इतिहास को परिभाषित करने पर सामान्य निबंध

 

वह क्या है, जिसे इतिहास कहा जाता है? इतिहास कुछ भी है जो हुआ है। जो हुआ है वह इतिहास है। यदि हम इस परिभाषा को लेते हैं, तो शिक्षाविद सवाल करेंगे कि आप इतिहास को कैसे परिभाषित करते हैं। यह खुशी की बात है कि आप समझते हैं कि जो कुछ भी हुआ वह अब इतिहास का हिस्सा है। अब, इतिहास क्या है? दूसरे, इतिहासकारों ने इसे एक महत्वपूर्ण तथ्य के रूप में अपनाया है कि अगर कुछ हुआ होगा, तो वह चीज अपनी छाप छोड़ी होगी। यह इतिहासकारों का काम है कि वे उस धारणा का पता लगाएं और व्याख्या करें कि क्या हुआ। इसलिए, इतिहासकारों के बीच, दस्तावेजों का बहुत महत्व है। जब रिकॉर्ड लिखे जाते हैं, तो वे एक स्थापित धारणा द्वारा समर्थित होते हैं कि भविष्य में कुछ महत्वपूर्ण का पालन किया जाना है। किसी भी विधान का मामला लीजिए। विधान बनने से पहले, एक विधेयक पर बहस होती है। बहस कानून बनने से पहले सभी पेशेवरों और विपक्षों का वजन करती है। ऐसे कई उदाहरण और प्रमाण हैं कि कैसे कानून ने भविष्य के पाठ्यक्रम का फैसला किया।

एक इतिहासकार के लिए, कानून के रूप में कोई भी दस्तावेज ऐतिहासिक है। इतिहास को समझने के लिए, किसी को यह समझना चाहिए कि जो कुछ भी हुआ है वह इतिहास में प्रवेश कर चुका है और केवल उस समय में महत्व था जब यह हुआ था, लेकिन इसने भविष्य को प्रभावित किया। तथ्य का ऐसा कारक अतीत के साथ-साथ भविष्य में भी पीछे की ओर काम करता है। यदि ऐसा होने वाला समय उसके बाद प्रासंगिक है तो यह ऐतिहासिक है। यही बात उन घटनाओं पर भी लागू होती है जो हुईं और उन्हें पिछली कहानियां माना जाता है। 

होने के ऐसे सबूतों की पहचान करने की प्राथमिक विधि व्याख्या करने की क्षमता है। अब, व्याख्या करने की क्षमता के लिए न केवल भाषा और व्याकरण की समझ की आवश्यकता होती है, बल्कि एक विशेषज्ञ से अपेक्षा की तुलना में कहीं अधिक परिष्कृत भी होता है। इसके लिए आलोचनात्मक सोच की अच्छी तरह से पॉलिश क्षमता की आवश्यकता होती है। आलोचनात्मक सोच दिए गए तथ्य का मूल्यांकन करने की कोशिश करती है कि उस गतिविधि को कैसे और क्या प्रेरित किया गया, जिसे भविष्य के लिए आवश्यक के रूप में पहचाना गया था।

 अब, इतिहास के बारे में कुछ बारीक बातें हैं। इतिहास में, यहां अपनाई गई परिभाषा के अनुसार, जो कुछ भी हुआ है वह इतिहास है। इसका मतलब है कि एक विशेष समय और स्थान पर कुछ हुआ था। अब, जब किसी विशेष समय सीमा में कुछ होता है, तो किसी को यह समझना होगा कि यह पहले की समय सीमा में सफल हो रहा था और निम्नलिखित समय सीमा से पहले होता है। पूर्ववर्ती समय सीमा को घटना का अतीत कहा जा सकता है। घटित होने के समय को घटित होने का वर्तमान कहा जा सकता है। यदि इतिहासकार यह पहचान सकते हैं कि जिस समय हुआ उसने सफल समय को प्रभावित किया था, तो भविष्य के लिए हर घटना आवश्यक है। इसलिए, इतिहास का अध्ययन करते समय, अतीत शब्द महत्वहीन है। जो आवश्यक चीज हो रही है, जो किसी विशेष समय सीमा में, किसी विशेष स्थान पर हुई है, वह पहचानने के लिए मूल्यवान या आवश्यक है क्योंकि समय सीमा का अगला सेट, जिसे भविष्य कहा जाता है, उस घटना का परिणाम है या भविष्य की समय सीमा से पहले एक समय सीमा होनी चाहिए,  चाहे वह वर्तमान में हो या अतीत में।

कोई यह नहीं कह सकता कि कुछ महत्वपूर्ण होगा, और भविष्य वहीं से शुरू होगा। यह केवल एक दुर्घटना नहीं है। यह एक विरोधाभासी कथन है। कैलेंडर के मामले में, हम पाते हैं कि कैलेंडर एक विशेष समय सीमा में एक विशेष स्थान पर अपनाए जाते हैं। उन कैलेंडर को स्वीकार किए जाने के बाद, उस कैलेंडर द्वारा परिभाषित समय सीमा के अनुसार सभी घटनाओं को दर्ज किया गया था। तो, एक तरह से, कैलेंडर ने अपने अतीत का भविष्य तय किया है। इसके अलावा, यह हमेशा अतीत में भविष्य का आंदोलन होता है, जो हर पीढ़ी के लिए तत्काल चिंता का विषय होता है, चाहे वह किसी भी समय सीमा में मौजूद हो। यह बहुत महत्व अतीत के अध्ययन को महत्व देता है। 

A Hybrid Volume of Essays on Modern India Historiography (Hindi Edition)

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यह पुस्तक Essays on The Modern India Historiography का ही एक रूप है| इस में English में लिखे matter का प्रति पैराग्राफ पर विचार सामग्री का हिंदी रूप भी दिया गया है|

इस पुस्तक को द्विभाषी पुस्तक कहा है| यह कोई विलक्षण यां अटपटी कृति नहीं है| Gita Press Gorakhpur के द्वारा प्रकाशित संत तुलसी दास की लिखी रामचरित्र मानस में संत तुलसी ही भाषा का हिंदी रूप हर चौपाई के बाद दिया गया है| उस के वाचन करता न केवल संत वाणी में परन्तु हिंदी में भी करते और भजते हैं| सभी श्रधालुयों को अगर संत जी की बोली समझ नहीं आती पर वह हिंदी में लिखी वाणी से राम गुणगान का सौभाग्य प्राप्त करते हैं| इसी प्रकार ऐसी कई प्रशस्तियाँ हैं जो एक ही बात को एक ही जगह पर दो अलग भाषाओं में प्रसारित करती हैं|

