लोहे के पेड़ हरे होंगे - Lohe ke Ped hare Honge

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लोहे के पेड़ हरे होंगे, तू गान प्रेम का गाता चल,
नम होगी यह मिट्टी ज़रूर, आँसू के कण बरसाता चल।

सिसकियों और चित्कारों से, जितना भी हो आकाश भरा,
कंकालों का हो ढेर, खप्परों से चाहे हो पटी धरा ।
आशा के स्वर का भार, पवन को लेकिन , लेना ही होगा,
जीवित सपनों के लिए मार्ग मुर्दों को देना ही होगा।

रंगो के सातों घट उँड़ेल, यह अँधियारी रँग जायेगी,
ऊषा को सत्य बनाने को जावक नभ पर छितराता चल।

आदर्शों से आदर्श भिड़े, प्रज्ञा प्रज्ञा पर टूट रही।
प्रतिमा प्रतिमा से लड़ती है, धरती की किस्मत फूट रही।
आवर्तों का है विषम जाल, निरुपाय बुद्धि चकराती है,
विज्ञान-यान पर चढी हुई सभ्यता डूबने जाती है।

जब-जब मस्तिष्क जयी होता, संसार ज्ञान से चलता है,
शीतलता की है राह हृदय, तू यह संवाद सुनाता चल।

सूरज है जग का बुझा-बुझा, चन्द्रमा मलिन-सा लगता है,
सब की कोशिश बेकार हुई, आलोक न इनका जगता है,
इन मलिन ग्रहों के प्राणों में कोई नवीन आभा भर दे,
जादूगर! अपने दर्पण पर घिसकर इनको ताजा कर दे।

दीपक के जलते प्राण, दिवाली तभी सुहावन होती है,
रोशनी जगत् को देने को अपनी अस्थियाँ जलाता चल।

क्या उन्हें देख विस्मित होना, जो हैं अलमस्त बहारों में,
फूलों को जो हैं गूँथ रहे सोने-चाँदी के तारों में ?
मानवता का तू विप्र, गन्ध-छाया का आदि पुजारी है,
वेदना-पुत्र! तू तो केवल जलने भर का अधिकारी है।

ले बड़ी खुशी से उठा, सरोवर में जो हँसता चाँद मिले,
दर्पण में रचकर फूल, मगर उस का भी मोल चुकाता चल।

काया की कितनी धूम-धाम! दो रोज चमक बुझ जाती है;
छाया पीती पीयुष, मृत्यु के उपर ध्वजा उड़ाती है ।
लेने दे जग को उसे, ताल पर जो कलहंस मचलता है,
तेरा मराल जल के दर्पण में नीचे-नीचे चलता है।

कनकाभ धूल झर जाएगी, वे रंग कभी उड़ जाएँगे,
सौरभ है केवल सार, उसे तू सब के लिए जुगाता चल।

क्या अपनी उन से होड़, अमरता की जिनको पहचान नहीं,
छाया से परिचय नहीं, गन्ध के जग का जिन को ज्ञान नहीं?
जो चतुर चाँद का रस निचोड़ प्यालों में ढाला करते हैं,
भट्ठियाँ चढाकर फूलों से जो इत्र निकाला करते हैं।

ये भी जाएँगे कभी, मगर, आधी मनुष्यतावालों पर,
जैसे मुसकाता आया है, वैसे अब भी मुसकाता चल।

सभ्यता-अंग पर क्षत कराल, यह अर्थ-मानवों का बल है,
हम रोकर भरते उसे, हमारी आँखों में गंगाजल है।
शूली पर चढा मसीहा को वे फूले नहीं समाते हैं
हम शव को जीवित करने को छायापुर में ले जाते हैं।

भींगी चाँदनियों में जीता, जो कठिन धूप में मरता है,
उजियाली से पीड़ित नर के मन में गोधूलि बसाता चल।

यह देख नयी लीला उन की, फिर उन ने बड़ा कमाल किया,
गाँधी के लोहू से सारे, भारत-सागर को लाल किया।
जो उठे राम, जो उठे कृष्ण, भारत की मिट्टी रोती है,
क्य हुआ कि प्यारे गाँधी की यह लाश न जिन्दा होती है?

