I am no Sage or Prophet or even a Historian who can say with Authority anything at all about India. So this is merely an Opinion Piece based on my personal life time Experiences of Seven Plus Decades. You don't have to agree or disagree as your life time of experiences could be way different. So Read on only if you want to.
I was born on 10th Dec 1946 in Port Blair Andamans a British Colony called India. Andamans was under Japanese occupation during WWII, with all the locals being used as slave labour to dig tunnels into hills and bunkers for the Japs to take shelter from Air Raids. My two uncles survived the Japanese tortures. The Japanese invasion united all the locals irrespective of what language they spoke or what their religious faith was. Yes a Common enemy united the people on the island putting aside their differences.
So when India got its Independence on 15th August 1947, all of us Locals were Proud Indians proudly wearing the Nehru Caps and whites and Saluting the Indian Flag that set us all free from the British Rule.
I grew up in Andamans going to the Mosque opposite our home and was taken to the Gurudwara once a month by one uncle and my father celebrated Krishna Jayanthi at home every year in Grand style with many many visitors, Hindus, Christians Muslims, Tamils, Telugus, Sindhies, Gujaratis, Banglas you name it. Yes we were all proud Indians.
I am what I call myself an Avial which is Mixed vegetable Curry. Born a Hindi speaking Kalapani in Andamans to Telugu Parents, studied Tamil and Hindi at schools in Tamilnadu, migrated to Australia and married a Bengali and majority of my friends in Sydney were Malayalis and Aussies. I chose people I liked and respected to be my friends, unlike the majority who mix only amongst their community members. Like Mallus, Bengalis, Tamils, Telugus, Punjabis they were all clannish and I just cannot understand what holds them together besides the language.
Being a Telugu/Bengali Couple we did not belong in any of the Indian networks. That was our good luck I must say as most of these people partied together and bitched behind their backs. We did not have any time for such Mathlabhi friends.
When I joined St. Bedes High school in Madras I was at a loss as very few spoke Hindi. Not many spoke Telugu and I did not know Tamil and being an Anglo Indian High school we all spoke English all the time.
St Bedes was a Catholic school that admitted students from all faiths.
The first period was set aside for religion where Christian students attended Catholicism class and all the Non Christians meaning the Hindus, Sikhs, Parsees and Muslims attended the Moral Science Class. No one tried to convert non christians to Christianity.
Moral science lessons combined with being a scout leader is what moulded me as a person and an INDIAN. I see every one from India as an Indian and not a Christian, Hindu or Muslim or a Tamil or a Telugu or Bengalis etc etc. This I must say was my Good Fortune which the majority of Indians Lack.
The Tamilians had a saying which said if you saw a Snake and a Malayali at the same time; kill the Malayalee first. This is because of the fueds between the ancient Chera (Kerala), Chola (Telugu) and Pandya (Tamilians) Kingdoms. In Tamil Nadu the Tamils believed that Telugu people were stupid and referred to them as Gultis meaning Telugus.
Imagine a Hindi speaking, Telugu school kid in a School in TN. I stuck out like a sore thumb alright.
Amongst the Hindu students there was a clear break between Brahmins and meat eating Non Brahmins, with me falling into the latter category.
In the sixties in Madras the Bengalis, Sikhs, Sindhies etc were looked upon as aliens. Yet we were all Indians supposedly.
In my first Job I was in Delhi for a few months and saw a totally different world different from Madras. People were even more hostile to non Hindi speaking Indians mostly Govt Servants. I can never forget a bus ride when two chaps in the bus referred to me as Madarasi Sala assuming I did not understand hindi. On another occasion two Tamilians in Delhi Bus abused me in Tamil assuming I was a North Indian. Hindi speaking Indians looked at all non Hindi speaking Indians as Madarasis which included Malayalees, Tamils, Telugus and Kannadigas. It was not that long ago that Maharashtrians wanted all Tamils estimated over One Million people out of Maharashtra. The Fued for the Kaveri waters between Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala will never get resolved.
