A question of Indian history

[ao333]

I often come across materials regarding Indian culture and political history in Canada. I have a few questions that have been bothering me for a while. Given that everyone here is Indian, I'd like to ask the descendents of their history directly!

1) Are Hindi, Persian languages influenced by European and Indian dialects? If not, why do Hindi and Persian scripts look so similar?

2) Why has the Indian subcontinent been unified under foreign powers longer than indigenous rulers? I recognize that for most of its history, India has been ruled by myriad of kingdoms or Northwestern/Northeastern/Central/Southern empires but the duration of Mauryan (140~ years) is too shortlived compared to Mughal (330~) and Company/British Raj (100-200~).

3) The Hindus valley civilization encompasses precisely Pakistan. How do Indian people feel about this? Do they consider Pakistan a defecting Indian territory awaiting reunification and hence Hindus is still Indian culture and not Pakistan's alone? Or are they angered by the fact that their ancestors are living in some other country?

4) If Persian attire and technology, and Islam is any evidence of Arab influence on Indian culture, do Indians ostracize muslims because of nationalist factors -- that Islam is not an Indian-made religion? Or is it because of terrorism and hate for Pakistan itself?

5) Lastly, it appears that English pervades through both people and government in India. Do English speakers in India pride themselves on speaking our language or are they ashamed of the fact that it's a remanent of Raj?

Thanks in advance! And please correct my views if they are mistaken.

 

[KS]

1) Are Hindi, Persian languages influenced by European and Indian dialects? If not, why do Hindi and Persian scripts look so similar?

Iranians use an Arabic script tailored to meet their unique sounds.Hindi is no where similar to it.

2) Why has the Indian subcontinent been unified under foreign powers longer than indigenous rulers? I recognize that for most of its history, India has been ruled by myriad of kingdoms or Northwestern/Northeastern/Central/Southern empires but the duration of Mauryan (140~ years) is too shortlived compared to Mughal (330~) and Company/British Raj (100-200~).

No single,simple to answer it. Just say disunity,jealosy among the local chieftains who when suddenly exposed to the invaders coming from the west just buckled under pressure.

3) The Hindus valley civilization encompasses precisely Pakistan. How do Indian people feel about this? Do they consider Pakistan a defecting Indian territory awaiting reunification and hence Hindus is still Indian culture and not Pakistan's alone? Or are they angered by the fact that their ancestors are living in some other country?

No one thinks Pakistan is a part of India waiting to be re-unified.But what ever happened pre-1947 which includes the Taxila,IVC etc are the shared heritage of people in both countries.

4) If Persian attire and technology, and Islam is any evidence of Arab influence on Indian culture, do Indians ostracize muslims because of nationalist factors -- that Islam is not an Indian-made religion? Or is it because of terrorism and hate for Pakistan itself?

Muslims are as Indians as any Hindu.Let there be no about it -- Yes Islam was a religion alien to this land but whats the use in holding people accountable for what happened a millenuim ago. ?

And Arab/Persian influence on Indian culture is minimal to say at the maximum.The culture of this land is still alive and kicking.

5) Lastly, it appears that English pervades through both people and government in India. Do English speakers in India pride themselves on speaking our language or are they ashamed of the fact that it's a remanent of Raj?

In India Language which is spoken changes literally for every 100 kilometers and so to communicate with each other effectively a common,neutral language is required and English fits the bill perfectly.

We are proud of English but much more proud about each of ours native language.

 

[LaBong]

5) Lastly, it appears that English pervades through both people and government in India. Do English speakers in India pride themselves on speaking our language or are they ashamed of the fact that it's a remanent of Raj?

Thanks in advance! And please correct my views if they are mistaken.

How does it become your language to be precisely? Last I know your a Chinese-Canadian. Either way, English neither a language of Chinese nor of Canadians.

English is used in India as lingua-franca, as there's myriads of languages in India with very distinct heritage. Same way, different linguistic groups in defence.pk, be it Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali or Tamil speaking, communicate each other in English. Not to forget, Indians actively contribute to English literature, it has become a native language of Indians.

If Americans of different ethnic stock aren't ashamed of speaking in English, why should Indians be?

 

[ao333]

Iranians use an Arabic script tailored to meet their unique sounds.Hindi is no where similar to it.



No single,simple to answer it. Just say disunity,jealosy among the local chieftains who when suddenly exposed to the invaders coming from the west just buckled under pressure.




No one thinks Pakistan is a part of India waiting to be re-unified.But what ever happened pre-1947 which includes the Taxila,IVC etc are the shared heritage of people in both countries.



Muslims are as Indians as any Hindu.Let there be no about it -- Yes Islam was a religion alien to this land but whats the use in holding people accountable for what happened a millenuim ago. ?

And Arab/Persian influence on Indian culture is minimal to say at the maximum.The culture of this land is still alive and kicking.



In India Language which is spoken changes literally for every 100 kilometers and so to communicate with each other effectively a common,neutral language is required and English fits the bill perfectly.

We are proud of English but much more proud about each of ours native language.

Thanks; your answers are great!

 

[LaBong]

1) Are Hindi, Persian languages influenced by European and Indian dialects? If not, why do Hindi and Persian scripts look so similar?

