Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? Contemporary history writing towards balanced historiography (5)

Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? Contemporary history writing towards balanced historiography (5)

The contemporary history writing and historiography: The problems and dangers in writing contemporary history have been pointed out by the European and American writers. They have been mostly delving upon the World War I and II and the ideological power struggle involved. How the war crimes and related problems have been dealt with by NATO and WARSAW ideologists, the economic blockades and fiscal sanctions. Incidentally, a Communist writer pointed out the danger in writing the contemporary history[1]. Another view can be read here that of Ramachandra Guha[2] and also his yet another version here[3]. However, in the Indian context, the Indians have to face contemporary historiographical attacks both from outside and as well as inside. They have been still facing physical and ideological attacks from many such ideological groups. They have been eloquent in blaming others, but, less constructive in giving ways and means positively for the betterment of India. As Indian historians and historiography have already been ideologized and working in groups, their writings cannot be unified, but giving different versions, but, ultimately the dominant version prevails and the weak slowly die down.

Do historians cover all historical subjects with ideology?: Indians include thousands of groups of people engaged in a variety of job, work and avocations. During the last 3000-2000-1000-500-100 years, definitely much has affected them in many aspects, the Indian society formed and existing has been with certain specific culture, tradition, heritage and civilization. The A to Z of duties and responsibilities[4] can be studied under different categories (these are given only for illustrative purposes and not exhaustive):

• Science, technology
• Mathematician, astronomer, geology, cosmology, cosmogony,
• Law, acts, rules, judiciary, jurisprudence
• Education, schools, colleges, universities, specialization
• Health, medicine, diseases, hospitals
• Agriculture, seeds, cereals, oil,
• Ores, metals, metallurgy, utensils, bronzes
• Cotton, silk, yarn, weaving, textiles,
• Cattle, milk, milk products
• House, house construction, materials
• Temple, construction, sculptures, artisans, sculptors, stone worker,
• Artist, painter,
• Food, cooking, preservation of food
• Ruler, king, emperor, dynasty, chieftain, politics,
• Tax, cannons of taxation, exemption, exports, imports,
• Boat, ship, building, inland water transport, oversea navigation

Historians, history-writer, historiographer, archaeologist, or any other related experts do not cover all the subjects.  They may call themselves as Marxist, pro-Marxist, anti-Marxist, subalternist, left, right, centre, nationalist, anti-nationalist, non-nationalist or any other expression, they have been arguing, counter-arguing, etc., for many decades, without concluding but going on blaming others.

The available contemporary evidences should be preserved: Definitely, the available contemporary and Indian evidences should be preserved:

• The Mail, The Hindu, Indian Express (English dailies), Swadeshamitran, Navamani, Dinathanthi, Dinamani (Tamil dailies), Kalki, Ananda Vikatan, Kumudam, Kalkanu (Tamil magazines) contain day to day news of 19^th and 20^th centuries. Therefore, all such dailies in e-format should be made available to the public and researchers.
• Accordingly, the events and news of 1900 onwards had been well recorded.
• Even old photographs and cine-films contain the then existence condition of popular places, roads, buildings etc., that may add more evidence for history writing.
• The narratives 70-80-90-100 years old people should be recorded immediately, before they leave us with data and information.
• Audi alteram partem meaning “listen to the other side”, or “let the other side be heard as well”. Hence, the all sides, both sides or the other side of the events could be known and analyzed.
• Knowing the facts, they should be allowed to record for the posterity.

