Neglect of history and ‘Mughal shughal’

It should be left to people to judge historical personages. But study of history remains a neglected area in Pakistan.

People of Pakistan are lately being told to develop a correct and objective appreciation of historical personages. But how should people be convinced whether a historical personage is a hero or a villain? They should be told that if the Mughal Emperor Akbar is to be seen in a positive light, why it should be so. How objectively he has been assessed by the Pakistani historian Ahmed Rashid, who remains obscure in his own country in spite of his immensely important work Akbar the Great.

One would say that it should be left to the people to judge historical personages. But the study of history remains a neglected area in Pakistan. Whatever history people are allowed to know is distorted. Since the 1960s, research in history has been carried out in a highly scientific manner. New facts, supported by documentary evidence, are being unearthed which are rendering old views and perceptions obsolete and redundant. History is no longer simply narrated, but rather analysed. History is not about prejudiced attitudes and opinions.

When people know very little about the Mauryan king Ashok, how can they be expected to hold him in high esteem? Ashok converted to Buddhism after the war of Kalinga (260 BC) in which 100,000 people were estimated to have been killed. After Ashok saw bloodshed at such a colossal scale in this war, he was overwhelmed by remorse and converted to Buddhism, which lays great emphasis on non-violence. He did a lot for the propagation of this religion. Until about a hundred years ago, Ashok was considered just one of the many kings mentioned in the Mauryan dynastic list in ancient Indian historical records. Research in this regard began in 1837 when James Princep deciphered an inscription written in the earliest Indian script, Brahmi. The inscription referred to a king called Devanamapiya Piyadassi (the beloved of gods, Piyadassi). It was finally confirmed in 1915 that it was the same Ashok, whom we now know as Ashok the Great.

There are two opinions about Bhagat Singh in Pakistan. However, controversy arises in India too, especially on his birth and death anniversaries: whether his picture should show him wearing a hat or a turban. Hindus are in favour of a hat whereas Sikhs want him to be shown wearing a Sikh turban. Ajit Cour, a Punjabi writer from East Punjab, has mentioned the controversy in her autobiography.

The study of history helps one understand both the past and present and thus, broadens one’s outlook. Italian philosopher Benedetto Croce has written that history identifies the problems of its own times more fully than those of the era about which it is supposed to be concerned.

History basically moves in two ways: cyclic and linear. The cyclic movement is strong in oral cultures, whereas other types of societies adopt the linear movement.

History also tells us how harmful corruption is to nations. When someone asked Edward Gibbon to describe in one word the cause of the fall of Roman Empire, he said, “Corruption,” and added, “Yes, corruption, amorality and lust for power … destroyed the Roman Empire which ruled almost the entire known world for more than 300 years … ”

Malaysian thinker Syed Hussain al-Atas has this to say about corruption: “Negligence in all aspects of administration, particularly that affecting public welfare, is the main manifestation of a corrupt society. This negligence takes a heavy toll on human life, energy and livelihood. A bus that is regularly late by hours, day in and day out, drains the time and energy of commuters. Defective inspection of vehicles causes innumerable road accidents … The work done by the corrupt is half- hearted … ”

The late Sindhi-language poet Hasan Dars has aptly described corruption in the following couplet: Har manu mein mor nacho tho/Har manu mein chor nacho tho (In every man dances a peacock/ In every man dances a thief).

The neglect of history shows up in ridiculous ways. Recently, a short article in a newspaper on an episode during the Mughal rule had these words in the headline: “Mughal shughal”. This is both laughable and lamentable.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 17^th, 2013.

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