THE PAST AS PRESENT Paperback

Conversation with Romila Thapar
Religion in the Indian subcontinent was, and is, a different experience from that of Europe and elsewhere. But it was redefined by colonial

scholarship so as to make it comprehensible to those who saw it from a Judeo-Christian perspective. This definition was not averse to Indian

scholars and to those who gave form to the socio-religious reform movements of the nineteenth century. This definition now prevails among

its influential practitioners and observers. If anything it has been taken even further in making it resemble the Semitic religions. However, it

does not explain the earlier practice of religion nor the presence of the variety of religions in India.

Secularism, that constitutes the second theme, has been variously defined. Since most Indian religions lack a Church the question of

Church and State relations would not apply.

However, this does not mean that secularism has no role in India. As we have noted earlier in this book, the definition prevalent in India, is that secularism means the co-existence of all religions irrespective of their status. As an extension of this idea it is said that secularism, since it excludes divine sanction, is alien to Indian civilization, the assumption being that everything in Indian civilization requires divine sanction.

I would like initially to suggest that a distinction be made between secularism and the secularizing of a society. I see secularism as an

ideology whose concern is with secularizing society, and although it accepts the presence of religion this presence does not receive priority

It is distinct from religion, but not opposed to it, since its concern is with the rights and obligations of the individual in the context of

multiple social relationships, in other words of the individual as citizen.The secularizing of a society moves towards giving a new direction to

the identity of a citizen. As ideology, secularism neither has an organizational base, nor can it be politically imposed. It has to evolve from rights to citizens and changes in society and its laws appropriate to these. This requires a readjustment of the social control exercised by various traditional authorities, which includes religious authorities. Nevertheless, secularism does challenge religious fundamentalism, in as much as the latter attempts to re-assert membership of a formal religion as the sole identity of the citizen.

Religious fundamentalism is primarily a political condition that wears the authoritarian cover of a religion, and can only be terminated by ending the political inducement it offers and by undermining its claim to being the unquestioning authority over all codes.

The secularizing of society suggests a process of graduated change that endorses the kinds of values that may lead to a secular society, but the process may or may not be deliberately directed towards this.Secularizing society requires the state and civil society to ensure that social ethics assume both the equality of all its citizens and their welfare. This requires that codes be sanctioned not by religious authority, but by a civil authority. This authority would have primacy over the registration of birth, marriage and death, although religious rites could certainly be performed if so wished; and the laws governing inheritance would be part of the universal civil code. Social justice in particular would not come under any religious jurisdiction. This would extend to schemes of social welfare—such as education, employment and health—initiated by the state. In short, it should be possible for any Indian to exercise his/her rights as a citizen without seeking the sanction of any religious

identity. Both the Hindu Code Bill and the Muslim Personal law and such like, would have to be replaced by a uniform, universally applicable civil law having jurisdiction over marriage and inheritance, and ensuring gender justice. If the interface with religion is important to secularism then the more pertinent question is whether the religion’s concerned can accommodate themselves to the secularizing of Indian society. Although it is anachronistic to look for ideas similar to secularism in pre-modern societies, it could be helpful to locate elements in traditional religions and thought that would be conducive to a secularizing process. What emerges from such an investigation is that religious sanction was not invariably required to establish social laws since there were exceptions and there were differences in customary practice. Furthermore, the priority given to civil law in contemporary times is one of the major characteristics of a modern society. To that extent it does involve a new way of looking

at the relationship between law and society.

Understanding our past is of critical importance to our present. Many popularly held views about the past need to be critically inquired into before they can be taken as historical. For instance, what was the aftermath of the raid on the Somanatha temple? Which of us is Aryan or Dravidian? Why is it important for Indian society to be secular? When did communalism as an ideology gain a foothold in the country? How and when did our patriarchal mindset begin to support a culture of violence against women? Why are the fundamentalists so keen to rewrite history textbooks? The answers to these and similar questions have been disputed and argued about ever since they were first posed. Distinguished historian Romila Thapar has investigated, analyzed and interpreted the history that underlies such questions throughout her career; now, in this book, through a series of incisive essays she argues that it is of critical importance for the past to be carefully and rigorously explained, if the legitimacy of our present, wherever it derives from the past, is to be portrayed as accurately as possible. This is especially pertinent given the attempts by unscrupulous politicians, religious fundamentalists and their ilk to try and misrepresent and willfully manipulate the past in order to serve their present-day agendas. An essential and necessary book at a time when sectarianism, bogus ‘nationalism’ and the muddying of historical facts are increasingly becoming a feature of our public, private and intellectual lives. Interesting facts A new collection of essays from renowned historian Romila Thapar, one of the most important Indian academics writing today. Well-researched and thoroughly accessible, this volume is sure to become essential reading for those interested in Indian history and religion. Includes her experience of writing history textbooks for school, analysis of ancient history and interpretations of the epics, and the role history plays in contemporary politics