Romila Thapar :An Historian

A very known Historian

1. Presented to:Dr. Rafi Ullah Khan Presented by: Anum Khan Mphils Scholar 1 st Semester Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations Quaid-e- Azam University Romila Thapar: An Historian Romila Thapar Romila Thapar

2. Life Story Romila Thapar was born in India in 1931 of a well-known Punjabi family and spent her childhood in various parts of the country because her father was in army. She took her first degree in India from the Punjab University and her doctorate at London University in 1958. She has taught Ancient Indian History at London University, Delhi University and Jawaharlal Nehru University . She was also an honorary fellow of Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford, and has been a Professor at Cornell University in the United States. In 1961 She joined Jawaharlal Nehru University and still serving there as a Emeritus Professor of History .

3. Stance of Romila Thapar Thapar has an interest in the social and cultural history of ancient India . The increasing interest in the historiography of the early period is an indicator of the awareness of the role of ideology in historical interpretation . She has also used comparative method to study similar societies with the evidence both literary and archaeological sources. Other sources include linguistic, ethnographic and other fields of Indology.

4. Contributions A History of India Early India :From The Origins To AD 1300

5. Cont …. Readings in Early Indian History The Past Before Us: Historical Traditions of Early North India From Lineage to State: Social Formations in the Mid-first Millennium B.C.in the Ganga Valley

6. Cont …. Raj Rewal The Historian and Her Craft: Collected Essays ( 4 Volume Set) Exotic Aliens: The Lion & The Cheetah in India

7. Cont …. Sakuntala : Texts, Readings, Histories Interpreting Early India Somanatha: The Many Voices of a History

8. Cont …. The Past As Present: Forging Contemporary Identities Through History The Past as Present: Forging Contemporary Identities Through History Asoka and the Decline of the Mauryas

9. Cont …. Indian Tales (Puffin Books) Ancient Indian Social History India: Another Millennium

10. Cont …. Narratives and the Making of History Time As a Metaphor of History: Early India N on Nationalism

11. The Past and Prejudice Exile and the Kingdom: Some Thoughts on the Ramayana (1978) Cont ….

12. Approaches Rational :Rational explanation of Past Critical Realism : Critical Interpretation of Past .How and For What purpose things to be done? Her Emphasis is to identify the reason or Cause behind to an Historical event. Academia: She is known as a Think Tank, She wrote books of class 6 th subjected to Ideology of India and its Nationalist narrative. Unbiased: She is Not abide by the norms which proliferates History. Subjective : Key elements of Evolution of Indian Society was a Aftermath of Colonization. Descriptive Analysis: Historical data and figures and Analysis of elements like politics, society, Economics, Capitalism etc. Historiography Analysis :   She study the methods of historians in developing history and make analysis of it by concerning other chronicles in order to get the facts regarding history

13. Thapar’s Explanation on the Temple of Somanatha

14. Sources for Analyzing what really happened Turko Persian Chronicles Inscriptions in an around Somanatha Jain Chronicles Sanskrit Chronicles Epics –Literature of Resistance Folk Cult 1842 ,House of Commons

15. Rationalist Rationalist : Rational explanation of Past To Deduce Reason Source of Knowledge i.e Chronicles, Archival Data ,Artifacts Justifications for a beliefs (Story) is Critical analysis of Past Source of conceptual apparatus is Constructivism and Interpretivism

16. What is Reason According to Thapar Reason To Figure Out what actually happened To Deduce To work something Out To think logically To use mind

17. Raid on Babri Mosque

18. Stance of BB Lal and Romila Thapar T he existence of a Hindu temple in the Janma Bhumi area at Ayodhya preceding the construction of the Babri Masjid is so eloquent Unfortunately , the basic problem with a certain category of historians and archaeologists—and others of the same ilk—is that seeing they see not or knowingly they ignore. Anyway, in spite of them the truth has revealed itself. — Prof B. B. Lal In the uppermost levels of this trench, hardly 50 centimetres below the surface, were encountered rows of pillar-bases, squarish on plan and made of brick-bats sometimes intermixed with a few stones. While most of these bases were well within the trench, a few of them lay underneath the edge of the trench towards the boundary wall of the Masjid. Associated with the pillar-base-complex there were successive floors made of lime mixed with brick jelly. No coin or inscription was found on these floors but on the basis of the associated pottery and other antiquities the entire complex could be dated from the 12 th to 15 th century CE .

