Turning Mythology into History

Ajit reminisced "When I was a kid there was a clear distinction between History and Mythology...but now I see it no more"There are two ways one can look at this, one is that it has come to become that way naturally due to the post modern world, another it is a part of the careful propaganda. I tend to think it is the second and the blurring of the lines is now progressing into equating Mythology into History. I chanced upon the last episode of the very famous Mahabharat, continuously being listed in the top 5 programs of Indian Television (by TVRs). When the heartbroken Gandhari, having lost her hundred sons asks Krishna “If you are responsible for everything, why did you let the war happen, why did you let so much bloodshed happen?” Then he answers “Before this the entire kingdom was divided into sixteen janapadas and multiple smaller units, the people didn’t feel they were a part of one state. Till now this land was called as Bharat on the name of Bharata from now on it will be called as Bharat Rashtra (Indian Nation). From now on people will be ruled under one set of laws under one king” Now through this, the production house/director is doing the following things a) That Mahabharata is History and not Mythology. b) Indian nation existed for thousands of years and as a concept was a Hindu nation c) War and bloodshed for national unity is justified. This coupled with the State’s propaganda of Indian nation with people like Saina Nehwal saying “I’m very proud that now we are able to give a tough competition to the world. Proud to represent India” and the timing of the telecast on 16 August, when the nationalistic fervor is the highest adds up to an interesting combination. Propagating the idea that India as a nation was first formed after the war of kurukshetra, which is portrayed a historical reality and India has remained a Hindu nation since then (thousands of years before) until the invasion by Islamic rulers (who are the other), ignoring the actual historical evidence of Islam and Christianity, which dates much prior to the acceptance of these religions in modern day Islamic and Christian states. Once the successful othering of everything non Hindu has happened, then comes the justification for the war and violence. For a nation to exist and be unified it can resort to violence or even war if needed. There comes the justification for AFSPA in the North East, Violence in Kashmir and suppression of any disputing voices, all is fair in the name of nation.

With the editing of text books, state propaganda and media (television) reasserting it we are headed to a future where history will be mythology and mythology will be history. 

“He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”-George Orwell