Category: The title of this blog “In Search of India” is an allusion to “Discovery of India” by Jawaharlal Nehru (1st Prime Minister of India). He found it but I’m still searching. This is Part 2 of 4.
India is often called the “Indian subcontinent”, and with good reason. India was closer to Africa before the continental drift. And on joining the Eurasian Plate, it became part of Asia (the Himalayas were the result of this merger). This may explain why there is some similarity in the flora and fauna with Africa (lions, elephants, etc.). It could also explain the origins of the dark-skinned dravidians (of south India). The merger, of course, is what enabled the aryans (supposedly from Persia and Europe) and the mongoloids to find home in India.
To people living here, the elements of nature play a really big role – which sort of explains why we have so many Gods representing the different elements of nature. The Himalayas are revered as Gods as are the trubutary rivers such as Ganga (Ganges), Yamuna and Godavari. Our festivals revolve around the harvest season and the rains. The failure of monsoons (a delay by even 1 week) causes havoc in the food supply and economy as a whole.
The cradles of the civilizations that cropped up were along the shores of the Himalayan tributary rivers. Which is why the melting of Himalayan glacier is a very scary prospect (even if it doesn’t happen in 2035). Increased temperature in the Himalayas could have a serious consequence on practically every aspect of the life here – if the rivers go dry (even the rains would get affected). Which is why India should really be concerned about Global Warming and should be more proactive in investing in it’s future; the next 30 years or so would be really crucial in addressing this especially for the centuries and millenia yet to come.
Have you started reading the Imagining India book? I really like the way the author has put forward his ideas about the ideas that shaped India, a very easy book to read. I know this will sound like a silly comparison, but it kind of reads like a Harry Potter novel, without the suspense.
You were asking Shailesh, but I read the entire book this week. I agree, it is a fantastic book, and I plan to create a post about it so that we can all discuss in detail.
And Shailesh, excellent post! I love your insights about the actual “details” of India, not just the “statistics” I can read from Wikipedia and the like. Looking forward to parts 3 & 4.
Oh yeah, I have started reading the book. It is a fascinating book and am pressed for time in reading it but it’s something that definitely needs to be read.
I always say that the only way to understand India is to compare it with Europe, since it is basically a collection of independent states (kingdoms long ago) with very distinct identities. Europe calls itself a Union, we call ourselves a country.
Good post. I can now point people to this link to make them aware of certain facts about India:)