History of India
The deep history of India (more the Indian subcontinent) is fascinating…..here are some nuggets
I found myself unconsciously projecting the map of India onto this video, only to realise that the video starts at 2600 BCE. In the 4620 years, the nation state has been in existence for 75 years (less than 2% of the history shown in this video)
I remember learning about India as a country that never waged a war against any other. Here though I see several kingdoms which must have been at war. I also saw rulers go all over the subcontinent in their conquests. Can’t deny the struggle of territory as well as between religions.
The way the British empire spread was unbelievable. It makes me wonder about the state of the society that let it get infected by a colonial power so rapidly. I see the effects of that even today in how colonized we are (including an admiration of western ways and mimicking them).
Long parts of history are not taught. That is problematic. Particularly to know that a golden age was on in the subcontinent is a great feeling (even if irrational!). It makes me proud of my ancestors and gives me a standard to live upto. It left me wondering what would be a good way to teach history and the lessons from it?
Finally, the most beautiful thing about India is that it has absorbed all these influences into a melting pot, without losing its own cultural fabric. That is the resilience of a culture born in a place where nature was exceptionally generous, which in turn allowed spirituality to blossom and make this a blessed land.
A part of me is deeply patriotic, ethnocentric and unapologetic about it.
Vande Matram! Jai Hind!
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qw9psR8MyPI&ab_channel=OllieBye
