EVENT DATE : THURSDAY 12 AUGUST
There is a widespread view that the Middle Ages of India were a reign of terror unleashed by the Muslim invaders, who wreaked havoc on Indian heritage, culture and society – deliberately and due to religious bigotry. This foreign intrusion is held responsible for almost all the problems of medieval India - from religious violence and destruction of places of worship, to the fall of women’s status in society, and even economic and technological stagnation.
Consequently there is a belief that if all problems came with the Muslim invaders, the period prior to that surely must have been peaceful and glorious and that is indeed the claim of many.
Countless videos and podcasts inform us of #India’s greatness during its #Hindu period. When India was a place of wealth and prosperity, when there were no communal conflicts, women were treated with respect, knowledge and science thrived, literature and art flourished and India’s influence extended well beyond its borders.
Hardly any modern historian gives credence to such notions. Serious scholars eschew the Golden Age as a misreading of the past.
However the seductive idea continues to live on. While it pertains to a distant past, it has important implications for the unity of Modern India.