india

Updated: Jan 06, 2015 13:49 IST

India was more developed than other parts of the world in science but this was concealed. Indian history has been distorted--first by the British and later by Marxist historians, argues Bal Mukund, national organising secretary of RSS subsidiary Akhil Bharatiya Itihas Sankalan Yojana.

The organisation, a subsidiary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, was set up with the objective of "writing or rewriting Indian history from a national perspective". Mukund, in an interview with Vikas Pathak, says he intends to undo the alleged distortions done to Indian history.

Q. What is your vision for writing history?

We believe Indian history has been distorted by the British. We could have improved it in independent India. But the government, post-independence, didn’t pay attention. Marxist historians looked at India through the prism of the West. We were more developed than other parts of the world in science, engineering and surgery, but this was concealed. Destructive elements have been named differently in different civilisations: the West talks of dinosaurs and we of Mahishasura. How can one be real and the other imagined?

Q. Can you cite some specific cases of distortion?

Jats were made to seem like dacoits and Bhagat Singh a terrorist. History was written to perpetuate Congress rule. For 1,000 years we suffered damage: temples, universities, libraries were burnt. Our books were burnt. Those who invaded India are called great while the lives of Shivaji, Hemu and Rana Pratap have not been taught well.

Q. What are you doing to rewrite this history?

We are compiling from various sources, not rewriting. Our focus is on three areas. One, Aryans didn’t come from outside; they went out from here. We have proved the Saraswati river’s existence. We are dating history through Indian Kal ganana (chronology). We are focusing on historiography with an Indian view, proving history through the Puranas and other Sanskrit texts like Charak Samhita and Bharadwaj’s Viman Shastra. We are writing the history of Jana-jatis (tribes) whom we don’t call Adivasis (original people), as all Indians have origins in India. We are also writing history district-wise.

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