Miscellaneous Topics On Indian History - 2

[Guest]

New thread - older version in 'Trash can'

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Viren+Nov 25 2006, 10:23 PM-->QUOTE(Viren @ Nov 25 2006, 10:23 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->New thread - older version in 'Trash can'
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My polite request on info on 17th cenury Deccan also went to the trash can. no problem, I can repeat it <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo--> . Please do share inputs, opinions, sources, links etal on 17th century Deccan. The political situation, military innovations, social changes, interactions with the colonial powers etc. I'm especially interested in the lifestyle, and how wars were conducted.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->no problem, I can repeat it <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sorry. Please do. Or let me know the post and I'll reinstate it.
Typically, threads that don't gather traction are retired.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Viren+Nov 26 2006, 06:50 AM-->QUOTE(Viren @ Nov 26 2006, 06:50 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->no problem, I can repeat it <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Sorry. Please do. Or let me know the post and I'll reinstate it.
Typically, threads that don't gather traction are retired.
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No porblem...I've already mentioned it in the last mail.

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Meos Up!

Posted Monday, Jan. 23, 1933


Unlike the double-chinned Aga Khan and many a do-nothing Indian potentate, His Highness the Maharaja of small Alwar keeps in lean, hard physical condition, keeps his small army in the pink of fighting trim.* He is proud that his polo team won the Open Cup at the 1903 Delhi Durbar, proud of his prowess at polo and racquets. In London at the First India Round Table Conference he won prominence by proposing that India should be known in future "not as the Federation of India but as the United States of India because that sounds more grand!" Last week events popped in Alwar. Her hard, smart Maharaja had an uprising on his hands slightly too big for his 500 hard, smart troops.

It started with the Meos, a fiercely bearded Mohammedan tribe, who attempted to "organize" Hindu shopkeepers in the village of Govindgarh. The shopkeepers appealed to the Maharaja, who sent a Hindu magistrate and 100 soldiers, who promptly arrested 25 Meos. There was shooting. Tribesmen with rifles appeared from nowhere, and up in the hills the drums began beating, calling more and still more to the attack.

Retreat to the capital was blocked. Troops, magistrate and the 25 prisoners were besieged all night in the local revenue office by at least 3,000 tribesmen, who, when they got bored shooting at the soldiery, improved their time by breaking a Hindu idol, tearing up sacred books, and hanging a priest upside down from a tree. A few days later 15,000 Meos were under arms. Then the Imperial Raj, the Government of His Britannic Majesty, took action.

From Delhi an infantry regiment, three cavalry squadrons and four cars of the Royal Tank Corps moved down on Alwar, and before them the rioting Meos vanished like snow in summer. British correspondents cluttered the cables with stories pointing out how necessary to the peace of India are Britain's troops.

*Unlike the Moslem Aga Khan who sells his bath water to Moslem priests, is paid his weight in gold for it every year and therefore keeps as fat as possible, the Maharaja of Alwar distributes every year his weight in silver to the poor. Nowadays this silver largesse runs to about $500.

From the Jan. 23, 1933 issue of TIME magazine

http://205.188.238.109/time/magazine/artic...,744949,00.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

Question on Ramayana.

Why did Vanara sena need a bridge to cross the ocean over to Lanka? Why was navigation, obviousely an easier option, not available? How long, according to Valmiki Ramayana did it take to construct the bridge? Was there any sabotage attempt by Ravana? Obviousely he must have received the intelligence?

[acharya]

National convention of Itihas Sankalan Yojna in Kurukshetra
Indian history not complete without Saraswati Civilisation

"Saraswati was not a myth but a live flowing river. It symbolises the glorious past of our civilisation. The revival of the river’s flow would not only strengthen our civilisation culturally but naturally also,” said RSS Sarsanghachalak Shri K.S. Sudarshan while inaugurating the national convention of the Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojna in Kurukshetra on November 17. He said the British distorted our history under a well-planed conspiracy and the conspiracy continued even after independence. “The time has come when we should rediscover our glorious history so that our new generations could feel pride over their history,” he said while expressing happiness over the Saraswati River Research Project. He said our scientists and archeologists through this achievement have proved that Saraswati river was not a myth but a reality.

