of 13 March 2010
History makes man or
Did man make history?
Both,
I would say with conviction.
History was written by the victorious
Turned and twisted to suit an ideology
To enhance their image in the eyes of the reader
To mold and shape minds through textbooks for the young.
The Muslim era in India was
One of peaceful cultural integration
A Muslim king and a Hindu minister
Or a Hindu king and a Muslim minister.
What then went wrong
With this delicate balance
That sent Hindus, Christians, Muslims, and Sikhs
Screaming at each other’s throats?
Ireland was the laboratory
Where the ideology was perfected
To be used in India, Africa
And the troubled Middle East.
Religious, caste and ethnic differences
Used to spark a fighting within the unit.
And did it work?
Sure it did! It worked like a dream!
Divide and rule
Used to perfection with finesse
A dogma contrived
To create hate and mistrust.
Seeds sown and nourished
For centuries around the world
Now reared its head with fangs exposed
To destabilized the world with religious hate.
History is written daily today
Stored as archives in television news clips
Everyone knows and everyone has an opinion
Distorting history no longer an easy task.
(21st September 2006, Nellore)
© Nalini Hebbar/openmind/2009 - all rights reserved
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21 COMMENTS:
OMG Nalini.. I loved this one...
And since I am reading history these day, "The Great Mughals", I found it way too interesting...
Actually true! But these days the news which we see is also distorted! What we read or see should not constitute to the opinions! But the rational logic and empathy should!
With the advent of technology it has become difficult to taint history, which is enshrined in "Bytes", despite the distortions in the news media. Excellent read, Nalini.
loved your poem :)
The partition of India was such a gory affair and we learnt just good stuff in our History books. The voices of the victims never reached us....the actual viewers of history in making.
Today too...we get santized news...a sanitized version of history in making...
Have you tried the other form of Naisaiku poetry that reads forwards and backwards! I am afraid, I have posted one on my Blog and I hope it is OK.
Very true, and the way things are going one day Hitler will be the hero of the last century.
Maybe not so easy, but still they manage it...
Lovely Write Up!
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I appreciate the idea...but somewhere felt u jumbled up on interpretation..
And with your last line I completely disagree, history is being more at risk of being distorted in this modern age than it was earlier...
a secular poem..maybe Ncert should consider this for school students and I am serious about it. liked it.
Beautifully written.
Even though there were destruction of temples in those times the intent was to steal the wealth assumed to be hidden in the sculptures. I remember reading this in some history books. I may be wrong.
Hey Nalini
There's something awaiting you in my blog. Pls do share my happiness and festive spirit...
Luv
Deepa
No Tarun, I do not agree...the truth eventually come out by hook or by crook even if it is a few years later...the media and ordinary people on blogs & twitter, have juicy tit bits to reveal.
Thank you all for commenting and putting down your thoughts! Thanks a ton
Very well written Nalini. Thanks for being brave enough to talk what you feel....
"Juicy" is the word...not the truth...
truth is too truthful to be digested easily
Good Post!!
Wow! really nice!! :)
Really nice :)
Congratulations on being selected by Blogadda amongst the best 25 posts.
Indeed A Legacy!!!
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