19. Attached to the piers of the Babri Masjid there were twelve stone pillars which carried not only typical Hindu motifs and mouldings but also figures of Hindu deities. It was self-evident that these pillars were not an integral part of the Masjid but were foreign to it. Since, as already stated, the pillar-bases were penetrating into the Masjid-complex, a question naturally arose whether these bases had anything to do with the above-mentioned pillars affixed to the piers of the Masjid . Since the main objective of the excavation was to ascertain the antiquity of the settlement, the brief report in the  Review did not make any mention of these pillar-bases. In fact, these had nothing to do with the main enquiry .(A lay stance in order to support the 2 nd Report ) Excavation Findings

20. Excavation Findings On December 6, 1992, the Masjid was demolished by the  Kar Sevaks  who had assembled in a large number at the site. The demolition, though regrettable, brought to light a great deal of archaeological material from within the thick walls of the Masjid. From the published reports it is gathered that there were more than 200 specimens which included many sculptured panels and architectural components which must have once constituted parts of the demolished temple. Besides, there were three inscriptions … One inscription is engraved on a stone slab, measuring 1.10 x .56 metres , and consists of 20 lines. It has since been published by Professor Ajaya Mitra Shastri of Nagpur University in the  Puratattva ,

21. The inscription is composed in high-flown Sanskrit verse, except for a small portion in prose, and is engraved in the chaste and classical Nagari script of the eleventh-twelfth century AD. It has yet to be fully deciphered, but the portions which have been fully deciphered and read are of great historical significance . It was evidently put up on the wall of the temple, the construction of which is recorded in the text inscribed on it. Line 15 of this inscription, for example, clearly tells that a beautiful temple of Vishnu- Hari , built with heaps of stone ( sila-samhati-grahais ) and beautified with a golden spire ( hiranya-kalasa-srisundaram ) unparalleled by any other temple built by earlier kings ( purvvair-apy-akritam nripatibhir ) was constructed. This wonderful temple ( aty – adbhutam ) was built in the temple-city ( vibudh – alayani ) of Ayodhya situated in the Saketamandala (district, line 17) showing that Ayodhya and Saketa were closely connected, Saketa being the district of which Ayodhya was a part. Line 19 describes god Vishnu as destroying king Bali (apparently in the Vamana manifestation) and the ten-headed personage ( Dasanana  i.e. Ravana ).

22. Who ? When? Why? Refers to causality (cause), causality is fundamental to rational thinking. You can’t have rational thinking until you are committed to some sense of causality Cause and effect Relation ship There must be a Logic and rationality behind to causality Somnath Temple Destroyed Hindus Truman Attack on BabriMosque   Critical Inquiry

23. Left Centric Historian / Unbiased In autobiography titled  Njan Enna Bharatiyan    (I an Indian) of Dr KK Muhammed , former Regional Director(North) of Archaeological Survey of India, after Twenty four years later of the demolition of Babri Masjid , Muhammad has come out with the allegation that Left historians like Romila Thapar had thwarted(oppose) an amicable(polite) settlement to the Babri Masjid issue. Dr KK Muhammed also claim that remains of a Hindu temple were found during the excavation made by a team of archaeologists headed by Professor BB Lal.

24. E vA Epistemology (How do we know) Axiology (What is right) Ontology Metaphysics ( What is Real) Axiology (What is right) Ontology Nature and Origin of the matter Critical Realism used to emphasis on Knowing Through Experience-Reason Authority –Intuition Active Construction Ethics Aesthetics Axiology (What is right) Axiology (What is right) Axiology (What is right) Searching of Facts with the help of Evidences(Archaeological Evidences ) Chronicles ( Sansikrat,Persian,Jain ) Analysis of Records Innate Knowledge : Skepticism She make Judgments of stories through Rationalism approach She became objective while perceiving History and Interpret it in the light of chronicles and logics Critical Realism

25. Primary Evidence Artifacts as the primary source for Interpretation of Past Further Excavations carried out will broaden the cultural profile will negate the theory or some times add on the existing theory Theory is Tentative Existing Theory Excavations Carried out Artifacts Contributes the Cultural Profile of Region Rejection of old theory Consistency Achieved Scientific Theory New theory (Paradigm Shift) Rejection of old theory

26. Colonization Secular Nationalism James Mill : They are not 1 Religious Nationalism Hinduism Muslims Anti Colonization Two Monolithic Societies Muslims were spread in sects Shia, Baralayee , Sunni Hindus were spread in sects Brahmanas Sharamans etc Society and its Discourse

