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#historical events in india
jay-wasstuff · 7 months
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I just woke up to Destiel News™ informing me of India becoming the first country to land on the lunar south pole of the moon with a budget lower than a goddamn hollywood film, like where else am I going to my news as clear cut and immediate as this? I love this app.
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thegoliathbeetle · 1 year
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Now I am reading about Nader Shah’s sack of Delhi (truly one of the darkest days of Indian history in my opinion) and I want to write about the way that led to the British foothold in India. 
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whatudottu · 8 months
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So the anthropologist nerd/loser in me wondered what kind of folklore and mythology various alien cultures in the Ben 10 universe might have (creation myths, folk heroes, ways of explaining natural phenomena that aren’t science-based, etc.) and caused me to come up with possibly the dumbest idea for a Ben 10 OC yet: an alien bard who travels across the galaxy not just to perform but also to collect stories and ballads of great events and heroes from different planets to add to their collection and form new ballads based off of them.
One of their original stories tells the tale of an alien from a far-off planet who attempted to take control of the space-time continuum and was cursed by the gods of his planet for his hubris by being scattered across time and space and sent back to the beginning of the universe, forced to live through its entire history in an endless cycle all while never being able to experience the sweet release of death, only for him to learn how to bend time and space to his will and ascend to godhood himself, leading to an epic battle between him and the gods who had cursed him in the first place. Though they are required by the man who served as the inspiration behind the story to put a disclaimer at the beginning that the story is merely a dramatization and doesn't 100% line up with what actually happened before they can tell it.
Oh totally! With the advent of space travel, especially among the species that have had such for a LONG while, there would most certainly be folktales and mythology abound for newer space travelers to pick up. Like, even with a significant scientific understanding of the happenings of the universe, older facts translate into newer fiction as stories develop by word of mouth (or the equivalent depending on species physiology) by the more bardic types of intergalactic individuals.
Of course, you'd probably have the more librarian types who not only record all these tales but also all the fact that it was inspired by through vigorous fact checking. Me making Sugilite a mutant with a more unique planetary psychometry (accessing the 'memories' of the entire planet) lends to me also making him this librarian of Petropian history, and considering the state of Petropia (aka not revived) he can't particularly afford to spin a few myths of his own. Instead Sugilite would totally have some bardic stories ABOUT him and his 'Library of Alexandria' mutant power, especially with Mor'Otesi being as barren of cystalsapiens as it is.
#ask#anoymous#technically this wasn't about him but i brought it up#sugilite#sugilite ben 10#ben 10#even tho galapagus said that his folks sung songs about ben 10's accomplishments i think he's lying#schmooze up to the guy that's CLEARLY important in order to get ben to actually help him and the others#but it's not entirely out of the picture lmao#the entire reason why rook was so excited to meet ben was because of the extranet#heck- ben rook listens to that tokusatsu about ben 10 (if i got that right)#i mean deefus veeblepister is like the most blatant example of 'turning heroes into myth'#even if he was just the main actor of a ben 10 tokusatsu that simian ran#it makes complete sense if there were intergalactic myths that started out as stories based on true events#though it's not quite the same i'm aware that a lot of chinese myths used real people#like the ever famous journey to the west; inspired by the monk Xuanzang's pilgrimage to india#considering that tortugans are advanced enough in space tech to have family species on at least 2 different planets#(that being the pelarotas and the VULPINIC tortugans)#some of the intergalactic myths are modified stories of tortugan historical events#probably to the point that depending on what myth you hear it actually might be tortugan-centric#as opposed to the fault we fall into as human-centric#you might be able to tell when the myth talks about how life on other planets are described tortugan-esque#ben having run into many people try and rip off his story for commercial gain doesn't like it when his story is mythologised#so bards would probably go out of their way to add way too many of their own details so that it doesn't sound the same#which has a problem of being THEIR species-centric take on the hero#it's really fun to imagine
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timelessstorytelling · 6 months
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The Sacking of Thatta (1592): Unveiling the Forgotten Chapter of Mughal Conquest
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In the annals of Mughal history, the year 1592 marked a pivotal moment that has often been overshadowed by the grandeur of other conquests. It was the year when the Mughal Emperor Akbar turned his attention towards Thatta, a flourishing city located in the Sindh region of present-day Pakistan.
Thatta, a major center of trade and culture, was renowned for its economic prosperity and vibrant society. The Mughals, under the leadership of Akbar, sought to expand their dominion and consolidate their control over the Indian subcontinent. Thatta, strategically positioned along the trade routes, became a target in this ambitious campaign.
The conquest of Thatta was not merely a military maneuver; it was a testament to Akbar's strategic vision and diplomatic finesse. The Mughal forces, commanded by Mirza Aziz Koka, faced stiff resistance from the local rulers, but Akbar's nuanced approach ensured a relatively smooth annexation. Diplomatic negotiations were employed alongside military might, showcasing the multifaceted nature of Mughal expansion.
The sacking of Thatta had far-reaching consequences for the region. The Mughals established control over a key trade hub, facilitating the flow of goods and cultural exchange. Akbar's policy of religious tolerance also played a crucial role in integrating Thatta into the diverse fabric of the Mughal Empire.
However, the conquest of Thatta is often eclipsed by other major events in Mughal history, such as the creation of Fatehpur Sikri or the battles against indigenous rulers. The richness of this episode lies in its reflection of the Mughal Empire's expansion into diverse territories, each with its unique challenges and contributions.
Thatta, once a bustling city, became an integral part of the Mughal Empire, contributing to the cultural tapestry and economic vitality of the region. By shedding light on the sacking of Thatta in 1592, we uncover a forgotten chapter that adds depth to our understanding of the Mughal Empire—a chapter that deserves recognition for its impact on trade, diplomacy, and the mosaic of cultures within the expansive realm of Akbar's empire.