तलवार मारती जिन्हें, बाँसुरी उन्हें नया जीवन देती,
जीवनी-शक्ति के अभिमानी! यह भी कमाल दिखलाता चल।

धरती के भाग हरे होंगे, भारती अमृत बरसाएगी,
दिन की कराल दाहकता पर चाँदनी सुशीतल छाएगी।
ज्वालामुखियों के कण्ठों में कलकण्ठी का आसन होगा,
जलदों से लदा गगन होगा, फूलों से भरा भुवन होगा।

बेजान, यन्त्र-विरचित गूँगी, मूर्तियाँ  एक दिन बोलेंगी,
मुँह खोल-खोल सब के भीतर शिल्पी! तू जीभ बिठाता चल।

-रामधारी सिंह 'दिनकर'

The Triad of Quartets - A Indian perspective of Varna-Ashrama-Purushartha system

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Interrelation of Varnas,  Ashramas, Purusharthas system. Designed by Sri. Raama Yeleswarapu.

While describing "Indian way of life" as Hindu religion is defined, one needs to understand these three quartets and their interrelation in all spheres of human life (spiritual, personal, social, political, economic). Please follow the reference links in red font, in case you need to read more about the term or phrase.

The Triad of Quartets

First Quartet: The Ashrama system: Human life is divided into four stages.

1. Brahmacharya: The child would live with his family till he was at the age of 5. He would then be sent to a Gurukul (house of the guru) and typically would live with a Guru (teacher), acquiring knowledge of science, philosophy, scriptures and logic, practicing self-discipline and celibacy, learning to live a life of dharma (righteousness).

2. Grihastha: The householder life is spent in enjoying family life, carrying out one's duties towards family and society, and gainful labor.

3. Vaanaprastha: After the completion of one's householder duties, one gradually withdraws from the world, freely shares wisdom with others, and prepares for the complete renunciation of the final stage.

4. Sannyaasa: Completely withdrawing from the world, this is a time of complete dedication to spiritual pursuits, the seeking of moksha (freedom from the cycle of rebirth), and practicing meditation to that end.

Having divided the life in these four stages of Child, householder, retiree and Peace-seeker, Indian way of living asks each individual to pursue four Purushaarthas (Achievements). 

Second Quartet: The Purushartha system

This four-fold system deals with defining a complete life with some purpose. For leading a successful and "complete" life, the four basic achievements need to be addressed. They are to be pursued in second stage that is Grihasthashrama stage of human life by each individual.  They are as follows.

1. Dharma: What dharma is has been elaborately described in the previous posts of this blog. Interested readers should follow following links to read further elaboration on this fundamental concept.

A. Dharma - A Fundamental and unique Indian world-view

B. What is Dharma - the question revisited

To summarize, Dharma is a framework of rules OR constitution which is arrived upon by every component of ecology which ensures just opportunities to every component of the ecological system to pursue their inherent drive to evolve and excel and attain stable position vis-á-vis other components. A just constitution.

2. Artha: The individual, once enrolled in to the "just" system OR "Dharma" has to pursue the material ambitions using "just" means (that is without breaking "dharma"). An individual has to strive hard to attain wealth, power, resources and enrich his life materially using "dharmik means".  To be addressed and pursued  in second stage of life (Grihasthashrama)

3. Kaama: While an individual is attaining and accumulating power and wealth in his capacity using Dharmik means, he has to fulfill his material desires using dharmik means. The desires range from sexual to artistic. All the desires are to be fulfilled. Fulfilling desires is not only just and righteous, but necessary in order to lead successful life. The only pre-requisite is the means and actions while fulfilling the desires should be "Dharmik" and "Just". To be addressed and pursued in second stage of human life (Grihasthashrama). 

4. Moksha: While one is fulfilling the material needs and desires and acquiring wealth and power, one also has to give time towards higher questions which deal with "Adhyatma" (literally - "Deep introspection"). The human being is marked by his tendency to question and marvel about question about self, universe and purpose of life and finding peace and answers to these questions in his capacity. This is fundamental trait and tendency of human-beings which sets us apart from rest of our animal and plant siblings. This aspect of human existence is addressed in the "Moksha" aspect of life. A human being is expected to find answers to such questions and attain peace or die while trying to do it. Typically addressed by human beings in third and fourth stage of human life.

While Artha and Kaama Purushaarthas (achievements) are limited to second stage of life (Grihasthashrama - House-holder), Dharma is to be followed by every individual from birth to death. The Moksha aspect typically is addressed by human beings in later stage of life after the Artha and Kaama achievements are addressed. Although this is not a rule and there are plenty of examples of individuals who turn towards addressing deep introspective questions (Adhyatma) early in life stage. However, Indian system emphasizes that the other achievements should not be abandoned for this fourth Purushaartha, unless one is completely sure. More often than not, if an individual turns towards Moksha aspect of life without fulfilling the Artha and Kaama Purushartha, the individual ends up frustrated and disillusioned in later stages of life. Hence extreme caution is prescribed by the learned individuals to those who abandon wealth and desire for introspection.

