Comments on New York Times article: False Teachings for India's Students
Here is a recent article (dated yesterday, 8th Oct. 2014) in the New York Times (NYT) by its editorial board, False Teachings for India's Students, http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/09/opinion/false-teachings-for-indias-students.html.
Some comments of mine on it:
* Mr. Dinanath Batra's role in influencing Indian education policy under PM Modi seems to be the main concern of the NYT editorial board.
* On the Wendy Doniger book withdrawal issue: I spent a lot of time understanding this Doniger book pulping affair and have blogged (& mailed) and publicly commented on forums like The Hindu website on it. [Interested readers can view this blog post of mine on Doniger's book, Book having Baseless Criticism of Hindu Divine Figures Blocked from being Distributed in India, https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2014/02/book-having-baseless-criticism-of-hindu.html.] I think the NYT has not been fair by not mentioning that the issue was fought in an Indian court. In my view, Doniger's book (I read some parts of it) had some pretty nasty and outrageous views on Hinduism which could easily have inflamed religious passions and led to communal riots. So I think if Penguin India had continued to fight the case in court, in the interests of maintaining communal harmony and saving lives, the court would have ruled against Penguin India quoting laws related to preventing religious/communal inflammatory material from being published. Now, some Indians (and some readers of this post) may feel that such laws should be changed but the fact of the matter is that these are the laws that are current now, and have somehow enabled India to survive as a country where various religions and sects thrive.
* On Mr. Batra's books being made part of Gujarat state curriculum: I have not read Mr. Batra's books. However, I am not in favour of Akhand Bharat ideology, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhand_Bharat, as current India's neighbours would not like that ideology. I further hold the view that such ideologies should not be part of mainstream Indian education. Regarding aircraft existing in ancient India, I am of the view that it is fine to mention that epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata mention them but it should not be presented as established facts. Essentially I prefer to follow the middle path in this kind of matter. One approach, which seems to be well established in some Indian education circles, is to view Ramayana and Mahabharata as completely fictional, just stories. The other extreme approach is to view well known versions of Ramayana (e.g. Valmiki Ramayana) and Mahabharata as established facts. My middle ground approach is that Ramayana and Mahabharata have not been historically established to be either fictional or factual (non-fictional). They could (i.e. a probability) be based on real-life figures. Some, including me, believe well known versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata to be largely based on real life figures of Rama, Sita, Ravana, Krishna, Pandavas, Draupadi, Kauravas etc. But it is a matter of belief and not historically established fact. This is very much like the miracles attributed to Jesus Christ in the New Testament are beliefs and not historically established fact. I think the Indian education system should follow such middle ground approaches and follow it not only for Hindu religious figures but also for Christian, Islamic and other religious figures.
Some comments of mine on it:
* Mr. Dinanath Batra's role in influencing Indian education policy under PM Modi seems to be the main concern of the NYT editorial board.
* On the Wendy Doniger book withdrawal issue: I spent a lot of time understanding this Doniger book pulping affair and have blogged (& mailed) and publicly commented on forums like The Hindu website on it. [Interested readers can view this blog post of mine on Doniger's book, Book having Baseless Criticism of Hindu Divine Figures Blocked from being Distributed in India, https://ravisiyer.blogspot.com/2014/02/book-having-baseless-criticism-of-hindu.html.] I think the NYT has not been fair by not mentioning that the issue was fought in an Indian court. In my view, Doniger's book (I read some parts of it) had some pretty nasty and outrageous views on Hinduism which could easily have inflamed religious passions and led to communal riots. So I think if Penguin India had continued to fight the case in court, in the interests of maintaining communal harmony and saving lives, the court would have ruled against Penguin India quoting laws related to preventing religious/communal inflammatory material from being published. Now, some Indians (and some readers of this post) may feel that such laws should be changed but the fact of the matter is that these are the laws that are current now, and have somehow enabled India to survive as a country where various religions and sects thrive.
* On Mr. Batra's books being made part of Gujarat state curriculum: I have not read Mr. Batra's books. However, I am not in favour of Akhand Bharat ideology, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akhand_Bharat, as current India's neighbours would not like that ideology. I further hold the view that such ideologies should not be part of mainstream Indian education. Regarding aircraft existing in ancient India, I am of the view that it is fine to mention that epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata mention them but it should not be presented as established facts. Essentially I prefer to follow the middle path in this kind of matter. One approach, which seems to be well established in some Indian education circles, is to view Ramayana and Mahabharata as completely fictional, just stories. The other extreme approach is to view well known versions of Ramayana (e.g. Valmiki Ramayana) and Mahabharata as established facts. My middle ground approach is that Ramayana and Mahabharata have not been historically established to be either fictional or factual (non-fictional). They could (i.e. a probability) be based on real-life figures. Some, including me, believe well known versions of Ramayana and Mahabharata to be largely based on real life figures of Rama, Sita, Ravana, Krishna, Pandavas, Draupadi, Kauravas etc. But it is a matter of belief and not historically established fact. This is very much like the miracles attributed to Jesus Christ in the New Testament are beliefs and not historically established fact. I think the Indian education system should follow such middle ground approaches and follow it not only for Hindu religious figures but also for Christian, Islamic and other religious figures.
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