I agree with the opinions expressed by S.Muthiah in "First war of Independence" (March 25). The British and French first started taking sides in the wars between local rulers. It was the kings and Nawabs in India that ultimately handed overpower to the British. The revolt of 1857 is a scattered one with different leaders who had neitherproper communication nor coordination. Moreover the disorganised revolt had no people's support. The only positive result was the rule by a trading company ended and India came under the direct control of British Parliament. Now the Government is wasting crores of public money, which could otherwise have been spent on some productive purposes.
Karavadi Raghava Rao,
Vijayawada
Making pointed references to the numerous revolts that took place in India before the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857, S. Muthiah, has made an earnest and forceful attempt to drive home the point that it is frivolous, futile and meaningless on the part of the government to go ahead with their proposal to spend crores of rupees for celebrating the 150th anniversary of the 1857 Mutiny, under the mistaken impression that it was the "first war of independence".
K.D. Viswanaathan,
Coimbatore
The city's chronicler has candidly and concisely captured the pre-1857 scenario and capping it with a pithy one liner placing the whole matter in the proper perspective.
N.Dharmeshwaran,
Chennai
The article by S. Muthiah is an eye opener but many people will not agree with it. Many rebellions gainst the British happened in the South rather than from the North. I personally feel that the rebilion by Indian troops at Tellicherry in 1780 should be called as the First War of Independence.The Indian History Congress and the government should reconsider the issue
Babu Rao Gonipati,
Visakhapatnam
According to S. Muthiah's well-researched article, the 1857 Meerut outbreak and similar events that preceded it in the South were local in nature and could be called only uprisings and not wars for Independence, because the idea of Indian nationalism did not exist at that time in the fragmented continent. Eminent historians from North and South should come together and clear the fog so that the very idea of Indian nationalism, and the sparks it generated in challenging the Raj, is not submerged and lost in dates and years.
Dr. R.K. Malhotra,
New Delhi
Birth of a valley
Padma Ramachandran's "Himalayan Grandeur" made wonderful reading. Kathmandu is a unique valley among the Himalayan valleys. Peshawar and Srinagar are the only other two valleys that vie with Kathmandu in terms of dimensions. Their existence is due to the great collision between the Indian and the Asian Plates some 20 million years ago. Had the continents not collided Himalayan grandeur would not have been there!
V.K. Joshi,
Lucknow
Mango mania
Rupa Gopal's "Ode to the mango" (March 25) was delicious. The mango seed, generally thrown away, is virtually a goldmine according to the Oil Technological Research Institute, Anantapur. The white kernel of the seed contains around 10-12 per cent fat technically known as Mango Kernel Fat (MKF). When refined, MKF tastes like table butter. It finds several applications in confectionary and also as a cooking medium. India is the world's largest producer of MKF and earns nearly Rs. 400 crores annually through exports. Still much of the potential remains untapped. India should create a Mango Development Board at the national level like the Coconut Development Board for fuller utilisation of mango products.
G. Azeeemoddin,
Anantapur
The ode to the Indian mango tempted the reader to say 'mango,mango everywhere but not a slice to taste'. How the mango is interwoven with our culture particularly with art, literature, jewellery and how it forms a part of not only vegetarian but also non-vegetarian dishes has been presented in an eminently readable style.
K. Panchapagesan,
Bangalore
E-mail your responses to sundaypost@thehindu.co.in
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