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phenakistoskope · 3 months
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There is a difference between Bollywood and Bombay cinema?
listen, subcontinental cinema began in bombay; the very first exhibition of the lumieres' cinematographe was held there in 1896, a few months after its debut in paris, 1895. this event predates the discursive existence of bollywood and hollywood. shree pundalik and raja harishchandra, the films that are generally considered the very first subcontinental features were also exhibited there first.
subcontinental cinema under british colonialism was produced in certain metropolitan centers such as lahore, hyderabad, and calcutta; bombay was just one of them. in 1947, when the indian nation state was formally inaugurated, the idea of a "national cinema" began forming, but given the cultural and linguistic heterogeneity of the indian union, this was quite untenable. regional popular cinemas flourished well into the 1950, 60s, 70s, and 80s and various art cinemas began taking shape alongside.
under the economy that i'm going to completely elide as "nehruvian "socialism"" bombay cinema focused on broadly "socialist" themes, think of awara (1951), do beegha zameen (1953), pyaasa (1957), all of which focus on inequality in indian economy and society from different perspectives. these films were peppered in with historical dramas, and adaptations from literature, but the original stories tended towards socialist realism. reformist films centering the family generally waxed poetic on the need to reform the family, but i haven't seen enough of these to really comment on them.
the biggest hit of the 70s, sholay (1975) was about two criminals, posited as heroes fighting gabbar singh who was attacking village folk. deewar (1975) also had two heroes, and the stakes were the two brothers' father's reputation; the father in question was a trade union leader accused of corruption.
"alternative cinema" included mani kaul's uski roti (1969) and Duvidha (1973) both of which were situated away from the city. then there's sayeed mirza and his city films, most of them set in bombay; arvind desai ki ajeeb dastan (1978), albert pinto ko gussa kyun aata hain (1980), saleem langre pe mat ro (1989) which are all extremely socialist films, albert pinto was set in the times of the bombay textiles strike of 1982 and literally quotes marx at one point. my point is that bombay cinema prior to liberalization was varied in its themes and representations, and it wasn't interested in being a "national cinema" very much, it was either interested in maximizing its domestic profits or being high art. note that these are all hindi language films, produced in bombay, or at least using capital from bombay. pyaasa, interestingly enough is set in calcutta, but it was filmed in bombay!
then we come to the 1990s, and i think the ur example of the bollywood film is dilwale dulhania le jayenge (1995) which, in stark contrast to the cinema that preceded it, centered two NRIs, simran and raj, who meet abroad, but epitomize their love in india, and go back to england (america?) as indians with indian culture. this begins a long saga of films originating largely in bombay that target a global audience of both indians and foreigners, in order to export an idea of india to the world. this is crucial for a rapidly neoliberalizing economy, and it coincides with the rise of the hindu right. gradually, urdu recedes from dialogue, the hindi is sankritized and cut with english, the indian family is at the center in a way that's very different for the social reform films of the 50s and 60s. dil chahta hai (2001) happens, where good little indian boys go to indian college, but their careers take them abroad. swadesh (2004) is about shah rukh khan learning that he's needed in india to solve its problems and leaves a job at NASA.
these are incidental, anecdotal illustrations of the differences in narrative for these separate eras of cinema, but let me ground it economically and say that bollywood cinema seeks investments and profits from abroad as well as acclaim and viewership from domestic audiences, in a way that the bombay cinema before it did not, despite the success of shree 420 (1955) in the soviet union; there were outliers, there always have been.
there's also a lot to say about narrative and style in bombay cinema (incredibly diverse) and bollywood cinema (very specific use of hollywood continuity, intercut with musical sequences, also drawn from hollywood). essentially, the histories, political economies, and aesthetics of these cinemas are too differentiated to consider them the same. bombay cinema is further internally differentiated, and that's a different story altogether. look, i could write a monograph on this, but that would take time, so let me add some reading material that will elucidate this without sounding quite as fragmented.
bollywood and globalization: indian popular cinema, nation, and diaspora, rini bhattacharya mehta and rajeshwari v. pandharipande (eds)
ideology of the hindi film: a historical construction, madhav prasad
the 'bollywoodization' of the indian cinema: cultural nationalism in a global arena, ashish rajadhyaksha
the globalization of bollywood: an ethnography of non-elite audiences in india, shakuntala rao
indian film, erik barnouw and s. krishnaswamy (this one's a straight history of subcontinental cinema up to the 60s, nothing to do with bollywood, it's just important because the word bollywood never comes up in it despite the heavy focus on hindi films from bombay, illustrating my point)
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granddreamerkingdom · 2 years
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42 साल में कैसे वोट मशीन बनी बीजेपी, जानें MP-MLA और वोटर्स की संख्या कितनी बढ़ी
42 साल में कैसे वोट मशीन बनी बीजेपी, जानें MP-MLA और वोटर्स की संख्या कितनी बढ़ी
Image Source : PTI (FILE PHOTO) BJP Foundation Day Highlights बीजेपी 1296 विधायकों वाली पार्टी बनी वर्तमान में बीजेपी के 303 सांसद हैं वोटर्स की संख्या 1000 फीसदी बढ़ी नई दिल्लीः 6 अप्रैल 1980 को दिल्ली के फिरोजशाह कोटला मैदान में एक नए राजनीतिक दल की घोषणा की गई जिसका नाम था भारतीय जनता पार्टी। भारतीय जनता पार्टी आज अपना 42वां स���थापना दिवस मना रही है। पार्टी बनने के बाद पहले आम चुनाव में महज…
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darkesttiimelines · 1 year
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Throughout history, women have left an undeniable impact on society with their hard work, creativity, and dedication to progress. Unfortunately, their accomplishments have often gone unnoticed, been undervalued, or even stolen. Despite these challenges, brave women of today continue to push boundaries, break barriers, and pave the way for a more fair and equal world. It's our duty to keep going, so that future generations of women can inherit a kinder, more just, and supportive world. By following in the footsteps of the incredible women who came before us, we can create a world where every woman can flourish and succeed, and where their contributions are recognized and celebrated.
Joan of Arc is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the coronation of Charles VII of France during the Hundred Years' War. Claiming to be acting under divine guidance, she became a military leader who transcended gender roles and gained recognition as a savior of France. She was put on trial by Bishop Pierre Cauchon on accusations of heresy, which included blaspheming by wearing men's clothes, acting upon visions that were demonic, and refusing to submit her words and deeds to the judgment of the church. She was declared guilty and burned at the stake on 30 May 1431, aged about nineteen.
