When I was in school, I was taught that Akbar was a great emperor. ‘Akbar the Great’ was the title of the lesson on him. That was how the emperor was described in history in those days. Now the grade 8 history textbook calls that same man Akbar the Brutal . A lot of efforts are being made to rewrite India’s history. All Muslims are evil in that new history. In fact, everyone except Hindus stands the chance of being accused of much evil. It is sheer coincidence that I started reading Manu S Pillai’s new book, Gods, Guns and Missionaries , soon after reading newspaper reports about the alleged brutality of the Mughals. In the very first chapter, Pillai presents Akbar as a serious spiritual seeker as well as advocate of religious tolerance. Pillai’s knowledge of history is vast if the 218 pages of Notes in the book are any indication. Chapter 1, titled ‘Monsters and Missionaries’, starts with three Jesuit missionaries led by Rodolfo Acquaviva visiting Akbar on a personal invitatio...
Brilliant as usual Tomichan :)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Kalpanaa
DeleteThe moment we realise that the thing we are pretending would have a rather negative effect on us might prevent us from pretending. Coincidentally I am reading thinking fast and slow, where the author talks about an experiment where the subjects when unknowingly make a smiling face become more likely to see positivity in even the worst situations and vice versa. So would it not be wise to pretend a fake smile when that smile can make us more positive in life? Sorry for that long a comment. I have more to say, perhaps need a seprate post.
ReplyDeleteIt's the positivity that i'm advocating, Pranju. Our pretensions are always on the positive side, aren't they?
DeleteI'm waiting for your post on it. Glad to have poked you enough to think of s post ☺
True and beautifully potrayed
ReplyDelete:) trying to convey more in less words.
DeleteAnother layer of pretense perhaps....we are full of these traps....! Was i
ReplyDeleteThe traps are inevitable, inescapable! Religious leaders and many others ensure that!
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