Third Quartet: The Varna System

The four-fold Varna system is the most infamous and misunderstood aspect of Indian civilization. While the misunderstanding and misinterpretation has been largely owing to the deeds and actions of many individuals who missed the point of this system and abused it for many a century, it is never too late to smell coffee and find the truth.

Out of human population in a given nation and civilization, the section of society in second stage of life is most productive and back-bone of the nation. The section of population between the age 23 to 60 is the productive population. This productive section of society is referred to as "Grihasthashrama" stage of human life described earlier. The other sections of society like children (age 0-23, referred to as Brahmacharya-ashrama, the first stage of human life), the retired senior citizens (60-onwards, referred to as Vaanaprastha-ashrama, the retiree stage of human life) are dependent on the second block of society for survival. 

Thus, the population belonging to Grihasthashrama stage of life generate wealth for the other three sections of society and for nation and civilization. It is during this stage of life, people indulge in various "Dharmik" professions to fulfill their Artha and Kaama achievements. While every individual has to pursue all the achievements in their capacity, not all human beings have uniform drive towards a particular achievement. E.g. For an professional artist, the Kaama pursuits are much more important than artha pursuits, although he is earning his livelihood via selling his art. On the other hand, for a businessman, acquiring wealth is promary concern than learning and indulging in Kaama pursuits more than necessary. This rather simplistic picture is further complicated when we take into account the professional liabilities and responsibilities of individuals.

To address this issue, the productive section of society was divided into four categories. The other three sections (children and retiree population) are exempted from this social division. Another factor which contributed towards this four-fold division was the assessment by Indian sages that the power of "productive section" of society manifests herself in four different sources.

The four sources of power are:

A. Intellectual Power

B. Military and Physical Power

C. Financial and commercial Power

D. Technological, Numerical power and Land-possession.

The Indian system argued that these four sources of power SHOULD NOT be concentrated in hands of any one section of "Grihastha-Ashrama" pursuing block of population at any given time. Hence the house-holders were divided into

1. Brahmana Varna:  Professional scholars, teachers, priests, intellectuals, poets, scientists, philosophers and sages. This profession was not allowed to possess any wealth, weapons and land. In return, they were accorded higher respect in society. They were supposed to live off on the donations and grants given by kings, businessmen and farmers.

2. Kshatriya Varna: Professional  kings, warriors, soldiers, sportsmen and rulers. They were the section of productive society which possessed military, physical and official strength. However, they were not allowed to possess land, indulge in trade, and frame policies of nation without consultation and approval of the Brahman Varna.

3. Vaishya Varna: Professional merchants, businessmen, traders. This section of productive society was part of society which was generating wealth for rest of society and controlled the finances of nation and civilization. Hence, this was the richest section of society. However in return, they were not allowed to possess arms, military and frame policies without official approval of intellectual class and ruling class of society. Furthermore, Indian polity does not allow a king to tax more than 16% of income during peace time (which was extended to 25% during wartime). Hence this class was allowed to retain 84% of the income they generated. Hence they were mandated to indulge in charity and contribute towards developmental projects designed by intellectuals and authorized by kings. Although richest section, their social status and respectability wasn't dependent upon the wealth they possessed but charities they indulged in.

4. Shudra Varna: Professional farmers, agriculturists, labourers, craftsmen, engineers, technologists, doctors, lawyers and artisans (developers and propagators of various technologies prevalent in different times and places). This section of society possessed the power of numerical superiority. Along with this, they possessed rights to till the land, develop and propagate technologies and various crafts. However in return they were not allowed to indulge in long-distance trade, possessing arms and weapons, and frame state policies.

There was fifth varna known as Panchama varna (in modern times referred to as Dalits), This was the section of society which were "excommunicated" either due to indulgence in criminal activity (Chaandala) or due to pursuing professions which were considered as "impure" and "dirty" by rest of productive society. Such professions included leather-work, butchering, or removal of rubbish, animal carcasses, and waste. Dalits work as manual labourers cleaning streets, latrines, and sewers. Engaging in these activities was considered to be polluting to the individual, and this pollution was considered contagious. As a result, Dalits were commonly segregated, and banned from full participation in Hindu social life.

With time and space, the severity of this social ostracism varied. But largely in later phase of 2nd millennium C.E, the severity was on the rise until independent India banned the social ostracism and introduced corrective measures in form of affirmative actions to rectify the injustice done to this section of society in history.

