Understanding Indian Civilization
video description
What all Indian nationalists do get upset about is when India, the country itself, is insulted or disrespected in some way or another.
would give this video 7/10 stars.
3 Stars for getting the basic history correct. It's pretty much the same history which is taught in Indian school books. Problem is that that history has several inaccuracies, mainly due to it being written by leftist, Marxist historians in India. India has had left of Centre governments in power which have influenced education in India.
For example the Aryan invasion theory and the history of caste has been challenged by conservative, right wing historians in recent times. I'm not saying you should take a side but give the audience information on both arguments. Still, it is a good introduction for foreigners as to Indian history.
2 Stars for the religion, you've explained the Hinduism and Buddhism quite well. But it lacked depth.
2 Stars for your sociological analysis in which you've explained the interactions between different groups quite well. You've explained well how Indian society has dominated the political systems.
I am eager to see the next part.
Date: 2022-10-20
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Comments and reviews: 14
Sarath
So many claims/ statements are superficial (like claiming the Top tier in Harappan civilisation looked like middle eastern and the lower class was dark skinned dravidians, this is while there is no idea of the kind of hierarchical system in place) and largely looks through a western historical/religious lense (Indian historical lense is very very limited in coverage and most historiography in India is so much influenced by Marxian world view. For eg isn t it curious that the Aryans who invaded/ migrated chose to two different paths as far as their religion is concerned I. e chose to spread Vedas in India but decided to totally it and their religion in Europe. Not really an Invaders mindset is it? Then there is the Horse and chariot! Harappans knew chariots and their use in war! There is excavations in Rakhigarhi) to prove that. The claim of Vedas being brought in by Aryans from central Asian steppe is hardly true, since the vedas itself is full of references of local flora, fauna, rivers etc. If vedas are an Aryan creation they created it in India. The Buddhist traditions were largely an offshoot of Vedic philosophy itself and flourished as long as they enjoyed Royal patronage and slowly assimilated back into the larger culture. Finally the Mahabharata is nothing like Iliad and I have read both. Mahabharata is written more like compilation of Indian philosophy for the masses (with explanations of Dharma for individuals in different walks of life as its core theme) told through a story of family feud. I agree that you know little about Indian civilisation but not everything you claim here are facts!
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So many claims/ statements are superficial (like claiming the Top tier in Harappan civilisation looked like middle eastern and the lower class was dark skinned dravidians, this is while there is no idea of the kind of hierarchical system in place) and largely looks through a western historical/religious lense (Indian historical lense is very very limited in coverage and most historiography in India is so much influenced by Marxian world view. For eg isn t it curious that the Aryans who invaded/ migrated chose to two different paths as far as their religion is concerned I. e chose to spread Vedas in India but decided to totally it and their religion in Europe. Not really an Invaders mindset is it? Then there is the Horse and chariot! Harappans knew chariots and their use in war! There is excavations in Rakhigarhi) to prove that. The claim of Vedas being brought in by Aryans from central Asian steppe is hardly true, since the vedas itself is full of references of local flora, fauna, rivers etc. If vedas are an Aryan creation they created it in India. The Buddhist traditions were largely an offshoot of Vedic philosophy itself and flourished as long as they enjoyed Royal patronage and slowly assimilated back into the larger culture. Finally the Mahabharata is nothing like Iliad and I have read both. Mahabharata is written more like compilation of Indian philosophy for the masses (with explanations of Dharma for individuals in different walks of life as its core theme) told through a story of family feud. I agree that you know little about Indian civilisation but not everything you claim here are facts!
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Red
You are wrong about US and Indian reservation.
India gives reservation benefits to not only tribal people but also people from lower class.
US reservation is a small self governing territory given to native inside the country while reservation in India are entirely different thing.
Reservation in India means that government gives special percentage of reserved seats to tribals and people from lower class community in government jobs and college to help them lift up in society.
In those reserved seats, only students from that community can be present although they can claim the rest.
For example- If there are 100 seats in college where 15 seats are given to lower caste community, then those 15 seats can only have people from lower caste community meanwhile they can also be present on rest 85 as well if they score well in general category.
Reservation benefits are also given to lower caste community and tribal people in things like lower college fee, some social schemes, lower prices for forms and documents, increased age limit in applying for govt. position etc.
