12-19-2006, 01:05 AM
Some very interesting comments from a yahoogroup.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Friends,
I happen to consider that Western Indology has greatly stimulated our
knowledge of and understanding of Indian civilization, even as it has sought
time and again to squeeze it in a ridiculously narrow and dogmatic
framework. There have been many valuable studies of distortions introduced
by Indology, but there is one persistent line of distortion which I don't
recall being systematically explored. It is: "<i>Indians can't have done it --
they must have taken it from elsewhere.</i>"
In coming months, I intend to write a paper on this theme, in the course of
which I will highlight a few telling cases (this may become a small book
also). Below are a few preliminary examples. In some cases, the debate has
long been closed -- with the original bias always disproved -- while in
others it's going on despite accumulating evidence.
Mathematics
Indians can't have invented the Arabic numerals & the decimal place-value
system (Kaye et al.)
Indians can't have invented the geometry of the Shulba-Sutras, they took it
from the Greeks
Astronomy
Indians must have borrowed their astronomy from Mesopotamia & Greece
(Pingree et al.)
Indians can't have a tradition of astronomical observation (Keith et al.)
Aryabhata can't have observed the planets whose positions he gives (Pingree)
Prehistory
Indian agriculture can't have developed on its own (Renfrew)
Harappan civilization can't be indigenous, it took shape under Mesopotamian
influence
Harappan chariots can't have had spoked wheels (Witzel et al.)
The average Harappan can't have been literate
The Indus script can't have been a script at all (Farmer et al.)
Features of Harappan town-planning can't have found their way into
historical town-planning and/or Vastu Shastra (R. Thapar, Brighenti et al.)
History
Iron technology can't be indigenous
The Brahmi script can't have been indigenous (Bühler)
Indians can't have thought of stone inscriptions on their own
Indian art developed only under the Greek impulse
Education
Indians can't have had an extensive educational system of their own (British
rulers)
This is a rough and incomplete list. I would be grateful of some of you
could suggest other such cases, if possible with the main sources. I believe
the overall picture will be interesting as well as educational.
Regards,
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No wonder indology depts are crumbling under the weight of their own hubris. Any additions to this list of "<i>Indians can't have done it - they must have taken it from elsewhere.</i>"
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Friends,
I happen to consider that Western Indology has greatly stimulated our
knowledge of and understanding of Indian civilization, even as it has sought
time and again to squeeze it in a ridiculously narrow and dogmatic
framework. There have been many valuable studies of distortions introduced
by Indology, but there is one persistent line of distortion which I don't
recall being systematically explored. It is: "<i>Indians can't have done it --
they must have taken it from elsewhere.</i>"
In coming months, I intend to write a paper on this theme, in the course of
which I will highlight a few telling cases (this may become a small book
also). Below are a few preliminary examples. In some cases, the debate has
long been closed -- with the original bias always disproved -- while in
others it's going on despite accumulating evidence.
Mathematics
Indians can't have invented the Arabic numerals & the decimal place-value
system (Kaye et al.)
Indians can't have invented the geometry of the Shulba-Sutras, they took it
from the Greeks
Astronomy
Indians must have borrowed their astronomy from Mesopotamia & Greece
(Pingree et al.)
Indians can't have a tradition of astronomical observation (Keith et al.)
Aryabhata can't have observed the planets whose positions he gives (Pingree)
Prehistory
Indian agriculture can't have developed on its own (Renfrew)
Harappan civilization can't be indigenous, it took shape under Mesopotamian
influence
Harappan chariots can't have had spoked wheels (Witzel et al.)
The average Harappan can't have been literate
The Indus script can't have been a script at all (Farmer et al.)
Features of Harappan town-planning can't have found their way into
historical town-planning and/or Vastu Shastra (R. Thapar, Brighenti et al.)
History
Iron technology can't be indigenous
The Brahmi script can't have been indigenous (Bühler)
Indians can't have thought of stone inscriptions on their own
Indian art developed only under the Greek impulse
Education
Indians can't have had an extensive educational system of their own (British
rulers)
This is a rough and incomplete list. I would be grateful of some of you
could suggest other such cases, if possible with the main sources. I believe
the overall picture will be interesting as well as educational.
Regards,
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
No wonder indology depts are crumbling under the weight of their own hubris. Any additions to this list of "<i>Indians can't have done it - they must have taken it from elsewhere.</i>"