Rani Lakshmibai was the Maharani consort of the princely state of Jhansi from 1843 to 1853. She was one of the leading figures in the Indian Rebellion of 1857 became a symbol of resistance to the British rule in India for Indian nationalists. When the Maharaja died in 1853, the British East India Company under Governor-General Lord Dalhousie refused to recognize the claim of his adpoted heir and annexed Jhansi under the Doctrine of Lapse. She rode into battle with her infant son strapped to her back, and died in June 1858 after being mortally wounded during the British counterattack at Gwalior.
Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist and X-ray crystallographer whose work was instrumental in the discovery of the structure of DNA. Her contributions were largely overlooked by her male colleagues, James Watson and Francis Crick, who used her data without her permission or acknowledgement. This theft of her intellectual property and erasure of her contributions is a prime example of the systemic sexism that has historically plagued the scientific community.
Hedy Lamarr was an Austrian-American actress and inventor who co-invented a frequency-hopping spread spectrum technology during World War II that was used to guide torpedoes. However, her contributions were largely ignored and dismissed by male engineers and the military at the time. It was only later in life that she received recognition for her scientific achievements.
Emma Weyant is an American competitive swimmer. She was the US national champion at the individual medley. She qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in the 400m individual medley and won the silver medal in this event. Weyant finished second in the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Swimming and Diving Championships. She was beaten by William (Lia) Thomas, a fetishist, who when competing as a member of the Penn men's team, which was 2018-19, ranked 554th in the 200 freestyle, 65th in the 500 freestyle and 32nd in the 1650 freestyle. Weyant is the fastest swimmer in the 500-yard freestyle and had her position stolen by a man.
Maryna Viazovska is a Ukrainian mathematician who made a breakthrough in sphere packing, solving the centuries-old mathematical problem known as the densest packing of spheres in dimensions 8 and 24. She was awarded the Fields Medal in July 2022, making her the second woman (after Maryam Mirzakhani), the second person born in the Ukrainian SSR and the first with a degree from a Ukrainian university to ever receive it.
Hannie Schaft was a Dutch resistance fighter during World War II who played a crucial role in the resistance movement against Nazi occupation. Schaft was a former university student who dropped out because she refused to sign a pledge of loyalty to Germany. Nazis arrested and killed her in 1945, just three weeks before the war ended in Europe. According to lore, Schaft’s last words were, “I’m a better shot,” after initially only being wounded by her executioner.
Shakuntala Devi was an Indian mathematician and mental calculator who was known as the "Human Computer" for her exceptional ability to perform complex mathematical calculations in her head. Her extraordinary abilities earned her a place in the 1982 Guinness Book of Records. Her lesser known achievement is that in 1977 she wrote what is considered to be the first book in India on homosexuality titled “The World of Homosexuals.”  
J. K. Rowling is a British author and philanthropist. She wrote Harry Potter, a seven-volume children's fantasy series published from 1997 to 2007. Known for her philanthropy, she was doxxed and harassed after coming out with support for women's and gay rights in 2020. Rowling secretly donated hundreds of thousands of pounds to save 100 female lawyers and their families facing murder in Afghanistan. In 2022, she funded a women's only rape shelter in Edinburgh.
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rhysaka · 6 months
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We will never forget!
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Kashmiri Hindus in Kashmir, a rare picture. A moment of peace before they were violently driven of out of their own historical homeland by islamists baying for hindu blood from their mosques.
- Exodus from Kashmir (1989–1995) The events of 19 January 1990 were particularly vicious. On that day, mosques issued declarations that the Kashmiri Pandits were Kafirs and that the males had to leave Kashmir, convert to Islam or be killed. Those who chose to the first of these were told to leave their women behind.
KASHMIR WAS HINDU
KASHMIR IS INDIA!
We will never stop speaking the truth about the islamic colonisation of Kashmir.
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pazzesco · 6 months
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George Nakashima
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George Nakashima’s Woodworker’s Retreat featured at the University of Pennsylvania
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The Nakashima Woodworker’s Retreat “Arts Building” was given to the Nakashima Foundation for Peace in 2001 by George’s widow Marion so that the Foundation would have a permanent home. It features a soaring plywood hyperbolic paraboloid roof cantilevered from stone buttresses over two glass walls, built around a small pond and facing a series of small rooms known as the “Cloister,” harking back to the monastic tradition which so inspired Nakashima. It is used for concerts and events for peace, and houses prototype furniture and archival material, some of which will be turned over to the Michener Museum for research, reference and preservation.
National Historic Landmark nomination for the Nakashima complex
George Nakashima’s Vision
“A while back there appeared a great bole of a tree, a Walnut. It was about five feet in diameter (1.5M) at the small end, about seven (2.1M) at the flare, and twelve (3.6M) long, with extraordinary characteristics. In a small but firm voice the bole asked to be realized; two adjoining slabs opened to make an extraordinary table, roughly twelve feet (3.6M) long by the same dimension wide, weighing almost 1 ton. Gradually a few people became interested in the project and suggested we make six Altars—one for each Continent. It will be a symbol, a token of man’s aspirations for a creative and beautiful peace, free of political overtones; an expression of love for his fellow man. We have become so basically disoriented with our blind faith in science and technology without spirituality, it brought us to our pit of madness.
A symbol is needed—something tangible, like the toe of St. Peter’s statue in the Vatican. This symbol might be the object of a transcontinental or trans-world Peace March. At the end of this pilgrimage, a celebration: A rose or lotus placed on it; songs sung, each in his own tongue; Zen chants so strong; possibly the Day of Existence, a chant to music—spheric in line, spiritual and sad—composed by my ‘brother’ Ivan Wyschnegradsky; Sadhu friends from South India congregating; and monks and others from all over the world who are interested in a higher and deeper consciousness. There is little chance that peace can be achieved politically. There is, at best, a balance of terror; a balance of egos; a balance of demands. Enthusiastic contagion would be useful, as peace the world over is uppermost in our consciousness. It must be a joyous peace, not a fear or absence of war. It is a question of surrender. A surrender to the Divine Consciousness to end in a most beautiful aura of love.”
