The Aryans (again); 19th century discourse.

[Ashish Chandra]

Yaroslav wrote :

Dear Ashish, thank you for so clear and honest formulation of the
concept which is really basic for your favourite Out-of-India "theory". But
can not you see yourself that the concept which helds that ALL Europeans
are scoundrels and politically (or otherwise?) biased falsifiers of facts,
is racist? And it can not be a base for any scientific theory, but only for
the racist, nationalistic propaganda.
What makes your words particularly insulting and unjust is that you mean by
the wicked "Europeans" first of all Indologists - i.e. the people who
devoted their lives to the study of India, the country they love. And love
quite disinterestedly, though I doubt you can believe it.
___________

My temptation to launch into another "diatribe" is severe. But I think its
best to resist it. Anyway, Just to let Yaroslav know, I am not advocating
any Out-Of-India theory. I don't even know of it so I think one might have
a problem with associating that as my "favorite theory".

Yaroslav, the mistake you have made is not new i.e. termed the use of the
anti-AIT proponents as "racist, nationalists" etc. It is made amongst the
Indian nationalists every day wherein people endowed with my level of
intellect see in the AIT pushers a part of a vast Western conspiracy to
undermine India. While that may not be true, there are examples to be
quoted from history wherein Europeans have shown a tilt towards an invasion
of India by European related peoples. While the nationalists dismiss these
as evidence of racism and conspiratorial tendencies among Western powers,
they are in turn being accused of being racist !!! Rhetoric matching
rhetoric has probably no end. Don't jump to conclusions like the Indian BJP
is fascist.

As far as my knowledge of Indian nationalism goes, and it is leaps and
bounds over the narrow invective let loose here by Sri Ganesan, the
movement seeks to establish an India wherein our ancient culture, which you
and others so love, is not in any danger of being preserved in museums
alone. That is the baseline. As with every movement, it has its positive
and negative sides.

Do I need to add here that I never held, neither have I ever categorized,
nor here or elsewhere, that Europeans are "scoundrels and biased falsifiers
of facts." My statement "What is wrong with the view that the Europeans
want us to believe in AIT because it gives credence to the idea that India
has always been invaded and settled" was in response to Sri Ganesan letting
loose his barrage against everyone ranging from Sankara Matths to Bodhayana
to Indians who come to the West to "1) to get a job in the West; 2) to push
unsustainable dates for Veda, Giitaa, Westward expansion of Sanskrit from
IVC" and to " get the money/job from the West whose inventions directly
come from scientific thinking and which all humankind enjoys."

Ok. Hope everyone is happy.

Ashish Chandra
1 month on Indology. Not even.