It is given to lift them to equal level in society and as a compensation for the hardship they faced for last 3000 years.
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You are wrong about US and Indian reservation.
India gives reservation benefits to not only tribal people but also people from lower class.
US reservation is a small self governing territory given to native inside the country while reservation in India are entirely different thing.
Reservation in India means that government gives special percentage of reserved seats to tribals and people from lower class community in government jobs and college to help them lift up in society.
In those reserved seats, only students from that community can be present although they can claim the rest.
For example- If there are 100 seats in college where 15 seats are given to lower caste community, then those 15 seats can only have people from lower caste community meanwhile they can also be present on rest 85 as well if they score well in general category.
Reservation benefits are also given to lower caste community and tribal people in things like lower college fee, some social schemes, lower prices for forms and documents, increased age limit in applying for govt. position etc.
It is given to lift them to equal level in society and as a compensation for the hardship they faced for last 3000 years.
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Akash
India right now is not what it was entirely. India is split in between rural and urban area. You can find 3 types of people in India based on mindset. First, the backwards who believe in the old discriminatory systems. Second, the mixed ones who are partially religious but westernized as well. Third, the westerners who are mostly white or rich or in entertainment sector.
You would find in cities that most are mixed ones who oppose caste, kinda sceptic about religion and are mostly kinda chill but do fight over religious atrocities that happened to them by some other group. Overall chill but but BUT I WILL STRESS THAT India is now moving towards a CULTURAL REAWAKENING after the rise of BJP ( Bhartiye Janta Party) which has stressed on culture, past, glory, respect, etc.
So, Idk where we will be in future but I can bet THAT WE WON'T BE A CASTE BASED HELL. Lower castes are now part of macro economy and caste in cities can decide your place of birth in low income house but won't stop you from becoming successful if you work hard. Caste is alive in marriages besides that it is a dying in every other area.
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India right now is not what it was entirely. India is split in between rural and urban area. You can find 3 types of people in India based on mindset. First, the backwards who believe in the old discriminatory systems. Second, the mixed ones who are partially religious but westernized as well. Third, the westerners who are mostly white or rich or in entertainment sector.
You would find in cities that most are mixed ones who oppose caste, kinda sceptic about religion and are mostly kinda chill but do fight over religious atrocities that happened to them by some other group. Overall chill but but BUT I WILL STRESS THAT India is now moving towards a CULTURAL REAWAKENING after the rise of BJP ( Bhartiye Janta Party) which has stressed on culture, past, glory, respect, etc.
So, Idk where we will be in future but I can bet THAT WE WON'T BE A CASTE BASED HELL. Lower castes are now part of macro economy and caste in cities can decide your place of birth in low income house but won't stop you from becoming successful if you work hard. Caste is alive in marriages besides that it is a dying in every other area.
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Debo
8: 56 sorry massive mistake here, South India is the least castist area of India proper especially compared to North. In Tamil Nadu you literally will not encounter someone asking your caste unless it is for marriage. In the North I literally couldn't visit an apartment for rent without the landlords asking what my caste is, where my parents are from, what jobs they have, what languages can they speak. I wasn t allowed in Gujarati Brahmin restaurants because they would ask my caste and I would refuse to answer. One of the biggest leaders in Madras state literally became a staunch supporter of dividing South India from North India because he went to North Indias holiest site and was refused entry to restaurants because he wasn't a brahmin which shocked him to his core as he never experienced this in South India. IDK where you got the completely wrong idea that caste is stricter in South India but that is a mssive mistake even historically the caste system was far more stratified in the North than the South even when North was conquered by muslims they enforced caste system harder than hindu rulers in south.
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8: 56 sorry massive mistake here, South India is the least castist area of India proper especially compared to North. In Tamil Nadu you literally will not encounter someone asking your caste unless it is for marriage. In the North I literally couldn't visit an apartment for rent without the landlords asking what my caste is, where my parents are from, what jobs they have, what languages can they speak. I wasn t allowed in Gujarati Brahmin restaurants because they would ask my caste and I would refuse to answer. One of the biggest leaders in Madras state literally became a staunch supporter of dividing South India from North India because he went to North Indias holiest site and was refused entry to restaurants because he wasn't a brahmin which shocked him to his core as he never experienced this in South India. IDK where you got the completely wrong idea that caste is stricter in South India but that is a mssive mistake even historically the caste system was far more stratified in the North than the South even when North was conquered by muslims they enforced caste system harder than hindu rulers in south.