George Nakashima October 1, 1984
A Black Walnut Dream: George Nakashima's "Altars of Peace"
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 The name of George Nakashima is as famous for its contributions to design philosophy as it is for its artistry. As a woodworker, furniture maker, designer, and architect, Nakashima has enough titles to cement his place as the father of the American Craft Movement. But around the world, a separate legacy follows the renowned Japanese-American craftsman: his interest in world peace and  humanitarianism through design. Here we explore a project that was particularly close to his heart.  
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George Nakashima admiring the finished Altar in the Arts Building on the Nakashima compound before sending it to the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, in New York.
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bfpnola · 7 months
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definitely a longer piece so these excerpts are far from showcasing everything this piece has to offer! read the whole thing on your own time, and in general, just check out jewish currents, an educational, leftist, anti-zionist jewish magazine!
Every August, the township of Edison, New Jersey—where one in five residents is of Indian origin—holds a parade to celebrate India’s Independence Day. In 2022, a long line of floats rolled through the streets, decked out in images of Hindu deities and colorful advertisements for local businesses. People cheered from the sidelines or joined the cavalcade, dancing to pulsing Bollywood music. In the middle of the procession came another kind of vehicle: A wheel loader, which looks like a small bulldozer, rumbled along the route bearing an image of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi aloft in its bucket. For South Asian Muslims, the meaning of the addition was hard to miss. A few months earlier, during the month of Ramadan, Indian government officials had sent bulldozers into Delhi’s Muslim neighborhoods, where they damaged a mosque and leveled homes and storefronts. The Washington Post called the bulldozer “a polarizing symbol of state power under Narendra Modi,” whose ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is increasingly enacting a program of Hindu supremacy and Muslim subjugation. In the weeks after the parade, one Muslim resident of Edison, who is of Indian origin, told The New York Times that he understood the bulldozer much as Jews would a swastika or Black Americans would a Klansman’s hood. Its inclusion underscored the parade’s other nods to the ideology known as Hindutva, which seeks to transform India into an ethnonationalist Hindu state. The event’s grand marshal was the BJP’s national spokesperson, Sambit Patra, who flew in from India. Other invitees were affiliated with the Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), the international arm of the Hindu nationalist paramilitary force Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), of which Modi is a longtime member.
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On December 6th, 1992, a mob of 150,000 Hindus, many of whom were affiliated with the paramilitary group the RSS, gathered at the Babri Masjid, a centuries-old mosque that is one of the most contested sacred sites in the world. Over the preceding century, far-right Hindus had claimed that the mosque, located in the North Indian city of Ayodhya, was built not only upon the site where the Hindu deity Ram was born but atop the foundations of a demolished Hindu temple. The RSS and its affiliates had been campaigning to, in the words of a BJP minister, correct the “historical mistake” of the mosque’s existence, a task the mob completed that December afternoon. “They climbed on top of the domes and tombs,” one witness told NPR. “They were carrying hammers and these three-pronged spears from Hindu scripture. They started hacking at the mosque. By night, it was destroyed.” The demolition sparked riots that lasted months and killed an estimated 2,000 people across the country.
The destruction of the Babri Masjid was arguably Hindu nationalism’s greatest triumph to date. Since its establishment in 1925, the RSS—whose founders sought what one of them called a “military regeneration of the Hindus,” inspired by Mussolini’s Black Shirts and Nazi “race pride”—had been a marginal presence in India: Its members held no elected office, and it was temporarily designated a terrorist organization after one of its affiliates shot and killed Mohandas Gandhi in 1948. But the leveling of the Babri Masjid activated a virulently ethnonationalist base and paved the way for three decades of Hindutva ascendance. In 1998, the BJP formed a government for the first time; in 2014, it returned to power, winning a staggering 282 out of 543 seats in parliament and propelling Modi into India’s highest office. Since then, journalist Samanth Subramanian notes, all of the country’s governmental and civil society institutions “have been pressured to fall in line” with a Hindutva agenda—a phenomenon on full display in 2019, when the Supreme Court of India awarded the land where the Babri Masjid once stood to a government run by the very Hindu nationalists who illegally destroyed it. (Modi has since laid a foundation stone for a new Ram temple in Ayodhya, an event that a prominent RSS activist celebrated with a billboard in Times Square.) The Ayodhya verdict came in the same year that Modi stripped constitutional protections from residents of the Muslim-majority region of Kashmir and passed a law that creates a fast track to citizenship for non-Muslim immigrants, laying the groundwork for a religious test for Indian nationality. Under Modi, “the Hinduization of India is almost complete,” as journalist Yasmeen Serhan has written in The Atlantic.
To achieve its goals, the RSS has worked via a dense network of organizations that call themselves the “Sangh Parivar” (“joint family”) of Hindu nationalism. The BJP, which holds more seats in the Indian parliament than every other party combined, is the Sangh’s electoral face. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is the movement’s cultural wing, responsible for “Hinduizing” Indian society at the grassroots level. The Bajrang Dal is the project’s militant arm, which enforces Hindu supremacy through violence. Dozens of other organizations contribute money and platforms to the Sangh. The sheer number of groups affords the Sangh what human rights activist Pranay Somayajula has referred to as a “tactical politics of plausible deniability,” in which the many degrees of separation between the governing elements and their vigilante partners shields the former from backlash. This explains how, until 2018, the CIA could describe the VHP and Bajrang Dal as “militant religious organizations”—a designation that applies to non-electoral groups exerting political pressure—even as successive US governments have maintained a warm relationship with their parliamentary counterpart, the BJP.
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The most extreme figures in the Hindu nationalist and Zionist movements were especially frank about the nature of their partnership: “Whether you call them Palestinians, Afghans, or Pakistanis, the root of the problem for Hindus and Jews is Islam,” Bajrang Dal affiliate Rohit Vyasmaan told The New York Times of his friendly relationship with Mike Guzofsky, a member of a violent militant group connected to the infamous Jewish supremacist Meir Kahane’s Kach Party.
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In 2003, Gary Ackerman—a Jewish former congressman who was awarded India’s third-highest civilian honor for helping to found the Congressional Caucus on India—told a gathering of AJC and AIPAC representatives and their Indian counterparts that “Israel [is] surrounded by 120 million Muslims,” while “India has 120 million [within].” Tom Lantos, another Jewish member of the caucus, likewise enjoined the two communities to collaborate: “We are drawn together by mindless, vicious, fanatic, Islamic terrorism.”