Shri Suresh Soni, Sahsarkaryavah of the RSS, requested the historians to bring fourth true history based on Indian thinking and remove the distortion of the history. Noted scholar Shri Dharmpal Maini said the study and research of history is very important in the context of human values. He stressed the need to pass on the rich legacy of the country to the new generation.

Dr Shivaji Singh, president of the Itihas Sankalan Yojna, came down heavily on the leftist historians and said they damaged the Indian history more than the British. He said the leftists have arrested Indian history in their myths and called upon the historians to liberate it from their clutches. He said work on Saraswati river project has presented a unique and encouraging example.

Noted columnist, Smt Sandhya Jain inaugurated an exhibition on Saraswati Civilisation and the first war of independence of 1857. Dr K. L. Mehra, former director of the Pusa Institute, New Delhi, presented a paper on this topic. Dr Anil Kumar Gupta, a scientist from the Indian Space Research Organisation, Jodhpur and Dr Vidyut Bhadra presented a researched report on the old flowing route of the Saraswati river. Dr Kalyan Raman, director of Saraswati River Research Project, moved a proposal for preserving 2,000 archeologically important places related to the Saraswati river. The proposal, which was adopted unanimously, said the 2,000 places, which lie in the route of the flow of the river should be excavated so that new facts could be found related to the origin of Indian Civilisation. The convention also adopted another resolution on first war of independence of 1857. A total of 80 research papers were presented at the convention.

Dr Kalyan Raman said the revival of Saraswati river has not remain the question of just history and archeology but it is now related to the life of over 20 crore people. It can now quench the thrust of crores of people. He said the project would be completed at any cost.

He wondered why the eyes of Shri Sitaram Yechuri and Shri Nilotpal Basu could not see what the satellite can see. Despite the fact that a number of research institutes from Mansarovar to Gujarat are working on the project, Shri Sitaram Yechuri as president of the Cultural Ministry’s Standing Committee has recommended the government to close the project. Shri Nilotpal Basu too had earlier made a similar recommendation. He said the scientists of the ISRO have discovered a dozens of places from Bikaner to Barmer in Rajasthan where the sweet water of Saraswati river has been found. He said after the earthquake in Pakistan last year a water resource developed at Kalayat in Haryana. This whole water indicates to the hidden flow of the Saraswati river, he said. (FOC)

[acharya]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Gandhi in his heart and mind was a loyal soldier of the british government......he never demanded purna swaraj, because he could never conceptualise a free india standing on its own might, without the crutches of the british foundation. All his letters are signed, your hubble servant "gandhi".....It proves that he forget nationalism, he was a british sycophant and the british found him an effective tool for sustaining their rule over India.

He was also a master politician......he knew he was no mahatma, his knowledge of the scripture was NIL, he was pathetic as a philosopher, and hence he knew to project himself as the unopposed leader of the masses, he must reinvent himself as being different......So the shameface, in his autobiography projects his candidness as the means to his making of the mahatma........It must be remembered that dialectical debates wasnt his cup of tea and moreover he was endowed with a weird sophistic logic as claimed by Sri Aurobindo himself........he was so horny, but he projects himself as the brahmacharya of the century.

Someone has recently claimed online that gandhi was actually an asura. I second that!


<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

THere is something wrong with this post

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Bodhi+Dec 4 2006, 07:15 AM-->QUOTE(Bodhi @ Dec 4 2006, 07:15 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Question on Ramayana. 

