SV: SV: [INDOLOGY @ ] More idol-breaking

[Guest guest]

VAgarwalV [sMTP:VAgarwalV] skrev 23. april 2001 21:58:

> INDOLOGY, Lars Martin Fosse <lmfosse@o...> wrote:

>

> But then, by now every one knows that you cannot argue any issue

> logically and have certain set, rigid, unacademic, simplistic views.

> Which is exactly to be expected from arm chair ivory tower Indologists

> who have not spent any signficant time in India (have you ever visited

> India BTW?)

 

First of all, in view of some of the latest comments, I should apologize

for bringing up this topic. I expected it would bring a few testy remarks

(which don't bother me much), but I should have been more considerate of

the rest of the list. I shall therefore refrain from entering upon a

venomous discussion with Mr. Agarwal. However, I will answer a couple of

his questions.

 

1. Yes, I have visited India. I have travelled extensively in Northern and

Southern India, but I'll admit to not having lived in India for longer

periods. On the other hand, I know people who have done so, and their views

on India are not much different from mine, give or take a few nuances. The

question is how much living in India matters. If you deal with a historical

subject, you cannot go "back" and live in the period you study, but you may

still be able to say something sensible about it. Since I was trained as a

classical Indologist, all "my" Indians have been dead for at least a 1000

years. Going to India will not necessarily help me a lot, except that I

find looking at historical monuments and art extremely useful (and

pleasant). (It is a bit like going to modern Rome to study ancient Rome).

As for modern India: well, I have the better part of the Indian press right

at my fingertips through the Internet. In addition to that, I have a good

library and I talk to a lot of Indians on the Internet. I may miss some of

the details of everyday life, but I don't miss the really important

information provided I have time to read up on Indians matters. Given the

Internet, Oslo, Washington and Sydney can be as good vantage points as New

Delhi or Bombay for some kinds of information.

 

> So Lars, do you even know what the name 'Lashkar e Tauba' means??

 

2. I am not sure about your transliteration of "Tauba'" here, but if you

mean "taubah" Lashkar-e-Taubah should mean "The army of conversion" (or

possibly "army of repentance"). This is what you may get when Muslims are

threatened with reconversion to Hinduism. Extremist movements influence

each other and become mirror images of each other. It should not be a very

surprising development.

 

Lars Martin Fosse

 

 

Dr. art. Lars Martin Fosse

Haugerudvn. 76, Leil. 114,

0674 Oslo

Norway

Phone: +47 22 32 12 19

Mobile phone: +47 90 91 91 45

Fax 1: +47 22 32 12 19

Fax 2: +47 85 02 12 50 (InFax)

Email: lmfosse

[Guest guest]

INDOLOGY, Lars Martin Fosse <lmfosse@o...> wrote:

> Extremist movements

> influence

> each other and become mirror images of each other.

 

A good point. Secular thinkers in India felt, during the days of

rampant communal riots back in the 60's and 70's, that the RSS and

the Jamait-i-Islami acted exactly like mirror images of each other.

For one thing both were alleged to receive considerable subventions

from the CIA, supposedly channeled via food aid and other rupee

payment schemes.

 

Warm Regards,

 

LS