neo-Orientalism (ii)

[Dr Y. Vassilkov]

----- Original Message -----
From: "nanda chandran" <vpcnk at HOTMAIL.COM>
To: <INDOLOGY at LISTSERV.LIV.AC.UK>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 11:00 AM

> As far as I can see, the Dravidian race theory has practically
> no benefits for a united India. It only encourages seperatism and
> liguistic chauvnism. Sure, Tamil need not take a second place to
> Sanskrit. Let's consider them as equals and derived from an even
> earlier tongue. Let's have Tamil recognized as a classical
> language. So why should the Tamils have any problems with this?
> I think normal Tamils will be more than satisfied with this. But
> what about the "Dravidian" scholars? Are they scared of losing
> their relevance if such a theory is accepted?

As it is clear from your words, you can not even understand that scientific
theories are born out of a man's will to gain knowledge about the world he
lives in, to understand its laws and its history. The theories (if they are
really theories and not wishful thinking) are based on the sum of all facts
available to scholars at a particular moment. The theories (if they are
really theories) are never created for money or at the order of political
bosses, to suit a certain political situation, to "encourage" something, or
"satisfy" somebody, or to give somebody "benefits".
    You apply to the scholarship criteria which would rather fit cheap
political journalism.
    In this posting, as many times before, you insult not only Indology, but
scholarship in general.
        If you do not have any idea of what scholarship is, why don't you
leave this scholarly list alone?
      Dear colleagues, I am sorry if I broke the ban on polemics by this
letter. I am ready to be punished for it. I only feel that aggressiveness,
arrogance and hatred which fill every word in the postings of Nanda
Chandran - the man who does know nothing of the things he speaks about -
cannot be tolerated anymore.
     Regards,

        Yaroslav Vassilkov