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jeannereames · 2 months
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Shows or movies based on historic figures and events are hard to pull off if the goals are to be both entertaining and somewhat true to history. If we accept that some inaccuracies can't be avoided in order to appeal to audiences what would you consider cornerstones and pillars about Alexander and his history that can't/shouldn't be touched in order to paint a somewhat realistic picture in media based on him and his life?
I saved this to answer around the time of the Netflix release. For me, there are four crucial areas, so I’ll break it down that way. Also. I recognize that the LENGTH of a production has somewhat to do with what can be covered.
But, first of all…what story is one telling? The story arc determines where the focus lies. Even documentaries have a story. It’s what provides coherence. Is it a political tale? A military one? Or personal? Also, what interpretation to take, not only for Alexander but those around him. Alexander is hugely controversial. It’s impossible to make everyone happy. So don't try. Pick an audience; aim for that audience.
MILITARY:
Alexander had preternatural tactical skills. His strategy wasn’t as good, however, especially when younger. Tactics can be a genius gift (seeing patterns), but strategy requires experience and knowledge of the opposition. The further into his campaign, the more experience he gained, but the cultures became increasingly unfamiliar. He had ups and downs. He was able to get out of Baktria finally by marrying Roxana. That was strategy, not tactics. He beat Poros, then made a friend of him; that’s strategy. Yet he failed to understand the depth of the commitment to freedom among the autonomous tribes south along the Indus, which resulted in a bloody trek south. And his earlier decision to burn Persepolis meant he’d never fully reconcile the Persian elite.
So, it’s super important to emphasize his crazy-mad tactical gifts in all forms of combat, from pitched battles to skirmishes to sieges. Nobody in history ever equaled him except maybe Subatai, Genghis Khan’s leading general. In the end, I think that’s a lot of Alexander’s eternal fascination. He fought somewhere north of 250 battles, and lost none (where he was physically present).
But HOW to show that? What battles to put on screen? Oliver Stone combined three into one + Hydaspes because he had only 2-3.5 hours (depending on which cut you watch). The Netflix series is going to show all four of the major pitched battles…or at least all 3 for the 6-episode first part. They had circa 4.5 hours to play with, but they cut out other things, like Tyre.
Another issue, from the filming/storytelling point-of-view is how to distinguish Issos from Gaugamela for the casual viewer. They’re virtually identical in tactics (and players on the field). So it made a fair bit of sense to me for Stone to conflate them. In a documentary, it’s more important to separate them, largely to discuss the fall-out.
Some v. important clashes weren’t the Big Four. Among these, the sieges of Halikarnassos and Tyre are probably the most impressive. But the Aornos Rock in India was another amazing piece. I’d also include the bridging of the Indus River to illustrate the astonishing engineering employed. Again, if I had to pick between Halikarnassos and Tyre, I’d pick Tyre. I was a bit baffled by Netflix’s decision to show Halikarnassos instead, but I think it owed to an early error in the scripts, where they had Memnon die there. I corrected that, but they’d already mapped out the beats of the episodes, so they just kept Halikarnassos. That’s fine; it was a major operation, just not his most famous siege.
Last, I really wish somebody, someday, will do something with his Balkan campaigns. What he did in Thrace and Illyria, at just 21, showed his iron backbone and quick thinking. It’d make a great “and the military genius is born” set-up, drama wise. But you could use the Sogdian Rock to show the clever streak, at least (“Find men who can fly” … “I did; look up.” Ha) Plus it has the advantage of being where he (maybe) found Roxana.
Last, he fought extremely well--wasn't just good at tactics. Being a good general doesn’t necessarily mean one’s a good fighter. He was. Almost frighteningly brave, so show that too.
RELIGIOUS:
Ya gotta deal with the “Did he really think he was a god?” thing, and the whole trip to Siwah. I obviously don’t think he believed he was a god; it’s one of the things I disliked about the Netflix show’s approach, but they were dead-set on it. I DO think he came to believe he was somehow of divine descent, but of course, that’s not the same as most moderns understand it, as I’ve explained elsewhere. It made him a hero, not a god on a level with Zeus, and to ME, that’s an important distinction that Netflix (and to some degree Stone) rode roughshod over.
But I’d like to see more inclusion of sacrifice and/or omen-reading—religion in general. Cutting the Gordion Knot (omens!). His visit to Troy (Netflix tackled that one). A really cool thing would be to make more of the lunar eclipse before Gaugamela. Again, Netflix touched on that, but it’s one of those chance events that might actually have affected a battle’s outcome, given how seriously the ancient near east took sky omens. (A solar eclipse once halted a battle.) The Persians were freaked out. Even his massacre of the Branchidai in Sogdiana was driven by religion, not military goals. Pick a couple and underscore them.
I give Stone big props for the sacrifice before the Granikos/Issos/Gaugamela battle. It was so well-done, I’ve actually shown it in my classes to demonstrate what a battlefield sphagia sacrifice would look like.
Alexander was deeply religious. Show it.
POLITICAL:
Ah, for ME the most interesting stuff surrounding Alexander occurs at the political level. Here’s where the triumph story of his military victories all went south. He knew how to win battles. He was less good at managing what he’d conquered.
In terms of a story arc, the whole period up to Gaugamela is really the “rise” of the story. Post-Gaugamela, things began to collapse. And I would pin the turn on PERSEPOLIS. Yes, burning it sent home a message of “Mission accomplished.” But he was selective about it. Areas built by Darius I were spared, Xerxes’ were destroyed: a damnio memoriae.
Problem: Persepolis embodied Persia, and ATG essentially shat on it. Not a good look for the man who wanted to replace Darius III. That he also failed to capture and/or kill Darius created an additional problem for him. Finally, his lack of understanding of how politics worked in Baktria-Sogdiana resulted in an insurgency. Bessos was going to rebel, regardless. But Spitamanes might not have. Alexander created his own mess up there.
Another matter to look at is why he created a new title—King of Asia—instead of adopting the Persian title (King-of-Kings). I don’t think that was a “mistake.” He knew perfectly well the proper Persian title (Kshāyathiya)…and rejected it. He adopted some Persian protocol, but not all of it. After the summer of 330, he was essentially running two parallel courts, which seemed to satisfy neither the Persians nor his own men. (Kinda like docudramas are a hybrid that seems to annoy perhaps more than satisfy.)
