What would you do if you won the lottery?

##004. #short Article.
#By – Sanchit

Hello my dear learner fraternity!

I hope you are doing well.

Message:- Making future planning is good but living the present day as the foundation stone of the future is a worthwhile phenomenon of journey.@sr

Today our topic is based upon the hypothetical situation yet it’s interesting to answer it because it has hidden infinite possibilities.

See, life is itself a lottery on a daily basis. Sometimes we win and many times we lose. But we would not limit our efforts.

As you all, I also have some dreams which I wanted to fulfill after winning the lottery and investment that money in different ways & It is related to:-

1) social engineering ( to boost up the knowledge about sanitation, health & nutrition diet of middle class people)

2).social security ( for old age , widows and orphans)

3) Socio-cultural awakening ( about hidden scientific logic behind our holy religion and will eradicate social evils across society)

4)Open the chain of the Library and Gym as well across the country in an inter-connected approach initiate from Village – block – district level.

5) The rest of the lottery amount will be reserved so that if the above mentioned programs will be dysfunctional then it will be utilised on that behalf.

“By the way winning the lottery is a good thing but making it as a passion is a bad habit”

Thank you

Sanchit Raj ( master’s, DU)

What books do you want to read?

#003. #Short Article. #by Sanchit.

What books do you want to read?

Hello my dear learner fraternity!

How are you all? I’m hoping that you all are doing well in your domain of life.

Today’s topic is very interesting. As we all grow, learn and understand by reading good books 📚 since our childhood. it’s a immense pleasure of learning cycle of our life. But as we grow and have the pressure of work-job, family,making money, keeping ourselves fit and healthy, by and by we shift our focus to life’s requirements.,

We all have some sort of interest domain in some section of life. Let’s say in the book reading habits, selection of topics, favourite writers, and many more things.

I’m going to share my favourite domain of books which I like to read . These are

1. I like to read books based on philosophy & spirituality.

2. I like to read books based on the psychological history of society and its various traits.

3.i love to read books on scientific development of rituals & customs which later took the shape of continuous culture in different sections of societies across the world.

4. I have read the Bhagavad Gita, every one should try this.

5.I want to read books on the autobiography of famous personalities from which I can sense their mental maturity and mental energy , visionary ideas so that I can inculcate it.

6.books which say about different origin of religion since ancient to till now

7. Books based on nutrition, fitness, investment, and poetry and all

Although I have read many good books till now. So you all can try. Reading books is the most beautiful phenomenon of evolution of the brain as we grow.

Thank you

Sanchit Raj ( Master’s, University of Delhi)

What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

#002 Short Article

What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

Hello my dear learner fraternity!

How are you all? I’m hoping that you all are healthy, happy and safe.

Message:- Hope is a powerful product of positive intention which exponentially grows as your self-belief increases by doing hard work- Sanchit Raj.

In everyone’s life two things matter most-‘Life and time’. Both are complementary to each other. As per topic concern, in leisure time i do different things repeatedly as per circumstances like:-

– reading good books on philosophy, investment, history, psychology and IR.

– i believe in doing intense work out 💪to keep my brain 🧠 healthy and functional.

– i usually listen to old songs or meditation music as suitable & need for time.

– i love to write ✍️ on different topics. I do deep introspect when I get time about hidden joy and understanding of life so that I can make myself a more liberal and kind human than I was.

-what I think as a writer is that doing writing practice is the best medicine for making our mental energy up to the mark.

– sometimes as I usually keep lights off and 🕯️ lights up a 🕯️ candle and see it through naked eyes. I think, everyone should try this at their home to realise, recharge and refresh by themselves. It’s the best healing process. Please try it.

Thank you

Sanchit Raj ( Master’s, DU )

जिंदगी की यात्रा

By Sanchit Raj, pen name – Sam bahadur

Hidden joy of life!

#001. . #A Short article.

Hello my dear learner fraternity!

How are you all? Hope you are doing well. Today you will get to know about some hidden joy of life which you are lacking while living. Isn’t it? Wait wait just go with the flow of this small article.

So my first question to you all, actually what are you lacking while living smoothly?

