetables that are commonly used in every Indian home as remedies for simple colds to arthritis pain and in ayurvedic medicine system to even cure cancer and aids. http://be-d-change.blogspot.com/2008/06/india-fights-united-states.html

Indians lack the finesse and skills to market their culture and way of life and take it for granted, whereas to the Western world it is all so “new” and “awesome” that they want to profit from it. Whatever the reason, India needs to wake up and take charge and pro actively protect its deep knowledge bases and educate the rest of the world about it.