Why did Vanara sena need a bridge to cross the ocean over to Lanka?  Why was navigation, obviousely an easier option, not available?  How long, according to Valmiki Ramayana did it take to construct the bridge?  Was there any sabotage attempt by Ravana?  Obviousely he must have received the intelligence?
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This was the best way to win the war. Navigation by ships is not easy. Just read how the Japanese Samurai destroyed the mongol invasion of Japan attempted by Genghis's grandson Kublai Khan, multiple times. Mongol invasion were largely a sea-borne operation with 100's of ships built by Koreans and Chinese.

To build ships you need experienced shipbuilders. Ram came from a land locked region of India where mighty ships were not used. But his army knew how to do basic, simple construction like damning water etc. And also note that lanka and India were connected by a land bridge. Before Icecaps melted sea levels were much lower. So in essence a bridge was not built from India to Lanka but only parts of the natural bridge which was under water was brought out to the surface. A much easier operation then building and launching 1000's of ships.

What makes you ask this rather interesting question?

-Digvijay

-Digvijay

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-acharya+Dec 17 2006, 11:46 AM-->QUOTE(acharya @ Dec 17 2006, 11:46 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Gandhi in his heart and mind was a loyal soldier of the british government......he never demanded purna swaraj, because he could never conceptualise a free india standing on its own might, without the crutches of the british foundation. All his letters are signed, your hubble servant "gandhi".....It proves that he forget nationalism, he was a british sycophant and the british found him an effective tool for sustaining their rule over India.

He was also a master politician......he knew he was no mahatma, his knowledge of the scripture was NIL, he was pathetic as a philosopher, and hence he knew to project himself as the unopposed leader of the masses, he must reinvent himself as being different......So the shameface, in his autobiography projects his candidness as the means to his making of the mahatma........It must be remembered that dialectical debates wasnt his cup of tea and moreover he was endowed with a weird sophistic logic as claimed by Sri Aurobindo himself........he was so horny, but he projects himself as the brahmacharya of the century.

Someone has recently claimed online that gandhi was actually an asura. I second that!


<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

THere is something wrong with this post
[right][snapback]62198[/snapback][/right]
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Whose quote you quoted Acharya? This guy is not thinking correctly. Without Gandhi India would not have become independent in 47.

-Digvijay

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-digvijay+Dec 17 2006, 06:23 PM-->QUOTE(digvijay @ Dec 17 2006, 06:23 PM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-acharya+Dec 17 2006, 11:46 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(acharya @ Dec 17 2006, 11:46 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Gandhi in his heart and mind was a loyal soldier of the british government......he never demanded purna swaraj, because he could never conceptualise a free india standing on its own might, without the crutches of the british foundation. All his letters are signed, your hubble servant "gandhi".....It proves that he forget nationalism, he was a british sycophant and the british found him an effective tool for sustaining their rule over India.

He was also a master politician......he knew he was no mahatma, his knowledge of the scripture was NIL, he was pathetic as a philosopher, and hence he knew to project himself as the unopposed leader of the masses, he must reinvent himself as being different......So the shameface, in his autobiography projects his candidness as the means to his making of the mahatma........It must be remembered that dialectical debates wasnt his cup of tea and moreover he was endowed with a weird sophistic logic as claimed by Sri Aurobindo himself........he was so horny, but he projects himself as the brahmacharya of the century.

Someone has recently claimed online that gandhi was actually an asura. I second that!


<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

THere is something wrong with this post
[right][snapback]62198[/snapback][/right]
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Whose quote you quoted Acharya? This guy is not thinking correctly. Without Gandhi India would not have become independent in 47.

-Digvijay
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It is obviously a vitriolic attack, full of prejudiced opinions without citing a fact. Was this posted in this forum. If not what is the point of discussing on this. In the Internet there are many such character assasinations. Some fool calls a saint as a criminal, that doesn't mean we have to provide justification or defend anything or even think about it.

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Whose quote you quoted Acharya? This guy is not thinking correctly. Without Gandhi India would not have become independent in 47.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
You are right, we may have become independent even before.