27. Nationalism emerged as Shared History, Religion and Language Historical origins gave power to Anti Colonial Movements Anti Colonial Nationalism gave shape to wider identity i.e Secular Identity History is to the Nationalism while POPPY is to the opium addict James Mill stance of Two different Religions Two Nation Theory Emergence of Nations State Territoriality Sovereignty Equality of States Nationalism Power Politics

28. Critical Realism :Critical Interpretation of Past Stance of Romila Thapar : An Historical Methodology Q. What is R esearcher’s evidence ? Q. How reliable is Researcher’s evidence? Q. What are the causal linkups a Researcher’s is making in evidence ? Q. What is this leading Researcher’s to? Q. Is Researcher’s “Eventual Argument” based on logic and Reasoning? Triangulation of Matter Actuality Reality Experience

29. Triangulation: Reality : Knowledge of What and Why Things done (Somnath Destruction) Actuality: Knowledge of What actually happened (what was distructed Manath, Langham) Experience: Knowledge of What is perceived to be happened (Invasion on Hindus Sentiments ) Ontology

30. She did Academic Research. Thapars focus of study is Society .Her research model is “Circular Model” qualitative in nature   Academia Scientific Theory Hypothesis Observation Research Available Historical Theories are tested with the help of Chronicles and Archaeological Evidences Design a study to test hypothesis Perform the Research Create or modify the theory

31. Academia :Circular Model

32. Qualitative Research Historical Research Research Method/Type Particulars Description Focus Experience -Stories Philosophical Roots Constructivism , Interpretivism Goals of Investigation Discover a new Theory Design Characteristics Flexible -Easy to implement

33. Research Methodology Rational behind the study Rearch Hypothesis Research Hypothesis Research Hypothesis Gap /Problem Definition Research Objective Research Hypothesis Research Design Evidence (Archaeological/Chronicles Data Collection & Analysis tools Limitations of the Study

34. Conclusion Romila did her extensive Study of Socio –Cultural ,Politics and Economical Courses and discourses of India etc. Her study includes Historiography Analysis of Past events . She left the theory of Somanatha open and wait for more evidence in order to know what was really happened As she knows when studied Archaeological findings . She came up with a complete insight of a past event. 1 st Report of Archaeological survey of India did not mentioned the structural elements of Somanatha which laid beneath the structure of Babri Mosque, and and in the mosque(pillars) too the 2 nd Report illustrates that structural elements so it is quite doubtful and It is said that the 2 nd report of ASI is not representing facts. if structural elements were unearth earlier so why they cant reveal. She uncover the Stories which are the part of Nationalist narrative by describing the facts.

35. Bibliography Thapar Romila https :// www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiIACiUhuA8&fbclid=IwAR2M3M-2XA1IEXof7FdnIz6k9xcjvykEKTpvg8l-XTxc5iEsY6Jk5cqKqg0 Accessed (1-Nov-2018) ThaparRomilahttps :// www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJqjb4NzFRU&fbclid=IwAR2bBrmq2Eglm2ycSWlNdvIr3Mb6MmYAZ86e44-kJt4314WKQkXcgVE4hz4 Accessed (15-Nov-2018 ) Thapar Romila https ://www.youtube.com/watch?v=- LxPzkeLBOo&fbclid=IwAR2ewsA_D9BSqcqiinyq-lhnYwW2WixHL2S0EFQj4fe2uCbj_i_ANlXeUl8 Accessed ( 17-Nov-2018) https://www.firstpost.com/india/left-historians-connived-with-extremists-mislead-muslims-on-babri-issue-says-archaeologist-in-new-book-2592188.html accessed 1-dec-2018 Thapar ,R.(2012 ) Umashankar Joshi Memorial Lecture “ Perspectives of the History of Somnatha ” . Thapar,P . (2016), DNA , Efforts are being made to 'obfuscate' the definition of nationalism: Romila Thapar .

36. Bharata Bharati (2010) Was there a temple at the Ramjanmabhumi before the Babri Masjid was built? – B.B. Lal https://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/09/25/archaeology-was-there-a-temple-at-the-ramjanmabhumi-before-the-babri-masjid-was-built-b-b-lal/ Accessed 17-Nov-2018 ) Thapar ,R.(2018) Quartz India ‘A histtorian explains why India’s ‘national culture’ is both Hindu and Muslim . Bibliography