Survivors !

 

Indians have had to deal with a lot of invaders.  For centuries, it was a golden treasure that everyone wanted to plunder.   If it wasn't so precious, why would   Columbus risk life, and wrath of the Spanish king to try and find it ?  Remember, the journey to discover the New World began with people's desire to find a new route to India

Till the nineteenth century, India was the world's only source of diamonds.  It was the source of many spices, wonderfully manufactured goods (cotton, silks, wood, metal, stone etc) and a great importer of consumer goods from around the world.  India was a land of riches that many wanted to reach.  It was the desired destination of merchants, entrepreneur and intellectuals.  Jews, early Christians and Parssess (Zahoratrians) found found refuge here.  Refugees from around the globe came here, drawn by its fame as a tolerant, welcoming country.

Throughout the millenniums of invasions and conquests, Indians have been tough enough to live through it and sometimes repel the invaders (Greeks, Huns etc), absorb them (Afghans, Iranians) or make good friends with them(British).

The most amazing thing is, Indian culture and religion have survived through it all.  In most parts of the world where such large scale invasions have taken place, local culture has been obliterated. Christian zeal decimated the culture of Americas and parts of Africa.  Rest of Africa and much of Asia was homogenised by Islam, wiping out any indigenous culture / religion, often burying all history with it. 

India is a rare survivor, something we should be proud of and, maybe, one day, someone will research this !

 

© Bhagwat Shah

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