Much more than court poets’ eulogy
ATTAR MOHAMMED HANEEF
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History is definitely a product of thorough research
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This is in response to the article ‘History — does it make sense?’ (Open Page, July 8). Though the author’s view on the subject appears to be logical for a lay man, I am afraid he has restricted the study of history to school level books wherein the student has to memorise only the dates, battles, chronology of kings and their dynasties and hence developed an aversion for the subject.
The author has conceded that being a mathematician he is vexed over the topic “History of Mathematics.” To begin with, let me dwell over this very topic to explain the relevancy of the subject. In my opinion, a student of mathematics who makes an effort to understand the history of mathematics is benefited in two ways.
First, it helps in visualising the problems faced by our ancestors with regard to day to day computations and the resultant strategies evolved by them to overcome those difficulties. Thus it generates curiosity and interest and helps in understanding complex formulae. Secondly, it shows the contribution made by Indian mathematicians to the field which itself may act as a motivating factor to the present day student.
The author has asked some fundamental questions: “why should we study somebody’s past!” In fact, most of the school-going children raise this question. The answer to this is that the subject is vast and when it comes to presenting it in an abridged form, it assumes the character of factual information about the dates, the chronologies, etc., making it despicable.
Just as it is important for a person to look into his past to identify lacunae so that he can overcome those deficiencies and develop his character and personality, an understanding of the history of a particular culture is very much required for its future development.
The author raises another question on the very validity of the contents stating that it is nothing but the flowery account of court poets who write at their king’s behest showering all praises and exaggerating his conquests. In fact we have hundreds of such flowery accounts. But the beauty of the subject lies in corroborating the accounts with archaeological, numismatic and literary evidence to reach a relatively logical conclusion. History is definitely not the story as told by storytellers but a product of thorough research.
Wrong interpretation
Wrong interpretation of the facts supplied by history to fulfil self aggrandisement by a single individual like Hitler in no way goes to prove the futility of the subject. It is as absurd as to blame the entire subject of nuclear science merely because a terrorist outfit makes use of it for wrong purposes. The problem existing in Bosnia-Herzegovina is complex and it is apparent that a person who did not study the subject is apt to jump to the wrong conclusion that it is a direct replica of the atrocities committed by the then Ottoman Empire on the Christian community.
History is not just memorising facts and dates but to understand why such-and-such a thing happened with a constant emphasis on the socio-cultural background. The aversion to the subject is more due to the constant negligence of the latter. When viewed from this perspective the subject is pregnant with meaningful lessons on various subjects such as ignorance, religion, barbarism, benevolence, success/failure of leadership, etc.
The present day complexities of international affairs can better be understood only when we go back into the past. Just as an improper diagnosis leads to incorrect treatment, an improper understanding of the past may result in devising wrong solutions.
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