The Confluence of three Triads

Being "Indian" refers to living on the confluence point of these three quartets described above. While this point of confluence where all three quartets were in perfect harmony with each other was mercurial and capricious, India and Indic society has been around this point of perfect equilibrium for considerable duration of history.

According to a famous verse from Rigveda, the message of life is Charaiveti (Keep on walking). This phrase also describes the efforts of Indic and Dharmik civilization based in India to remain close to this point of equilibrium through the currents of history. While doing so, certain excesses were committed in each of the three quartets. 

India, Indics and Dharmiks have to keep this mind and keep on walking and striving to be as near as possible to this perfect point of equilibrium as individual, community, society, nation, civilization and ecology.

Shubham astu!!!

India's Pakistan appeasement policy - The China factor

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Continued from previous post relating to Pakistan appeasement policies by Mombatti brigade


By - Rudra Devacharya

The state of Pakistan, or at least those groups with the capacity to exercise any sort of central authority there, have lost confidence in their ability to preserve the identity and viability of Pakistan. Allah, Army and America were the pillars of the state, the guarantors of its survival through the previous century.  Today Allah and Army are fighting each other in a purer-on-pure conflict, and America is repeatedly sticking bamboos in the butt of the Pakistani state.  The present and potential ruling elite,  the empowered classes, are in a state of panic, reaching out desperately to all sorts of potential benefactors to guarantee the continuance of their empowered status. These include:

A) Maha-Islampasand Pakis: including many within ISI and Paki-army, who are still holding out in the hope that a pan-Ummah caliphate can be established and subsume present-day Pakistan. However, this group is grappling with twin calamities that have publicly exposed and undermined the fantastic and unsustainable nature of their goals; firstly, the exhaustion of fighting a ten-year war against drones, airstrikes, Afghan National Army (ANA) artillery and US special forces in the Northwest, and secondly, the crisis of credibility that has resulted from the decapitation strike against Bin Laden. Additionally, the increasing transformation of the Taliban into a Pashtun nationalist movement has undercut the legitimacy of the Maha-Islampasand Pakis' argument that being Purest of All is the solution to saving Pakistan.

B ) Chinipakis: the remaining portion of Paki-army and ISI, plus many elements of the "Pakistani anglicised elite" political class (such as Zardari) who are relying on the Chinese to save the day. They are the ones doing their damndest to mortgage the whole Pakistani state as the newest province of China. These, from the Indian point of view, may be the most dangerous... for reasons I will go into later. They are playing for a coup. a two-front war prosecuted by China and Pakistan against India, that will at once humiliate India, make America less relevant, and seize Kashmir in a move that will confer political legitimacy on the leadership claims of the Chinipaki group.

C) Pro-West Pakis: A very small number of Paki elite and Paki-army who are still pro-America, and cling to the hope that America will not leave the used condom shredded  in the garbage when it pulls out.

D)India tolerating Paki-liberals: An even smaller number of Paki elite who are, not pro-India, but at some level hope that India can sort things out and save Pakistan's skin (since the alternatives are all worse.) These are the Pak-tea-house type Paki liberals, who still hate India and Hindus, who still justify the creation of Pakistan, but all said and done feel more affinity for India than for China, Ummah or America.

E)Les petit-bourgeoise (small zamindars and lower middle class): A substantial number of Pakis who do NOT belong to the traditional echelons of power, i.e.Army/ISI Top-Brass or "anglicised political elite" class;  and who still hold out the hope that Pakistan as they once knew it can survive all this. Of all the categories this is the ONLY social class which actually has a vested interest in the survival and success of Pakistan as an *independent* nation state when all is said and done. They also consist of a les petit-bourgeoise (not-exactly-middle) class, ranging from shopkeepers to professionals and bureaucrats to smaller landowners who are not quite big enough to be "anglicised political elite" class" in the Zardari/Sharif mould.

What India is trying to accomplish is not "strategy", at least not a Pakistan strategy that is viable in the long term. What India is trying to do is to make the best of a bad situation and strengthen Section D by drawing Pakis of Section E to it. We are playing to gain time, and avoid a two-front war with Pakistan+China; not to destroy Pakistan or redeem Pakistan or reclaim POK or any of those grand designs. We are playing for time. That is all.

Section A is hopeless, and gives us entertainment value (IED blasts in Pakistan, Drone strikes in FATA) at best while  conducting terrorist attacks against Indian targets at worst.

