Is Our Future Same As Our Past - A Story

Our Hindu mythology is filled with heroic characters and inspiring acts of bravery. We've all heard stories of 8 armed goddess Kali riding on her majestic lion, elephant headed Ganesha riding on his mouse, ape hero Hanuman, super child Krishna and many more. Whether these are true stories or exaggerated fantasies, we hardly try to question. Most of us, however, go to temples and join hands in front of (the idols of) these same gods and goddesses to fulfill our wishes and keep us safe and protected.

Now, let us think of all the advancements taking place in our world: Rocket science, biotechnology, genetic engineering, robotics and artificial intelligence. Today, we have remote controls that can move things physically from several meters away, aircraft that can travel faster than sound, humanoids that can do all that we can and much more. We can almost feel as if today's science and technology has found innovative ways to make practical what our mythology has described millenniums ago. So, are we, in fact, moving towards a world that existed previously? Are we recreating what was already created long ago?

This story tries to explore the developments of our society and connect what happened in the past to what might as well happen in our future.

2012 Epilogue:

Survivors of what many call ‘The modern Doom’s Day’, have safely settled in their new residences. Several survival strategy guidelines and lifestyle management systems have been formed by the newly elected government, in order to help the survivors strive in their new environment.

As most of the fuel resources were washed away in the disaster, scientists and engineers are trying to come up with ways of living with minimal usage of the available energy resources. A set of rules have been formulated for the new society. In order to prevent extinction of human beings, a strictly hygienic and safe lifestyle is to be followed by all the people. Books on new lifestyle strategies and survivalist skills have been published to help the survivors to adapt to the new environment.   

And thus, Vedas, Manusmriti, Upanishads, etc., are created…

The president has asked writer and researcher survivors to write down the History of the previous world as many great books and references relating to the previous world are lost. The President has described the loss of books on History, Medicine, Engineering, Art and Architecture as the biggest loss created by the Doom’s Day. Doctors and Engineers are requested to print books on the various engineering and architecture systems and medical advancements of the previous world in order to encourage future developments.

Puranas(History), Kalas(Sciences), Ayurveda(Medicine using available resources), Vastu Shastra(Architecture), etc., are created...

The new society has been divided into 4 groups, according to the gene types of people. In order to preserve the various genes and geniuses of the past, and pass them on without any damage, it is highly recommended by the government that inter-type physical and sexual relationship maybe avoided, in order to preserve the old genes without unwanted mutations, which might result in negative effects to the society. Children must be encouraged to take up jobs in the new society according to the gene types of their parents.

Four Varnas are created…

People who do not adhere to the new lifestyle and community guidelines will be categorized as ‘unfit’ for the modern society. For hygiene and safety purposes, the unfits will be prohibited from public places and important social occasions.

Untouchability and prohibition of shudras from temples, water tanks and ponds…

………

After several centuries,

People of the new world read the books written by the survivors of Doom’s Day. They read of vehicles moving at the speed of sound and remote controls that move objects without any physical contact, but are unable to believe in them because they’ve never ‘seen’ such a thing.

Their world has no fuel required to run such vehicles and they’ve lost comprehension of the old languages and ways of writing. They’re neither able to comprehend nor imagine what is written in the ancient texts. They term them as ‘superstitions and fantasies’.

Birds and Beasts are fairies and vampires. Space stations are impossible and coal and petroleum never existed. ‘Doom’s day’ and ‘Previous world’ are, according to some- a previous yuga and others, fictional stories created by their ancestors. ‘Mobile phones’ are magic. ‘Internet’ is unperceivable. ‘Vaccines’ and ‘Antibiotics’ are imaginary substances as disease means death.