Reflections

Call it reparation, or call it payback – or call it retribution; call it what you will. The latest speech by Dr Shashi Tharoor has, once again, brought the colonial memory to the fore of the public consciousness; sad part is that it failed to ignite a debate on the issue of the colonial damage, and the payback and apologies by Britain, or their absence. It lead to a series of plaudits – well deserved, no doubts – on Dr Tharoor; but, by and large, completely failed to tackle the larger issue of an apology and return of the loot by The United Kingdom. Why should the UK do either when the raped party is itself silent and acquiescing in the matter? There is no pressure on them to do so; that they will never apologise and compensate by themselves is a given. We aren’t in the Satyug ; and the Great West is far from being the model of fairness and justice that it claims to be. That leaves us to wallow in our own self-pity, and / or our own ambitions and desires… THE PERSONAL...

This is the 4 th article in the Being Indian Series : carrying on from the previous one - Being Indian - 3 : The 1000 Year Slavery , where I examined our so-called slavery of a 1000 years. The impact of Colonialism on the psyche of a people and a society is a tale that needs to be told, highlighted so that firstly, healing can start; and secondly, harmful and at times divisive ideas and ideologies can be nipped in the bud. The rising feeling of a so-called ‘Hindu’ resurgence /  freedom for 1000 years of slavery / rising sectarianism / other factors, has its roots in the colonial experience, the true extent of which is not known to Indians even in the modern day; if they do know, the realization of its import is sadly absent, as shown by current events. The assumption, gaining popular ground increasingly in a currently niche segment of our population, that we have been slaves for a 1000 years, is sadly not based on facts; this is a telling failure of our education sy...

I was initially not going to pen a blog on Wildlife Conservation, despite receiving a notification from Saevus Wildlife India; the reason : any article on so important and yet excusive a topic as this one has to come from the heart for it to be even remotely effective. I was not feeling the inspiration, the reason for the post; without that inspiration – no point in even participating, and being ineffectual. I had no wish to degrade the stellar efforts of conservationists by penning something uninspirational… and then… suddenly, from the deep recesses of my mind echoed a memory, a memory that will remain with me for as long as I live… the distinctive and unforgettably plaintive “kaiyon, kaiyon”… The Call Of The Peacock… Birds I have heard aplenty; from the bulbul to the sparrow; but the call of the peacock… that is special; very, very special to me as an individual.  I lived for a full 4 years among a dozen, maybe more, free peacocks; they would strut around on the parape...

A cursory glance at Modern India will reveal a deepening line of historical misinterpretation in some fringe segments of our society which tends to place inordinate emphasis on the myth of Free Rule after 800 or 1000 years of slavery or foreign rule; the same fringe tends to place a huge emphasis on the mythical relatively heavier persecution during the Muslim Dynasties that ruled various parts of India from around 1150-1200 AD onwards  till around 1675-1700 AD. These people make the first and most glaring error when they claim Muslim Rule was till 1850AD or thereabouts, which is a sad comment on the state of our history education, which needs revamping in totality in my opinion. The record shows that throughout the 18 th century, from around 1700 AD or a few years before that, the pre-eminent rising power in India was the Maratha Empire, which by the mid-18 th century was the most powerful ruler in India, and continued in that status till the Anglo-Maratha wa...

In the previous article, the theme was of inclusiveness and openness in the internal and external context, and how India has always been a land where everyone has found a home. In that article, I emphasized a differential approach, recommending a differentiation between us and the rest of the World; wherein I advocated being closed in the external cultural sphere, while being completely open in the internal cultural milieu. I am saying be open; I am also saying be closed. One can be both at the same time. How do you define being open? Open to all - to what extent? There has to be a line. I draw that line - Black, Thick and Hard: The Line Of Citizenship. Externally, on politics and economics, I am defensive; true - but that is because the situation dictates defensiveness, - but more of that later in the series.   Externally, on culture : I am completely open, and for the reasons listed out in at least 17 full articles, maybe several more. { http://reflectionsvvk.blogspot.i...

One of the common themes in these times is the oft-heard erosion of values in India and the threat to our way of life; that Indian values are under threat… What does Being Indian mean, devoid of any religious connotations? In the following mini-series, I have tried to place what is essentially my opinion on Being Indian, and what are its ramifications… and present my views on Indian Culture’s well known inclusiveness – which is as per me the defining characteristic of being Indian -  as well as try and meet allegations of the spectre of cultural invasion, or the erosion of Indian Values To me, Being Indian : v Gives me an ability to think, read and write in 3 Languages with consummate ease and complete confidence... v Gives me an edge as I can live my life in a truly free democracy, where the colour of skin doesnt matter, where my name doesnt matter v Gives me an edge {form 1 above} because I can access the best of Western Literature as well as Eastern Litera...