Section B is very, very dangerous and their plans must be thwarted at ALL costs.

Section C is small enough to ignore entirely as a power bloc, but they may serve some limited purpose in advancing those few aspects of the Indian and American agendas that overlap. 

However, there is still some hope for Section E (along with Section D) to create the sort of temporary respite that might postpone the inevitable collapse of Pakistan for a few decades, while neither engendering an overwhelmingly dangerous situation on our borders nor swamping us with a massive humanitarian disaster just as we are beginning to make economic progress.

Section E, it must be noted, does have considerable presence in the paki-army... the sons of petit-bourgeoise Pakistanis who joined the armed forces, and who have lost confidence in the Elite-origin generals to run the country after seeing the disaster perpetrated over the last ten years. Some of these Section E Pakis may even be as high up as Brigadier and Major General. These guys, as well as the Section C (pro-US) Paki-army brass, are the intended audience of our dovishness that everyone from Dr. Manmohan Singh to B Raman to Bharat Karnad have been prescribing ("non-threatening posture" et al.) 

India is hoping that these Section E Paki-Army officers will become a pro-Indian (or at least, "not-anti-Indian") constituency, and forestall the designs of either Section A Maha-Islampasand elements of Paki-army, or Section B Chini-pasand elements of Paki-army.

Make no mistake, the Section D/E Pakis do not love India, they do not necessarily favour forgive-and-forget with India, they do not necessarily see the Indian position on Kashmir as justified; but they DO see that India/Kashmir is far from the greatest problem that Pakistan faces right now, and they will take India's help in strengthening their position to ward off those other, bigger problems. For now. Or so India hopes.

So. Why are Section B are the MOST dangerous Pakis?

Because it may be that China really wants a war. Preferably against India, with Pakistan as its ally.

China has been acting for the last several years, more aggressively than ever towards all its neighbours. Not ONE conciliatory move is made, but panga is taken with Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines AND India at every opportunity. Why?

Because China or at least, one very powerful faction in the Chinese govt, including the PLA, is convinced that China needs a war. 

Why does this faction think China needs a war?

It's like this. Throughout the 1990s, the Chinese accumulated what they thought was going to be their greatest source and permanent guarantee of wealth; forex reserves of Western currencies, and more importantly, debt owed by Western governments. Mainly the US government.

That component, the debt holdings, in the form of US treasury bonds and such, grew enormously through the 2000s, as the US borrowed money to finance its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Meanwhile, Chinese export markets in the US also grew enormously in the 2000s until things reached a point where Chinese industries relied on US consumer markets to absorb a very large portion of their output.

When the 2008 financial crisis hit the Western world, especially the US, China's b@lls went into their mouth. It was a double-threat for China. On the one hand, all the US debt they held could become devalued in case of a depression. On the other hand, if US consumers stopped buying things, Chinese industries (which relied on US markets to absorb their output) would suffer. The resulting impact felt at home, by the Chinese economy, could have devastating consequences for a totalitarian regime.

What option does a country have when so much of its wealth is in the form of debt? It must monetize the debt. It must turn the debt into something real, as soon as possible, before that wealth (in the form of treasury bonds) becomes more and more devalued as a result of its debtor's financial troubles.

How can China monetize the debt it holds? Here are some ways.

1) It can demand that the US pay up. But the US doesn't have money. If the US prints money, then China's own holdings become further devalued (as it happened with QE2, which further aggravated the situation.)  Same for other Western countries, such as EU nations, which are also reeling financially.

2) It can print money and inject it into its own economy to increase domestic consumption. But this will inevitably lead to inflation, and cause civil unrest. Very bad idea, beyond narrow limits. Keeping tight control over money supply is much healthier from a totalitarian regime's point of view.

3) It can invest money into tinpot countries and gain goodwill. To some extent China has been doing this. But sooner or later, some returns have to be there no? So far, what returns have been generated by China's magnanimous projects in Sudan, Zimbabwe etc.? 

4) It can start a war. It can arm up, invest wholesale in defense R&D, in procurement of foreign weapons systems and manufacture of its own weapons systems. And it can use these weapons systems in the pursuit of other kinds of power i.e. geostrategic power. An additional benefit to this method of monetizing its debt is that it does not lead to civil unrest (at least as long as China can claim victory) but rather, to an upsurge in jingoistic nationalism that strengthens the position of an authoritarian government. 

There you have it. Starting a war is likely considered a good option, given the prevailing economic situation, by a powerful faction within the ruling establishment of China. The US and West do not care if China starts a war with India; it will damage two of their biggest competitors. And Pakistanis of Section B, above, very much want this to happen and want to participate on the Chinese side.

