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Rajendra Prasad Singh: Challenging the Dwij perspective on history

The dwijs have always cast a long shadow over the nationalist and the leftist perceptions of Indian history. These perceptions were challenged by Bahujan scholars, who saw history from the Bahujan perspective. Rajendra Prasad Singh is one such a scholar. Kumar Bindu analyzes his historical perspective

The historical vision of eminent linguist Dr Rajendra Prasad Singh is fundamentally different from that of the nationalists, Marxists, Lohiaites and Ambedkarites. He sees Indian culture and civilization from a new perspective, though it is influenced by the theories of Marx and Ambedkar. In his book Itihas Ka Muayana he writes that while chronicling history, historians made additions, alterations and used facts selectively. This history is just the history of those in power. In the words of Chinua Achebe “Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will glorify the hunter.” That is why, in Indian history, Vedic culture is prominent, Buddhist culture is deformed and the history of the original inhabitants is patchy.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE: Rajendra Prasad Singh: Challenging the dwij perspective of history

 

About The Author

Kumar bindu

Senior journalist and poet Kumar Bindu is based in the Dehri-on-Sone region of Rohtas district, Bihar. He has been associated with the ‘Janshakti’ and ‘Dainik Aaj’ newspapers in the past and now works for the ‘Hindustan’. His poetry and critical essays have been published in various newspapers and magazines