नवीन शिक्षा पश्चिमी दर्शन और साहित्य से प्रभावित है| उस में दिए गये विषय पश्चिमी साहित्य में उपलब्ध रहते हैं| हिंदी भाषी विद्यार्थी गूढ़ और अव्यक्त सिधान्तों को विदेशी भाषा में समझने से चूक जाते हैं| किसी स्तर पर उन्हें अंग्रजी में व्यक्त भावों को उसी भाषा में ही निपटना पड़ता है जहाँ वह खुद को ठगा सा पाते हैं| अगर एक ही बात उन्हें अंग्रेज़ी और हिंदी में पढ़ने को मिल जाय तो वह विश्वास से हर प्रश्न को निपटते हैं|

इस हाइब्रिड वॉल्यूम की रचना इसी योजना और विचार से की गई है| वैसे इस का अंग्रजी रूप और हिंदी रूप अपने अलग रूपों में भी उपलब्ध है जिस के link images नीचे दिए गए हैं|

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आप से यह निवेदन है की आप इस प्रकार की रचना पर अपने विचार अवश्य प्रगट करें जिस आप comment section में लिख सकते हैं|

Catalogue of Books by Sumir Sharma

Features of Bias in British Officers Writings

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मैँने Internet का प्रयोग 1999 मेँ किया | लगभग 2003 के आसपास मुझे Gutenberg Project देखने का अवसर मिला | मेरे लिए यह अति रौचक सम्भावना थी कि मैँ एक पूरी किताब अपने computer पर उतार सकता हूँ | परन्तु इतने समय में इन सब information के बावजूद भी कोई उपयोगी बात सामने नहीं आई | तब तक 'Discovery , Accessibility and impact work' के लिए Printed Books का ही रास्ता था | 

2005 में Google ने Google Print को स्थापित किया | वहां से 'Full View' से 'PDF Format' में पूरी किताब उतारने में सफल रहा | इस से पहले कि मैं कोई paradigm develop कर पाता, Google Print के विरुद्ध Publishers संगठीत हो गये | इस से Google Print का अस्तित्व खतरे  में आ गया ।  इस ने मुझे लालच में डाल दिया | मैंने ताबड़तोड़ किताबें उतारनी शुरू कर दीं | 

19वीं शताब्दी की बौद्धिक गतिविधयां मुझे बहुत आकर्षित करतीं हैं | मैँ British Colonial Period के सम्बन्ध में पढ़ता रहता हुँ | इस समय से जुड़ी घटनायों एंव व्यक्तियों के नाम मेरी Search के Phrases बने | इन का प्रयोग करते हुए मैंने लगभग 300 के करीब किताबें Download कर ली थीं । इस मध्य Google Print अब Google Books के रूप में बदल गया था । मेरे Computer पर कुछ ऐसे Titles आ चुके थे जो कि 1750 से 1870 के काल से सम्बद्ध रखते थे । कुछ ही किताबें पढ़ने पर मुझे British Officers की लेखनियों से ऐसी बातें पता चलीं जिन की चर्चा Modern India की इतिहास में बहुत कम की जातीं हैं । मेरे लिए वह सब Discovery थीं । 

मैँ अपनी Discoveries को अपनी Achievement समझता हुआ University Professors से बात करने लगा । मेरा मुख्य उद्देश्य Phd करना था । (वह अभी तक पूरा नहीं हुआ । ) मैंने जिन से भी बात की, लगभग सभी ने ऐसा भाव प्रदर्शित किया जो कुछ भी Internet से प्राप्त हो सकता है वह Research के लिए कभी भी पूरा नहीं पड सकता है। पर मेरी जानकारी ( Discovery ) कुछ अलग थी। उनका दूसरा तर्क था कि British Officers की Writings हमेशा Biased रहीँ है और वह इतिहास के लिए स्थापित Source कभी नहीं हो सकते । 

अतः British Officers की writings biased हैं - यह Proposition सामने आई । 

वह सब पुस्तकें मेरे पास मेरे Computer पर हैं । इन्हें मैँ पढता रहता हूँ । मैंने मेरे अध्यन से अपनी Observations लीं हैं जिसे Research Methodology में Empirical Observation कहा जाता है । यह कुछ इस प्रकार हैं । 

(1)  लगभग सभी ब्रिटिश अधिकारियो के print London में छपे । कुछ किताबें New York से छपी है । पर एक किताब 1820 की कलकत्ता में छपी हुई है। एक Text Book जो कि एक भारतीय की लिखी हुई है वह Madras से छपी है । एक गुप्त टाइटल, "Political Agitators  of India, A Secret Report, 1910 में Shimla Press से छपी है। 

(2) London से छपने वाली किताबें किसी न किसी समकालीन जीवत राजदरबारी  को अर्पित है । 

(3) विभिन्न Prefaces से पता चलता है की मुख्य लेख भारत में ही रहते लिखा गया । जब लेखक किसी कारण लंदन पहुंचा तभी पूरी किताब का प्रकाशन हुआ । 

(4) यह एक रोचक बात लगती है कि कुछ British Officers अपनी किताब के Preface में चर्चा भी करते हैं कि उन की भारत पर लेखन की विरोध्दता इस लिए हो रही है कि उन की किताब छपने पर वह अमीर हो जाएंगे | Orme ने Clive से शिकायत की थी उस को भारत से सम्बन्धित दस्तावेज नहीं दिए जा रहे क्योंके Company समझती है कि वह भारत पर किताब लिख कर धनी हो जाएगा (One can check this fact HERE)। 

(5) कुछ किताबों को Presidencies ने खुद छपवाया था और  उन के खरीदारों की लिस्ट भी दे रखी है। 

(6) यह एक अति महत्वपूर्ण पक्ष है की हर लेखक जानता है कि उस का Target Audience या Reader कौन है। लगभग सभी किताबें बेशक वह East India Company के राज से सम्बंधित हो यां फिर British ताज के  राज से सम्बंधित हों, सभी अपना मुख्य Reader अंग्रेजों को ध्यान में रख कर लिखी गई है। यह किताबें भारतियों/हिन्दुस्तानियों के लिए तो लिखी ही नहीं गई है। बेशक विषयवस्तु भारत था । 