So I’d like to see this handled with some nuance, but it’s intrinsically difficult to do—even while, if done well, it would be the most interesting part of an Alexander story, imo.
So, what events, what events…3-4 leap out after Alexander’s adoption of some Persian dress. The Philotas Affair, the Pages Conspiracy, the Death of Kleitos, the marriage to Roxana. I’d show it all, although I could also understand reducing the two conspiracies to one, for time, in which case, the Philotas Affair because it resulted in the fall of Parmenion. But the fact there were two, not just one, tells a story itself.
What about the proskynesis thing with Kallisthenes? I’ve come to disbelieve it ever happened, even though it’s symbolic of the whole problem. So, weirdly, I’m of two minds about showing it. OTOH, it won’t be in my own novels. But OTOH, I could easily see why a showrunner or director might want to include it. And it certainly appears in several of the histories, including Arrian.
Then we have the two indisciplines (mutinies)…one in India that made ATG turn around, and another at Opis. They’re really two different things as one was an officer’s rebellion, the other the soldiers themselves. But will viewers be able to distinguish between them? It’s like the Issos/Gaugamela problem, or for that matter, the two conspiracies. They’re similar enough to confuse the casual viewer. “Didn’t we already see that?”
But if they were narrowed to one, how to choose? The mutiny on the Hyphasis provides an explanation for why he turned back. But the Opis event was more dramatic. The man jumped down into the middle of a rioting crowd and started (essentially) knocking heads together! So if I had to pick…Opis. The other might could be mentioned in retrospect.
PERSONAL:
Here are five things I think really OUGHT to be shown, or that I have yet to be pleased by.
1) Philip isn’t an idiot and should get more than 10 minutes of screentime. Oh, and show Alexander did learn things from him. Stone had to make his movie a Daddy-Issues flick, and the Netflix thing did very little with Philip as they wanted to get to the Alexander-Darius face off (which was the meat of their story). But there’s a very interesting love/competition story there.
2) Olympias is not a bitch and was not involved in Phil’s murder, although I can see why that is catnip to most writers. She did kill Eurydike’s baby and (by extension) Eurydike. One of the historians in the Netflix story (Carolyn, unless I misremember) talked about the rivalry between the two wives, at least. But I think ATG planned to marry the widow and Olympias got rid of her to prevent it. Now THAT’S a story, no? But they were in too much of a hurry to get to Persia.
3) Alexander was not an only child! He had sisters (and a brother) with whom he was apparently close…and a cousin who was his real rival. To me, missing that cousin rivalry overlooks a juicy personal/political story! Too often all the focus winds up on Alexander-Olympias-Philip-Eurydike-Attalos, but man, a more subtle showrunner could do a lot with the Alexander-Amyntas rivalry. But he’s constantly cut out. I can’t think of a documentary that actually addresses Amyntas except in passing (if at all)l
4) Hephaistion’s importance is a must, but I’d like to see him treated as someone with a personality and authority of his own, besides just as ATG’s lover. At least Netflix Went There onscreen with the love-story part, but otherwise, the writers couldn’t figure out what to do with him. Neither Stone nor Netflix really portrayed him as his own person. I do understand why they can’t show the whole cast of characters. I had to do weeding myself in the novels, but I’m annoyed Netflix showed only Hephaistion and Ptolemy. Where’s Perdikkas (so important all along really, but certainly later)? Or Philotas, Kleitos, Krateros, Leonnatos, Lysimachos (later king of Thrace)? I think viewers could probably have handled at least another 5 people, especially if introduced gradually, not all at the beginning.
This brings me to….
5) Alexander’s apparently very real affection for the people in his orbit, from personal physician (Philip) to childhood pedagogue (Lysimachos [not same as above]) to Aristotle to various other philosophers. He was so loyal to his friends, in fact, he initially jailed the people who brought word of Harpalos’ first flight.
He needed to be loved/appreciated and wanted to give back to people. Yes, generosity was expected of kings, and as a king (THE king), his generosity had to excel that of anybody else. But he seemed to genuinely enjoy giving presents. I think of him like that one friend who heard you say you liked that cute pair of “Hello, Kitty” socks…then 6 months later they’re your Christmas present from them. Some of his gifts were grandiose, but not always. I love the dish of little fish (probably smelts) that he sent to Hephaistion, presumably just because his friend liked smelts!
To me, point #5 would be easy to get in with a skilled scriptwriter, tucked into the corners of other scenes. It’d be fun to highlight the personal side. If we can believe Plutarch, he was a PRODIGIOUS letter-writer. Also, he loved to hunt, so that’s another thing. And he loved the theatre, and to watch sport. These would all be very humanizing details.
I think the biggest issue is that most of these documentaries/docudramas are done by people who don’t know squat about Alexander aside from a few things, before deciding to make a documentary/movie about him, or write a book. Their research is shallow, and even if they bring on the experts, they don’t always listen. Stone DID at least have a long fascination with ATG, but it caused him to try to throw in everything but the kitchen sink. It wasn't as bad of a film as some have made it out to be, just horribly bloated and for all his reading, he never understood the WORLDVIEW. I wrote about that some while back in my review.
The best documentary/movie would be told by an actual specialist who knew enough at the outset to craft a better, more complex story arc.
Or maybe I’m just biased because I tried to do that myself in my novels. 😂😂😂😂
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pocket-deer-boy · 4 months
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Honestly i think it’d be really cool to have a website that displays a map that shows, per century, major historical events or era’s around the globe. Like, what was happening in south Africa when the roman empire was falling? What was happening in the America’s while vikings were touring around Europe? What was happening in India during the 80 years war in the netherlands?