In 1956 Andhra which was part of Madras Presidency and Telengana States were merged to form Andhra Pradesh. In Feb 2014 Andhra and Telengana were made separate states to appease feuding politicians Creating Telengana Indias 29th State.,
In 2020 nothing has changed much we are all more Tamils, Bengalis, Marathis, Gujju, Malayaless Punjabis first and then split further into Hindus, Christians and Muslims. In No way are we different from the African Tribes or the Tribes in the Middle east.
Actually there were no states before British Raj. They left India as 552 princely states, and Pakistan as 13 princely states. After Independence, India had Mysore, Punjab, Madras, Bombay, Orissa, Bengal, United Provinces, Central Provinces, Assam, Rajasthan and J&K as states.
I was born on 10th Dec 1946 in Port Blair Andamans a British Colony called India. Andamans was under Japanese occupation during WWII, with all the locals being used as slave labour to dig tunnels into hills and bunkers for the Japs to take shelter from Air Raids. My two uncles survived the Japanese tortures. The Japanese invasion united all the locals irrespective of what language they spoke or what their religious faith was. Yes a Common enemy united the people on the island putting aside their differences.
So when India got its Independence on 15th August 1947, all of us Locals were Proud Indians proudly wearing the Nehru Caps and whites and Saluting the Indian Flag that set us all free from the British Rule.
I grew up in Andamans going to the Mosque opposite our home and was taken to the Gurudwara once a month by one uncle and my father celebrated Krishna Jayanthi at home every year in Grand style with many many visitors, Hindus, Christians Muslims, Tamils, Telugus, Sindhies, Gujaratis, Banglas you name it. Yes we were all proud Indians.
I am what I call myself an Avial which is Mixed vegetable Curry. Born a Hindi speaking Kalapani in Andamans to Telugu Parents, studied Tamil and Hindi at schools in Tamilnadu, migrated to Australia and married a Bengali and majority of my friends in Sydney were Malayalis and Aussies. I chose people I liked and respected to be my friends, unlike the majority who mix only amongst their community members. Like Mallus, Bengalis, Tamils, Telugus, Punjabis they were all clannish and I just cannot understand what holds them together besides the language.
Being a Telugu/Bengali Couple we did not belong in any of the Indian networks. That was our good luck I must say as most of these people partied together and bitched behind their backs. We did not have any time for such Mathlabhi friends.
When I joined St. Bedes High school in Madras I was at a loss as very few spoke Hindi. Not many spoke Telugu and I did not know Tamil and being an Anglo Indian High school we all spoke English all the time.
St Bedes was a Catholic school that admitted students from all faiths.
The first period was set aside for religion where Christian students attended Catholicism class and all the Non Christians meaning the Hindus, Sikhs, Parsees and Muslims attended the Moral Science Class. No one tried to convert non christians to Christianity.
Moral science lessons combined with being a scout leader is what moulded me as a person and an INDIAN. I see every one from India as an Indian and not a Christian, Hindu or Muslim or a Tamil or a Telugu or Bengalis etc etc. This I must say was my Good Fortune which the majority of Indians Lack.
The Tamilians had a saying which said if you saw a Snake and a Malayali at the same time; kill the Malayalee first. This is because of the fueds between the ancient Chera (Kerala), Chola (Telugu) and Pandya (Tamilians) Kingdoms. In Tamil Nadu the Tamils believed that Telugu people were stupid and referred to them as Gultis meaning Telugus.
Imagine a Hindi speaking, Telugu school kid in a School in TN. I stuck out like a sore thumb alright.
Amongst the Hindu students there was a clear break between Brahmins and meat eating Non Brahmins, with me falling into the latter category.
In the sixties in Madras the Bengalis, Sikhs, Sindhies etc were looked upon as aliens. Yet we were all Indians supposedly.
In my first Job I was in Delhi for a few months and saw a totally different world different from Madras. People were even more hostile to non Hindi speaking Indians mostly Govt Servants. I can never forget a bus ride when two chaps in the bus referred to me as Madarasi Sala assuming I did not understand hindi. On another occasion two Tamilians in Delhi Bus abused me in Tamil assuming I was a North Indian. Hindi speaking Indians looked at all non Hindi speaking Indians as Madarasis which included Malayalees, Tamils, Telugus and Kannadigas. It was not that long ago that Maharashtrians wanted all Tamils estimated over One Million people out of Maharashtra. The Fued for the Kaveri waters between Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala will never get resolved.