(7) उपर के 6वें बिंदु से जुड़ी बात को फिर से दोहराना जरुरी है। यह किताबें भारत के लिए नहीं थीं । यह किताबें ब्रिटेन के नागरिकों के लिए थीं । यह ब्रिटेन के इतिहास का हिस्सा थीं । अगर Title History of India भी था तो इस का अर्थ यह नहीं के वह भारतीओं को भारत का इतिहास बता रहे थे। वह तो ब्रिटेन के निवासिओं को उस भारत का इतिहास बता रहे थे जहाँ पर उन के देश की एक व्यापारीक \संघठन ने सम्राज्य स्थापित करने का मोर्चा प्राप्त किया था । वह अपने देशवासिओं को बतातें हैं कि उन कि एक trading company कैसे भारत में साम्राज्य स्थापित करने में सफल हुईं है । 

(8) हर Writer British Public Opinion की तरफ बहुत सजग है । इन किताबों का पाठक Britain का निवासी होगा इस बात का बहुत ध्यान रखा गया है ।

(9) इन लेखों को आप एक group में नहीं रख सकते ।
You can not term it as British Officers Writings. You have freedom to use the terms. However, If you want to be analytical and scientific, then you must read the contents. Well, it is not the topic here.
आप British Officers और संबद्धित लेखकों को ध्यान से पढ़ें तो आप इन writings को पांच यां  छेह categories में बांट सकते हैं ।
a. Court of Directors को खुश यां उन के interest को promote करने वाली यां Board of Control के मुकाबले में Court of Directors के पक्ष को सही ठहराने वाली writings । यहां J. Mills के सिक्स Six Volumes और बाद में H. H. Wilson के साथ Ten Volumes स्पष्ठ रूप में प्रतिनिधित्व करते हें ।

b. Court of Directors के विरोध में लिखी गई किताबें। इस में Clive, Warren Hastings, Outram आदि से सम्बंदित किताबें ।

c.  British Crown के प्रशासन एव ministers के कार्यों की प्रशंसा करने वाले Title.

d.  Christian Missionaries द्वारा लिखीं किताबें ।

e. अमेरिकन, जर्मन, एंव Company एंव Crown के officers के मध्य झगडे निपटने के लेख ।

(10) इस के आलावा समय काल के आधार पर भी दो Categories बनाई जा सकती है ।
a.  1820 से पहले का इतिहास ।
b. 1813 के बाद का इतिहास
उपर की दो Categories में लेखन कला एंव शब्दों के प्रयोग में  भिन्नता साफ स्पष्ट होती हैं । 1820 को मॉडर्न इंडिया के अन्य इतिहासकार पहले से ही एक महत्त्वपूर्ण मीलपत्थर मानते हैं । एसा नहीं है कि मुझसे पहले यह किताबें किसी और ने नहीं पढ़ी ।

(11) यह प्रस्ताव प्रस्ताव 10 की शाखा है - corollary है। 1820  के पहले का लेखन यां सरकारी अफसरों की रिपोर्टों का लेखन कुछ जटिल है। अफसरों को हर एक निर्णेय के लिए minutes लिखने जरूरी होते थे जिसे यां तो उन्हें Secret Committee को भेजना होता था यां फिर Directors को भेजना होता था । वह ',', ';' (Comma and Semi Colon )आदि का इतना प्रयोग करते थे की एक पंकति  में Full Stop एक से दो पेजों में एक बार आता था। Report जमा कराते वक्त केवल इतना कहने के लिए कि यह Report जमा कराई जाती है, उस के लिए एक यां दो पेज भर देते थे । अगर आप अंग्रेजी पढ़ने में अभ्यस्त नहीं हैं और अंग्रेज़ी शब्दावली में हाथ तंग है तो कुछ किताबें आप शुरू तो कर सकते हैं पर पूरी नहीं पढ़ पायेंगे। दूसरा - उस में क्या लिखा है यां लेखक क्या कहना चाहता है आप उस पर स्पष्ठ विचार नहीं बना सकते ।

(12 ) Point 11 को जारी रखते हुए मुझे यह भी बताना है कि 1830 तक तो British Officer Writer मुसलमान बादशाओं एवं दरबार के सम्बन्ध में लिखते वक्त आदरभाव दिखाते हैं परन्तु बाद के लेखों में वह मुसलमान शासकों के लिए आदररहित शब्दावली का प्रयोग करते हैं।

(13) 1820 तक के लेखक Shivaji को ताकत बतातें हैं और Maratha Power शब्द का प्रयोग करते हैं परन्तु Holkar, Scindia, Bhonsle, Berar  राज्य की बात करते हैं तो Maratha उन के लिए Freebooter है ।

(14) एक मराठा और दूसरा ब्राह्मिण प्रशासक एवं अधिकारी से इन लेखकों को बहुत चिड़ है । 1857 के बाद ब्राह्मिण और राजपूत Sepoy बहुत बुरे लोग हैं । Sikh और Gorkha उन के लिए Martial Race हैं ।

(15) Clive के साथ तेलगन सिपाही प्रशंसा के काबिल थे पर वही प्रशंसा राजपूत और ब्राह्मिण सिपाही के लिए बड़ जाती है जो की 1857 के बाद बदल जाती है ।

(16) यह लेखक अंग्रेज़ अफसर के लिए Noble Man शब्द जरूर प्रयोग करते हैं । 1820 के बाद के लेखों में मराठा, मुस्लमान, ब्राह्मण और राजपूत के लिए Corrupt, Unreliable, Cheat, Indolent आदि शब्द का प्रयोग जैसे अनिवार्य कर दिया गया था ।

(17) Mir Jafar, Mir Qasim, Suja-ud-Dula, Nizam आदि सब unreliable घोषित किए जाते हैं। सब से ज्यादा चिड़ तो Daulat Rao Scindia और Tipu के साथ है क़्योंकि वह फ्रन्सिसी और डच अफसरों एवं तोपों का प्रयोग करने से नहीं रुकते। परन्तु यह नफरत Maharaja Ranjit Singh के लिए नहीं दिखाई जाती। 1849 के बाद के सिख पारिवारों के लेखों में उतना आदर नहीं है।

(18) इन किताबों में अंग्रेजो ने अंग्रेज़ो की बहुत सी कमजोरियों की चर्चा करी  है जो की Modern India के Text Books में बिलकुल भी चर्चा का विषय नहीं है ।

(19) अंग्रेज़ अपनी सारी गतिविधिओं को Moral, Justice, rules, Humanity आदि शुभ शब्दों से प्रदर्शित करते हैं।

(20) One feature, I must record. When I started to read these books, a feature projected itself repeatedly. I found that if the author was a military officer, he started his book referring to some scientific law as being emphasized by scholars of science of those days. Sometimes, the reference to science did not justify the content of the book or the topic. It seems that there was an effort to demonstrate that the British world was scientific in temperament and attitude and definitely not irrational. Some of the references were from the medical sciences and homeopathy. It was taken as if they were going to suggest or demonstrate some remedy to the disease which was India. Similarly the authors from Civil Administration took references from the philosophy. I do not know if any research was done on this aspect to show that the British policies were begin decided under the influence of changing atmosphere in the field of knowledge. 