How to get Indian history completely?: For convenience, and familiarity, the Madras presidency, Madras and Madras related events, personalities and issues have been taken up for discussion. In the same way, the problems and facts of each state, important city and local leaders can be taken up, so that the whole India would be covered and such narratives can be compiled for future generations:

• As Indians have been divided based on language, region, religion, ethnicity and other factors, they have been compartmentalized in groups.
• However, there have been celebrations, festivals, tirta-yatras, going on 24×7 basis -unite all Indians and they are not controlled by any ideology.
• The print and electronic media now exposes many interesting facts of celebrations, festivals and events to the viewers and they could understand how they are in common, though, the names and places differ.
• Naturally, Indian culture, tradition, heritage and civilization unite them in all such gatherings.
• That they are Hindu need not be a communal factor, but, historical and therefore, such interpretation should be stopped in historiography. The common people of India not only do not know such interpretation and they do not bother also.
• That majority of Indians has been carrying on their activities with all the 1000 years disturbances etc., prove some inherent resilience among themselves.
• Therefore, the criticizing historians, disparaging historiographers and condemning writers should recognize such intrinsic resistance, innate spirit, inborn confidence, or inbuilt strength.
• As the biographies, autobiographies of leaders, scientists etc., have been published, the history of others can also be published, so that the current and as well as the future generations know them.
• Time will decide, who will be remembered for long and forgotten.
• The responsibility of all writers, speakers and lecturers should be to unite Indians.

Regional separatism, linguistic enthusiasm and state exclusivism should not affect India’s unity and integrity: As crores of Indians living far away from each other, yet enjoy the food, music, cinema, and so many other common things, with the modern connectivities, they can still come together. As armed forces have such spirit, all Indians should have unified feelings. If the regional parties, leaders and ideologists still want to question the Indian unity and integrity in different way, they would be only misleading the people of the respective state. The central-state relations would also be affected with such confronting attitude and verbose. Thus, the fellow-Indians of other states also could get affected with such confronting states creating uncomforted conditions. However, now in modern times, Indians of all states have been united together in many ways. Their relationships have been there in every state. The IT and similar jobs have made them to go different parts of India and work. Thus, millions have already been settled in other states during the last 75 years and they have already been converted to local conditions, speaking local languages and following customs.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

15-05-2024

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[1]  Rajani Palm Dutt, Problems of Contemporary History, 1963. Book published by Lawrence and Wishart (London, 1963).https://www.marxists.org/archive/dutt/1963/contemporary-history.htm

[2] Guha, Ramachandra. “The challenge of contemporary history.” Economic and Political Weekly (2008): 192-200.

[3] Ramachandra Guha, The Challenge of Contemporary History, Historia 54,1, Mei/May 2009, pp 112-128.

The author notes, “A somewhat different version of this article was published in the Economic and Political Weekly I am grateful to André Béteille, Sumit Guha, Mukul Kesavan, Sunil Khilnani, Srinath Raghavan, James Scott and two anonymous reviewers for their comments.”

[4] In Indian context, duty is always connected with responsibility, accountability and liability and therefore, the individual discipline is expected much that helps the growth of family and society.

Note- the graphics have been added to create awareness how anti-Indian forces, ideologists and writers have been working…..

Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? Mythologization of modern leaders (2)

Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? Mythologization of modern leaders (2)

Only few Indians know all other leaders: Very often, people groups talk about their leaders like – Gandhi (1869-1947), Nehru (1889-1964), Patel (1875-1950), Bose (1897-1945), Rajaji (1878-1972), Jinnah (1876-1948), Ambedkar (1891-1956) and other mainstream heads and regional chiefs of the states. Though, thousands of other leaders, religious heads, scientists and others were there, they may not be known to all Indians, as they were not made publicized. Even after the spread of print and electronic media, such tendencies continue. Though, it cannot be called as censor, the influenced and controlled media has agenda to do so. The media allows the programs, news and other features only that are decided by the choice of the owners and not that of the viewers. Slowly such enforced burden continues and the viewers are accustomed to such imposed programmes. In the same way, the history writers and historiographers also decide what they write and what they do / should not write.

