New Delhi: Amish Tripathi, renowned for his Shiva Trilogy, has launched a video series addressing a contentious belief held by some, including actor Saif Ali Khan, that India is a creation of British colonial rule and did not exist as a unified entity before the British arrived. Tripathi aims to debunk this view using historical facts and logical reasoning.
In the inaugural episode of his series, Tripathi highlights that Winston Churchill, the British Prime Minister, also subscribed to the notion that India was not a cohesive nation prior to British intervention. He references a statement by political consultant Dilip Cherian, who suggested that the British unified various warring tribes under a single banner. Tripathi also points out Saif Ali Khan’s claim that there was no concept of 'India' before the British, despite Khan's self-identification as a history enthusiast.
Tripathi explores why even educated people may hold these misconceptions. He cites Rakesh Batabyal, a professor at JNU's Centre for Media Studies, who theorizes that Khan’s perspective might be influenced by historical accounts describing the British administrative consolidation of India.
Tripathi argues that India’s current education system perpetuates the British narrative, which frames India as lacking unity before colonial rule. He describes this phenomenon as a form of gaslighting, where the victim is led to believe that their situation is their own fault. He asserts that the British used the idea of a divided and uncivilized India to justify their rule, manipulating historical perspectives to serve their agenda.
To support his argument, Tripathi references various historical texts and scholars. Alexander Dao, for instance, wrote about India's division into many pieces and internal conflicts. JR Seeley claimed that India’s diversity in religions and customs justified British control. The British, Tripathi explains, considered it necessary to enslave India to 'civilize' it.
Tripathi critiques the British portrayal of India as lawless and chaotic, citing Rudyard Kipling's view that it was the British's duty to 'civilize' India. He argues that this perspective has influenced modern views, including those of anglicized Indians. Tripathi also notes that an English officer in Cambridge once asserted that India was never united, contrary to historical evidence.
Using cultural references, Tripathi argues that India’s resistance to British rule indicates a long-standing sense of nationhood. He compares this to the portrayal of 'Gabbar Singh' in Sholay, where the villain justifies his actions by claiming it is necessary for protection. Tripathi contends that if Indians had seen themselves as weak, they would have been less capable of resisting British domination. He underscores that a relatively small British force managed to rule over 35 crore Indians for two centuries, and India remains one of the oldest civilizations.
Tripathi cites the Vishnu Purana, an ancient text often dated to 1500 years ago, which describes India as a region bounded by the Himalayas in the north and the sea in the south. The text also mentions seven significant mountains and rivers across India, and describes Greeks to the west and Chinese to the east of India. Additionally, he refers to the ancient Tamil text Tolkappiyam, which is inspired by the Vedas.
Further, Tripathi highlights accounts from foreign travelers who recognized India as a distinct nation. Roman travelers from 2000 years ago described India with its geographical features, while Chinese and Buddhist travelers saw it as a unified land. Even Arab travelers acknowledged India’s cultural unity despite its internal diversity.
Tripathi also refers to Christopher Columbus’s expedition, which aimed to find India but ended up reaching America. He questions why the British named their enterprise the 'East India Company' if India was not considered a unified entity. Tripathi concludes by contrasting the concept of a nation-state—defined in the 17th century with specific criteria like a single language, religion, and race—with the broader concept of civilization, which encompasses cultural and historical continuity.
In summary, Tripathi argues that India's civilization has endured for centuries, unified by cultural threads rather than by the narrow definitions of a nation-state. He posits that India's rich history and identity as a civilization challenge the notion that it was merely a construct of British rule.
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