Demythologising Early Indian History

Sukumari Bhattacharji ANCIENT Indian historysocial, religious and cultural is a happy hunting ground for many authors. Today the craze is more noticeable because many authors of a particular political complexion have an axe to grind and the subject offers them an opportunity to twist the existing data in order to propound their theories. Ancient Indian history is a very handy peg on which one can hang chauvinism, fundamentalism, seemingly innocuous vested political interests and presentation of warped social values. The stated aim of some of these authors is to re-interpret ancient Indian historical material, but research or cultivation of history is really of secondary importance, the ulterior motive is to select, reject and present data suitable to their perspective and frequently this is the glorification of the reactionary elements in Indian history.