Speed
of Britishers:
As against this, the progress of the
Britishers in the study of Indian history was very fast. It may be
that the hypothesis assumed by them to fix the chronology of ancient
Indian history may not be correct. After all, they were foreigners.
Their approach was not rooted in the culture of India. But the
energies they applied to this work are praise worthy. They
came for trade in the beginning of the seventeenth century. They
decided to capture the political power of this land in the second
quarter of the eighteenth century. By the first quarter of the
nineteenth century they were masters of the whole of India. And by
the end of the nineteenth century they had established the Aryan
race theory and entire chronology of Indian history. What is the
reason for the difference in this speed ?
In comparison with the Britishers,
the only reason for slow Indian speed seems to be a lack of national
consciousness, pleat and Organization. Before they reached India,
the Britishers were a nation of organized patriots and disciplined
and devoted individuals. Continuous were their efforts for such an
organization from eleventh century onwards. They were able to pool
the efforts of individuals who were applying their full capacities
and energies to the cause. We know of James Princep who lived only
for 39 years. He had devoted some hours everyday for seven years and
in the end was successful in deciphering the Brahmi script. Many
others like Jones, Pargiter, etc. were similarly active in the
field. They had their family and service responsibilities. Inspite
of this they were devoting so many man-hours everyday. They used to
put down in writing their findings and researches on the basis of
which they used to discuss in meetings in an organized way. These
discussions and writings put in black and white were preserved.
These writings are available today in the issues of the journals of
Royal Asiatic Society, etc.. All this is worth not only appreciating
but following also, Thanks to them for such an organized execution
and preservation.
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