The ONLY thing that would make the Chinese hesitate in starting a war with India would be India's possession of a credible nuclear deterrent. And what has Bharat Karnad, Dr. Santhanam told us few months ago about India's thermonuclear bomb, between the lines, about that?

In summary, I am guessing that the GOI has understood all this. It understands that the danger of a two-front aggression by China and Pakistan is not just real but imminent. It has calculated that we cannot win, and that we cannot count on external help to win. It may have calculated (ref: Dr. Santhanam) that we do not even have a credible nuclear deterrent to prevent this from happening.

So in a sense, just as we are the only hope for Pakis of Sections D and E, Pakis of Sections D and E are our only hope to avert disaster. That's why we're seeing the appeasement policies.

Discerning the intentions of Mombatti Brigade

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By - Dikgaj

Posting this few hours after today's terrorist attack on Delhi-High-court. How true are the intentions of the candle-lighting brigade of India, which comes out after every terrorist attack, to light candles and profess the "aman-ki-asha" type projects? How true are the intentions of those who wish for peace with Pakistan, ignoring all the imminent threats posed to India in general and Hindus/Sikhs/Buddhists of India in particular, owing the rabid hatred of pakistanis towards latter? It seems that everyone from Prime-Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to ex RAW chief Sri. Bahukutumbi Raman, to strategic analysts and thinkers like Sri. Bharat Karnad have been towing the lines of "aman ki asha" type projects. 

The information coming out from various sources seems to be confounding and confusing, given the general understanding in Indian community that a stable and prosperous Pakistan is not in India's interest, but neither is a failed and Talibanized Pakistan. The only pakistan that is in India's interest is one which is in constant struggle within itself. When this is known, why the deliberate misinformative posturing by Government of India and strategic and intelligence community?

First danger is that of "tagging". If a person is officially in a position where he is known to be getting information/seeking information/ and analyzing them for potential policy decisions - then he may attract deliberate misinformation, or cleverly entwined misinformation within correct ones. Of course superior intelligences would have thought of all of this and keep multiple sources for cross-checks. But it is still possible to release informations from centralized disemination mechanisms combined with tactical visible ground movements - which will give a coordinated "disinformation".

Second danger is that there can be a saturation of false/semi-false/true information all mixed up together - so that a time comes when the analyst no longer sees value in any of them. This is a process of conscious rejection and wipe-out of what is seen as old ideas which are no longer working - without perhaps being aware that some of this rejection could the result of an earlier failure to recognize the real processes.

Over and above all this, perhaps the larger issue is whether an analyst also consciously analyzes himself. Is he aware or constantly trying also to explore the basis of his own ideologies - value-systems - and axiomatic proclivities, and their changes over time and experience? If he had really made that "stereotyping" Hindutvavaadi comment - did he stop and think as to what internal or subconscious processes brought out that reaction in him? 

Trying to be "neutral" is a sadly funny business - because it forces one to be constantly over attentive to the two extremes one is trying to be neutral - relative to. Thus the "purely" neutral person is in constant and unsure undefined "middle ground", and perhaps much much more aware of "extremes" than those he clubs as extremists.

Because of lack of clear cut ideological or value-system commitments that can order given situations or positions, over-anxious to be "neutral" persons in constant touch or with a heightened awareness of "extremes" are always at the risk of at one point of time, identifying with one of these extremes as a means of ideological certainty.

I think it is most important to encourage what we call Mombatti brigade. There is no point in badmouthing and lambasting the Paki aam-Janta. People are not targets of criticism - it is what they do, their ideological apparent drives, as matching with actions [people run multiple identity forgeries - they may represent themselves as one of many according to opportunity and hopes for gains - not necessarily of silver but also of esteem and power] - which are targets of criticism. Perhaps my sympathy for Mombatti-brigade shows in this too - because I have always stood for a future of absorption of both the people and the land into India.

A huge test of proper Mombatti-ism comes up when anyone expressing overwhelming softness for parts of Pak - people/culture/gov/society whatever, is asked his feelings about whether he would be ready to accept inclusion of Pakistani people and territory into an enlarged future India. Inevitably - the greatest love for Pakis in the form of Mombatti-ism mostly appears to accompany an intense anguish at even the thought of incorporating these dearly beloved people and lands into close societal proximity.

