The World Academy of Art and Science was founded in the sixties by the leading scientists of the day so that it could pronounce on mattes of vital importance to the world. Among its 500 Fellows there are about 90 Nobel Laureates. Generally, their Congress is conducted once in five years on themes relevant to the world society. Their next Congress is coming in Zagreb, Croatia in 2005. Its central theme is Knowledge Society. As part of it, they are considering several themes. Rationality is one of those themes.

Hospitality to strangers is seen as an index of culture of a community. Friendliness of a population is always valued by tourists from other countries. Landing in a foreign land, one is struck by the orderliness that catches the eye and the cleanliness that pleases. Cleanliness is physical, hospitality is vital, trustworthiness - honesty - is mental. Kindliness to children, respect to the elderly, tenderness to women are hallmarks of high civilisation.

Major wars are abolished. Their very possibility disappeared when the USSR came forward to dissolve her totalitarian structure on her own initiative. That evolutionary initiative of Gorbachev was without precedent in history. The best way to abolish wars is for the world to recognise that great act of spiritual vision of that leader who sacrificed his post for that. Minor conflicts abound. Ferocious terrorist attacks are ever-present behind the screen. Those who have been advocating a WORLD ARMY for that purpose have re-christened it ‘World Peace Army'.

If you are doing research to know how well the world has received new inventions, new ideas, or anything new which is most widely used today, the list you get will be miles long. Some of the comments of the greatest minds will surprise you at the human ingenuity for folly. One can safely declare that anything NEW has so far been greeted unanimously with disapproval, dissent, resentment, and solid resistance. Humanity arrives at an equilibrium from time to time which is security of existence. Anything new disturbs that equilibrium.

Times of transition, historians say, offer matchless opportunities for penniless men with powerful brains and imagination. They are astonished how quickly these penniless men come to the fore. Stephenson invented the steam engine's greater uses. It was James Watt who set in motion the first modern steam-pumping engine. This was the prime period of Industrial Revolution. Stephenson came from a family of shepherds, though his father worked as an engineman at the pits. The owners of the mine were anxious to recognise, promote and reward talent. Stephenson had no education.

Westerners refer to us as mild Hindus. Others call us docile Indians. The Americans advertise for gate-crashing young men. About three or four generations ago, people valued walking slowly, speaking in a very low voice, answering questions, not asking questions. Young men would be pulled up if they hurried. One was taught not to speak unless spoken to. Calm, quiet, silent, steady movements were appreciated and were taught. The Hindu is mild because he espouses ahimsa, non-injury. The Indian or the Hindu is not for adventure on the seas or foreign territory.

Life has endless shades and is found in an enormous variety. Some of them are good life, bad life, successful life, active life, dynamic life, idealistic life, peaceful life, dull life, problem-free life, etc. We often hear people saying, "I want a peaceful life." In a spiritual country like ours, peaceful life implicitly means a life of inner spirituality. It is a life where one is at peace with himself. One is not at a discord with himself.  It arises in the absence of ambition or greed.

A moment's reflection will reveal how the divine protection is ever present, even as breathing is constant. Because that is taken for granted, we are in the presence of such Protection only when we escape a serious catastrophe.  Workers from Gujarat used to come to Pondicherry every December to have Mother's Darshan. None of the fixed four darshans fell in December. They used to arrive by a special train, stay here for a week, have the darshan of the Mother when She appeared on the terrace, and return leisurely home.

Motilal Nehru had his clothes made in London by the King's tailor Poole. Some zamindars sent their pregnant wives to England so that the newborn children would be British citizens. Because Britain ruled India, the Indians revered the British capital. Britain ruled not only India, but a good part of the world. Britain, France, Spain, and the Netherlands were imperial countries by their military might. That was the reason for their eminence in the early part of this century. Such an eminence today is most enjoyed by America in all walks of her life.

A few miles away from Pondicherry is a hamlet called Veerampattinam. It is called pattinam as places on the coast are called thus in ancient Tamilnadu, such as Nagapattinam, Kaveripoompattinam, Devanampattinam. The temple there is famous. Its annual festival falls on a Friday in August. Sometimes it coincides with August 15^th or falls around that date. This temple draws very large crowds for its annual festival and people from around twenty or thirty miles radius attend it. The two major events are fire walking and the sacrifice of chickens.