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Ikenga
5: 30 The Harappans declined like Centuries before the Aryans arrived.
This isn't Germans conquering Rome, its Arameans moving into completely collapsed Mesopotamia.
5: 49 And Mitanni are Indo-Aryan, not the Southern Group
I also don't get why you're calling the Dravidians native and by reference the Aryans foreign even after stating yourself that the Dravidians similarly migrated in. By the Harappan you started calling the Dravidians natives, how is that any less native than the Aryans.
8: 15 You're missing the influence of the BMAC culture that occupied Central Asia before the Aryans. They mixed with the Aryans for millennia and by the time the Aryans got into India they had acquired farming and irrigation from the BMAC, they had also acquired something like proto-Zoroastrianism from the BMAC.
As for Caste, Yeah it was a thing but it wasn't exactly the same as the Job you could ever do like Shudras and Brahmins have been warriors and ruler(Rai and Chach dynasties of Sindh) so as you said, its like an ethnicity expected to do job X but often also did other stuff.
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5: 30 The Harappans declined like Centuries before the Aryans arrived.
This isn't Germans conquering Rome, its Arameans moving into completely collapsed Mesopotamia.
5: 49 And Mitanni are Indo-Aryan, not the Southern Group
I also don't get why you're calling the Dravidians native and by reference the Aryans foreign even after stating yourself that the Dravidians similarly migrated in. By the Harappan you started calling the Dravidians natives, how is that any less native than the Aryans.
8: 15 You're missing the influence of the BMAC culture that occupied Central Asia before the Aryans. They mixed with the Aryans for millennia and by the time the Aryans got into India they had acquired farming and irrigation from the BMAC, they had also acquired something like proto-Zoroastrianism from the BMAC.
As for Caste, Yeah it was a thing but it wasn't exactly the same as the Job you could ever do like Shudras and Brahmins have been warriors and ruler(Rai and Chach dynasties of Sindh) so as you said, its like an ethnicity expected to do job X but often also did other stuff.
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Ultimate
As an Indian, one thing I would like to point out is that the caste system wasn't a monolithic institution in Indian history.
Caste system in Ancient India, was primarily similar to the Estates System of Medieval Europe, in that, yeah much of how you would be perceived in the society would be decided by the caste system, but there was no restriction on changing jobs. We have accounts of peasants becoming nobility, Brahmins becoming merchants and whatnot. Hell, even the rulers of Nanda and Mauryan Empires, were from lower castes as is well documented.
The caste system as we know it developed in the Early Middle Ages, as the Old Gupta Empire fell into decadence and ruin. Genetic studies point out to a bottleneck in Indian genepool in 600 AD, which is exactly when the Guptas fell out of power.
Otherwise, it is a quite good and rational approach taken about. You are doing good man, and you must not fear those wretched trollers.
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As an Indian, one thing I would like to point out is that the caste system wasn't a monolithic institution in Indian history.
Caste system in Ancient India, was primarily similar to the Estates System of Medieval Europe, in that, yeah much of how you would be perceived in the society would be decided by the caste system, but there was no restriction on changing jobs. We have accounts of peasants becoming nobility, Brahmins becoming merchants and whatnot. Hell, even the rulers of Nanda and Mauryan Empires, were from lower castes as is well documented.
The caste system as we know it developed in the Early Middle Ages, as the Old Gupta Empire fell into decadence and ruin. Genetic studies point out to a bottleneck in Indian genepool in 600 AD, which is exactly when the Guptas fell out of power.
Otherwise, it is a quite good and rational approach taken about. You are doing good man, and you must not fear those wretched trollers.
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Akash
I completed my graduation in Political Science with a diploma in History and I could recommend few sources to learn about Indian philosophy and history if you want to learn.
Best tip to find great info. on Indian history is to look for books recommended to cover India history for UPSC ( Union Public Service Commission ) Examination which is the toughest exam in India through which bureaucrats and diplomats are recruited. You can find great books that will summarize Indian history.