Not wanting Pakis in our midst - while becoming "soft" on them as a rashtra/people - is the height of self-deluding deception. But then again, such turns of ideological attitudes over a life time, and given high-ranks and exposure to "information" - should be studied. I would see it as almost inevitable and a good illustration as to how people in position could have gone towards greater accommodation with hostile ideologies in our history - while having fought such ideologies for a major part of their lives. This is no accusation against B.Raman ji - but for me a curious window into a very real intellectual process. A very crucial process needing observation and studying. 

Rajput-Maratha relations of 18th century - Pointers towards future course of Republic of India

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.

Rajput-Maratha relations are very interesting. By 16tth-17th century, Rajputs had been intricately networked with Mughals. The Islamic rebellion of 1580s was quelled by Akbar using rajputs. They were linked to Mughals and their other networks by means of marital alliances as well. Thus, for all practical purposes, 18th century Rajputs were extensions of Mughals (so some extent, there are notable exceptions, but that will be out of scope here). For Marathas who were new to this politics of north, there were too many undercurrents which they took time to understand. 

Bajirao-1 had kept amicable relations with Rajputana states by far and large. After his death, the empire became so heavily entangled in politics of North and South (Kaveri basin and south of Krishna-Tungabhadra river) that it was very hectic for nanasaheb to maintain his personal presence everywhere. Furthermore, unlike his father, he was not a soldier by character. He was an armchair politician of excellent calibre. 

The questions asked frequently by those interested in socio-politico-economic history of 18t century India are that -

1. What were the reasons for Marathas to get entangled in politics of Rajasthan? 

2. Could we attribute it to the lack of a national identity? Or was it payback time for all the harm that rajputs did in Maharashtra under the employ of the mughals?

As far as I understand, cash was major reason for this entanglement. The trade routes of Indian ocean were controlled by Europeans, by the time Mughals were defeated and marathas in Pune started framing India's policies. Shivaji began to raise navy after gap of about 650 years. Meanwhile, the ship-building tradition had almost vanished amongst "hindus". Along with it vanished the tradition of naval warfare. 

Mughals and Islamic kings were from central Asia and gave no importance to navy and neglected the traditional hold of India (and Indian powers) on Indian ocean for 5 centuries (From early 1100s to 1650s). In those 650 years, the necessity of Europe to reach out to India grew dire and in that process they developed better tools to reach India some way or the another. Most important of those tools were better ships loaded with better guns.

Marathas had to reinvent the wheel of Ship-building and naval warfare completely. While they were the ones who started meddling with european powers, Maratha navy was essentially a brown-water navy (which is still the case in modern republic of India, who is successor of maratha India). With this navy they did conquer bases like Andaman and other islands, they could not encourage Indic mercantile ventures to go out and trade with rest of the world under the aegis and protection of Maratha navy (something which even modern Indian state isn't doing much). 

There are various reasons for this, one of them being by that time Hinduism had acquired many negative self-flagellant attributes, one of them being "Sindhu-Bandi" (First of the seven legendary "prohibitions" on Hindus). Sindhu-Bandi prohibited Hindus from crossing Indus river and Indian ocean. The Vaishya-class of India was more of less following this norm.

The process which "generates surplus wealth" is trade. One who controls trade-routes, has access to surplus resources which he can use at his disposal. While agriculture and taxation also contribute towards "sustenance", they cannot create impetus for growth. 

The predecessors of Maratha-India that is Mughal-India and Sultanate-India had lost this control. Hence policy makers of Maratha India were perpetually cash-strapped, even when the taxation of the territories ruled by them was quite efficient. They were not much indulgent rulers, nor did they spend money on private or public construction projects, except religious revival (all temples destroyed by muslims were rebuilt in Maratha-India). 

Shivaji had abolished the mansabdari system and started paying fixed salary to all his soldiers and employees with a calibrated pay-scale. However, when Aurangzeb invaded deccan, he started luring the deccan satraps by offering them Mansabs and jaagirs (fiefdoms). To prevent this attrition of men, the third Maratha king (Rajaram) abolished the reform brought in by his father (Shivaji) and implemented by his elder brother (Sambhaji) in spite of adverse conditions and started offering Jaagirs to Maratha chiefs. 

He decentralized Maratha resistance (which is why they could outfight Mughals for 27 years and emerge victorious thereafter). This decentralization implied Maratha chiefs could win territories from Mughal occupied India and could extract the chauth (25% revenue) to sustain themselves. They would not receive any assistance from Maratha state, except authorization.

This school of thought sustained after Mughals died out and marathas retook India. War and expansion require revenues. With no access to trade and revenue generated therein, the options left in hand was agriculture, taxation or loot. The output of war-ravaged country in form of taxation and agriculture is very less (it takes time for farmers to come back and confidently till their lands).