[Guest]

Digvijay, (from post # 29)

In general, it is very interesting to read Ramayana and seek the historical, geographical, and military science related hints from there. It is a bit challenging too because unlike Mahabharata, the language of Ramayana is very alankrit. So telling an obvious or a simple fact away from the literary exaggeration is a little bit challenging.

Regarding your mention of Rama being from landlocked Ayodhya, and therefore limited capabilities of Vanara army at sea. The army that fought for Rama was not Ayodhya's army but Kishkindha's army led by Sugreeva. Kishkindha was located roughly around Karnataka of today, and must have had control to shores because Sugreeva's army moved without any resistance or intervention of any other kingdom up to the ocean.

In the Yudhha Kandam of Valmiki Ramayan, there is a description of Ravana's army, organization etc and the code of war.

Take for eaxmple this verse:

sa taam pariSadam kRitsnaam samiikshya samitimjayaH |
prabodhayaamaasa tadaa prahastam vaahiniipatim ||
senaapate yathaa te syuH kRitavidyaashcaturvidhaaH |
yodhaa nagararakshaayaam tathaa vyaadeSTumarhasi ||
(Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kandam Sarg 12 -1&2)

(Then, Ravana, having seen all an eminent persons gathered in the assembly, instructed Prahasta, the chief general of his army (as follows): "O, General! You are entrusted/ordered to command the well-trained warriors belonging to the four divisions of my army. Issue orders to them to ensure the defense of the city."

So my question would be : which are those caturvidhas of army Ravana is talking about. If it is Cavalry, Artillery, Infantry then which is fourth? If he meant Army, Naval, and Airforce then which one is fourth vidha he is referring to?

Likewise, let us take another referenece from the same Kandam. Context is that Rama and others were exploring the options to get the army to Lanka but Ocean was not cooperating. Rama gets enraged and speaks thus:

athovaaca raghushreSThaH saagaram daaruNam vacaH |
adya tvaam shoSayiSyaami sapaataalam mahaarNava ||
sharanirdagdhatoyasya parishuSkasya saagara |
mayaa nihatasattvasya paamsurutpadyate mahaan
matkaarmukanisR^iSTena sharavarSeNa saagara |
param tiiram gamiSyanti padbhireva plavaN^gamaaH
(Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kandam, Sarg 22-1,2,3)

[Then, Rama spoke these harsh words to the ocean: “O, ocean! I will make you dry up now along with where your shores meet the Patala region. O, Ocean! A vast stretch of sand will appear, when your water gets consumed by my arrows; you will get dried up and the creatures inhabiting you get destroyed by me. By a gush of arrows released by my bow, our army can proceed to the other shore even by foot; O, ocean!”]

This means that indeed there was an awareness of the land at the other farthest side of the ocean called Patala, and it is misconception that Patala meant underground.

Another question I have. Then the Ocean God appeared in front of Rama. This is described thus:

tato madhyaat samudrasya saagaraH svayam utthitaH |
udayan hi mahaashailaan meroriva divaa karaH ||
(Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kandam, Sarg 22-17)

[Then, Sagara himself rose from the middle of the ocean as the sun rises at dawn from the huge mountain of Meru.]

Rising of ocean is compared to the rising of Sun from behind the mountain of Meru. The above can be said by a person who resides to the west of Meru parvat to be able to witness the sunrise from behind Meru. So where is Meru? The deseart of Maru/Meru are identified with Marwad (Meruwad) of Rajasthan, but where could be Mountain of Meru? Valmiki lived to the west of it?

raamasya vachanam shrutvaa tam ca dR^iSTvaa mahaasharam ||
mahodadhirmahaatejaa raaghavam vaakyamabraviit |
uttareNaavakaasho.asti kashchitpuNyataro mama ||
drumakulya iti khyaato loke khyaato yathaa bhavaan |
ugradarshanakarmaaNo bahavastatra dasyavaH ||
aabhiirapramukhaaH paapaaH pibanti salilam mama |
tairna tatsparshanam paapam saheyam paapakarmabhiH ||
amoghaH kriyataam raama tatra teSu sharottamaH |
tasya tadvacanam shrutvaa saagarasya mahaatmanaH ||
mumoca tam sharam diiptam param saagaradarshanaat |
tena tanmarukaantaaram p^ithivyaam kila vishrutam
vipaatitaH sharo yatra vajraashanisamaprabhaH |
...
...
vikhyaatam triSu lokeSu madhukaantaarameva ca ||
shoSayitvaa tu tam kukshim raamo dasharathaatmajaH |
varam tasmai dadau vidvaanmarave.amaravikramaH ||
(Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kandam, Sarg 22-30to35 then 39,40)

