2. Historiography : Indian Tradition

2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography You would like to know this:

2.2 Indian Historiography : Various Ideological Frameworks

2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography

We learnt about the western tradition of historiography in the last lesson. In this lesson we will know about the tradition of Indian historiography. Historiography in the Ancient Period : In the ancient period in India Sohagaura Copper-plate : The memories of the great deeds of ancestors copper-plate was found at Sohagaura and mythological lore, also memories of (District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh). It social transitions were preserved with the is supposed to be from the Mauryan help of oral recitals. period. The inscription on it is in The inscriptions on the Harappan Brahmi script. The symbols known as seals and other artefacts confirm that ‘Tree-in-railing’ and ‘Mountain’ at Indians had mastered the art of writing the beginning of the inscription also as early as the third millennium B.C.E. occur on punch marked coins. Another or perhaps before that. However, the symbol which looks like a structure Harappan script is not yet successfully erected on four pilars is supposed to deciphered. be indicative of a granary. The inscription records a royal order that The earliest known written documents the grains stored in the granary should of historical nature found in India are in be distributed carefully. It is supposed the form of inscriptions. They are dated to be suggestive of precautions taken to the 3rd century B.C.E., that is emperor in the times of a famine. Ashok Maurya’s times. His edicts are inscribed on natural rocks and stone administration of various empires and pillars. kingdoms and also important political From the 1st century C.E. inscriptions events, social organisation, climate, begin to occur on coins, metal images famines, etc. of the respective times. and sculptures, and also on copper plates. The ancient Indian literature including They provide important historical the epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, information. We get to know about the Puranas, Jain and Buddhist texts, historical dates of various kings, dynastic accounts by Indian authors and also genealogies, territorial extent and travelogues by foreign travellers are

important sources of history. Writing of biographies of kings and Do you know ? dynastic histories mark an important step in the Indian historiography. Alberuni wrote in Arabic about ‘Harshacharit’, written in the 7th century Indian knowledge and social life. In C.E. by Banabhatta is King Harsha’s the following period many books about biography. It portrays a realistic picture India were written by foreign scholars. of the social, economic, political,religious Among them, to name a few, are : and cultural life during the king’s times. Hasan Nizami’s ‘Tajul-Ma’asir’; Historiography in the Medieval Minhaj-i-Siraj’s ‘Tabaqat-i-Nasiri’; Period : The style of writing various works by Amir Khusrau; ‘Rajtarangini’, the history of Kashmir by ‘Tuzuk-i-Timuri’, the autobiography of Kalhana in the 12th century C.E. is quite Timur (-i) Lang, who was also known close to the concept of modern as Amir Timur who invaded India; historiography. Kalhana himself says that ‘Tarikh-i- Mubarakshahi’ by Yahya he wrote this text after critically examining Bin Ahmad Sirhindi. Their accounts various sources like inscriptions, coins, provide us with historic information of remains of ancient monuments, dynastic Sultanate period. records and local traditons. Accounts of foreign travellers in In the medieval India the historians India are also important. Among them in the courts of Muslim rulers were are Ibn Battuta, Abdul Razzaq, Marco influenced by Arabic and Persian Polo, Nicolo Conti, Barbosa and historiography. Among them Ziauddin Domingos Paes. Their accounts provide Barani holds an important place. In us with historic information of medieval ‘Tarikh-i-Phiruz Shahi’, a book written by India. Ishwardas Nagar, Bhimsen him, he has stated the purpose of Saxena, Khafi Khan and Niccolao historiography. According to him the Manucci were among the historians of historian’s duty is not limited only to the Aurangzeb’s times whose accounts are recording of the ruler’s valour and policies important sources of Mughal history. of welfare but he should also write about the ruler’s failings and incorrect policies. Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire Barani further says that a historian should wrote an autobiography, entitled, ‘Tuzuk-i- also take into consideration the impact of Babari’. It contains the descriptions of the the teachings of the wise, the learned, battles fought by him. Babur also recorded and the saints on the cultural life of his minute observations of various regions people. Thus, Barani expanded the scope and cities travelled by him including the of historiography. local economy, customs and the flora. For the historians in the Mughal Abul Fazl’s ‘Akbarnama’ is very courts praising the emperors and exhibition important from the viewpoint of critical of loyalty became more important. The historiography. His method of collecting custom of adding suitable poetic quotes authentic historical documents and their and beautiful pictures was also introduced.

scrutiny is looked upon as devoid of bias and hence realistic. ‘Bakhar’ is an important type of historical documents of medieval times. It contains eulogies of the heroes and stories of historic events, battles, lives of great men. Marathi bakhars are of various types.