उपरोक्त लिखित बातें मेरी Empirical Observations हैं। अभी मैंने Christian लेख पढ़ने हैं। इन में Friends of India, Alexander Duff जैसे Christian Missionaries की writings हैं। इन के बारे में चर्चा वक्त के साथ होगी।

यहाँ कुछ संक्षिप्त बातें कर के प्रस्ताव का अन्त किया जा सकता है। मेरे प्रस्ताव का निष्कर्ष है कि British Writings are biased - यह proposition stand ही नहीं करती। दूसरा - Bias है यां नहीं, यह विषय है ही नहीं।

इतिहासकार का काम तथ्यों को निकालना है। वह समकालीन स्त्रोतों को पक्षपाती यां  Biased घोषित करके अपने कार्य को पूरा नहीं करता। अगर स्त्रोत पक्षपाती है तो उस में भी तत्य छुपा होता है जो की आप के प्रश्न का उत्तर होता है। उसी को तो interpret करना है। History is an interpretation. इतिहासकार का क्या काम है ? उस के लिए तो Bias अवलोकन का विषय है।

इस से आगे - ऐसा लगता है कि इन किताबों को पढ़ कर काफी कुछ वैसा ही लेकर भारत का आधुनिक इतिहास का पाठयक्रम बनाया गया है। और इस पर इन्ह Bias कहना ?? अगर हम उन्ह ध्यान से पढें तो शायद आज की बहुत सारी प्रशासनिक दुविद्धायों का निपटारा कर सकते हैं और कुछ समाधान भी मिलें।

मेरी बात पुरी हुई पर इसी पर अधारित कुछ और चर्चा जरूरी है।

अब तक मैंने जो पढ़ा, उस से मुझे लगता है कि अंग्रेज़ कभी भी राज करने में interested था ही नहीं। वह तो हमेशा ही व्यपार ही करता रहा।बड़ा अजीब सा लगता है कि Company Profit की बात करना बन्द कर के Revenue में interested हो जाती है| Britain जो कि अपने को Law को follow करने वाला कहता है वहां की courts में न तो कोई case डालता है, ना ही Parliament में debate (Burke's Debate on ruining the economy of India by the company was from a different angle.) दिखाई देती है। दूसरी तरफ राष्ट्रवादी इतिहासकार यही बताने पर जोर देते हैं कि अंग्रेजी राज कितना अन्यायी रहा। कैसे अन्यायी रहा इसे कहने में ज्यादा सफल नहीं दिखते। (Remember the comment of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in British Parliament in 2008.) परन्तु यह तो कहीं चर्चा की ही नहीं गई कि वह जो भारत में करते रहे वह करने में सफल क्यों होते रहे। वह यह तो बताना चाहते ही नहीं कि भारतवासी कहां-कहां विफल रहे। अंग्रेज़ भारत से चले गए यह शायद एक इतिहासिक प्रक्रिया का ही रूप था। अगर हम उन प्रश्नों का उत्तर लें जिनेह पूछने से हम बच रहें हैं तो शायद का इतिहास सही प्रयोग होगा (Soon I am going to bring a post on this issue. It is ready)।

अगर अंग्रेज़ भारत में राज्य स्थापित करने में सफल हुए तो असल में वह मुस्लमान प्रशासकों की असफलता थी। मुस्लिम शासकों ने अपनी राजनैतिक शतरंज के लिए फ्रांसीसों एव अंग्रेज़ो से साठगांठ की और वह उन पर भारी पड गई। यह एक सच है। यरोपीय घटनाओं के कारण अंग्रेज़ भारत में सफल रहे। मूल बात यह है कि मुस्लमान शासकों ने एक राजनीतिक चाल चली और वह उन पर भारी पड़ी।

इसे ऐसे समझा जा सकता है| दौलत ख़ान लोधी बाबर को लेकर आया, लोधियों ने राज खो दिया| उसी तरह जब मुग़लों एंव मुसलमानो ने अंग्रेजों एंव फ्रांसिओ का सहयोग लिया तो उन्होंने अपना राज खोह दिया | निष्कर्ष यह कि किसी राष्ट्र को अगर अपना राज्य बनाये रखना है तो राष्ट्रीय बल अपना ही होना चाहिए, चाहे वह सैनिक बल हो या आर्थिक बल ।

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Facts and Truths in History

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I am going to use Hindi and English both the languages in writing the posts from now. दोनों भाषओं का प्रयोग होगा.

यहाँ पर fact की हिंदी तथ्य लिया गया है । Truth की हिंदी सत्य लिया गया है ।

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Hardship of A Historian

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On November 21, 1764, Orme wrote the following lines to Robert Clive when Clive was deputed to India for the second time.

Orme wrote, “I have had permission to poke into the records of the India House, and have discovered excellent materials for the exordium of my second volume; but the difficulty of getting them away is immense, for every scrap of an extract that I desire is submitted to the consideration of the Court of Directors; so that in three months, and after making twenty-five journeys to the House, I have not got half what I want. All because they won't lend me old books, of which not a soul in England suspected the existence until my rummages discovered them. I am afraid, my Lord, that these gentlemen suspect that I shall make a fortune by my book; and therefore think all the trouble and impediments I meet with to be what I have no reason to complain of, as it is in the way of trade.

You, my Lord, have treated me differently; and pray continue to do so. Make me a vast map of Bengal, in which not only the outlines of the province, but also the different subdivision of Burdwan, Beerboom, &c. may be justly marked. Get me a clear idea of the different officer and duties of Duan (probably he meant Diwan), Bukhshee (probably he meant Buxshee), Cadgee (probably he meant a Qazi), Cutwall (probably he meant a Kotwal), and all other great posts in the government. Take astronomical observations of longitude, if you have any body capable of doing it. I send you a skeleton of Bengal map I intend for my second volume, and I will hereafter send you the first sheets of the book itself; which will contain matter entirely new, even to us East Indians; but that cruel India House, and my paper constitution, keep me back most terribly.”

The above lines have been picked from “The Life of Robert, Lord Clive: Collected from the family paper”, by Sir John Malcolm, completed by Charles Malcom in three volumes. The lines are from the second volume, pages 260-61.