In 1956 Andhra which was part of Madras Presidency and Telengana States were merged to form Andhra Pradesh. In Feb 2014 Andhra and Telengana were made separate states to appease feuding politicians Creating Telengana Indias 29th State.,
In 2020 nothing has changed much we are all more Tamils, Bengalis, Marathis, Gujju, Malayaless Punjabis first and then split further into Hindus, Christians and Muslims. In No way are we different from the African Tribes or the Tribes in the Middle east.
Actually there were no states before British Raj. They left India as 552 princely states, and Pakistan as 13 princely states. After Independence, India had Mysore, Punjab, Madras, Bombay, Orissa, Bengal, United Provinces, Central Provinces, Assam, Rajasthan and J&K as states.
After Independence, India had Mysore, Punjab, Madras, Bombay, Orissa, Bengal, United Provinces, Central Provinces, Assam, Rajasthan and J&K as states. Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands were the Union Territories.
The States Reorganization Act, 1956, divided Kerala from Mysore state, Andhra Pradesh from Madras State, Himachal Pradesh as a Union Territory from Punjab and Tripura and Manipur as a Union Territory from Assam.
After that, States had always been dividing. In 1960, Gujarat was divided from Bombay state. In 1962, Pondicherry was liberated from French capture and in 1963, it was renamed as Puducherry, with its recognition as Union Territory. Goa, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961. Dadra and Nagar Haveli was given a recognition of union territory in 1961 only. Goa and Daman and Diu were together a Union Territory, but in 1987, Daman and Diu was again divided from Goa and given a recognition of union territory only, whereas Goa was given a recognition of state. Haryana was divided from Punjab in 1966. Himachal Pradesh was given a recognition of a state in 1971. Bengal was renamed as West Bengal when Bangladesh separated from Pakistan in 1971. Bombay was renamed as Maharashtra, United provinces was renamed as Uttar Pradesh and Central provinces was renamed as Madhya Pradesh. Also, 3 states, currently known as Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram were divided from Assam, starting from 1964 to 1971. At this time, Tripura and Manipur were also given a separate recognition as states. Mysore was renamed as Karnataka in 1973. Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands were also renamed as Lakshadweep Islands in 1973. Sikkim, which was another territory apart from India, chose India’s democracy and got into India as a state in 1975. Arunachal Pradesh was again separated from Assam in 1987. Then in 2000, Chhattisgarh was divided from Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand was divided from Bihar and Uttarakhand was divided from Uttar Pradesh. And the newest state of all, Telangana, was divided from Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
This leaves Orissa(renamed as Odisha), West Bengal and Rajasthan, the only undivided Indian states of India after Independence.[Excluding J&K due to international conflicts.]
One day, India may become 50 states, 15 union territories and 2000 districts. But be it or not, we will remain one and only one country, i.e., India. So, be proud to be an Indian. ( By Arpan Ray in Quora)
Are we all really Indians in the True Sense ?
What binds us all ? Just a Flag ? A National Anthem ?
Now we wonder how politicians are using the divide and rule successfully, after all this is a trick we learnt from our British masters, to divide and rule.
Perhaps People from Different States of India together form a delicious dish like the Avial that I am.
East Indian Company was a ship load of Traders who realises a subcontinent made up of many kingdoms constantly fighting amongst themselves. It did not take the Britishers long to bribe a king who was weak and pliable with Whiskey and Gun Powder to defeat his arch rival. The British found out that Indians could be bribed easily to win favours.
In South India the story of Ettayappan and Kattabomman is known to all.
India did not exist before Independence and it is a fact as it was made up of 40 odd feuding kingdoms.
When we look at a large group of Asians we call them Chinese, yet they are Chinese Koreans Japanese etc and they do not like being called Chinese. Similarly if you take a large group of people from the Subcontinent as Westerner will say they are all Indians and correctly so. No one can differentiate between Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladesis and Sri Lankans. we all look the same more or less and that is the REAL ORIGINAL BRITISH INDIA before the Partition.
Winston Churchill did not want to give India its independence on a Plate.
That Winston Churchill was an evil manipulator is evident from what he did to India and what he said about India.