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zo3trop3 · 2 months
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The Archaeological Survey of India started as a colonial enterprise, the director general of the ASI, Alexander Cunningham surveyed Ayodhya in 1862 and made no mention of the Babri masjid in his findings.  In October 1990, almost a century later, B.B Lal, wrote an article for the RSS magazine wherein he published a photograph from the excavations conducted in Ayodhya, in this photograph there were several brick bat heaps which he claimed were temple pillar bases. It was however surprising that these claims were not published in an archaeological journal but in a RSS-run magazine. The excavations that followed remain a hot topic of contention both within and outside the ASI for its ambiguity and the manufactured evidence it seemed to have produced. A primary example is the creation of “pillar bases” – the presence of pillar bases has been the primary ‘evidence’ spouted by academics and politically motivated individuals to justify the razing of Babri. However, while lime-surkhi floors were excavated and dug through, brickbats, mud and stone blocks were found. On finding the stone blocks, the ASI archaeologists left them in place along with the brickbats around them, sometimes on top, sometimes below. The rest of the brickbats lying in the trench under the whole floor were cleared away. Through this exercise, they created “pillar bases”. The 1967 excavation report remains unpublished to this day. 
While the Sangh and its proponents have weaponised the excavation process of the ASI as a stand-in for irrefutable truth, it is pertinent to understand that most archaeologists in India, when it comes to historical period, see archaeology in the role of affirming oral traditions. It is then of no surprise that certain members affiliated with the RSS saw the saffronisation of Archaeology to fit their preconceptions of the lost birthplace of Ram. Year after Year, the ASI excavates sites because a budget exists for excavation, not because it has a serious curiosity to unearth research questions.
Post-independence, certain motivated factions of the polity were invested in uncovering the ‘golden age’ of the subcontinent. For a country only newly freed from the manacles of colonialism, the fascist line of thought began to infiltrate schools, shakhas and organs of the state. Moving away from British colonialism, the revival of the fascist forces witnessed a reactionary understanding of history wherein the British were no more the enemies, it was the ‘foreign invaders’ that had in the ethno-nationalist imagination ‘looted’ the rich cultural heritage of Brahmanism. A ‘Ram Rajya’ was in the making, and there was no room for the deemed traitors, Muslims especially. 
It is then of no surprise that 22 January is being viewed as a ‘restorative’ event, many have heralded the temple as a symbol of ‘decolonisation’ and the resurrection of a lost civilisation. The pretext of decolonisation in India has strayed away from its historical bearings and significance. This of course is a byproduct of the age-old saffron fascist line of thought that believes that the Mughals were part of a colonial machine.
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belle-keys · 3 months
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My Year of (Educational) Podcasts
I spent 12,000 minutes this year listening to podcasts according to Spotify. No, I do not listen to alphamale or girlboss or true crime podcasts– I mostly listen to history, philosophy, and literature podcasts i.e. educational podcasts. Here are 12 fun, well-executed podcasts I’d recommend if you’d like to learn more about your favourite (Humanities and Social Sciences) topics.
Betwixt The Sheets: The History of Sex, Scandal & Society. This is a podcast about the history of sex and sexuality. The podcast pays special attention to overlooked aspects of queer history, pop culture, and cultural superstitions. The love life and sex life of historical and artistic figures are also discussed with historians.
Dan Snow's History Hit. This podcasts discusses the most exciting and culturally relevant historical events and figures with expert panel guests. Clears up historical misconceptions and deals with the most interesting topics in an engaging way.
Occult Confessions. This podcast is about the history of the occult, witches, folklore, magicians, and conspiracies. There are discussions of folklore, religious history, and cults. The themes are dark but quite fascinating.
Intelligence Squared. This podcast is centered on cultural and academic debates and deep-dives into polemical topics among top UK experts. I really enjoy their episodes about writers, art, and artists.
The History of Literature. This is about, well, the history of literature i.e. the contexts that created impressive writers, literary movements, and literary works. It also debates and critically discusses classic works.
The Korea File. Y'all know I love kpop and kdramas and by extension, am quite fascinated by Korean culture and society given how much I interact with Korean media. This podcast, produced by a couple of Korean guys, critically explores Korean media, culture, society, and history.
Not Just the Tudors. A fun history podcast that doesn't only cover English Tudor history, but definitely covers a whole damn lot of English Tudor history. Mainly focuses on 13th-17th century global history.
Classical Stuff You Should Know. A podcast about the classical world, the Western Canon, and world philosophy. Discussions of the classics are in conversational layman terms. Topics not restricted to the Graeco-Roman world.
Why Theory. A podcast that uses philosophy and psychological theory to examine culture, history, art and human behavior. Lots of pertinent contemporary social topics are discussed.
Brown History. A podcast about South Asia and "brown" Asian demographics. A wide range of topics, from Pakistani history to the Indian diaspora to Afghan migration to the colonization of India by Great Britain.
Philosophize This!. This podcast covers philosophy, philosophies, and philosophers. I highly recommend listening to the episodes in order as much as possible. Breaks down the complex philosophical ideas using simple terms.
The Thing About Austen. This is a podcast about the world of Jane Austen from the time period to the people to the culture which influenced her big literary hits. Hits that sweet spot between literature and history in a creative way. Recommend for all the Pride and Prejudice (2005) fanatics.
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elbiotipo · 1 month
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Do you think there’s any hope to save the planet? Like, whatsoever? Or are things just totally fucked forever? I’ve seen a lot of professionals (citation needed) saying everything is irreversibly fucked forever and we’re doomed
Not only there is hope, but things have changed in positive directions lately.
If you're concerned about climate change, recall that the initial expectations for climate change, during the Paris Agreement, with no intervention at all, were an increse of 4°C by 2100. This would have been virtually a collapse event for human civilization, as this would have meant catastrophic crop failures, violent changes in climate, deadly heatwaves, and more.
That is not the scenario we're heading towards to, however, because that is the scenario without any interventions at all, that is, the "business as usual, we keep burning coal" scenario. We no longer live in that sccenario at all. Coal plants have closed at a fast pace, while renewables are cheaper than ever in history. Virtually all of India's new electricity production, to give one example, are renewables, while China is thoughening, if inconsistently, its carbon zero targets, but renewable energy is so cheap that it does not make sense to invest in fossil fuels anymore. Current actions point to 2.7°C increase, but this means CURRENT actions. Further pledges reduce that to 2.1°C. Future technologies such as carbon sequestration, as well as the ol' reliable "planting trees" might even reverse climate change in the future. These are things that are happening right now.