Some Observations:

1. The lines are reported to have been written in 1762. This was the year when the Americans colonies were celebrating the accession of George III.

2. The efforts of a historian are depicted in the lines. The craft of collections is well demonstrated. It had been when “Wealth of Nation” by Adam Smith and Marx's Das Capita had not been published or even conceived. The idea is that there was no stress on economic determinism formula as emphasized by Marxian historians. Even then the book which Orme had authored had emphasized on different financial angles of the company. The Parliament of England had yet to debate the cost of running the colonies in America.

3. The historian had sought the help of the chief administrator for acquiring some valid information and facts about India. It shows that the administration in India was not well defined at that time. It can be proved from other references. The Nationalist Historians attributes imperialistic designs of the British Company. But in light of the above fact, it seems, that there inferences and interpretations are not true.

4. James Mills six volumes came in 1817. He had referred to work of Orme in order to criticize many of the observations of the officers of the company who were called Nabobs or East Indians in Britain. His claim in the preface of the first volume of his work is also stands to scrutiny. It is proved wrong that there was no good work on India. He was biased against a group of the Company officials. It seems that the work of Mills was a part of a wider game of the British parliamentarians and members of the company who were divided on the issue spending the wealth of the Empire on raising colonies outside their own territory.

No doubt, the above lines are quite important for the scholars who are in the field of research, working of research methodology and history.

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Defining Historicism – An Example

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The following lines are plucked out from a preface to a book of a highly quoted author named Lane-Poole. He was a Professor of Arabic at Trinity College, Dublin and book was published in 1903 from New York and introduced in England.

“History is always continuous; there can be no ‘fresh start’; and each new period carries on much of what preceded it.” (Preface pp.iv.; Lane-Pool, Stanely, Medieval India under Mohammedan Rule 712 – 1764, 1903, New York.

The lines conceptualize the intrinsic meaning of the term “Historicism” if the term claim any right to existence. I am ready to accept and in recognizing it, I feel no shame that I struggle to learn, understand and perceive the real import of the term ‘historicism’. As I learn that I know it, and the very next pulse of the time, I lose it.

History is a knowledge about past. Among the group of the world of knowledge, the humanity gives preference to those fields of knowledge which provide solutions or to be more specific, working solutions to the problems in present.

History is not past as such. History is about change and continuity. A person asks a question in present, may be when he has a problem. He seeks a solution, which will prove its efficacy in future. Now, where should he look? Can he peep into the future? Which science has that capability? If such a science comes, History will die.

History stipulates that you have to learn about your present to fully understand your problem. You will then find the right solution. The quotation tells that your present has its foundation in past.

However, History is never regarded as such. There is a truth, which a thinking man refuses to recognise. He is troubled by his problem. The answer is in seeking the product which is called ‘Historicism’. But, where is it? What is it?

The above sentiment, the quotation, was recorded in 1903. I, the post writer, was born in latter part of 60s of the same century. Today in 2016, India, the country, which is seeking FDI from everywhere and technology from all over, is making yoga an international movement. Ochre clad Swami is rewriting the theories on marketing and production the field of FMCG picking threads and sinews from pre-medieval India. The country is invaded by ethics and values from outside through information technology. What is changing? What is continuing? I am still unable to get hold of the meaning of historicism. Which is continuing? Pizza or Puri or Prantdha.

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An Essay on Historiopgraphy as a new trend by V. Sharma

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Check the link HERE.
The link is to an article by vibha Sharma (I do not know the author but the essay has many references to Dr. Rajivlochan)which has appeared in The Tribune India in Spectrum section. It has been identified by Rajivlocah himself and it is an acknowledgement here for the source of information.
The idea to tag is here to collect articles on historiography which is the motive of this blog. The writer has taken up an issue of new trends in history writing and brought about an essay on historiography. It is confined to Medieval period of India.
While reading the essay (I did it hurriedly), I was wondering what would E. H. Carr had said about the sources of the Medievalist and it treatment in present by the historians.
Secondly, I believe that Dr. Rajivlochan is an expert on modern period and contemporary India (refer to website of Punjab University Chandigarh at puchd.ac.in) but he has been quoted for works on Medievalist India. However, that is not a big issue as the author has touched upon the philosophy of history and the references sounds quite relevant.
Thirdly, I do not know how the author will reflect, but there are references to the responses of readers unrelated to history, which are available on net and those had appeared when The Lash Mughal was published. There is use of internet in the article.
I beg to differ with the author when it is said that now historians have started giving importance to story feature in history. This thing was already debated when Godwani wrote 'The Sword of Tipu Sultan'.

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On Writing Research Paper in History

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I am sharing the following lines for the beauty of the diction of the contents and the idea depicted in linguistic expression - a task which a history writer has to do in his profession. "For all who have taken history courses in college, the experience of writing a research paper is etched indelibly in memory: late nights before the paper is due, sitting in pale light in front of a computer monitor or typewriter, a huge stack of books (most of them all-too-recently acquired) propped next to the desk, drinking endless cups of coffee or bottles of Jolt cola. Most of all, we remember the endless, panicked wondering: how on earth was something coherent going to wind up on the page - let alone fill eight, or ten, or twelve of them? After wrestling with material for days, the pressure of the deadline and level of caffeine in the body rise enough, and pen is finally put to paper. Many hours later, a paper is born - all too often something students are not proud to hand in, and something professors dread grading. "Whatever does not kill us makes us stronger." While Nietzsche may sometimes have been right, he likely did not have writing history papers in mind." Patrick Rael, Reading, Writing, and Researching for History: A Guide for College Students (Brunswick, ME: Bowdoin College, 2004). The whole article can be downloaded in the pdf format at the site http://www.bowdoin.edu/writing-guides/. Click HERE.

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Spinning Clio: Introduction to Historical Methods

Oh Boy, what should I say?
Before I say anything further, those who are interested in Historical Methods, especially those who are pursuing MA History, Semester system from Punjab University Chandigarh in the fourth semester, they first check HERE.

I am blogging since 2004. It was in 2005, I located this essay. The essay is written by an engineer who is interested in History and had acquired a degree in History. The visitors who will explore the link, will learn about the actual contents of the essay and the source of the contents of the essay.

Now when I am preparing my lecture for my class, I felt the need of visiting this essay. Presently, I can not write much but, it was an experience to relocate this essay through the links maintained on my blogs. I was not able to locate the link from this blog. I wonder that if this is going to be re-posting of this link. But I would say one thing, the Internet is definitely one way of learning and sharing. The education system must undertake some serious studies to make it more effective. They are doing it since long under the title of ICT but I do not see it around. I am trying to do it since 2004 but I do not feel encouraged. But, today, my faith in my paradigm is reinstated.