Have you thought about just a simple smile 😊 on your face. It makes you more beautiful as well as handsome. Have you thought about hugging your beloved one’s? It makes you stress free and helps in refueling your mental energy. It seems like you are not hugging a personality but a whole petrol pump.hahaha. Have you noticed your words properly? Think n! Sometimes it’s rude and soft as well. Depends on the situation, isn’t it!

Words, as per my concern, it is the most powerful weapon and medicine as well for all human kinds. So while communicating, Use your words in an organised manner in a gentle way so that it will make your personality attractive and give you a sense of depth about life. Because A good communication can give you a good sense of depth about life, its philosophy, literature, spiritual & moral knowledge. Just do one thing , become an influential listener and observer. Eg:- our Holy Nature, it’s an influential listener & communicator and observer also. Nature also speaks but when it comes to an epitome of urgency then we get her( holy Nature )words through different messages.

So from today’s article, we have learnt that we can add value and plan of action in our life and substrate bad habits also. While doing this you will automatically get your hidden Joy of life which acts like a permanent therapy and improves your mental, social & economical stability. Like:- -:a smile
-:a tight hug
-:using good words
:-being organised & a good listener
:-most importantly respect our holy Nature

Hoping that you will implement it in your life to make your life’s journey more beautiful than it was.

Thank you my Learner fraternity.

Editor in chief:- Sanchit Raj (Master’s, DU)

The survival process

By :- Sanchit Raj ( Master’s from University of Delhi)

Hey everyone, how are you all ? I hope you guys are doing well. Today I’m going to write on a dynamic topic which will give you some insights to think again about our process of continuity and change.

Obviously you are thinking about the topic and its hidden agenda that’s why i have selected it as my theme! Basically, as per my concern, every simple and meaningful things have its effective glow and reflection . Let’s take an example, soil. The magic of soil is it turns death into life. How simple and beautiful this sentence is. It has also philosophical agenda. But currently I’m not going to focus on that.

Let’s focus about a simple word ‘observation’. It is simple but it is that weapon which sets the circumstances of our reacting and responding process in a situation of our survival process. It has two aspects, objective science and subjective science. Objective science means observe the world from outside and subjective science means experience it from inside.

In this modern era, we are generating enormous thoughts through our observations which would be obviously based on some perceptions. Then we start exercising over it. But here my question is, do we really think rationally or say logically when we are in the circle of emotional grief! At that point, in our brain started certain amount of friction & conflict between our thought processes. In this situation, have you ever tried to give a certain conclusive path to your emotions?(Just don’t read it. Wait for a second and answer my questions in your mind). Or like other human beings you also tried to multiply your thoughts as much as possible according to your convenient sphere of futuristic thinking. Have you ever done this?

My question is why in this generation or upcoming generation there is ‘increasing right intent with ignorant execution’. Why we are not able to make a balance between our logical thought processes and its futuristic illogical aspects and give them a proper direction? our quick reactionary response will decide our further thought process.

Yes , we are living in an era of conflict & friction between our thought and perception. Its instant impact is we have gone in confliction zone and suddenly making our state of mind to that extent where we are started feeling lonely. Many people started thinking and experiencing about anxiety, depression and some kind of fear factor. We are at the apex of this human civilization. Even our ancestors never imagined about this kind of generation. Is this our survival process?? Then think about our upcoming generation also!

My dear learner fraternity, listen we have various means of life to enjoy it , to feel it but the fact is we are losing our sight as well as insight. Sight means to see the things from our eyes and insight means to see the things from our mind. So is there any way to make a balance between sight and insight? If yes then what is that? No guys don’t assume for instant answer. Just think about it . Although I will conclude it later.

Here are some key points , just go through it.

We are the generation of living life using face masks with conflicting brain.

We are the generation of losing hope only with the help of our multiple thought processes.

We are the generation of losing present only in the conflict of thinking about past and future.

And the interesting fact is, in this modern civilized world even we as a youth fraternity till now never learned how and where we will have to placed our past experience. Because Its only use is to observe from its domain and put some good quality from past into your future, reflect it in your personality and in communication skills.

“Just don’t placed your past experience like a ‘monument’. None of archaeologist is going to explore it or polish it except yourself”.

Be always curious about observing life, not being addicted to it by different means of pleasure. One thing I would like to share with you people about our generational growth, development since ancient time to till now that is

Ancient period

Medieval period

Modern period

Western period

Sense gratification period ( sensual pleasures) ( current scenario)

Modern virtual period

Complete virtual period that will be known as senseless era in future.

