EVEN SWAMIJI HAD EXHORTED INDIANS TO REWRITE THEIR OWN HISTORY ALONG CULTURALLY SYMPATHETIC LINES THAT WOULD INSPIRE THEM TO LOVE THEIR MOTHERLAND MORE

EVEN SWAMIJI HAD EXHORTED INDIANS TO REWRITE THEIR OWN HISTORY ALONG CULTURALLY SYMPATHETIC LINES THAT WOULD INSPIRE THEM TO LOVE THEIR MOTHERLAND MORE

Swamiji had exhorted Indians to rewrite their civilisational history along indigenous lines. His position was that foreigners writing our history had necessarily messed it up as their exposure to our culture and context was meagre and their views were coloured by their own European and Middle Eastern experience. Indians, Swamiji had urged, ought to take up the task of scientifically investigating their past and using the sophisticated historical tools that were available ought to write a more accurate and culturally sympathetic account of their civilisational journey. That alone would remove the inferiority complex Indians suffered from on account of learning a shameful account of their historical past from foreign chroniclers when the truth was that India's past was as glorious, if not more, as any great world civilisation. The correct chronicling of our nation's history would alter our perception about the same and make us proud as Indians and as Hindus. Now we see efforts are being made to redress this issue and present before us more and more material about our glorious heritage and culture. But disinformation and misinformation must not be allowed. Truth must prevail along carefully scrutinised credible lines completely bereft of concoction, for that was what Swamiji had wanted. 🕉 

Written by Sugata Bose