This animated true story explores an insightful and humorous cross-cultural exchange during an online work meeting. The narrator, working remotely for a Canadian company, joined a video call with a diverse team comprising North Indians and Canadians. During a casual chat, a North Indian colleague mentioned the strong historical connections between India and Sri Lanka. This led to a discussion about the Ramayana, specifically the story of Lord Rama and the monkey army building a bridge (Ram Setu) to Sri Lanka.
To illustrate the point, the colleague proudly shared Google Maps images of Adam's Bridge and pictures of Lord Hanuman, describing him as a monkey king who flew to Sri Lanka for reconnaissance before the war. The Canadian colleagues, unfamiliar with the epic, were both fascinated and amused, innocently asking, " Did the monkey fly?" and wondering if the story was fiction or history. While the South Asian colleagues were left speechless or hiding their smiles on camera, the narrator reflects on the incident. He suggests that questioning long-held, institutionalized beliefs—which are often unquestioningly taught from childhood—can foster a more scientific mindset and eventually help eliminate societal discrimination, bringing true evolution beyond just infrastructure.
