India's Spiritual Mirage: Decoding Western Condescension and Ritualistic Realities India’s global image as a spiritual beacon, rooted in ancient texts like the Upanishads, grand pilgrimages like the Kumbh Mela, and practices like yoga, is a blend of awe and distortion. The West’s framing, steeped in colonial Orientalism, often reduces India to a mystical stereotype, serving Western spiritual and economic interests while marginalizing India’s modernity and diversity. This condescension overshadows India’s economic rise and harms its global standing. While India’s philosophical heritage is profound, its populace often prioritizes ritualism over spiritualism, mirroring trends in developing economies like Brazil or the Middle East’s Hajj. Rational scrutiny reveals India falls short of a truly spiritual society, marked by self-inquiry and ethical living, due to materialism and inequality. This essay unpacks India’s spiritual positioning, the West’s patronizing lens, its self-serving n...