India Beyond Narratives (A Retrospective Analysis)

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Subhas Mitra has been a strong proponent of spreading awareness of India's glorious past among the youth and future generations. For a long, he has been expressing his thoughts through print & social media platforms about the significance of inculcating respect for India's rich heritage into young minds. In his youth, Subhas has also been an amateur play write, actor and director of several plays carrying messages of his 'subject' through humour. In the early 1980s, Subhas got immensely influenced by British Indologist Arthur Llewellyn Basham, author of 'The Wonder That Was India'. It inspired him to continue reading, researching, writing and spreading the word about India's illustrious past.

Subhas had served in the Indian Navy. He is a war veteran from the India-Pakistan war (1965) and the Bangladesh liberation war (1971). He has visited over 11 countries and worked overseas for about a decade.

Every major turn and twist became only a fresh Avatar in a civilization that does not consider even death as an end. They overcame all eventualities by adopting new survival skills without discarding our values and heritage.

Every such Avatar is new but not detached from the past. We have not allowed India's spirit to die, even under dire consequences. Each invasion gave a newer direction of living. Invaders, over the century, changed means and Modalities.

What were external threats earlier that have now joined with internal threats? Internal threats are impossible without the participation of nationals/citizens. The Spirit of India is alive because of our forefather's sacrifices and ability to face every newness those rulers imposed on us from time to time, not because of any invader's mercy.

Agenda historians and pen pushers of yesteryears have overshadowed the genuine historians of eternity to contemporary forbearers of the oldest civilization on the earth to the extent that the European name 'India' and Persian claimed 'Hindustan' had obliterated the actual Bharat, Bharat remains as Jambudwip of Vişnupuraņa (Ch - 2) in the entire Asian lexicon but our youth stand divided between 'India' and 'Bharat'. Colonial-trained bureaucrats and academics have created a web that makes us believe that India means land of English-knowing aristocrats' while Bharat is vernacular speaking 'deshi' (native) people's motherland.

To some of her citizens, this land is a Country, while for others, it is a Nation. This ideological divide is forcing a section of the national think tanks to take her beyond all old narratives that have crippled and tarnished her true self.

Journalists and authors started addressing this move as the Making of New India. This book supports and attempts to seek the roots of such narrative building and the motive of the narrators.

World's most ancient living civilization calling her New, isn't it fallacious?

No, it is not.

Every major turn and twist became only a fresh Avatar in a civilization that does not consider even death as an end. They overcame all eventualities by adopting new survival skills without discarding their values and heritage.

Every such Avatar is new but not detached from the past. We have not allowed India's spirit to die, even under dire consequences. Each invasion gave a more contemporary direction. Every ruler, be it Greek, Mongols, Shakas, Hunas, Buddhist, Jain, Sunny, Shia, Catholic, Protestant, Congress or Communist, has given newer living philosophy and style of living.

Genuine Historians worldwide believe if Christians at the Gate of Vienna and Hindus in India had not checked, the entire world would have been a Dar Ul Islam. The Spirit of India is alive because of our forefather's sacrifices and ability to face every newness those rulers imposed on us from time to time and not because of any invader's mercy.

In the current phase of Hinduism in action, i.e. Hindutva has to remember that we may forgive but never forget those who harmed us. We should subsequently ensure that before we place our trust in anyone, we keep their past behaviors with us in mind from their proper perspective and not under emotional or exigency pressure. We should not repeat the mistakes of our forefathers.