The hubris lies in pretending that journalists are somehow seekers of the whole truth. This hubris was punctured when social media started calling out mistakes and biases.
It is not capitalism which is responsible for the evils of permanent mass unemployment, but the policies of the stateman which paralyse its working, wrote BS Iyer in 1971.
The first Bridgerton kitty party was a roaring success. Aunties came dressed in their best saris. I would like to know what this kitty’s Whistledown is saying in her WhatsApp goss group.
When I choose to be a dissenting voice within my community, or when I write about atrocities faced by minorities in Muslim-majority countries, people like Deepak become my strength.
The present punishing visa rules, restrictive employment regime and discriminatory immigration system will not facilitate bilateral trade. A return to normalcy is a precondition.
On 7 December 1968, Dr Zakir Husain delivered an address at the tri-decennial celebrations of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in Bombay, explaining why it’s important to pursue science and religion together.
By next weekend, Bangladesh will have an elected government. This is India’s moment to reboot broken ties by moderating the ‘ghuspethiya’ rhetoric in poll-bound West Bengal and Assam.
My original comment got removed, not sure what was offensive about it. This article is very much anti-Sanskrit in tone. Once again, let me say it: Criticism is welcome but why this unnecessary hatred (though it tries to hide it with polished words and phrases).
On the face of it, Indians have a peculiar relationship with the term “South Asia”. Of all the groups we have discussed so far, Indians have the most to lose with the adoption of this term, and the epistemological replacement/erasure of the “Indian Subcontinent”. So why would any Indian be interested in using this term? It is a mystery indeed, but I think there are two primary, and interconnected, reasons for this.
(The reader is urged to read that article completely).
The author concludes his article with these lines, “The language of science and progress is not English, or Persian, or Greek, or Latin. Nor is it Sanskrit. It is mathematics, it is reason, it is evidence: the common heritage of all humanity.”.
Though the last para is couched in wonderful, progressive language, the entire article is very much a rant against Sanskrit (which is already a “dead” language, compared to other Indic languages).
The author pretends to be very much progressive and what not, but he hates Sanskrit. There is no other word to put it. Yes, Sanskrit is far from perfect, which language is? At one point, Sanskrit was called the mother of languages, language of the Gods, etc. The speakers of each language have their own pride, arrogance and ego.
Here in Tamil Nadu, our Tamil (Thamizh) language is supposed to be so ancient that it is at least 10,000 years old according to some groups!
It’s easier to bash Sanskrit because none of us cares. The author would not dare to write a critical or even an unbiased article about any other Indian language because there are vocal, fanatical groups which will make him regret his statements.
Suddenly very suddenly, books like “Snakes in the Ganga” and terms like “fifth column” start making sense.
Interesting read and definitely worth reflecting on.
I’ll also be waiting for a similar take on the history of Urdu, which has also seen a deeni stagnation (e.g. there’s no word for science or most modern disciplines, most literature including contemporary has religious undercurrents).
My original comment got removed, not sure what was offensive about it. This article is very much anti-Sanskrit in tone. Once again, let me say it: Criticism is welcome but why this unnecessary hatred (though it tries to hide it with polished words and phrases).
Reading this article, reminded me of this article: https://theemissary.co/the-indian-mimicry-behind-south-asia/
I will quote one paragraph from that article:
On the face of it, Indians have a peculiar relationship with the term “South Asia”. Of all the groups we have discussed so far, Indians have the most to lose with the adoption of this term, and the epistemological replacement/erasure of the “Indian Subcontinent”. So why would any Indian be interested in using this term? It is a mystery indeed, but I think there are two primary, and interconnected, reasons for this.
(The reader is urged to read that article completely).
The author concludes his article with these lines, “The language of science and progress is not English, or Persian, or Greek, or Latin. Nor is it Sanskrit. It is mathematics, it is reason, it is evidence: the common heritage of all humanity.”.
Though the last para is couched in wonderful, progressive language, the entire article is very much a rant against Sanskrit (which is already a “dead” language, compared to other Indic languages).
The author pretends to be very much progressive and what not, but he hates Sanskrit. There is no other word to put it. Yes, Sanskrit is far from perfect, which language is? At one point, Sanskrit was called the mother of languages, language of the Gods, etc. The speakers of each language have their own pride, arrogance and ego.
Here in Tamil Nadu, our Tamil (Thamizh) language is supposed to be so ancient that it is at least 10,000 years old according to some groups!
It’s easier to bash Sanskrit because none of us cares. The author would not dare to write a critical or even an unbiased article about any other Indian language because there are vocal, fanatical groups which will make him regret his statements.
Suddenly very suddenly, books like “Snakes in the Ganga” and terms like “fifth column” start making sense.
Interesting read and definitely worth reflecting on.
I’ll also be waiting for a similar take on the history of Urdu, which has also seen a deeni stagnation (e.g. there’s no word for science or most modern disciplines, most literature including contemporary has religious undercurrents).