‘Sabhasad Bakhar’ was written by Alexander Cunningham John Marshall Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad during the reign of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj. It Many British officials in India wrote is an important bakhar for getting about Indian history. Their writings information about the rule of Chhatrapati display strong influence of the colonial Shivaji Maharaj. policies of the British. ‘Bhausahebanchi Bakhar’ describes Three Volumes of ‘The History of the Battle of Panipat. Another bakhar, British India’, written by James Mill were entitled ‘Panipatachi Bakhar’, is also published in 1817. This was the first book about the same event. ‘Holkaranchi on Indian history Kaiphiyat’ provides information about the written by a British Holkars and their contributions to the historian. It clearly Maratha rule. reflects an absence Bakhars can be divided into various of objective types such as biographies of kings, perspective and dynastic history, descriptions of events, prejudice about history of a sect, autobiographies, various aspects of regarding grievance, based on mythologies the Indian culture. and state administration by a king. James Mill ‘The History of India’, written by Mountstuart Elphinstone, Historiography in the Modern Governor of Bombay (now Mumbai) was Period : In the 20th century the Indian published in 1841. archaeological exploration and research started under the British rule. A number The period of Maratha Empire is of ancient sites were excavated under the very important in the Indian history. supervision of Sir Alexander Cunningham, Grant Duff’s name stands out among the the first Director General of the British officers who wrote about Maratha Archaeological Survey of India. He chose history. He wrote the book entitled, ‘A mainly the sites mentioned in the Buddhist History of Mahrattas’. This book is texts for this purpose. Harappan published in three volumes. Grant Duff’s Civilisation was discovered during the writing also shows the British inclination tenure of Sir John Marshall. Because of of condemning Indian culture and history. this discovery the antiquity of Indian Similar tendency is witnessed in Colonel history could be traced to 3rd millennium Todd’s writings about Rajasthan’s history. B.C.E. or even earlier. The two volumes written by William

Wilson Hunter on Indian history show a mention. In his somewhat impartial treatment of the opinion Sanskrit was subject. the most ancient Nilkanth Janardan Kirtane and language of the Indo- Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade were two European languages. Indian historians who took upon the task He was deeply of exposing the limitations of Grant interested in Sanskrit Duff’s writings. literature. He first William Johnes translated the Sanskrit 2.2 Indian Historiography : Various text of ‘Hitopadesh’. He was the editor Ideological Frameworks of 50 volumes of ‘The Sacred Books of Colonial Historiography : The early the East’. He also compiled ‘Rigveda’, scholars who studied and wrote Indian which has been history were mainly British officers and published in six Christian missionaries. Their prejudice is volumes. He clearly reflected in the way some of them translated Rigveda have ridiculed Indian culture. Their in German. writings were used to justify the colonial Lately, Edward British rule. The five volumes of Said, a scholar ‘Cambridge History of India’, published who has re- during 1922-1937 C.E. are distinct evaluated the Friedrich Max Muller examples of colonial historiography. orientalist writings, Orientalist Historiography : Many has thrown light on imperialistic interests European scholars felt curious about of orientalist scholors. civilisations and countries of the East. Nationalistic Historiography : The Some of those scholars felt admiration writings of Indian historians who were and respect for them. These scholars trained in the British educational system were known as ‘Orientalists’. show an inclination to restore the pride The orientalists studied the similarities in the ancient glory of India and the self- between Sanskrit and some of the esteem of the Indian readers. Their European languages. They focused more writings are known as ‘Nationalistic on Vedic tradition and Sanskrit literature. Historiography’. Nationalistic writings in Their studies resulted into formulating the Maharashtra were inspired by notion of an ancient language that could Vishnushastri Chiplunkar. He criticised be the mother of all Indo-European the prejudiced history of ancient India languages. written by British officers. The nationalistic In 1784, Sir William Jones founded historians tried to seek the golden era of Asiatic society in Kolkata. It opened the Indian history. They are at times blamed doors for research in ancient Indian for ignoring the critical analysis of the literature and history. historical truth. Mahadev Govind Ranade, Among the Orientalist scholars, Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Vinayak Friedrich Max Muller deserves a special Damodar Savarkar, Rajendra Lal Mishra,

Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Kashi Prasad Jayswal, Radha Kumud Mukherjee, Do you know ? Bhagawan Lal Indraji, Vasudev Vishnu Mirashi and Anant Sadashiv Altekar are V. K. Rajawade founded ‘Bharat the names of some renowned scholars Itihas Samshodhak Mandal’ in Pune, among the nationalistic historians. on 7th July 1910 to facilitate historical research.

Do you know ? ‘Human history is defined by Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade Time and Space. Describing any has explained the background of the event necessitates that the final rise of Maratha empire in great portrayal should be spread on the details in his book, ‘The Rise of complete canvass of the given time Maratha Power’. According to him and place. it was not like a suddenly erupted Only if a balanced combination forest fire but the ground for it in of the three factors, Time, Space Maharashtra on the social, cultural and Personalities is present, then and religious levels was getting only an event does qualify to be ready over a prolonged period. called so.’