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Archives of TATA

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Check the archives of the Tata Sons. It may interest historians, historians of economic history, historians of colonialism and people related to business activity from all over the world.
Quotes from the first page of the site.
"The history of the Tata Group runs concurrently with the story of India’s industrialisation." As a student of history, I read it with caution. While making this comment, there is at the back of my mind, the name of Tagore and Carr Company. I intend no offence to the claim of the site. I write with an appeal to the craft of history.
Second Quote:
"The Tata Central Archives is the first Business Archive in India. We collect, and retain letters, documents, images, printed books, group publications and ephemera of potential historical and critical significance to the Tata Group, one of the largest and most respected business houses in India." I have just watched the document sheet. There are some titles which attract. I have not fully through the contents. I may go through them at a later date.

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Neuroscience and History: What???

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HNN is displaying two essays espousing the interdisciplinary study wherein neuroscience and history can collaborate.
History is based on available data. It was fascinating to read that the neuroscience can help to gather more data through molecular genetics which could help to study the neuropathology. How? The postage stamps glued to letters have saliva of some historic personalities which could be retrieved. Fascinating. It will be a new set of data from past which historians can subject to their narration and interpretation format of history.
The HNN itself has pointed that they are displaying the articles on the topic to generate debate. It still requires some theoretical basis to develop a world of knowledge build upon the data provided by neuroscience.

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Note; Subject to change as it is the first response on reading the article and it is instantaneous.

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Epilegomena is online

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On the Mead Project, one can find Epilegomena, the second section in the book "Idea of History" by R. G. Collingwood, edited by his student and later a big volume, is online HERE. I will write on it on my Review View blog. The selective essays, or the Epilegomena are still quite relevant for the craft history. They were written before 1929. The conflict with positivists is quite evident. Secondly, at many places, Collingwood seems to be answering to his critics than to explain the craft. However, they are the finest explanation on the craft of history.

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One Hundred and Fifty Years of American Civil War

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It is now 150 years after American Civil War. The Americans are showing it on Televisions and Internet.

I do not have the exact idea that how they are doing it. In any case at C-SPAN, they are showing it on internet.For their You Tube displays Click HERE.

My post is not directed towards Americans. I am seeking audience for my post in India. I am not suggesting to emulate them. The idea is to suggest that how some occasions should be celebrated making use of technology.

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The reporting is borrowed from History News Network at www.hnn.us

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Tattered Indian Historiography

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J. L. Mehta had remarked that the contribution of Japial has been underrated. It is not an overstatement. Rather, it is a 'matter of fact' statement. It can be put in other terms and can be said that it is one of the biggest shortcomings of Indian historiography. There are similar cases throughout the history writing in India.

There is a need to define the issue underlying the above assertions. Alberuni had remarked that Indians did not have the awareness of the intellect of maintaining the historical record. It is very difficult to contradict the statement of Alberuni. He was not an employee of Ghori. He was a type of a freelancer. He remained in India. He had undertaken an empirical study. Then only he wrote his Tarik I Hind. He was not there to appease any patron. All these arguments favour the validation of the observation of Alberuni. Further, before Alberuni, Mahmud Ghazni deputed Fartishta to write his chronicle. Utbi covered his reign in detail. Amir Timur had to his name his autobiography. However, the scholars have found that it was got written by the Amir. Froze Shah Tughlaq wrote his autobiography though in form of small notes. Babur wrote Baburnama. Humanyun was a scholar. Akabr did not have a liking for writing himself but he was highly fond of listening to the books. He had used his resources to arrange for writing and translation of many books. Jahangir had written Jahangirnama. There was a tradition among the Turkish political leaders to maintain a record. The same thing can not be said about the Indian political leaders.

Now the preceding observations are open to debate. We can say there is every reason to say such a thing that the absence and non-availability of any written record was not an evidence of its non-existence. We have cases contrary to that. Chandar Bardai wrote about Prithviraj. Kalhan and then six next authors continued to write about Rajtrangani. Every king tried to relocate his ancestry to a Puranic King. The inscriptions are found written on mathas and temples. There is every possibility that if political accounts were there, then they were destroyed. We have a case for it. It is recorded evidence that Ikhtiyarudin Bakhtiyar Khilji used the leaves books to warm the water for his bath. Bakhityar Khilji could have been a stupid person who was not able to learn the value of written books found at Nalanda. But such a justification is a very simplistic justification. It is rather a cunning way of hiding the bigger game plan which had been played by the invaders. Probably Khilji was just repeating a practice which was in force since the days of Ghori when he crossed Indus. The case of Khilji had come on record and the earlier acts were not recorded. Who was there to record? The invaders had it a part of their strategy to destroy the written records of the vanquished.

Now if there was any written record and that was destroyed by the khilji act, even then work of historians was not hampered. They had the testimonies of the foreign writers to extract the references and resurrect the history the period. However, that was not to happen. The invaders were followed by invaders. The next invader was Europeans. They were more committed. They did not have the policy of Dar-ul-Harb and Dar-ul-Islam. But they had a mindset of 'White Men Burden'. It was more cruel and nasty mindset. The mindset gets reflected in the first fully formulated work of J. Mills. The characterization hides beneath it the overtones of a racial invader. The issue is not that who were more racial – Nordics or Turks. The issue is the failure of Indian History. The finest example is the history of V. A. Smith published in 1904. The author and a retired bureaucrat had performed his work as per the craft of historian. But a discerning reader and analyst can easily find a truckload of paragraphs standing alone in his work which mocks at the failure of Indian historians. They are surfeited with racial bias. At many places, the author just stops his narration and write a paragraph mocking at the Indian history. He had been quoted on Akbar that Akbar was a foreigner with no drop of Indian blood in his veins. The preceding and succeeding contents get dragged with the racial tinge. There are numerous such examples which could be gleaned from the book.

The above points can be authenticated by true evidence. Here, the argument is taken forward and it can be said that bit too abruptly taken forward to 1960's of Indian historiography. The European world was taken over by the spirit of the post-modernist idea. They had started dismantling their own percepts of their history in light of the experiences of the post World War Second period. The Renaissance period was revisited. The concept of 'Dark Age' was dismantled, devastated, destroyed and liquidated. A new concept of the Middle Ages was brought out in its place. In India, there was a chance for Indian historians to play their role. India was a free country then. It had started providing solutions to her own problems in her own terms. Historians had a chance to define India. They could also have dismantled, devastated, destroyed and liquidated the mindset about India which has been breathing life since the days of Alberuni. The task devolved upon such historians who were good analysts. But that became their shortcoming. They were a good analyst. Their analytical tool was mathematical in nature. Their guru in India was an established mathematician, D. D. Kosambi who rubbed shoulders with Einstein and von Naumann. But they were wedded to a philosophy which had a different goal which unfortunately had been missed in a miserable manner at a time when the chasm between rich and poor was widening and the capitalist mindset through liberal use of impartial but more powerful technological marvels had pervaded everything which is called human.

