--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What we deplore is not that the gate of…" description: "\"What we deplore is not that the gate of western knowledge was thrown open to Indians, but that such knowledge was imported to India at the sacrifice of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/syama-prasad-mukherjee-62094_cultural-heritage_what-we-deplore-is-not-that-the-gate-of_1176951.jpg" --- # What we deplore is not that the gate of western knowledge… ![“What we deplore is not that the gate of western knowledge was thrown open to Indians, but that such knowledge was imported to India at the sacrifice of our own cultural heritage. What was needed was a proper synthesis between the two systems and not neglect, far less destruction, of the Indian base.” quote by Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/syama-prasad-mukherjee-62094_cultural-heritage_what-we-deplore-is-not-that-the-gate-of_1176951.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/syama-prasad-mukherjee-62094_cultural-heritage_what-we-deplore-is-not-that-the-gate-of_1176951.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/syama-prasad-mukherjee-62094_cultural-heritage_what-we-deplore-is-not-that-the-gate-of_1176951.jpg) > “What we deplore is not that the gate of western knowledge was thrown open to Indians, but that such knowledge was imported to India at the sacrifice of our own cultural heritage. What was needed was a proper synthesis between the two systems and not neglect, far less destruction, of the Indian base.” [Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He criticizes the uncritical adoption of Western knowledge that erodes indigenous culture, urging a balanced synthesis instead. **In simple terms:** Western ideas should not replace local culture. Key Takeaway Seek balanced cultural integration. Themes culture colonialism education identity heritage Mood critical analytical Type historical political When to use this quote - curriculum design - policy making - academic research - community workshops - media discourse Key Concepts cultural synthesis postcolonial theory Questions to Reflect On - What can be gained from respectful cultural exchange? - How to protect heritage while embracing progress? A Different Perspective May underestimate benefits of external knowledge. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cultural heritage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural-heritage/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Heritage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heritage/) [India](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/india/) [Indian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/indian/) [Neglect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neglect/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Western](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/western/) ## Related quotes > [For twenty-five centuries, Western knowledge has tried to look upon the world. It has failed to understand that the world is not for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-attali/for-twenty-five-centuries-western-knowledge-has-tried-to-look-upon-2/) [Jacques Attali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-attali/) > [“India’s villages were not self-reliant republics that lived in blissful isolation. They were networked and connected, and it was the destruction of Indian industry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/india-s-villages-were-not-self-reliant-republics-that-lived-in/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [By giving our audience intimate access to the lives of musicians, we hope to raise awareness of the region's beautiful cultural heritage and present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/by-giving-our-audience-intimate-access-to-the-lives-of-musicians-we/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [Bengali and Malayalam industries are driven by sensible and subtle stories that people can relate to due to the states' literary and cultural heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rituparna-sengupta/bengali-and-malayalam-industries-are-driven-by-sensible-and-subtle/) [Rituparna Sengupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rituparna-sengupta/) > [The interests of the deaf child and his parents may best be served by accepting that he is a deaf person, with an elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-lane/the-interests-of-the-deaf-child-and-his-parents-may-best-be-served-by/) Harlan Lane > [But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves. The world's entire scientific and cultural heritage, published over centuries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/but-like-all-power-there-are-those-who-want-to-keep-it-for-themselves/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [The German people of today bear no guilt. Why are the German people not permitted the right to defend themselves? Why are the crimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/the-german-people-of-today-bear-no-guilt-why-are-the-german-people/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [Today, due to the massive Chinese population transfer, the nation of Tibet truly faces the threat of extinction, along with its unique cultural heritage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/today-due-to-the-massive-chinese-population-transfer-the-nation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [“Norman Rockwell saved my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-allen-petrick/norman-rockwell-saved-my-life/) Jane Allen Petrick > [The hungry and the homeless don't care about liberty any more than they care about cultural heritage. To pretend that they do care is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/the-hungry-and-the-homeless-don-t-care-about-liberty-any-more-than/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [My responsibility is to save Tibet, to protect its ancient cultural heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/my-responsibility-is-to-save-tibet-to-protect-its-ancient-cultural/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The sickly cultural pathos which the whole of France indulges in, that fetishism of the cultural heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/the-sickly-cultural-pathos-which-the-whole-of-france-indulges-in-that/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [With a basic understanding of all humans as brothers and sisters, we can appreciate the usefulness of different systems and ideologies that can accommodate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/with-a-basic-understanding-of-all-humans-as-brothers-and-sisters-we/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The world is getting more connected through technology and travel. Cuisines are evolving. Some people are scared of