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bala,

i notice that all the quotes are from learned folks, ie folks who are interested, erudite and scholars of hinduism. these people, i think
have already a bias in favour of and have a feeling of goodwill towards our culture and heritage.

to the normal westerner in the street, i think, we are an unknown. not many would have heard of us. not many would care either. not
that it matters anyway. but many of them, may have some warped or distorted view of our way of life, same as we do of the west.

for example, the detailed reporting of the toronto globe and mail, will be an eye opener to many in canada. the concept of caste is
unknown in the west, or for that matter, outside of india. i think, it will do us good, to possess sufficient knowledge, not to deny the warts
in our background. people are human enough, to acknowledge shortcomings, for every religion and culture has its own negatives.

but it is important, how we recognize it, in today's india, and what we are doing, to rectify the wrongs. that is more impressive, i think,
than all the quotes by a few scholars, whose works or even names are not known, beyond their own circle of study.

my children grew up on amar chitra kathas. they know more about hinduism than i do. they can defend the good, and abhor the bad.
i think they have a more healthy attitude towards our faith, than me, warped as i am by the half attempted regimentation imposed on a
tambram kid of the 50s and 60s, from parents, who themselves were ambiguous about the rightness of it all.

hope this post to you, and to you only, makes some sense. if not, just ignore it.

thank you.