Hearing Rama’s words and seeing that powerful arrow, the large splendid Ocean spoke the following words to Rama: “Towards my northern side, there is a holy place. It is well known as Drumatulya, in the same way as you are well known to this world. Numerous robbers of fearful aspect and deeds, having the sinful Abhiras as their chief, drink my waters there. I am not able to bear that touch of those wicked people, the evil doers, O, Rama! Let this excellent arrow with out vain be released over them there. Hearing those words of the high-soled Ocean, Rama released that excellent and splendid arrow towards that place as directed by the ocean. The place where the arrow, whose splendor was akin to that of a thunder and a thunder bolt, was descended by Rama- that place is indeed famous as desert of Maru on this earth. ”

Where could "Drumatulay" be as spoken? It though mentions Maru deseart. If it indeed the deseart of Rajasthan mentioned here, then river Saraswati must have already dried up by Rama's (or at least Valmiki's) time?

Another hint at the (absence of) River Saraswati:

Little earlier in the Sarg, Valmiki describes the decorations of Saagara the ocean god as he appeared in front of Rama.

gaN^gaasindhupradhaanaabhiraapagaabhiH samaavR^itaH |
devataanaam saruupaabhirnaanaaruupaabhiriishvaraH ||
(Valmiki Ramayan, Yuddha Kandam, Sarg 22. 23)

[...escorted by rivers mainly the Ganga and Sindhu, endowed with diverse forms resembling various deities, approached Rama with joined palms...]

It mentions that Saagar appeared with pradhana rivers like Ganga and Sindhu (no Saraswati mentioned.)

So, just wandering and stray thoughts and questions I had. No defined objective.

[acharya]

<b>This is a very nice graphical depiction of the changes that have taken place in the Middle East over the last 5000 Years.

Who Has Controlled the Middle East over the last 5000 Years

This graphic shows the History of Religion over the last 5000 Years.

History of Religion</b>

[Bharatvarsh]

Anyone here know about the role of the Communists during the liberation of Hyderabad, I have heard about the so called Telangana peasent movement, my question is, did the commies ally with the Nizam's Razakars or not?

Any articles regarding this would be appreciated.

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Independence did not put a stop to Communist treachery. On the heels of independence, the new Indian Government was faced with the problem of the integration of the princely states numbering over five hundred. Here was fertile ground for the Communists, especially Hyderabad, then at the mercy of Kasim Rizvi and his fanatical band of terrorists known as the Razakars. In February 1948, the Second Congress of the Communist Party of India proclaimed that India's independence was a sham and decided to support the Razakars. They struck a deal with the Nizam's Government and joined hands with the Nizam's forces - the Razakars - to fight Hyderabad's accession to India with the help of Pakistan. As with most terrorists, the forte of the Razakars was committing atrocities on unarmed civilians, not fighting a professional army. When Sardar Patel sent troops into Hyderabad, the Razakars crumbled before the advance of the Indian Army. Kasim Rizvi ran away to Pakistan, handing over the bulk of his guns and other armaments to the Communists. The Communists kept up an armed insurrection in the Telengana region for a few years until ordered to stop by the Soviet Dictator Stalin.