Watch the following Video:
Churchill on India. - “Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw. ... They will fight amongst themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles. A day would come when even air and water would be taxed in India.
and
Who Is to Blame for Partition? Above All, Imperial BritainBy Alex Von Tunzelmann
The States Reorganization Act, 1956, divided Kerala from Mysore state, Andhra Pradesh from Madras State, Himachal Pradesh as a Union Territory from Punjab and Tripura and Manipur as a Union Territory from Assam.
After that, States had always been dividing. In 1960, Gujarat was divided from Bombay state. In 1962, Pondicherry was liberated from French capture and in 1963, it was renamed as Puducherry, with its recognition as Union Territory. Goa, Daman and Diu and Dadra and Nagar Haveli liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961. Dadra and Nagar Haveli was given a recognition of union territory in 1961 only. Goa and Daman and Diu were together a Union Territory, but in 1987, Daman and Diu was again divided from Goa and given a recognition of union territory only, whereas Goa was given a recognition of state. Haryana was divided from Punjab in 1966. Himachal Pradesh was given a recognition of a state in 1971. Bengal was renamed as West Bengal when Bangladesh separated from Pakistan in 1971. Bombay was renamed as Maharashtra, United provinces was renamed as Uttar Pradesh and Central provinces was renamed as Madhya Pradesh. Also, 3 states, currently known as Nagaland, Meghalaya and Mizoram were divided from Assam, starting from 1964 to 1971. At this time, Tripura and Manipur were also given a separate recognition as states. Mysore was renamed as Karnataka in 1973. Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands were also renamed as Lakshadweep Islands in 1973. Sikkim, which was another territory apart from India, chose India’s democracy and got into India as a state in 1975. Arunachal Pradesh was again separated from Assam in 1987. Then in 2000, Chhattisgarh was divided from Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand was divided from Bihar and Uttarakhand was divided from Uttar Pradesh. And the newest state of all, Telangana, was divided from Andhra Pradesh in 2014.
This leaves Orissa(renamed as Odisha), West Bengal and Rajasthan, the only undivided Indian states of India after Independence.[Excluding J&K due to international conflicts.]
One day, India may become 50 states, 15 union territories and 2000 districts. But be it or not, we will remain one and only one country, i.e., India. So, be proud to be an Indian. ( By Arpan Ray in Quora)
Are we all really Indians in the True Sense ?
What binds us all ? Just a Flag ? A National Anthem ?
Now we wonder how politicians are using the divide and rule successfully, after all this is a trick we learnt from our British masters, to divide and rule.
Perhaps People from Different States of India together form a delicious dish like the Avial that I am.
East Indian Company was a ship load of Traders who realises a subcontinent made up of many kingdoms constantly fighting amongst themselves. It did not take the Britishers long to bribe a king who was weak and pliable with Whiskey and Gun Powder to defeat his arch rival. The British found out that Indians could be bribed easily to win favours.
In South India the story of Ettayappan and Kattabomman is known to all.
India did not exist before Independence and it is a fact as it was made up of 40 odd feuding kingdoms.
When we look at a large group of Asians we call them Chinese, yet they are Chinese Koreans Japanese etc and they do not like being called Chinese. Similarly if you take a large group of people from the Subcontinent as Westerner will say they are all Indians and correctly so. No one can differentiate between Indians, Pakistanis, Bangladesis and Sri Lankans. we all look the same more or less and that is the REAL ORIGINAL BRITISH INDIA before the Partition.
Winston Churchill did not want to give India its independence on a Plate.
That Winston Churchill was an evil manipulator is evident from what he did to India and what he said about India.
Watch the following Video:
Churchill on India. - “Power will go to the hands of rascals, rogues, freebooters; all Indian leaders will be of low calibre & men of straw. ... They will fight amongst themselves for power and India will be lost in political squabbles. A day would come when even air and water would be taxed in India.
Read this BBC article on Winston Churchil and Bengal famine and on Gandhi
The 10 greatest controversies of Winston Churchill's career
and
Decoding Winston Churchill's hatred for India
and
Who Is to Blame for Partition? Above All, Imperial BritainBy Alex Von Tunzelmann