All Indian leaders should be studied: As the Indian recent history covers 100-200 years, definitely, the leaders of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc., may have also to be added. For the Bengalis, it is very familiar, as they used to get news about the nearby states including Myanmar, Thailand and beyond[1]. So also, the Punjabis still remember and get the news of their relatives, who are still in the Western Punjab in Pakistan. The relation of the Tamils of Tamilnadu with that of Sri Lanka is viewed carefully and seriously. But, the Indians of other states do not get such details.After all, Jinnah lived in India and his house is there in Bombay / Mumbai[2]. But, when Jinnah. EVR, Ambedkar and others decided to meet, they met at the house of Ambedkar and not at that of Jinnah. In fact, many, including historians do not know that Jinnah, EVR and Ambedkar met together. No historian or researcher raised any question about it. Historians do not talk about Western Punjab and East Bengal or East Bengal and West Bengal. Therefore, it is imperative that Indian students should read about the leaders of other states also.

The history of the leaders of India, pre-1947 India and after 1947 India: How these leaders acted, reacted and counter-acted can be noted during the British rule, before and after independence. Particularly, the study of separatist leaders has been interesting. Though millions of documents, lakhs of books and thousands of photos are available, not all are available in the public domain. Not all of them were handed over to India by the British and Indian government also made them open to all. Of course, when the Indian historians become biased, their likes and dislikes changed completely. When most of the senior leaders started dying after independence because of age, the next generation of leaders have not been so, the current generation lost the chance of knowing facts about them. When India itself was divided into Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tibet, Nepal, Burma and Sri Lanka  either by administrative convenience or freedom struggle, separation created in knowing the leaders of other countries carved out of the “British India. ” When the  formation of linguistic based states within India completed, such exclusivism arose among the linguistic groups. Thus, the pre and post-1947 Indian history makes a lot of difference.

The politics of statue erection: Till 1970-80, Ambedkar was not known to the south, particularly, the Tamilnadu people. The DK-DMK leaders also did not bother about him.  Their speeches and writings show the fact. As they give importance and publicity about him, they did not do the same of them some 40-50 years back. But, suddenly, 1980s onwards, thousands of Ambedkar statues started appearing in Tamilnadu. At that time some even questioned, why statues for a person, who was not a Tamilian. Many Tamilnadu political and other leaders claim that they are the heir of Ambedkar and produce all sorts of rhetoric literature accordingly. Even if Prakash Ambedkar or Anandraj Yaswant Ambedkar comes to Tamilndu, they might be surprised or shocked to note how many are claiming the heir-ship. Mayavati started installing her statues in UP[3], just like what the Dravidian leaders did in Tamilnadu. Ironically, when the statue of Karunanidhi was installed, while he was alive, it was demolished on the occasion of death of his political rival MGR in 1987. Later, as mentioned above, the Ambedkar statues were started to be installed throughout Tamilnadu. The DK also joined the race with the installation of EVR statues everywhere. Thus, statue erection has beome a political culture in India.

Statue-tomb culture increasing in Tamilnadu: Now, perhaps none can / could point out the facts of the Dravidian leaders now elevated to divine level. Crores are spent to build memorials, buildings and other spots year by year. Thus, during the last 70 years, more and more neo-political-spiritual places are created. The tomb culture has already started from 1970 and now in Madras / Chennai, most of the Marina beach has been encroached by the tombs of C.N. Annadurai, M.G. Ramachandran, Jayalalita and M. Karunanidhi. There is a joke that every CM might reserve a place in the Marina Beach for the purpose. Their places of tombs have been constructed, reconstructed, renovated, modified, enlarged many times spending crores of money. Evidently, a new type of cult has been created and none can criticize such sectorial rituals, factional rites and group lirugy. The yearly rituals and ceremonies are conducted on the days of birth, death and other occasions. The beach has also been lined with many statues and they are increasing year by year. “Manimantapam” has become a routine affair and it is declared for every leader, evidently chosen based on caste, religion and other sectarian reasons. Under such circumstances, only esteemed eulogy, superlative tributes, and praising elegy are only allowed. The life-histories of all these leaders are not written or know to the public. Thus, tomb-statue culture also suppress the facts of the leaders.