( This chronology is writer’s own approach and initiative to make things clear about survival process)

So after raising all questions which I mentioned above, my purpose was to think more and more. The answer is so simple and here the answer is in this today’s scenario we are losing interaction as soon as possible without making any efforts about its consequences. As per my concern one way to live life gracefully is to don’t lose interaction to live rather interact to explore , learn, imbibe and reflect . It’s the best way to experiencing life and also give it back what ever you have learnt from it to the society and its beautiful nature. We can learn from our natural ecosystem. It is also based on interaction. That’s why it is sustaining till now.

Just try to fill the gap between your perception and its logical dimensions to see the things more clear about your visionary life. Make a bridge and used this bridge purposefully. Basically we are accepting everything in today’s World except ‘nourishment value’. And the impact is increasing lack of believe & coordination in between us.

Who we are? What’s your reflection?

Its high time to pay attention to that. So always try to being able to live without concern! And for this the most needed tools are stability, stillness, having balance in our thought process. You should able to touch that core which present in depth of your life. Hey my people, don’t try to control rather try to give a logical/ rational way to your actions and reactions. Some shits you can’t control. so it’s better to give them a path like a flowing river to flow out from your life. Give it chance buddy. Its easy and this would be most beautiful experience you have ever experienced.

I have written this article because for me every human being is valuable and every smile has its own cost. So finally I am going to talk about survival because I have already talked about process as the theme of this article is survival process. with this I will end up. So in your view what is survival? My question is Are you surviving well enough? Answer it yourself. Here as per my research, survival is nothing when it’s taken care of properly. And survival is everything when it’s not taken care properly.

Lastly think over it and act purposefully. Be Happy and safe.

Thank you my learner fraternity.

Team ViRASAT

Chief editor:- Sanchit Raj.( Master’s in ancient History from Delhi University)

सिलसिला जुड़ाव का….

सिलसिला जुड़ाव का ….(तुम भी वैसे ही हो क्या?)

क्या सोच रहे हो ? अपने बारे में न! अभी नहीं, रूको जरा। पहले पढ़ लो फिर आकलन करना।।

मैं जानता हूँ कि हम सब जिंदगी के सबसे कठिन मोड़ पे आ पहुँचें है। मैं भी आप सब में से एक हूँ। मन में यही तमन्ना रहती है कि कुछ बेहतर करना है। मगर क्यों, कैसे और कब ? ये सवाल जेहन में दौड़ता रहता है। इस उम्र में ज्यादातर लोग अपने आप को अलग-थलग कर लेते हैं। बस इसी आस में कि कुछ बेहतर करना है। क्या ये ही एक बेहतरीन तरीका है सफल होने का? आखिर जुड़ने का सुंदर सिलसिला आते-आते रूक क्यों जाता है? क्यों लोग अपने सबसे करीबी मित्र से भी कुछ साझा करने से डरने लगे हैं? क्यों लोग बस अपनी सुंदर बातें / और चेहरा देखना/सुनना पसंद करने लगे हैं? क्यों लोग अपनी चिंता, दुःख, तकलीफ, अकेलापन, परेशानी, को साझा करने से डरने लगे हैं? आखिर डर किस बात का है? मैं बताता हूँ। पहले थोड़ा और पढ़ कर अपनी समझ मजबूत कीजिये।

क्यों लोग अपने best friend से भी महिने या 2 महीनों में सिर्फ एक बार बात करने लगे हैं? और वो भी इस इंतजार में कि अगर वो मुझे call/mssge नहीं करता/करती तो मैं क्यों करूँ? क्या सही में तुम्हें चंद लम्हा फुरसत नहीं है? फिर दुनिया को चिल्ला- चिल्ला कर Insta/fb/whatsapp पे क्यों कहते हो कि हमारी understandaing/समझ बहुत अच्छी है? चलो मान भी लिया कि तुम्हारी समझ अच्छी है मगर समय के अनुसार क्या वो विकसित है? यहाँ पर एक बात तुम्हें समझनी होगी। देखो, तुम्हारी समझ socio-emotional issues पर जरुर अच्छी होगी क्योंकि तुम काफी समय से एक-दूसरे को जानते आये हो। मगर बढ़ती उम्र के साथ जिंदगी जीने/समझने को इतना काफी है क्या? फिर economic goals, business, investment, insurance, physical fitness/need, mentle pleasure, adventurous tours, life’s dreams, family issues, relationship issues or after marriage problems, current financial issues etc.. ऐसे तमाम मुद्दे हैं जिनपे तुम्हें बाते करनी हैं अभी। तो क्या तुम सारे मुद्दों के लिए अलग-अलग best friend बनाओगे अब?

