Pankaj Saxena is the co-founder and director of cultural research at Brhat, a policy think-tank aimed at realigning state policymaking with Dharma today. In this episode of Upclose, Pankaj speaks with Ashish Dhar on the need for culture as a function of Indian policymaking, the rupturing of nature-culture relation in the modern period, the revival of dharmic praxis for Hindu philosophy, Dharmic expansionism & much more.
00:00-01:11- General chitchat
01:11-05:38- Purpose behind Brhat
05:38-10:50- Culture as a function of policymaking
10:50-14:55- Tenant Act a result of culture-policy gap
14:55-16:55- Is traditional POV 'primitive'?
16:55-24:35- Culture-Nature relationship; its decay in the modern era
24:35-32:40- Who's a Hindu, by the way?
32:40-35:25- Rituals as agents of continuity for Dharma
35:25-41:25- Is accepting Vedapramana being 'Abrahamic'?
41:25-43:20- Shrinking praxis of Hindu philosophy
43:20-49:33- Pankaj's new book to come
49:33-55:30- No need for a perfect past
55:30-01:10:30- Shatrubodh, Swayambodh, Saundaryabodh
01:10:30-01:15:25- Top influences on Pankaj's mind
01:15:25-01:30:55- Reassessing Varna-Jati & Varnashrama today
01:30:55-01:40:00- Dharmic expansionism & its need in North-East
01:40:00-01:42:00 Concluding remarks