Mythologization of life-histories of leaders: Even among the State / regional leaders like – Sheik Abdullah, Jagjivan Ram, Karpoori Thakur, Om Prakash Chautala, Charn Singh, Prafulla Kumar Mohanti, Lal Denga, Jyoti Basu, Biju Patnaik, N. T. Rama Rao, E. V. Ramasami Naicker, Potti Sriramulu, Nambudripad, Ramakrishna Hegde, Bal Thackery, Vijayaraje Sindia, Man Mohan Singh, etc., many of them are forgotten now. Only for illustrative purposes, few leaders have been mentioned and it is not exhaustive list. In many cases, their real life-histories have been mythologized, though, they lived just 100 years back and some are living also. The regional parties, of late, have been trying to mythologize and portray their leaders in the new cast, so that the past is erased or completely changed. As the political and social leaders are claimed by different parties, they try to project them to suit their ideology and hence suppress the facts that are not suitable to them. Thus, the suppression of facts work in different ways with the modern mythologization. Here, also no historian or researcher gives 100% authentic biography, yet, lessons are included in the textbooks for students to read and answer as per the designed pattern, as otherwise, the students cannot get marks and even pass the exams.

How facts are suppressed[4]: Generally, negationism[5] is applied to suppress all the negative aspects of life of any particular leader and new positive aspects are added year by year by the followers, disciples and admirers. However, as the relatives, friends and contemporaries live even today, they know the facts and hence, they point out in incorrect projection of such leader. Here also such persons are threatened or warned not to meet any persons, give interview and so on. Thus, the old persons of 70 to 100 years old are also prevented to tell the truth. Of course, in the 100-200 years newspapers also, some news would have come and researcher could find out. Here also, the researchers are harassed and access denied maximum. They are asked to come again and again, send back on flimsy pretext and thus, they too stop coming. Yet, such details are prevented to be recorded in the mainstream media, books and journals. Even in the research journals, conference proceedings and seminar compilations, certain vested interests see that they are excluded. Thus, systematically such details are suppressed forever and in due course, they are forgotten.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

15-05-2024

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[1]  The Greater India Society for the study of Indian culture in East, South East and Central Asia. The terms the Society used in its aims and objects to describe the vast geographical expanse of what it felt constituted ‘Greater India’ now are largely forgotten and perhaps sound somewhat archaic: ‘Serindia, India Minor, Indo China and Insulindia’ referring respectively to what corresponds now roughly to modern Xinjiang, India, South East Asia and North West Pakistan, Afghanistan and parts of Iran. 

[2] Jinnah Mansion, also known as the South Court, is an unoccupied house in Malabar Hill, a premium neighbourhood of the city of Mumbai in India associated with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder and first governor-general of Pakistan. It was built by Jinnah and remained his main residence for 10 years until he left in 1946 for Karachi.

[3] Mayavati justified before the Supreme Court during the hearing in 2009 petition against the profusion of statues of Mayawati, her mentor Kanshi Ram and elephants – her party Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)’s symbol – built at parks in Lucknow and Noida with taxpayers’ money when she was chief minister between 2007 and 2012. The statues of bronze, cement and marble had critics accusing her of self-obsession and megalomania.

[4]  As the author himself has faced and undergone all such problems, such exigencies can be explained in detail, yet, it is not possible.

[5] Historical negationism, also called historical denialism, is falsification or distortion of the historical record. It should not be conflated with historical revisionism, a broader term that extends to newly evidenced, fairly reasoned academic reinterpretations of history. In attempting to revise the past, historical negationism acts as illegitimate historical revisionism by using techniques inadmissible in proper historical discourse, such as presenting known forged documents as genuine, inventing ingenious but implausible reasons for distrusting genuine documents, attributing conclusions to books and sources that report the opposite, manipulating statistical series to support the given point of view, and deliberately mistranslating texts.

Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? – Ideological struggle (1)

Is it difficult to write 100-200 years old history faithfully and honestly in the Indian context? – Ideological struggle (1)

Writing recent and contemporary history: The true, authentic and 100% genuine history of the persons who were, have been and are so dominant, powerful and authoritarian, cannot be written faithfully and sincerely. So also the political, military and martial activities, struggles and combats cannot be recorded honestly. Though the facts of such persons and events are known to many, they may not be able to tell them out openly. Even if fallen angels are there, it is difficult to write about them or making angels out of demons is also a much more difficult task. As time goes on, either people start forgetting the past or the past is made to be forgotten by the vested groups.  Mostly, such narratives and discourses result in whitewashing or colourwashing the contemporary history. Historians claim that they do not require any objectivity, then, it works well with the writing history of the current leaders and events. Censor, editing, expurgation, expunction and even destroying evidences had / have been the processes of suppression of facts. In history writing or historiography, whether the intention or their culpability of historians to do so, is not known or discussed.

Is the history of the last 100 – 200 years known to all Indians?: India has been divided into States and Union territories, mostly based on the linguistic factor and few on other colonial related issues[1].

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Laccadive, Minicoy & Amindivi Islands (later renamed Lakshadweep)
• Delhi
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
• Manipur
• Pondicherry, Mahe, Yanam
• Tripura
• Himachal Pradesh

Significantly, the history of the last 100 – 200 years is not known to Indians of the current generation and also youth.  The South Indians do not read the history of North-west and North-east of India. Andaman and Nicobar, Laccadive Islands are considered as tourist spots and their history is not studied. The north-eastern states are rarely read either in history books or daily newspapers. Whenever, anything negative happened, that is alone prominently reported[2]. This type of unbalanced conditions creates many misunderstandings among the common people. Many North-eastern and Kashmir students are found in many Universities and Colleges in South India and other places. Though, they could be identified easily, they are treated well and return to their states with degrees. Perhaps, they carry the sweet memories (with some history) also to their native places. However, it is not known how many South Indians, particularly, the Tamils or Dravidian protagonists go to the North-east and study there. Of course, there is no peaceful conditions there in Kashmir and north-east like other parts of India. Therefore, the students who studied and going back, should tell their people to keep their states peaceful, and conducive so that students from other states go there and study.

The syllabus of the State cannot differ much from the national main-stream: Each State and Union Territory have their Ministry of Education and department and they formulate the syllabi for all the subjects taught in the schools and colleges. Though, SCERT has been there, the State Education Department takes decisions, finalizes syllabi, produce books and distribute them. Thus, ultimately, only those books have authority over the students for all purposes. Here, whenever the government changes with the newly elected political party, the syllabus, particularly that of arts, humanities and languages are subjected to change. The lessons of erstwhile government rulers, details and favourites would be removed completely. The life-history of the leaders of the newly elected party-government would be included in edited version[3]. This is how, the state and regional textbooks suffer. Thus, the State Board, Matriculation, NCERT and other categories have their own syllabus and books also. Mostly, they cater to the needs of the candidates appearing for competitive exams also. Thus, such books help the students well. If this difference, differentiation and categorization impact the students, then, the academic experts should be careful for balanced conditions. As crores of Indian students appear for many common entrance examinations, they cannot be fed only with the regional affairs. Nowadays, language is also made controversial for competitive entrance examinations[4].

Race, race-related myth, hypotheses and theories are followed: Linguistic superiority, importance and divisive issues also make certain states to behave differently in their approach towards other states that speak different languages. Definitely, the “Aryan-Dravidian” dichotomy makes the pro-linguistic harbingers to have a distinctive ideology in South India[5]. The concept of race was proven unscientific and such hypotheses and theories were rejected already[6]. The ideologically moulded propagandists with the concepts of race, racism, racialism, language, caste and related social issues make more divisive conditions[7]. New hypotheses and theories have been floated, developed and even included in the academicia and such modern-day racial myths are made to believe[8]. Ironically, the historians promote and support such unscientific race related hypotheses and theories. Even international experts change their stand, if they change their stages[9]. As far as the political leaders are concerned, they are not bothered about anything scientific, though, they reportedly hail science and technology. Thus, the history of their leaders is suppressed, edited and even modified to suit the political, social, economic and religious exigencies.