Few books-
1. A history of ancient and early medieval India by Upinder Singh
2. Indian Art and culture by Nitin Singhania
3. The Wonder that was India by A. L. Basham
All of these are studied by top Indian bureaucrats so they are more or less best info you can find on Indian history.
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I completed my graduation in Political Science with a diploma in History and I could recommend few sources to learn about Indian philosophy and history if you want to learn.
Best tip to find great info. on Indian history is to look for books recommended to cover India history for UPSC ( Union Public Service Commission ) Examination which is the toughest exam in India through which bureaucrats and diplomats are recruited. You can find great books that will summarize Indian history.
Few books-
1. A history of ancient and early medieval India by Upinder Singh
2. Indian Art and culture by Nitin Singhania
3. The Wonder that was India by A. L. Basham
All of these are studied by top Indian bureaucrats so they are more or less best info you can find on Indian history.
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Keystone
I would think Indian civilization is both the best and worst mankind has to offer on a macro-cultural-societal sense. It's old as time itself, being possibly the oldest of all civilizations, combing urban, tribal, and hunter gatherer elements into a beautiful patchwork that forms the basis of the entire civilization. And throughout most of it's history, it managed to be both big, wealthy, and pompous, yet somehow quiet and out of view. It is a beautiful stained glass window, constantly being added and rarely subtracted from to create a true gradient of all colors of mankind. However that comes at great cost, a caste system that has cause countless tears, and oppressive government after weak administration that cannot prevent this.
Honestly one of my favorite regions on Earth.
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I would think Indian civilization is both the best and worst mankind has to offer on a macro-cultural-societal sense. It's old as time itself, being possibly the oldest of all civilizations, combing urban, tribal, and hunter gatherer elements into a beautiful patchwork that forms the basis of the entire civilization. And throughout most of it's history, it managed to be both big, wealthy, and pompous, yet somehow quiet and out of view. It is a beautiful stained glass window, constantly being added and rarely subtracted from to create a true gradient of all colors of mankind. However that comes at great cost, a caste system that has cause countless tears, and oppressive government after weak administration that cannot prevent this.
Honestly one of my favorite regions on Earth.
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Alex
I live in Kochi, Kerala, India. The place I live in is a metro city with a storng Christian and Muslim minority. The city is becoming more westerner every year with restaurants, oversees education opportunities etc. Anyone who only speak English can get by here since most shops, directions, bus stops and railway stations use english billboards and signs where as the local language malayalam and Hindi is not common. Most people understand english adequately to communicate with foreigners. This city is a favorites of expats who live in the US, Uk and Australia. The state's politics is centre left therefore big factories are not present here atleast compared to our industrial neighbor Tamil Nadu. Our Malayalam Films along with Bengali movies tend to win most number national film awards.
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I live in Kochi, Kerala, India. The place I live in is a metro city with a storng Christian and Muslim minority. The city is becoming more westerner every year with restaurants, oversees education opportunities etc. Anyone who only speak English can get by here since most shops, directions, bus stops and railway stations use english billboards and signs where as the local language malayalam and Hindi is not common. Most people understand english adequately to communicate with foreigners. This city is a favorites of expats who live in the US, Uk and Australia. The state's politics is centre left therefore big factories are not present here atleast compared to our industrial neighbor Tamil Nadu. Our Malayalam Films along with Bengali movies tend to win most number national film awards.
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A.
as somebody that's Chinese, it is a source of fascination to us that India is essentially the polar opposite of China in many ways yet roughly comparable in population.
I've seen many Indians on social media express admiration at how Chinese movies about Indian mythology use real spoken Sanskrit and i hope these cultural exchanges continue with the exceptionally peacful history our two countries have had so far. For thousands of years, we barely ever fought each other at all. I wholly believe that India and China are not natural enemies whatsoever.
As Chinese society continue to mature, and even though we've experienced greater economic success (so far) many of us haven't forgotten that much of East Asia's deepest cultural roots sprouted from Indic civilization.
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as somebody that's Chinese, it is a source of fascination to us that India is essentially the polar opposite of China in many ways yet roughly comparable in population.