If you're concerned about ecosystem degradation, ecosystems can recover VERY quickly when just left alone to recover. True, ecological succession is slow to recover biodiversity rich areas, but without human pressure, habitats recover surprisingly quickly. Animals are quicker to reproduce than humans in general, and while you do need to give a push, reintroducing species and rebuilding original vegetation cover, once that's done, the biomes that were there originally spread again. The key factor is how to do that while having a good relationship with the people who live in those areas. Coordination with native peoples and rural communities is key here.
If you're asking about the more political side of things, I subscribe to a historical materialist view of things. For me, the fall of capitalism is inevitable once states serve the working class. This will happen, eventually, because of the contradictions of capitalism and organized popular struggle (by many ways, not just one). I don't believe in the end of history. Capitalism will be only a phase in human history, and perhaps not even a long-lived one.
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mahayanapilgrim · 5 months
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Stoicism and Buddhism: A Comparative Analysis
Attraction to those close to you catches you in its currents; Aversion to those who oppose you burns inside; Indifference that ignores what needs to be done is a black hole. Leave your homeland — this is the practice of a Bodhisattva.
Cato hated excess. He hated finery. He hated luxury. He thought to indulge such things was weakness and stupidity. And so what did Cato think of his brother who was far less strict about these things? He loved him. In fact, he worshiped him.
It’s important to remember: The Stoic has strict standards. We have strong opinions on what’s right and what isn’t. But…and this is a big but…we have to be understanding and forgiving of those who have been, as Marcus Aurelius writes, cut off from truth.
Stoicism and Buddhism are two ancient philosophical nd spiritual traditions that have captivated the minds of countless individuals over centuries. While they have distinct cultural origins and historical backgrounds, a closer examination reveals intriguing similarities and differences in their core principles and approaches to life. In this essay, we will explore these two philosophies and shed light on their fundamental ideas, ultimately highlighting the common ground and disparities that define them.
**Stoicism:**
Stoicism, originating in ancient Greece, is a philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium around 300 BCE. It places a significant emphasis on rationality and virtue as the means to attain a tranquil and content life. Several fundamental tenets characterize Stoicism:
1. **Virtue as the Highest Good:** Stoics believe that the highest good is living in accordance with virtue. The four cardinal virtues of wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance are essential in guiding human actions.
2. **Acceptance of What Is Beyond Control:** A core Stoic teaching is the acceptance of things that are beyond one's control. Stoics argue that inner peace is achieved by recognizing and accepting that external events are beyond one's power, while one can control their own thoughts and actions.
3. **Emotional Resilience:** Stoics advocate for emotional resilience through reason and self-discipline. They view destructive emotions, such as anger and fear, as hindrances to a tranquil life and emphasize the importance of maintaining emotional equilibrium.
4. **Detachment from Material Possessions:** Stoicism encourages individuals to detach themselves from material possessions and not be attached to external outcomes or circumstances.
5. **Compassion and Justice:** While Stoics maintain strict standards and opinions about what is right, they also promote the development of a rational and compassionate attitude towards others, placing a strong emphasis on justice and fairness.
**Buddhism:**
Buddhism, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, in ancient India, is both a spiritual and moral philosophy that aims to address the problem of suffering and guide individuals toward enlightenment and liberation from suffering. Buddhism's key principles include:
1. **The Four Noble Truths:** Central to Buddhism is the recognition of suffering as an inherent aspect of human existence. The Four Noble Truths acknowledge the existence of suffering, identify its cause as attachment and desire, propose the possibility of cessation, and outline the Eightfold Path as the means to achieve liberation from suffering.
2. **Detachment from Desires:** Buddhism places a strong emphasis on detachment from desires and attachments as the primary source of suffering. By letting go of attachment to material possessions and craving, individuals can attain a state of equanimity.
3. **Mindfulness and Meditation:** Buddhism teaches the practice of mindfulness and meditation as essential tools for gaining insight into one's own mind and emotions. These practices help individuals transcend attachment to emotions and desires.
4. **Compassion and Loving-Kindness:** Buddhism promotes compassion (karuna) and loving-kindness (metta) as crucial virtues, encouraging the alleviation of suffering not only in oneself but also in all sentient beings.
5. **Karma and Rebirth:** Buddhism emphasizes the concept of karma, which suggests that one's actions have consequences. While Stoicism focuses on the present moment, Buddhism is concerned with the accumulation of good or bad karma, leading to different states of existence in the cycle of birth and death (samsara).
**Comparative Analysis:**
Both Stoicism and Buddhism share some fundamental principles despite their differing cultural origins. Notable points of comparison include:
1. **Emotional Control:** Both philosophies advocate for control over one's emotions. Stoics aim for emotional resilience through reason and self-discipline, while Buddhism teaches mindfulness and meditation to gain insight into and transcend emotions.
2. **Detachment:** Both philosophies emphasize detachment, whether from material possessions (Stoicism) or desires and attachments (Buddhism) as a means to find inner peace.
3. **Compassion:** While Stoics emphasize rational and compassionate attitudes toward others, Buddhism places significant importance on compassion and loving-kindness as virtues to alleviate suffering.
4. **Acceptance:** Stoicism teaches the acceptance of things beyond one's control, whereas Buddhism extends this idea to include the acceptance of the impermanence of all things.
However, they also differ in key ways:
1. **Virtue vs. Enlightenment:** Stoicism centers on the pursuit of virtue and living in accordance with it, while Buddhism is primarily concerned with attaining enlightenment and liberation from the cycle of suffering.
2. **Karma and Rebirth:** Buddhism incorporates the concepts of karma and rebirth, which Stoicism does not address.
3. **The Role of Desire:** Stoicism acknowledges the importance of controlling desires, while Buddhism posits that desires are the root cause of suffering.
**Conclusion:**
In conclusion, Stoicism and Buddhism are two profound philosophical and spiritual traditions that offer valuable insights into human existence, the pursuit of inner peace, and the cultivation of virtues. While they have distinct philosophical and cultural backgrounds, their shared emphasis on emotional control, detachment, and compassion reveals common threads in their teachings. By understanding and appreciating the principles of both Stoicism and Buddhism, individuals can draw upon a broader range of wisdom to navigate the complexities of life, seeking personal growth, self-awareness, and a path toward a more fulfilling and meaningful existence. These philosophies continue to inspire and guide individuals in their quest for a balanced and harmonious life.
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