But now, Marxist historians claim that the Communists joined the Congress in their fight against the Razakars who represented feudal interests! So the action in Hyderabad was a 'class struggle' against the oppressors, except that the Communists sided with the Razakars! So Rizvi and the Razakars were not Muslim fundamentalists but feudal exploiters of the people! To explain away the fact that the Communists joined hands with these 'feudal exploiters', their historians simply reverse the truth; they now claim that they fought against them. This way, they hope they can have it both ways.

http://members.tripod.com/ramkumaram/appendix_3.html<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The Movement Stumbles

The Telangana Movement began to falter in late 1948 when the CPI made this shift from targeting the traditional local enemies, especially the aristocracy, to imperialism, as represented by the Nehru government at the Centre. They called on their former enemy, the Nizam, for protection against the state. When the Indian army marched into Hyderabad in 1948, and proclaimed an "Azad Hyderabad," the Andhra communists were joined by the Razakars, a private army representing extremist Muslim sentiment, against the "fascist troops". Within a few days, the Indian army quelled all resistance, except for the communists, who resorted to hit-and-run guerrilla tactics.

http://www.himalmag.com/sep97/cover1.htm#T...0in%20Telangana<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->THE HISTORIC POLICE ACTION

http://www.drthchowdary.net/index.php?opti...Itemid=99999999<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Unlike the Hyderabad Congress, which took the cue from Mahatma Gandhi and launched a movement for democratic rights in the state to run parallel to the Quit India movement, the Communists joined hands with the Majlis to support the Nizam, who being a faithful ally of the British was fully immersed in the war effort. When WWII ended the Communists, now following the militant line of BT Ranadive took the path of armed revolution. It is said that when they went to Stalin for help in 1948, he took one look at the map and decided that armed insurrection was impossible to sustain in landlocked Telangana. The CPI was accordingly advised to seek other ways of coming to political power.

http://www.indiadefence.com/hyderabad.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->People: Sir Chettur Sankaran Nair

The only Malayali who was the President of the Indian National Congress was Sir C. Sankaran Nair. Nair was the only Indian member in the Viceroy's Council in pre-independence days. The first non-Brahmin judge of the Madras High Court, Prime Minister of Indore were all positions that Nair held. Playing crucial roles in the emerging state of India, coming out of the British yoke, Sankaran Nair was also resolute with his views. He differed on many counts with Gandhiji himself and made no pretence of that. The book 'Gandhiji and Anarchy' is an illustration of this valiant spirit.

Disagreeing with Gandhiji on the Non-cooperation Movement he did not mince words about his view point and made his sharp differences with Gandhiji known. He did not think twice for resigning from the high position in the Executive Council of the Viceroy after the Jallian Walla Bagh massacre. Many Indian revolutionaries and for that matter even Congress leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose disagreed with the Gandhian method of political action and chose to follow their own paths to attain the cherished goal. Gandhiji obviously had his own strategies and game plans to deal with the British, how when Netaji was hunted down Gandhiji and ahimsa became successful.

Eminent national leaders like Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Lala Lajpat Rai, and Sir C.Sankaran Nair had their own strong reservations about the positions that Gandhiji took and particularly the Congress policy of appeasement of the Muslim minority and they gravitated to the Hindu Mahasabha. In fact, it was Madan Mohan Malaviya who took the initiative in forming the Hindu Mahasabha in 1916 and he was assisted in this endeavour by Lala Lajpat Rai and C Sankaran Nair. Sir C.Sankaran Nair presided over the special session of Hindu Mahasabha in 1931. All the three persons mentioned above were Presidents of the Indian National Congress at some time or other and are still held in high esteem by the people for their contribution to the National Movement.

It is a pity that a great soul like C Sankaran Nair did not get the deserving place in the history of Kerala. The transformation of Kerala and the Indian National Congress in the interim period almost erased the life and times of this great son of India. Born in Kerala on July 11 1857 the rise of Sankaran Nair was against many odds, the illustrious life came to an end in 1934. Sir C. Sankaran Nair remains an unsung hero nationally as well. It was a new India and a new Congress that followed. The high veneration for Gandhiji still makes it difficult to question the basic principles of post-independence India.