इतना वक्त बचा है तुमहारे पास सबके साथ एक गूढ़ समझ विकसित करने की?? क्या ये तुम्हारे जुड़ने के सिलसिले को सही मायने में दर्शाता है? खुद सोचो और विचार करो। संवेदना और पीड़ा की भाव से भरे हो तुम।

महज बात इतनी सी है कि जिस उम्र में तुम्हें सख्त ज़रूरत है अपने बनाये हुए सिलसिले को और ज्यादा विकसित करने की, उस उम्र में तुम अपने लिए सारे दरवाजे बंद करने में लगे हो। चाहे तुम जिससे भी जुड़े हो। जिसके साथ तुम्हें बाते करना पसंद हो या जिससे तुम असल मायनो में जुड़ना चाहते हो तो ये सबसे उचित समय है। जाओ उससे मिलो, उससे जुड़ो, बाते करो। अपनी समझ और समझदारी को और ज्यादा विकसित करने पे जोड़ दो। किसे के इंतज़ार में अपना कीमती समय /जीवन नष्ट मत करो क्योंकि जवानी इस जीवन का सबसे रोमांचित और ऊर्जावान समय होता है।

चलो एक बात बताओ! इसी उम्र में या 2-3 साल आगे या पीछे, इसे ही बेहतर उम्र क्यों माना जाता है शादी के लिए? सिर्फ बच्चे पैदा करने के लिए? बिल्कुल नहीं, क्योंकि इसके असली आयाम कुछ और ही है और वो है सिलसिला जुड़ाव का। अब ऐसा बिल्कुल भी मत समझ लेना कि किसी से जुड़ने के लिए तुम्हें पहले शादी करनी पड़ेगी। वो बस एक उदाहरण था। देखो, बात ऐसी है कि किसी से मिलने / जुड़ने का ये सर्वोतम अवस्था है। क्योंकि हमारी ऊर्जा इस समय सबसे अधिक होती है कुछ कर गुजरने की। बस जरूरत होती है एक सही दिशा की, बहुत सारे प्रेरणा की, प्यार की, देखभाल की और समझ की।

खैर, पढ़ते-पढ़ते कहीं खो मत जाना। कुछ सोचों और अपने मिलने/ जुड़ने की सिलसिले को कायम करने में लगो। चाहे वो इंसान तुम्हारी जिंदगी में 1 हो या 2 हो या बस 5 । इस मिली हुई खूबसूरत जिंदगी के हर एक आयामों पे चर्चा करो। बेसक, इस दरमया तुम्हारी बहुत से मुद्दों पे अलग-अलग राय-विचार होंगी। होने दो मगर एक-दूसरे के विचारों की इज्ज़त करो। हमेशा खुद को सही साबित करने में मत रहो। क्योंकि विचारों की ये खूबसूरती होती है कि समय के साथ ये बदलता रहता है और ऐसा होना भी चाहिए।

सुनो एक दिलचस्प बात! हो सके तो बहुत सारा किताबें पढ़ना शुरू करो। इसका ये मतलब नहीं कि तुम कोई प्रेम-कहानी लेकर बैठ जाओ सिर्फ। चलो ठीक है मगर किताबें, वो भी अलग-अलग आयामों पे होनी चाहिए जैसे :- based on economy, spirituality, philosophy, social issues, love & romance, poetry, thriller, cooking, traveling, tribes, forest-dwellers etc. और पढ़ने के बाद सबसे ज़रूरी बात कि इसके बेहतरीन आयामों की दिल खोलकर अपनों से जुड़े हुए लोगों के साथ साझा करो कि तुम्हें किताब में क्या अच्छा व बुरा लगा ताकि उन्हें भी कुछ नया जानने को मिले।

