the real indian culture

This is the first post here about women in the scriptures. I'll talk about something I've been researching for some time. I'll talk about the old indian scriptures.
It's very interesting to note that today in India we have mainly two groups. First group think the scriptures are obsolete and so they are not to be followed nowadays. They are not interested in knowing or following it. Either they are atheist or they just take part in few rituals performed by the family without proper understanding, but just for the sake of doing it as a social costume. We may also find in this group those who prefer western culture, its music, movies and life-style. In the second group, by the other hand, we have those who want to rescue their hinduism, or who want to perpetuate their hindu culture, following what they have been seeing happening in their families or what they know about the scriptures. But we can see that although they follow vehemently some parts of the scriptures, they don't follow others. We can see they are eager to follow all the parts of the scriptures that will reinforce their own position as superior or anything else that is according to their interest, but they are not too interested in following parts, for example, that advice austerities like waking up early, fasting or seeing all the women as their own mother. So many times, they can't quote the scriptures but just justify their attitude saying they are following the "traditions", not even the scriptures... But the question is: which traditions are these? Those who claim to be real hindus are following traditions that are usually not in the hindu scriptures. Most part of them exist just due to muslim influence, christian influence or due to changes made by foreigners who actually wanted to destroy this same hindu culture.
Amongst all the non-hindu behaviors that we see nowadays running under the hindu flag is the package of ready-made phrases, thoughts and attitudes toward women. And that, from most part of men and... women!
As real hindu tradition comes from hindu scriptures, I'll not even mention or consider anything called "tradition" only, when that means "what everyone has been doing for some time in India". Since for some time now people have been killing thousands of female babies, have been torturing girls and her families because of dowry, etc, to accept that some things are part of "indian tradition" because they have been happening for some time is also to accept that these crimes are the "indian tradition", and we can't agree with that. So, we should consider and accept as indian tradition only what comes from indian scriptures.
Now an other problem arises. Can we trust in all that is said about indian scriptures? So many things are justified as being part of the scriptures, but are these things really there?
Raghbendra Jha wrote: "Is there something inherently wrong with the way Santana dharma or Hindu culture treats womanhood? If we were to go by the commentaries on some texts such as the Manusmriti we would be led to believe that this is indeed the case. However, the ultimate and the only authority on the practices of Sanatana Dharma are the four Vedas. (…) Our vast religious literature has been polluted by the hypocritical behavior and selfish intents of some so-called pundits (the Matsyapurna says that these people are rakshas born in Kaliyuga in the family lineage of Brahmans) and centuries of subjugation by colonial forces. It is likely that the Manusmriti has been affected thus. This is evident from some other passages in the Manusmriti extolling the virtues of women." *
Of course, most part of the so-called hindus don't discuss this fact. They either feel very comfortable with the way things are now, or they are too lazy to think about it, or they don't have the intelligence necessary to do such questions.
“Hindus being oppressed for centuries have developed a mental state called ‘Dhimmitude’, which means a mental slavery to its long time oppressor Islam. So, now even those Hindus who stand against Islam are timid, defensive and guilty of some hypothetical crimes, imagined for their chagrin, for them by their enemies. They still can’t think freely, analyze history objectively and recognize the true nature of Hinduism, i.e., Dharma. But, if they want to re-generate Dharma, Truth and Goodness then they will have to view History in its true light, with Courage, Resolution and with Objectivity. Then only they will be able to re-discover their Dharma and do something for its regeneration.” ** Actually, a lot of hindus who speak against islam are happy to live in a way that comes from islam, beliving or pretending to belive that is part of their hindu culture.
I hope the hindus can wake up of this state and start to think about the way things are happening now and can see the need of change for the sake of the survival of their real culture, even when that means to make questions, to see their mistakes and to adopt a different and uncomfortable attitude, since it’s a different one. And I belive that all this is not just about hindus. This is about sanatana-dharma, and sanatana-dharma is for everyone, not only for those born in India. With this culture we all can learn how to live better in this world and in the other, in this life and in the next ones.
As it is stated on Rigveda, Part-2, sukta-18, sloka 3259: “This dharma is sanatana (timeless). All the gods and humans have been born in this dharma and have achieved progress in it. Please do not destroy this great Mother who has been the foundation stone of your genesis and existence.”


* Raghbendra Jha - Women and the Vedas - http://www.ivarta.com/columns/OL_070503.htm
** Prabhat Varun - Sati Pratha and its origins - http://www.ivarta.com/columns/OL_060328.htm