- V. K. Rajwade

Rajwade is well-known for his writings in Marathi on varied subjects like history, linguistics, movement of the etymology, grammar, Indian people against etc. He was of the the British. In this firm opinion that we aspect the book, ‘The should write our own Indian War of history. He compiled Independence, 1857’, and edited 22 volumes written by Vinayak of ‘Marathyanchya Damodar Savarkar is Itihasachi Sadhane’. Vinayak D. Savarkar of great importance. V.K.Rajwade He wrote very The nationalistic historiography scholarly prefaces to each of the 22 provided a momentum to the writing of volumes. He stated, ‘History is the all- regional histories too. As a result the inclusive image of the past societies. It attention of historians was drawn to the does not include only the stories of political geographic conditions and history of south images, conspiracies and wars for seizing Indian regions. power.’ He insisted that history should be Historiography in the Post- written only using the authentic Independence Era : Now along with documentary source. writing the dynastic histories, the cultural, The nationalistic historiography helped social, economic histories were also being in the triggering of the independence written. Scholars of the post-independence

era began to feel the need of writing Folklore has been considered as a histories of various communities, sciences, very important source of writing subaltern economic systems, political ideologies, histories. Ranjit Guha, an Indian historian cultural aspects, etc. The historiography played a major role in establishing of this era has been influenced mainly by subaltern history as an important academic three ideological schools: (1) Marxist school of historiography. However, we History (2) Subaltern History (3) Feminist may point out that much before the onset History. of subaltern ideology similar thoughts Marxist Histroy : The concern for were expressed by Mahatma Jyotirao the means of production, modes of Phule and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. production and the industrial relations Mahatma Phule unfolded the history were at the centre in the writings of of the ‘shudratishudra’ commuunities in Marxist historians. Accordingly, to analyse his book, ‘Gulamgiri’. the impact of every social event of He drew attention to significance has the exploitation of remained the basic women, shudras and theme of Marxist atishudras done under historiography. the name of religion. Marxist historians The terms in India studied the ‘shudra’ and transitions within the ‘atishudra’ indicates Mahatma Jotirao Phule caste system. Among the bottommost ranks in the caste system. Damodar Kosambi the notable Indian The role of the people belonging to historians who adopted Marxist ideological Dalit castes is very significant in the framework, scholars like Damodar shaping of various cultural and political Dharmanand Kosambi, Comrade Shripad aspects of India. However, their role was Amrut Dange, Ram Sharan Sharma, not duly acknowledged in the colonial and Comrade Sharad Patil have contributed nationalistic historiography. Dr Babasaheb notably. Comrade Dange was one of the Ambedkar focusing on founder members of the Indian Communist this fact, consistently Party. ‘Primitive Communism to Slavery’, wrote about it. Two of the book written by him represents Marxist his books, ‘Who Were historiography. the Shudras’ and ‘The Subaltern History : The seeds of Untouchables’ may be subaltern history are found in the Marxist cited as examples of historiography. The role of the Italian history of subaltern historian Antonio Gramsci is very Dr Ambedkar type. important in developing the idea that Feminist History : Over a significant history should be written starting from the period of time, mainly male scholars were bottommost ranks of people in the society. involved in the writing of Indian history. In fact, subaltern means the ‘bottommost As a result, the role and achievements of ranks’. women in history remained neglected. To highlight this fact was a major task faced women in Maharashtra. Dr. Sharmila by the feminist historians. Also, it was Rege’s work is noteworthy in this context. important to study and compile the Her book, ‘Writing Caste, Writing Gender : historical writings of women. It was also Reading Dalit Women’s Testimonies’ necessary to rethink of women’s position includes her essays on the autobiographies in history. of Dalit women. Among women authors writing about women in the 19th Do you know ? century C.E., Tarabai Publication of ‘Marathi Shinde was the Riyasat’ by Govind Sakharam foremost one. She Sardesai was a momentous wrote attacking the achievement in the field of Indian male dominated Historiography. His work became social system and so famous that people began to the caste system. address him as ‘Riyasatkar’. He Tarabai Shinde Her book, ‘Stripurush published several volumes of Tulana’, published Maratha history. in 1882, is acknowledged as the first feminist book in India. In 1888, the book There have been a number of Indian written by Pandita Ramabai was published, historians who wrote without embracing entitled, ‘The High Caste Hindu Woman’. a particular ideology. Among them The feminist literature of the post- historians like Sir Jadunath Sarkar, independence era concentrated on the Surendra Nath Sen, Riyasatkar G.S. issues like employment of women, Sardesai, and Tryambak Shankar treatement meted out to them at their Shejawalkar are noteworthy. work place, their right to political equality, In the recent times historians like etc. Among the recently published feminist Yashawant Dinkar Phadke, Ramchandra literature Meera Kosambi’s book, Guha, etc. have contributed extensively to ‘Crossing Thresholds : Feminist Essays in the historiography of modern India. Social History’ is of importance. It Thus, it is evident that the Indian contains essays on the life stories of historiography has been influenced greatly women like Pandita Ramabai and Dr. by the social and political movements. It Rukhamabai, the first practicing lady seems that some part of the Indian doctor of India. A lot of literature is historiography was also developed outside available unfolding the viewpoint of Dalit the influence of these movements.