globalization, but I think people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/the-world-is-getting-more-connected-through-technology-and-travel/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) ## More by Syama Prasad Mukherjee > [Political and social justice requires, not the disintegration of a country and destruction or humiliation of a class which shows initiative, intelligence and drive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syama-prasad-mukherjee/political-and-social-justice-requires-not-the-disintegration-of-a/) [Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) > [Whatever work you undertake, do it seriously, thoroughly and well; never leave it half-done or undone, never feel yourself satisfied unless and until you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syama-prasad-mukherjee/whatever-work-you-undertake-do-it-seriously-thoroughly-and-well-never/) [Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) > [That more than 90 per cent of the Indian population should continue to be illiterate even after 175 years of British rule in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syama-prasad-mukherjee/that-more-than-90-per-cent-of-the-indian-population-should-continue/) [Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) > [Generally speaking, an Indian university must regard itself as one of the living organs of national reconstruction. It must discover the best means of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syama-prasad-mukherjee/generally-speaking-an-indian-university-must-regard-itself-as-one-of/) [Syama Prasad Mukherjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) [Explore all 5 Syama Prasad Mukherjee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syama-prasad-mukherjee/) ## More Cultural heritage quotes > [Demographically, I'm a hippie from San Francisco and I'm not culturally inclined to be sympathetic to states' rights. My cultural heritage is FDR and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-wolf/demographically-i-m-a-hippie-from-san-francisco-and-i-m-not/) [Naomi Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-wolf/) > [The world is getting more connected through technology and travel. Cuisines are evolving. Some people are scared of globalization, but I think people will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mackey/the-world-is-getting-more-connected-through-technology-and-travel/) [John Mackey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mackey/) > [With a basic understanding of all humans as brothers and sisters, we can appreciate the usefulness of different systems and ideologies that can accommodate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/with-a-basic-understanding-of-all-humans-as-brothers-and-sisters-we/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The sickly cultural pathos which the whole of France indulges in, that fetishism of the cultural heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-baudrillard/the-sickly-cultural-pathos-which-the-whole-of-france-indulges-in-that/) [Jean Baudrillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-baudrillard/) > [My responsibility is to save Tibet, to protect its ancient cultural heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/my-responsibility-is-to-save-tibet-to-protect-its-ancient-cultural/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The hungry and the homeless don't care about liberty any more than they care about cultural heritage. To pretend that they do care is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/the-hungry-and-the-homeless-don-t-care-about-liberty-any-more-than/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [“Norman Rockwell saved my life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-allen-petrick/norman-rockwell-saved-my-life/) Jane Allen Petrick > [Today, due to the massive Chinese population transfer, the nation of Tibet truly faces the threat of extinction, along with its unique cultural heritage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/today-due-to-the-massive-chinese-population-transfer-the-nation-of/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [The German people of today bear no guilt. Why are the German people not permitted the right to defend themselves? Why are the crimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/the-german-people-of-today-bear-no-guilt-why-are-the-german-people/) [Mahmoud Ahmadinejad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahmoud-ahmadinejad/) > [But like all power, there are those who want to keep it for themselves. The world's entire scientific and cultural heritage, published over centuries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-swartz/but-like-all-power-there-are-those-who-want-to-keep-it-for-themselves/) [Aaron Swartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-swartz/) > [The interests of the deaf child and his parents may best be served by accepting that he is a deaf person, with an elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harlan-lane/the-interests-of-the-deaf-child-and-his-parents-may-best-be-served-by/) Harlan Lane > [Bengali and Malayalam industries are driven by sensible and subtle stories that people can relate to due to the states' literary and cultural heritage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rituparna-sengupta/bengali-and-malayalam-industries-are-driven-by-sensible-and-subtle/) [Rituparna Sengupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rituparna-sengupta/) > [By giving our audience intimate access to the lives of musicians, we hope to raise awareness of the region's beautiful cultural heritage and present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/by-giving-our-audience-intimate-access-to-the-lives-of-musicians-we/) [Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharmeen-obaid-chinoy/) > [What would you do in order to marry Sophia Loren? I think anyone would become French to marry Sophia Loren. Love was more important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edoardo-ponti/what-would-you-do-in-order-to-marry-sophia-loren-i-think-anyone-would/) [Edoardo Ponti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edoardo-ponti/) > [“Museums hold collections in trust for future generations. It is our responsibility to see that these objects—representing the cultural heritage of more than 8,000…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-witchey/museums-hold-collections-in-trust-for-future-generations-it-is-our/) Holly Witchey [Browse all 89 Cultural heritage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultural-heritage/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What we deplore is not that the gate of western knowledge was thrown open to Indians, but that such knowledge was imported to India at the sacrifice of our own cultural heritage. 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