How, When and Where

• Importance of Dates

  • History as a record of changes over time
  • Shift from focus on battles and rulers to societal changes
  • Association of history with dates and chronology
  • Moving beyond king-centric history to living conditions and economy

• Which Dates Matter?

  • Selection of dates based on a focused story of significance
  • Dates become vital when framing a specific set of events
  • Colonial lens: History centered on British Viceroys
    • From Warren Hastings to Lord Mountbatten

• How do we Periodise?

  • James Mill's 1817 Classification (A History of British India)
    • Hindu Period
    • Muslim Period
    • British Period
  • Flaws in Mill's Periodisation
    • Religious intolerance of rulers doesn't define whole societies
    • Coexistence of diverse faiths and cultures
  • Alternative Classification (Historians' View)
    • Ancient
    • Medieval
    • Modern (associated with science, reason, democracy, liberty)
  • Critique of "Modern" under British rule
    • Lack of freedom, equality, and economic growth
    • Term preferred by historians: Colonial

• What is Colonial?

  • Subjugation of a country by another leading to changes in:
    • Culture and values
    • Economy and society
    • Politics
  • Realization of subjugation by Indians -> Struggle for freedom (Nationalism)

• Sources of Modern Indian History

  • Administration and Official Records
    • British practice of official note-taking and report writing
    • Preservation of documents in archives and collectorates
    • Surveys mapping the country (botanical, zoological, archaeological, anthropological, revenue)
  • Limitations of Official Records
    • Reflect only official viewpoints, interests, and what authorities wished to portray
  • Alternative Sources (Beyond Official Records)
    • Diaries of people, accounts of pilgrims and travelers
    • Autobiographies of important personalities
    • Popular booklets and local newspapers
    • Newspapers reflecting public feelings and demands