For More Information see: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF C. SANKARAN NAIR, M. P. Sreekumaran Nair - Editor; Chettur Sankaran Nair Foundation, Ottappalam, Kerala. Rs. 600 (deluxe), Rs. 530 (Paperback).

http://www.nairs.org/home.php?a008<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->This inherent impending danger was clearly foreseen by Sir.Sankaran Nair, a Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council in 1922. In his book prophetically titled as 'Gandhi and Anarchy' published by Tagore and Company, Madras in 1922 he wrote: 'It is impossible to believe that Gandhi and his adherents are not aware that this claim of the Mahomedans to be judged only by the Law of the Koran, is a claim which is the fons et origo of all Khilafat claims of whatever kind. It is well to be clear about this, for not only does the acceptance of the claim mean the death knell of the British Empire or Indo-British Commonwealth, WHATEVER NAME WE MAY CARE TO GIVE TO THE GREAT FRATERNITY OF NATIONS TO WHICH WE BELONG, BUT SPECIFICALLY AS REGARDS INDIA IT MEANS A REAL DENIAL OF SWARAJ. FOR IT INVOLVES MAHOMEDAN RULE AND HINDU SUBJECTION.' Thus Sir Sankaran Nair clearly saw the danger signal when Mahatma Gandhi was leading the Muslims of India to convert the Hindus into permanent Serfs. Dr Manmohan Singh's recent declaration on Muslim hegemony is only a logical culmination of the process initiated by Mahatma Gandhi and clearly foreseen by Sir Sankaran Nair in 1922.

http://newstodaynet.com/2006sud/06dec/2612ss2.htm<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
His book "Gandhi and Anarchy" is available online at:

http://dli.iiit.ac.in/cgi-bin/Browse/scrip...e=2020050048730

[Guest]

Today is the 246th anniversary of the 3rd Battle of Panipat, a remembrance of a cold chilly January day when thousands of Marathas, rushed across the fields of Panipat on empty stomachs, fought desperately hard and laid their lives down far away from their homeland but in defence of what they considered part of their nation and which we consider part of our nation.

[acharya]

http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/26/images/2...730901.jpg

Indus Research Centre inaugurated

Staff Reporter

A valuable corpus of information on the ancient civilisation



DISCUSSING A POINT: Iravatham Mahadevan (right) with educationist V.C. Kulandaisamy at the inauguration of The Indus Research Centre in Chennai on Thursday. — PHOTO: K.V.SRINIVASAN

CHENNAI: The city now has a centre that will help historians and others passionately pursuing research on the Harappan or Indus Civilisation to further their studies.

The Indus Research Centre, inaugurated on Thursday, is a unit of the Roja Muthiah Research Library Trust. Thanks to the computerised data files and photographic card catalogues gifted by noted researcher Iravatham Mahadevan and other books, monographs and research papers diligently collected by trustees, the centre can now boast of a valuable corpus of information on the ancient civilisation.

"Claims defeatist"

Inaugurating the centre, Mr. Mahadevan said recent claims made by some historians about the Indus Script being merely pictures and not writing were defeatist. "The concordance I have published reveals linguistic features."

"Scientific analysis of the script, preferably computer-aided, is required. Matching elements of the script to linguistic models should happen later," he said. An ideology-based approach with pre-conceived notions would render the attempt futile, he remarked.

He said he was happy that Professor Rani Siromoney, wife of the late professor Gift Siromoney, donated her husband's valuable research material on the Indus Script to the centre. It would encourage young scholars to pursue inter-disciplinary research as research material was available in an accessible and computerised form.

Genuine advancements

N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu , said the centre was an institute of great integrity and independence, avoiding entanglements with government funds. Amidst all the antiquity-frenzy and compulsion to establish pedigree, the centre would facilitate genuine advancements in the field, he said.

Historian S. Muthiah, trustee of the Roja Muthiah Research Library Trust, was present. For further details, call: 22542551 or 22542552.