Communism is mixed with regional separatism easily: With the Communism added to certain political splinter groups and the Communists themselves divide them into different groups with various ideologies interpreted[10]. Thus, these fringe elements joining with other separatist parties join together ruling roost with people groups. Linguistic exclusivism turned regional separatism gets ideological support from these ideological groups. Thus, the ideological concepts of self-determination, the right to secede and such others ideas are with the linguistic exclusivism, regional separatism and racial superiority[11]. Either North India or South India always placed each other at loggerheads without any major problem that reflects even today in socio-economic and religious-political issues. Now, the north-Indian workers working in Tamilnadu has been made a political issue, however, the infiltration of Bangladeshi workers is not questioned. In fact, Mamta Banerjee has an accommodative political policy for them[12]. Politically, though, the Communists lost their power, ideologically, they continue to influence historians, history forums and history, as could be noted from the proceedings of IHC, SIHC etc.

Politicized commerce, ideologized business and monopolized trade: Newly generated cinema, cricket and media commercializations cross all linguistic bearers, of late, they also add to the existing separatist tendencies[13]. Here, surprisingly just like medieval Indian martial and marital alliances, they too have coalition, alliances, franchise etc., converting such business enterprises to monopolies. “Hindi teriyadu poda” (I do not know Hindi) and making Hindi films, creating Hindi and other north-Indian language channels etc., have become their part of business, where their contradictions are not hidden or suppressed[14]. Thus, here, also, the audience or consumers can only see only what the media magnets impose and not what the viewers want. However, regularly, the mobile and internet charges are paid by the common public and collected by those who politicized business and monopolized trade. Thus, the followers might be surprised how their favourite Heroes have been in the wrong side or in different politicized lobby[15]. Under such circumstances also, the media gods and goddesses cannot be questioned, even, many know about their recent-past history.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

15-05-2024

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[1]  For various reasons, the status of them are kept as Union Territory and also changed to State, vice versa, as happening in the case of several North-eastern states.

[2] Recently, much has been reported and debated in the local Tamil channels about the Manipur incidences, as otherwise, Manipur is never thought of by them.

[3] All the details that are not favorable would have been removed and other details glorifying that characteristics, whether they were possessed by the leaders or not, would have been mentioned there. In fact, the book-writers of such caliber only be appointed as the members of text-book committee.

[4] The NEET (UG) 2023 would be conducted in these languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. 

[5]  In Tamilnadu, even today the politicians, theoreticians and ideologists – known as Dravidologists – believe in the Aryan-Dravidian races and target one particular community for their survival.

[6]  Yet, they talk about “Dravidian stock,” “Dravidian model” etc., and produce books also for propaganda.

[7] But, the main-stream elite, eminent, emeritus, progressive and other secular bandwagon of historians do not correct, check or condemn them, rather promote them.

[8]  The existence of races Aryan and Dravidian, Aryan invading India and driving the Dravidians to South and such other theories are still accepted and studied in the academic syllabus and competitive examinations.

[9] The speeches of Asko Parpola during the last 50 years could be noted – when he attended Chemmozhi conference and presented his paper, he changed completely.

[10]  Many groups were / are operating e.g., – The Tamil Nadu Liberation Army (TNLA) – https://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/india/terroristoutfits/TNLA.htm

[11]  Even political parties have been there with such ideologies, but now, slowly, they have started playng down and singing different song. It may be noted that PMK of Tamilnadu was having such ideology, but, now it is in the NDA / BJP alliance in 2024.

[12]  There have been a lot of news, how the infiltrated Bangladeshis are settling down in the border areas of West Bengal getting Aadhar  card, Voter ID, ration card etc.,

[13] India has to deal with thousands of such groups – https://www.satp.org/terrorist-groups/india

[14] I do not know Hindi – எனக்கு இந்தி தெரியாது போடா became some sort of propaganda with T-shirts, social media postings etc., where, the DMK leaders too participitated.

[15] The advertisements appearing – from cricket to real estate – in the print and electronic media speaks volumes of such duality or commercial hypocrisy.