Persian use modified Arabic script. Hindi uses Devnagari script. There's a heaven and hell difference between these two. Urdu use Persian script.

Anyway, Hindi/Urdu isn't analogous to Indian.

 

[LaBong]

4) If Persian attire and technology, and Islam is any evidence of Arab influence on Indian culture, do Indians ostracize muslims because of nationalist factors -- that Islam is not an Indian-made religion? Or is it because of terrorism and hate for Pakistan itself?

There's very little or no influence of Arab in India. Indian Muslims are a community of their own distinctive hues, same as Persian/Turk and East Asian Muslims. Arab Wahhabism has no relevance in India.

There's Persian influence in language, arts and foods as Mughals lived a Persian life. But that's only an addition to the diversity of India.

Urdu is an example, how Sanskrit grammar and Persian loan words gave birth to a whole new language and rich literature associated with it.

 

[ao333]

How does it become your language to be precisely? Last I know your a Chinese-Canadian. Either way, English neither a language of Chinese nor of Canadians.

English is used in India as lingua-franca, as there's myriads of languages in India with very distinct heritage. Same way, different linguistic groups in defence.pk, be it Mandarin, Hindi, Punjabi, Bengali or Tamil speaking, communicate each other in English. Not to forget, Indians actively contribute to English literature, it has become a native language of Indians.

If Americans of different ethnic stock aren't ashamed of speaking in English, why should Indians be?

Hah? Please, my name is Alphonse Osborne, of English descent. I am more English than most on the British Isles are and am as Chinese as your mom is Pakistani. As such English is my language. I am glad you're taking time to answer my questions, but please, not everyone on this forum is hiding behind Western flags for 50 cents or a feel of Western supremecy.

Anyway, Hindi/Urdu isn't analogous to Indian.

Oh. What is it analogous to?

 

[LaBong]

Hah? Please, my name is Alphonse Osborne, of English descent. I am as Chinese as your mom is Pakistani. And as such English is my language. I am glad you're taking time to answer my questions, but please, not everyone on this forum is hiding behind Western flags for 50 cents or a feel of Western supremecy.

Please avoid making indecent jabs, I didn't really made any reference of your mom being Japanese or Taiwanese.

I have been lurking in this forum long enough to know facts.

Don't bother to reply.

 

[justanobserver]

2) Why has the Indian subcontinent been unified under foreign powers longer than indigenous rulers? I recognize that for most of its history, India has been ruled by myriad of kingdoms or Northwestern/Northeastern/Central/Southern empires but the duration of Mauryan (140~ years) is too shortlived compared to Mughal (330~) and Company/British Raj (100-200~).

The central Asians conquered a lot of territories, the Mughals are an offshot of the Mongols who conquered all of China

The British arrived at a time when the Mughal empire had been broken up by the Marathas and the Sikhs, as such they didn't meet much of a resistance

 

[ao333]

The central Asians conquered a lot of territories, the Mughals are an offshot of the Mongols who conquered all of China.

Yeah, I know but the Chinese were ruled by Mongols themselves for less than a century while India was ruled by an offshot for more than 3. Are you suggesting that I'm Chinese? Because I don't want to get into a piss war with you guys.

Please avoid making indecent jabs, I didn't really made any reference of your mom being Japanese or Taiwanese.

I rest my case. It would appear all those who view Indians negatively are Chinese. I feel sorry for the Aussies. And please, accusing me of being Chinese is as of a indecent jab as your mom is Pakistani. They're analogous.

 

[LaBong]

Please avoid making indecent jabs, I didn't really made any reference of your mom being Japanese or Taiwanese.

I rest my case. It would appear all those who view Indians negatively are Chinese. I feel sorry for the Aussies. And please, accusing me of being Chinese is as of a indecent jab as your mom is Pakistani. They're analogous.

Save you're insults till your Gweilo masters accept you as one of their own.

 

[ao333]

Please avoid making indecent jabs, I didn't really made any reference of your mom being Japanese or Taiwanese.

Save you're insults till your Gweilo masters accept you as one of their own.

What are Gweilo masters? Those who died in a a feeble rebellion against our slave masters at Gwalior? I should stop making racist jokes...

 

[Capt.Popeye]

What are Gweilo masters? Those who died in a a feeble rebellion against our slave masters at Gwalior?

Were your fore-fathers in Gwalior/Gweilo?
Before migration that is.

 

[ao333]

Were your fore-fathers in Gwalior/Gweilo?
Before migration that is.

They were in Durham and migrated to Ontario afterwards. A few decades later, they moved West to BC. I'm not sure you understand my reference though. You guys are too hostile; I feel for the Aussies.

 

[twoplustwoisfour]

3) The Hindus valley civilization encompasses precisely Pakistan. How do Indian people feel about this? Do they consider Pakistan a defecting Indian territory awaiting reunification and hence Hindus is still Indian culture and not Pakistan's alone? Or are they angered by the fact that their ancestors are living in some other country?

WTF is Hindus Valley Civilization? No wonder there is a stereotype about the American/Canadian education system.

Oh, and by the way, you live in canada, speak english and are christian (I'm guessing), the same way I live in India, speak Hindi, and my religion is Hindu. Please learn to distinguish between the three.