I've seen many Indians on social media express admiration at how Chinese movies about Indian mythology use real spoken Sanskrit and i hope these cultural exchanges continue with the exceptionally peacful history our two countries have had so far. For thousands of years, we barely ever fought each other at all. I wholly believe that India and China are not natural enemies whatsoever.
As Chinese society continue to mature, and even though we've experienced greater economic success (so far) many of us haven't forgotten that much of East Asia's deepest cultural roots sprouted from Indic civilization.
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Sohrab
Indo aryans did it peacefully? I'm iranian. that myth is driven in opposition to the trauma of Arab and later Mongol invasion of iranian lands, which I suspect it to be initiated by sassanids who have a reputation of manipulating the history to serve their purpose, otherwise. there people on that land owning the land with no horses before the aryan came. Then aryan show up with no land but plenty of horses, couple of centuries later aryans own both horses and lands, peacefully. that's one big fat joke. my ancestors or not, I bet it was s brutal as any other nomadic invasion. I mean imagine Mongols only viking looking.
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Indo aryans did it peacefully? I'm iranian. that myth is driven in opposition to the trauma of Arab and later Mongol invasion of iranian lands, which I suspect it to be initiated by sassanids who have a reputation of manipulating the history to serve their purpose, otherwise. there people on that land owning the land with no horses before the aryan came. Then aryan show up with no land but plenty of horses, couple of centuries later aryans own both horses and lands, peacefully. that's one big fat joke. my ancestors or not, I bet it was s brutal as any other nomadic invasion. I mean imagine Mongols only viking looking.
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viki
in India you can change religion but can't change caste so in my opinion you can't understand India without understanding caste and for that you must read Ambedkar and mahatma phule etc
also kautilya/chankya is a mythical character introduced in a play 100s of years later, Maurya wrote the most they don't mention any chanakya or kautilya they don't even mention brahmin it was later addition when Brits dug up Ashoka and Maurya which none of Indian brahmins knew before Cunningham rediscovered Mauryan legacy which left most written evidence of any Indian state except for British raj
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in India you can change religion but can't change caste so in my opinion you can't understand India without understanding caste and for that you must read Ambedkar and mahatma phule etc
also kautilya/chankya is a mythical character introduced in a play 100s of years later, Maurya wrote the most they don't mention any chanakya or kautilya they don't even mention brahmin it was later addition when Brits dug up Ashoka and Maurya which none of Indian brahmins knew before Cunningham rediscovered Mauryan legacy which left most written evidence of any Indian state except for British raj
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expressive
Why do people mostly explain the caste system which was adopted after the Muslim invasions
The caste system that was during the Vedic age was far more fluid in its nature and untouchables was a category that was added very later on in the history
There was also a lot of social mobilisation between the caste they were not strict sections of society which they later became
Also the main ideology of Buddhism and Hinduism are the same budhh never preached a new religion
Buddhism is better comparison as a sect of Hinduism like shaivites or vaishnavs
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Why do people mostly explain the caste system which was adopted after the Muslim invasions
The caste system that was during the Vedic age was far more fluid in its nature and untouchables was a category that was added very later on in the history
There was also a lot of social mobilisation between the caste they were not strict sections of society which they later became
Also the main ideology of Buddhism and Hinduism are the same budhh never preached a new religion
Buddhism is better comparison as a sect of Hinduism like shaivites or vaishnavs
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Neel
The caste system wasn't originally as rigid as people think it is. You can find innumerable examples of people from supposedly lower castes doing jobs of people from higher castes. However, like any hierarchy, things get ossified over time, as usually son of cobbler will most definitely become a cobbler, son of barber will be barber, son of soldier will most likely enlist in military like his father. This was the case in the rest of the world too, and is still present in the form of nepotism.
Overall this is a really good video. Keep up the good work.
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The caste system wasn't originally as rigid as people think it is. You can find innumerable examples of people from supposedly lower castes doing jobs of people from higher castes. However, like any hierarchy, things get ossified over time, as usually son of cobbler will most definitely become a cobbler, son of barber will be barber, son of soldier will most likely enlist in military like his father. This was the case in the rest of the world too, and is still present in the form of nepotism.
Overall this is a really good video. Keep up the good work.
reply
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