Troubling Scribbles

A new post in the series - When a Picture Leads

Going through my old pictures I came across this. I don't know about you, but seeing something like this troubles me a lot. 

A painting that is perhaps 800-1000-years-old
On display in the Thousand-Pillared Hall at Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai

I have seen such ugly and distasteful scribbles at so many places of deep cultural, historical and even ecological significance. On walls of ancient temples, murals, paintings, sculptures, caves, architectural wonders, natural wonders, even the walls of the pathway to the ferry on Vivekananda Rock Memorial! I generally take pictures of such troubling sights just to remind me of....well, the troubling scribbles.  

What troubles me most is this question - Why o why? 

Why do some people think that they must leave their 'mark' on every place they have visited? Why is there this tendency among some people to spoil and soil everything that is beautiful or of cultural value? Why do we refuse to learn how important it is to protect and preserve, to respect and revere? 

"When a country forgets to take care of its cultural riches, it begins to lose its cultural foundation. It is high time we recognise this truth."

(Ref: My new ebook, The Thinking Indian: Essays on Indian Socio-Cultural Matters in the Light of Sri Aurobindo)

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Linking with ABCWednesday, T: T is for Troubling

Also linking with Wordless Wednesday #86