Rajputs had allied themselves with Mughals since days of Akbar. many of the Rajput kings were intimately linked with Mughals (mother of Aurangzeb was a Rajput princess, if I remember correctly). Hence the wealth was intact in Rajputana. While Rajputs showed no tendency to regroup and expand outside Rajputana (akin to Marathas), they were sitting on pool of wealth, part of which had escaped Mughal retribution for at least 100 years prior to expansion of Marathas. Furthermore, Marwadi people had knack of trading and accumulating wealth (in fact, Peshwas encouraged Marwadis to migrate to Maharashtra and start their ventures there). This Marwad region too is in Rajputana.

Marathas which emerged out victorious, belonged to the school of Rajaram and not Shivaji and Sambhaji. Hindu society was not yet ready to venture out to trade. To do so, they had to depend on Europeans and Indians had lost the technology to build ships which could compete and outmatch europeans due to negligence of 600 years. These cash-strapped expanding Hindus needed money to fuel their expansion. Territory controlled by Rajputs had that money stored in their coffers. Marathas had no qualms in looting or asking for 25% chauth, in fact it was righteous thing to do as that would fund their expansion and temple-rebuilding ventures. 

Furthermore, Rajputs were divided, hence comparatively easier to cherry-pick. They belonged to "Hindu" side (and hence kafir side) of Mughal network, so attacking them won't provoke Indian "Ummah" to give a clarion call for Abdali-like Jihad again (which resulted in Panipat), hence attacking Rajput was more "politically convenient". There are many other factors (like Shinde-Holkar-Peshwa triangle which emerged after 1745, entanglement of Marathas in politics of Ganga-valley and few more). All these factors resulted in Maratha-Rajput relations. Similar other region was Bengal, something similar happened there from 1740 to 1751.

The Indian national identity was very much present, hence we cannot attribute the infighting of Indians and Hindus to lack of national identity. There are numerous letters from period of Shivaji to later Peshwas (until 1802) where "India for Indians" sentiment is spoken of and acted upon time and again. Panipat campaign is pinnacle of this sentiment. So we cannot attribute it to "lack of national identity" in Marathas. Marathas, after 1715, were "India", just like from Samudragupta onwards, Guptas were "India".

Nor can it be attributed to vengeance. Most Maratha-clans claim their Rajput ancestory (Shivaji came from Sisodiya clan). Marathas did not even avenge the Jaipur Massacre of 1748 by Madho Singh, when they were at their peak, forget the Mughal invasion of Raja Jaisingh century earlier in 1660s. 

Marathas had not yet consolidated Ganga-plains to profit from agricultural revenue. They could not profit from trade revenues for reasons mentioned above. Taxation can do only so much. They were in process of consolidating and eventually controlling two agriculturally most productive regions of India (Ganga Valley and Punjab). For doing so, they needed to keep armies. For that they needed cash. and hence whenever they needed cash, they turned towards Rajputana.

Did Marathas have choice of allying with Jats, Rajputs, Sikhs against Muslims? Was it really a "Hindu Vs Muslim" conflict? No, IMHO. It was more of "Dharma Vs. Islam" conflict.  This again does not imply that all actions of marathas were Dharmiks. But what they were aiming for, were fighting and dying for since the oath of 14-year old Shivaji in 1645, was idea of Dharmik India ruled by Indians (Hindavi Swarajya and Surajya). 

History is for learning. The mistakes of Marathas are known to everyone. Why did they commit them? What were the reasons which forced them to choose this style of governance? Few of those reasons are elucidated above. Modern republic of India will be facing exactly similar choices as Maratha India in near future. They have committed few mistakes akin to Marathas, without learning from them. But the "Panipat" of modern ROI is yet to happen, they moves have started. 

Modern Abdali (taliban) is mustering armies in Northwest and indigenous najibs and Shujas (radical islamist groups of Indian origin) and Holkars (Hindu leaders and parties like Digvijay Singh and Congress respectively) have begun showing their cards and playing their moves. If they want stable and peaceful India, ROI must embrace Maratha legacy and not shun and shy away from it. Whether ROI likes it or not, after Maratha-India, they are the "Successor iteration" of Hindu-India. They should draw their ideological inspiration and legacy of power from Marathas and not from British and Mughals.

The vision of "Dharma" or the "End game" was clear in Maratha minds.. Is it clear in the minds of their current successor? What is the reason of existence of Republic of India? Has ROI defined and answered this critical question yet?