देखो तो, कितना सुखद और सुंदर संसार है हमारा। हमें मिलकर इसे आने वाले समय के लिए और ज्यादा सुंदर बनाना है। अब किसी से मिलने या जुड़ने का लिए पहले से आसान तकनीक विकसित कर ली है हमने। इसका इस्तेमाल करो चालाकी से। हाँ, किसी को भी धोखा मत देना।। और अंततः बाकियों की तरह बिल्कुल भी मत बनना। जो भी तुम्हें चाहता है, तुम्हें प्यार करता है, तुम्हरी इज्ज़त करता है वैसे इंसान बहुत कीमती होते हैं। उन्हें संभाल कर रखो। इसका ये मतलब है कि सिलसिले के अभाव में तुम परेशान होकर अपनी असीम शक्ति पे कभी शक मत करना कि मुझसे ये काम नहीं होगा। क्योंकि इस अवस्था में लोग चलना तो दूर, सोचना तक बंद कर देते हैं और तमाम उम्र अपनी नियति को कोसते हैं। तुम ऐसा बिल्कुल भी मत करना।

जाते-जाते मेरी अनकही दास्ता :- इस सुखद और सुंदर प्रकृति की छाँव में अगर तुम एक इंसान को भी समझाने/समझने में सफल होते हो तो खुद ये जीवन तुम्हारे लिए एक सिलसिला बन जाएगी और फिर तुम्हें इस यात्रा में कहीं पर भी रूकना नहीं पड़ेगा।

धन्यवाद ।।संचित राज।।

Team Virasath.

Chief editor :- Sanchit Raj.

United by understanding of education.

एक संभावना…अनुभव की

रात गहरा चुकी है। खिड़की से झाँकता वो हँसली सा चाँद टहनियों पर झूले झूल रहा है। पेड़ पर बैठा एक पक्षी आधी रात में अपनी किसी पूर्व प्रेमिका के लिए कोई विरह का लोकगीत लिख रहा है। वादे अनुसार किताब पढ़ ली गई है। लेकिन नींद अब भी कोसों दूर है। और दूसरी किताब उठाने का अर्थ है सुबह के सूरज को निमंत्रण देना।

आज के दिन की बात करें तो ठीक वैसा ही रहा, जैसा कल का था। दिन अपने आप को दोहरा रहें हैं। सुबह भजन के साथ दंत मंजन किया, माताजी की डाँट के साथ काढ़ा पिया और पिताजी के किस्से पर ठहाके लगाए गए। वही किस्से जिन्हें माँ तरकारी काटते हुए रोज सुनती है। माँ ने सारे किस्से सुन रखे हैं। पर फिर भी बड़ी तन्मयता से पुनः सुनती है। क्यूँ सुनती है मुझे नहीं पता। मैं तो नहीं सुन पाती । लेकिन माँ कहती है कि तेरे पिता उन किस्सों में बहुत खुश होते हैं। तो

मैं टोकती नहीं

और ऐसा है भी। कोई इंसान जब अपना खुशनुमा बीता कल बता रहा होता है तो उम्र उसके चेहरे से कुछ कुछ छंटने लगती है। जैसे पिता जब अपनी शादी के किस्से बताते हैं तो बीस साल के लड़के लगते हैं। पिता को बीस साल का देखना, संतान के लिए एक मुलायम अनुभूति है।

खिड़की के बाहर वो चाँद अब रूठ कर पेड़ से कुछ दूर जा बैठा है। ठंडी हवा पेड़ों को सहला सहला सुलाने की तैयारी में है। प्रकृति अपने स्वरूप में किसी नवविवाहित स्त्री का श्रृंगार है।

उसने कभी हमसे मुँह नहीं मोड़ा। वो तो हम थे जिन्होंने दीवारे बना ली। पेड़ की छाँव तो अभी भी वैसी की वैसी है। पेड़ ने कभी दीवार नहीं बनाई । नदी ने कहा सब जल तुम्हारा है, नदी ने कोई बर्तन नहीं बनाया। बर्तन बाँध हमने बनाए घर दीवार हमने बनाई कुदरत तो अब भी हमीं से प्रेम करती है। इस भद्दी महमारी में भी ऑक्सीजन ही हमारी मदद कर रहा है। हमारी बनाई दीवारें मीनारें सब निरर्थक हो गई । संसाधनों ने अपना अर्थ खो दिया और हमने अपना अस्तित्व हमें कुदरत की ओर लौटना होगा। वो पक्षी आधी रात में किसी प्रेमिका के लिए नहीं, हमारे लिए विरह के लोकगीत लिख रहा है।

स्नेही।।

Team Virasath.

