For many, Hindi Chini are bhai bhai. I should know because I have any number of past students letting me know that they are studying Chinese. That is because I would request them to study a foreign language or two!
Why Chinese? I suppose because, according to them, it opens up for them professional avenues. Yet another reason could be that the very ethnic script full of pictograms must be satiating the latent/budding artists in them.
Ah, the Chinese art! That should remind us of the Terracota Court and of the Great Wall of China, right? Both belong to the rule of King Qin Shi Huang. This morning, on one of the WhatsApp groups, there was this huge praise of this Chinese King as someone who believed in the 'unity is strength' principle . Apparently, he thus changed the very contours of China.
Well, I looked up the references a little. It seems, he unified all the warring states in to a nation. King Qin Shi Huang also worked with his minister Li Si to enact major economic and political reforms aimed at the standardization of the diverse practices among earlier Chinese states. All praiseworthy and noble so far.
I wonder though why the morning message praised him as a unifier. Apparently, he burnt a large number of books from earlier regimes. His methods, though also is debated this accusation, were, it seems, tyrannical and brutal.
I suppose that precisely could be the problem when it comes to praising n imposing models imported from abroad. I would say, better are homegrown models, and we have aplenty. From Maharashtra itself, we have Shivaji Maharaj, the Peshwa's and Ahilyabai Holkar. Let us not refer to the erstwhile Chalukya or Satwahana dynasty, nor let us discuss the multi-pronged leadership that emerged during the Freedom Struggle.
Such is the trajectory of each of the Indian states and erstwhile provinces. In other words, there is no dearth of local n organic models n moulds. Hope we somehow re-pay their debt, at least by elaborating such genealogies as historiographies!
Pratima@ Even a cursory glance let's us know how little we know, either of the past or the present, and, that, too, in the AI era!
Quote of the day: Marcus Garvey argues, "A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots."
Word of the day: organic Organic organising refers to moulds n models developing gradually and naturally over time without forced planning.
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