It is all Greek to us.

(From Indian Express)

ON August 6, The Indian Express carried an article titled 'How to avoid a Greek tragedy'. It dealt with the conservation of the 2,500-year-old Parthenon in preparation of the 2004 Summer Olympics that are to be held in Greece. What struck me about the article was the emotional outpouring and media focus that the conservation of the Parthenon was attracting. I could not help but realise that it was all contrary to what happens in our country, to the detriment, unfortunately, of the splendid heritage that we possess and which is slowly vanishing. Many are the conservators, archaeologists, historians and architects who are involved in the fiery debate about how the 5 BC Parthenon is to be restored, with ranks been drawn up as differing opinions emerge. On the one hand are the 'purists', the ones who feel that no new marble is to be used in order to reproduce the tapering columns of the Parthenon.Their claim is for authenticity without any new additions as the aim is not a ''kind of fifth century theme park'', (Mary Beard, classics professor and authority on the Parthenon, Cambridge University). On the other hand are the 'radicals', the ones who desire a 'major overhaul' but realise the incorrectness of a 'shiny full-scale replica'. The critics, in the meanwhile, point to the deception of the government in not making the public aware of where and how the ancient and the new stones have started to mingle with each other during the course of the restoration. National speculation and ...