United by understanding of education.

The change in history writing in the last 50 years .

Work by Sanchit Raj, Post graduate, From Delhi university, India.

The concept of history writing has always been a ‘source of light’ for us since many centuries which give us a directional framework about our diverse and magnificent past. It seems like rotation of the earth on its own axis, which means the connotation of history writing has always been a continuous work which has many different ideologies. From ancient to medieval and from medieval to modern, many different historians have contributed their works as per influenced by different ideologies of history writing as per say colonialist, nationalist, marxist, subaltern etc. according to time, by and by after research and further explorations and excavations, every perspective has its own significance and backdrops. If we talk about the writing of social, political, and economic history which has not remained the same during the last fifty years. then it’s obvious and natural that after post – independence, we were able to see our past by a different magnifying lens which cleared our doubt about cognitive history knowledge.

Let’s take an example to understand that phenomena. If we talk about Marxist history writing and its shifting approach towards economic, social and political history writing by our prominent historians like R.S. Sharma, D.D. Kosambi, Romila Thapar etc. then we will get to know about basic and necessary aspects of ground reality which were lacking in other approaches and make this approach more interesting.
Marxist has a dominant presence in the field of Indian historiography in the post-independence period. A lot of historians either come directly within its fold or have been influenced by it in certain degrees. Marxist historiography comprehensively covers most aspects of Indian society, economy, and politics under colonial rule. It applies Marxist analysis to various developments in the colonial economy, to the problems of peasantry, to the national movement and to the communal problems. The beginning of Marxist historiography in India was known by two books; India Today by R. Palme Dutt and social background of Indian Nationalism by A.R. Desai. According to R. Palme Dutt, he squarely holds colonialism and capitalism responsible for the poverty of the country. Another area of Dutt’s concern was Indian nationalism. On the revolt of 1857 his view is that it “was in its essential character and dominant leadership the revolt of the old conservative and feudal forces and dethroned potentates.”
Romila Thapar credits D.D. Kosambi (1907-66) for effecting a ‘paradigm shift’ in Indian studies. According to her, such paradigmatic changes had occurred only twice before in Indian historiography. These were done by James Mill and Vincent Smith. Kosambi viewed history completely differently. For him, Mill’s religious periodization and Smith’s chronological accounts of dynasties were of no value. He believed that the ‘society is held together by bonds of production’. Thus he defines history ‘as the presentation, in chronological order, of successive developments in the means and relations of production’. This, according to him, is ‘the only definition known which allow a reasonable treatment of pre-literate history, generally termed “pre-history”. Kosambi’s non-dogmatic approach to history is clear when he rejected two key Marxist concepts- the Asiatic mode of production and slavery- as inapplicable to ancient Indian society. Although, he accepted the concept of feudalism in Indian context, he denied the existence of serfdom. Kosambi tried to relate the intellectual and cultural production with the prevailing social and economic situation.
In the last fifty years, the trend in shifting of history writing could better be understand by the changes in socio-economic and political aspects of India. Before 1980s, there was a concept of ‘welfare state’ which had taken from king’s theory. It was actually a sub- part of socialism. In this system we didn’t have choice. Initially this system was good but by and by due to corruption and mis-management, it was shifted from public interest to self- interest. After 1980s, movement

Started to rolling back of state and finally in 1991, India had witnessed L.P.G. due to privatization and its significance as rapid industrialization and urbanization, new middle class was born. And due to economic empowerment, we could easily get the more choices about our living of stratification. We can see its impact as political, economic, social and cultural in our society which further compelled historians to re-write history as per benchmark of ground reality and this process further born to subaltern approaches of history writing.
Therefore, the pattern in approach of history writing has not been same since ancient to medieval to modern times. The changing ideologies of history writing reveals the beauty of history and its significance according to time and as per requirement of historians to debate upon it and construct a new frame to it to make it more meaningful for all of us.

Thank you and Good luck to my learner fraternity.

