Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Faith and history

This refers to the article “Where fusion cannot work — faith and history” (Sept. 28) by Romila Thapar. When the Archaeological Survey of India said in its affidavit that there was no conclusive historic evidence to prove the existence of the characters or the occurrence of the events in the Ramayana, it was only making a statement based on scientific assessment. Those who found fault with it in the name of faith and those who hastily withdrew the affidavit fearing political fallout are equally culpable of playing politics. The faith which is embedded in the hearts of millions will continue to survive without any support from political parties or the agents of Hindutva.

Y. Parameswaran Menon,

Thrissur

At a time when self-proclaimed experts are crying hoarse over the so-called onslaught on the Hindu heritage, this article from a historian of eminence can enlighten the masses. The UPA government missed a golden opportunity for a healthy debate on Rama by backtracking on the Ramar Sethu issue. Political compulsion has pushed reasoning, analysis and science to the backseat, which is nothing short of surrendering to fundamentalist forces.

Bankim Samaddar,

Faridabad

Ms. Thapar has done well to highlight the paucity of historical facts regarding the Ramayana and prove that the ASI was right. The opposition should concentrate on the environmental aspects of the Sethusamudram project. One feels sorry for the ASI officials who became the scapegoat in the episode.

Naveen Balasundaram,

Coimbatore

The article is a timely dose of a veteran historian’s expertise. It is well known that a majority of Indians are peace-loving. People should not be carried away by the politically motivated religious insinuations of some groups, set on making an issue out of Ramar Sethu. It is time intellectuals and commoners addressed the questions raised by Ms. Thapar on the possible ecological and economic impact of the project. Let us prove that our faith does not require the support of an underwater geological formation.

Pragash S. Paul,

Thiruvaiyaru

In the context of the ongoing controversy on the Ramar Sethu, the observation of H.G. Wells in his book, A Short History of the World, is relevant: “Now it is on the whole more convenient to keep history and theology apart. A large proportion of the Christian world believes that Jesus was an incarnation of that God of all the Earth whom the Jews first recognized. The historian, if he is to remain historian, can neither accept nor deny that interpretation. Materially Jesus appeared in the likeness of a man, and it is as a man that the historian must deal with him.”

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