The Marxist historians revisited the history of India with an intellectual anchor of Marxist philosophy. This became the cause of their failure to define the history of India for the Indians. All their intellectual exercise revolved around the core of the Marxist theory of fight between the classes and economic forces as the major engine of history. It was desired that they should have written history for India but they were under the subjugation of a western philosophy.

The Indian continent suffered the shower of Turkish races, the swords and hoofs of their horses from the beginning of the second millennium. After that, they just poured down on Indian land and it seems if there was no one in India to stop them. Now it is a historic fact. They came, they saw and they conquered. Was there no effort on the part of the actual habitats to counter them, to oppose them and push them back? You read the history books and you find that all that is written is just the success stories of the successes of invaders. While writing about Akbar, V. A. Smith boldly wrote that there was not a single drop of blood from India in his veins. He was a foreigner, a complete foreigner. He was just there in Gurdaspur when he became the king without any territory in Indian to his name but when he died, he had his own city at Fatehpur Sikri where he was buried. It was an achievement and a great achievement from every angle. He had his son who had Indian blood in his vein. But Jahangir, the son of Akbar, was boldly proud of his Turkish origin and his son Shahjahan who had crossed over the other side of Vindhya dreamt of even conquering Farghana, totally in the different direction, the original land of their origin. Between, Jahangir and Shahjahan, there was a Prince Khusrau. The history books do not narrate much about him. His father was annoyed that the boy was imprudent. His brother took him along to the south and then killed him. Later he killed his nephews also. Everyone knew about it. Jahangir knew about it. But nobody spoke. Shahjahan might have destroyed every evidence of the greatness of Khusrau. Akbar wanted him to succeed him. This is how the invaders work.

There are references in Akabrnama, that Akbar had in his library more than 24000 books. Abul Fazal had it on record that his brother Faizi contributed the choicest books to the library. There was a team of fourteen writers, two each for every day, who wrote down everything about the happenings in the court of the Mughals. Anybody could get a copy of those writings. Aurangzeb had even passed an injunction that the minutes of the courts as prepared by the department on daily basis would not be available to the scholars in his time. There was a department and there was a system to maintain the record. Those papers were definitely kept in Agra Fort. But where are those papers? There are historians who have found many manuscripts from the offices of the Mughals in different archives. But that would definitely have been a big treasure from where the history of the period could have been written. But they are not available. What would have happened to them? They would have perished or was they destroyed by the English administrators the way the Khilji did to the Nalanda library. There was not one paper burning Khilji.

It was not only J. L. Mehta, who got disturbed by many patches in Indian history. Even, probably more famous and popular than him, the student of A. L. Basham, Dr Romila Thapar had also brought on record some similar judgements in her writings. She had given an opinion that the Indian historians did not try to write history for India. They had been merely reacting and criticising what had been written about India.

The main issue is that there is a need to dismantle many of constructs which are raised by the invaders about India. Then, there is dire need to define India as it has been existing since the antiquity. Mind it, it can only be done if you dismantle the theory of nation in the making of the nineteenth century. As long as Vishnu Purana is there, a nation in making is a construct. The English should have burnt the Vedic literature also. However, they had a problem because there were some sick minded scholars among them whom they had called Orientalist. Those guys were bent upon preserving some of the literature. Then, it was to be followed by revisiting the India history once again. The government of India establishes committees and commission on the use of technology for empowering India. It forms groups on the judicious use of water resources. It forms groups on alleviating the poverty of the masses. Similarly, there is a need to form a group of scholars to revisit the history of India.

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The Essay is Open. It means that the contents may be altered.

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Edit Report
Date of Posting: June 10, 2010

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RTI as a Research Tool in History

Is anyone surprised by the title of this post?


Well, I am not giving any thesis here. I am not going to talk about invention which I may use in research in history in India or on India. I believe that whatsoever I am going to say here had been somewhere already referred to on H-Asia list from where I am presently de-listed because I have given @satyam.net.in email address.


Now I come to the point. I fear the infringement of copyright of some website as well being of plagiarism, so I will suggest the readers to visit the motive(about) page of the National Security Archive of USA. I intently emphasis that the readers from India attentively read that how the George Washington University has used Freedom of Information of Act. I believe or you may say that I have assumed that it is somewhat similar to Right to Information Act 2005 of India. I could have done some more google on it but a recent research says that every search on google produce CO2 which is not environment friendly, therefore, I am only giving importance to the content of the page. The page further gives detail on how the archive of university is using FIA for the collection of data - an important step in the historic research. It has also shared its other and further activities.


Now, I just wonder that can the similar thing be done in India by the people engaged in the field of history?

Well, I know that there are people who had sought information on the case of Subash Chander Bose. I think, that it can be a good question or experiment to execute in India. I think if I am able to frame my idea well, I can do PhD which I have not yet done and now Sixth Pay commission will not allow me to attach word Professor to my name if I do not do or get it done or purchase PhD. (No apologies if I have trampled on the tails of many of PhDs and ready to face the music if any agency want to prosecute me for saying such a thing in such a generalized manner for all the PhDs).


And one more important point which I will like to make full force and emphasize. I have visited three of the de-classified documents on Columbian police. All the pages were in PDF form and I have not faced any difficulty in reproducing them on my computer. In case of online resources in India, you face such difficulties. Has anyone recently visited Digital history of India? For me, I now generally route my search through the pages of Wikipedia.

Alberuni on Indian Historic Thinking and Historiography

“The Hindus do not pay much attention to the historical order of things; they are very caeless in relating the chronological succession of things, and when they are pressed for information and are a loss not knowing what to say, they invariable take to tale-telling”. Alberuni (As described in Sachau, Alberunis India, Vol. II, P. 10 and quoted in Rama Shankar Tripathi, History of Ancient India, 1992, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited, Delhi.)

Motive of above Reference:
I found the need of quoting the above statement of Alberuni many a time while discussing Indian historiography and historic thinking in India. Somehow, I did not get hold of this quotation. I presently do not remember that if I had made any effort to locate the above quotation on internet but, I did not find this quotation whenever I found the need of quoting it. I have read R. S. Tripathi during my college days but I did not remember that it was written. Recently I came across a copy of it and located this above quotation in the very first chapter.