Chief editor:- Sanchit Raj ( Post Graduate, University of Delhi)

Team Virasath. United by understanding of education.

TITLE: Book Review of ‘The Best Black Troops in The World’: British Perceptions and the Making of Sepoy, 1746-1805 by Channa Wickremesekera.

work by MANGTINLEN BRUCE MISAO. post graduate. modern Indian history. Delhi University.

Channa Wickremesekera in his work uses a simple and comprehensible language. In this thesis,
the author through an examination of the formation of the East India Company’s sepoy army
during the latter half of the 18th century, seeks to determine the British perceptions on the Indian
soldier – the Sepoy; to its full extent and the nature of its impact of the formation of the sepoy
army. He therefore, gives a wide spectrum covering recruitment, training and general
management of the sepoy army, its command structure and most importantly, its deployment.
The title “Best Black Troops in the World” is both an adjective and a racial prejudice for the
Indian army i.e. the sepoy army of the British East India Company. These lines mentioned by
Colonel Robert Kelly makes the fact very clear that the British in their utmost appraisal
perceived the sepoys to be a superior type of Indian soldier only to remain as subordinates to
their British officers and counterparts.
Channa’s geographical and political extent largely covers the three Presidencies of British India
namely – Bengal, Bombay & Madras. The subtheme ‘perception and making of the sepoy
from 1746 to 1805’ revolves around these three domains.
Channa’s sources are highly reliable and credible. He has provided in his work a number of
illustrations – maps, paintings etc. which beautifully portray the concepts and events including
the scenes and strategies of the wars and battles which the sepoys fought in the subcontinent
against the French and native rulers. Besides, there are ample of quotations from various British
officials and military personnel for every situation that that comes along.
Channa’s work is so comprehensive that it literally gives every detail of an Indian Sepoy from
head to toe and the things that revolve around him from military barrack to parade ground to
that of battlefield.
He begins by giving a thorough background on the construction of Indian culture and racial
inferiority by the EIC, as a part of their conquest, corresponding to the developments occurring
in contemporary Europe. This process reaches its climax when there is clash of the military
cultures of Europe and Asia.
Amidst the British interaction with India, there was a prominent military dimension largely
neglected. The EIC’s army in particular, had great potential to contribute to the British
understanding of India and Indians. The army was, as Channa mentions, the institution that
spearheaded conquest and conquest involved long and violent exposure to the military
traditions on the subcontinent. The Company’s military culture paved way to the exposure of
military traditions on the subcontinent, India in particular.
It was in the 18th century that the EIC raised an army of Indian soldiers trained and equipped
in the European manner during intense and violent interaction with the indigenous military
culture. The 18th century marks the quest for knowledge about India and its people which
resulted in British construction of Indian backwardness. This was also the period when the
EIC’s sepoy army was formed. There was an implicit transition from Indian to European style
of fighting. The formation of Sepoy army was not simply a matter of recruiting and arming
thousands of men, it was also about organizing an Indian army to fight in the European manner.
At different junctures the author repeatedly mentioins his central question – “What were the
perceptions that informed British military thinking on their Indian soldiers.” The British
military thinking was highly influenced by the concept of race that resulted in Racist
stereotyping. This formed an important part of the overall imperial construction of the Indian
soldier’s inferiority. Evidently, the British authorities saw the sepoys as an inherently inferior
breed of soldier-worthy, malleable, tough, yet ultimately childlike, condemned by their natural
inferiority to be led by men of a superior race – the Europeans. Interestingly, the racist attitudes
originated primarily in Europe and not as a result of interaction with the Indian military culture.
This is so because the Indian army was already a well-established force in the 19th century.
To the contrary, work on the sepoy army in the 18th century is (still) largely silent about British
attitudes that informed the organization and employment of the sepoy army. Here, he regards
the Seema Alavi’s work as an exception for she explores the influence the indigenous military
culture had on the Company’s approach to raising its native army – caste. Caste eventually
becomes the category that dominated British attitudes towards their sepoys.
Channa therefore, in his work gives a wide spectrum covering recruitment, training and general
management of the sepoy army, its command structure and most importantly, its deployment;
themes which hitherto have been neglected.

Thank you and good luck to my learner fraternity.

Team Virasath. United by understanding of education.