I believe, those who are interested in Indian history may be equally interested in the quotation. Secondly, it is one of the purpose of this blog to collect such quotations which have need for those engaged in the craft of history writing and teaching. I also aim at identifying some highly significant sentences written by established scholars and bringing it on this blog. Therefore, I am writing this quotation here in a form of a post.

It is mere a quotation. However, the scholars know the great significance in field of history of India and Orientalist studies.

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External Reference:

Abu Rayhan Biruni

(Here you can access the book by Dr. Edward C. Sachau Vol. I)

One Check Books Google here

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A Side Talk
(I have a funny story revolving around this quotation concerning the thesis of one of a scholar. Unfortunately that is not meant for this blog.)

Captain Indra Passes Away

On October 6, 2008, Captain Indra Rani Jhansi Regiment of INF alias Laxmi Panda had passed away. With her, the tragic aspect of Indian History and history writing have been fixed for its one sided emphasis.

Laxmi Panda was denied her dues till the end. The tragic story was that she was not given her dues because of red tapism. She was denied her dues because she did not have any jail record.

With her demise, the conspiracy theory and Indian history re-writing case has become more strong. One can not deny the place of eminence given to those people who had remained with non-violent Gandhian course of struggle for independence. However, it is wrong to deny the place to those struggles which had been undertaken with the same spirit with which satyagrahis had exerted. But alas, History is mistress of the power that matters.

However, it was the present Honourable President Pratibha Patil, who helped her to get her dues. But alas, she had suffered much by that time and did not learn even that her status had been restored. After Jalianwala Baugh episode, wherein, a local deputy commissioner failed to understand the real nature of the contributions of such freedom fighters, it is the second case which has come to light. These cases emphasis that India needs to re-examine its historiography and records. Presently when the country is again engulfed in communal mind set, there is need to find a common glue which only a right course of history writing can provide.

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Source:
The Hindu

Controversies of Historiography of Indian Subcontinent from 1960 to 1970s

To a Question that what does Marxist History actually mean, Dr. Upinder Singh had given an elaboration to Malvika Singh. It had been published in Tehelka of Tarun J Tejpal, Vol 5, issue 33, Saturday, August 23, 2008, New Delhi.




According Dr. Upinder Singh, “Well, I think there is a lot of diversity within what we describe as Marxist historiography. Marxist history writing of the 1960s and 1970s was truly path braking. It brought in an important focus on economic and social processes. It brought in marginalised and subordinated social groups. It brought in a focus on agrarian relations, class structure, forms of labour. At the same time, it is important to recognise that Marxist historiography, especially in forms in which it percolated down into classrooms and public consciousness, also did have major problems. One of the limitations was the fact that religion, for instance, was generally treated as something that was a reflection of existing social and political power relations and certainly the aesthetic dimensions of the past were not given the kind of treatment they deserved. When an ideology, - any ideology - becomes dominant, deeply entrenched in research and education institutions, and is given state patronage, it can become a major obstacle to fresh creative thinking. I think without disagreement and dissent there can be no progress in any discipline. It is also important to look at other strong ideological positions that exist in our times. You have right-wing interpretation of the past, which are constantly trying to impose a very monolithic view of Indian culture on us and are very intolerant of anyone who thinks differently.”


The above definition is complete in itself to some extent. However, Dr. Upinder, a teacher of Ancient History at Delhi University India, has obliquely referred to some controversies. The readers would be able to develop good picture of Indian Historiography in post independence India by referring to another statement made by S. Gopal, another established historian and son of Honourable President of India, S. Radhakrishanan. Dr. Upinder Singh is daughter of Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh. The statement of S. Gopal is given at the following link.
The Fear of History.


Further, an obituary by K. N. Pannikar, another established historian, which contains reference to debates of 1960s and 1970s plays another dimension and it can be accessed at the following link.
A Great Historian

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Source: TEHELKA, VOL 5, ISSUE 33, AUGUST 23, 2008, TEHELKA


Frontline, Volume 19 - Issue 09, Apr. 27 - May 12, 2002, India's National Magazine from the publishers of THE HINDU


Seminar 221, January 1978

Gender Studies Deserve a Fair Deal

Manveen Sandhu is the author of Maharaja Ranjit Singh: Personalitas Extraordinaire. While doing research on the book, she learnt about the significance of Moran in the life of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. She had gathered so much information on her, that according to Aruti Nayar, if someone refers to her, then Manveen narrates numerous episodes on Moran and can talk on and on.

Manveen Sandhu herself remarked, “The character of Moran played hide and seek with me while I was researching my book on the maharaja.”

Moran, The Mystery Woman, which had appeared in The Spectrum, dated August 24, 2008, is based on a narrative by Manveen Sandhu and as listened by Aruti Nayar, is mainly a report on the incidences related to Moran.

The gender studies is now an important subject in history. However, one of the major hurdle related to gender studies is the scarcity of the sources. Geraldin Forbes, who had written Women in Modern India had referred to this problem in emphatic words. She had also pointed out in one of her interview that when she was about to start her research, she was discouraged by others by directing her attention to the scarcity of sources. Then, she had demonstrated in the book itself that how she had overcome that shortcoming. She was able to collect material on Tarabai, mother of Raja Rammohan Rai, from the writings of Raja Rammohan Rai and episode related to mother son relations. In the above mentioned report also, something similar has been reported. The female characters play hide and seek in the available sources. It is for the scholar to hold their hand and pull them out in open. Hence, this report is made a part of noting on this blog.

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It is reposting of the similar post which appears on History in News, an associated blog.

Inculcate Historical Thinking as an Important Attribute of Citizen

How I wish that I could have been the author of following lines:
“In other words when an event or even a process that shapes up, it does so in a social, economic, political and cultural context. And these socio-economic, political, cultural factors impinging on an event have to be studied, recognized and understood as materializing or actualizing in time or over a period of time. This according to me is historical thinking which can be nurtured and needs to be nurtured for the kids and adults as well, for historical thinking is actually an important attribute of citizenship.”

The author is S Krishna Bangalore, Karnataka, India at Developing a pedagogy for History.


The essay deals with the issue of the basic craft of the historians. It deals with the issue of using the primary and secondary sources to develop the historical thinking. Historical thinking is ability to study the facts in the perspective of time and space on the basis of the ability to learn facts from primary sources. S Krishna has been able to take the issue in a nice manner.