Category: Zachary

This is why Pakistan is a shit country-

Continue reading This is why Pakistan is a shit country-

When Brahmins get treated like Dalits; the world listens

https://www.instagram.com/p/BxYNcrTAw0Y/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=xogsyngrd9zr

Swipe right and you’ll see why I wrote that.

I agree white people have to learn *more* about race but how many upper caste Indians would be comfortable with their children playing with Dalits?

And yes for white people *we* (coloured volk) are all Dalits since we were their subordinates and slaves less than half a century ago (history would have turned out very different had they not destroyed each other in White War 1 & White War 2).

As an aside I find it a bit absurd when Brits go on and on about how they “died for our freedom.” Our ancestors were subjects (or rather more like glorified servants; Hindustani text books in the 19th century is how an English lady should tell her staff to do a better job) both before and after the Wars so it’s a bit rich to presume they shed their blood in our name. Even the epithet “World War” masks that though the world was at war, it was simply because it was controlled by White Powers (with the exception of Japan). Language is a masking told and all powerful in how to reshape the narrative.

I’m not going to be an icon for Hinditva (I wanted to write Hindutva but my phone defaulted to Hinditva LOL) simply because I make a daily habit of shitting on Islam.

There are some deeply disturbing aspects of Hindu culture especially with regards to treating a huge section of their population on a lower rank than animals.

Caste is the South Asian curse and makes us the laughing stock of the world. Our colour obsession stems from the simple fact that colour is profoundly correlated to the caste hierarchy (as a Chennaite once told me in Kampala- never trust a black Brahmin).

I find it a bit amusing when Indians hyperventilate that Islam is the biggest threat to world peace and Indian security. I would have imagined a significant subsection of their truly dark population (Ms. Subramanian is *not* dark in Chennai) in abject and soul-wrenching poverty should rank a bit higher on their list of concerns..

A Quick Question- when did Hindus revenge themselves?

We just wrapped up another podcast but I listened this time and didn’t say anything. It was really dense and informative!

As I was clearing away everything (well past my bedtime) a random thought popped into my head.

At what point pre-1947 did Hindus (or Sikhs) revenge themselves on Muslims? What I’m trying to establish is that was there a justifiable fear on the part of the Muslim League to assert that a Hindu-majority India would be a no-go zone.

I’m specifically excluding the Partition events but I’m looking for a Hindu equivalent of Direct Action Day, where legions of Hindus set themselves on Muslim localities.

My distinct impression is that these mob riots emerged in the bad blood post Partition. In comparison to the Greeks, Israelis or even now the Chinese; Hindus and Indians have been particularly partial towards their Muslim population.

At any rate this is my short note and remember I’ll be (iA) live blogging tomorrow’s lecture.

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I’ve discovered the South Asian Centre at Cambridge and I’m rather kicking myself for not availing it sooner. I missed an interesting talk on Lahori resistance in the 19th century on Monday.

I’ll try to live blog the lectures where I can; there’s also the Shahnama Institute and the Ancient India & Iran Trust.

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I’ll try to live blog lectures where I can and of course ask speakers onto Podcasts (I’m still pending some questions to Professor Foltz but since there weren’t too many, I’ll putting that on ice for now).

If commentators are interested in particular lectures please do let me know so I can make sure to attend.

Why I hate the Hijab

The Hijab is a part of the Middle Eastern-Levantine cultural matrix so I don’t  have a problem when I see Arab women wear it . But it’s risible when Desi Muslims try to flaunt what is essentially an alien garment. If one wants to be modest why not just wear a salwar kameez and elegantly drape the dupatta?

After I ranted to V about yet another uppity Hijabi (the offending lady in question had secured herself a booth for 4 people in a crowded cafe); V made a profound remark.

V didn’t mind the Hijab per se; women should be allowed to wear what they want. However what she found to be so strange about the Muslim hijabi activists in the West is that they had no sympathy for their Iranian sisters who are dying for the right to dress as they please.

Continue reading Why I hate the Hijab

Questions for Professor Foltz

I live blogged yesterday’s lecture and the speaker, Professor Foltz, has very kindly agreed to a written question and answer session. I’ll collate 10-15 questions.

His speciality is in Iranic studies though ironically his talk happened in the “Indian Room” at the Ancient India & Iran Trust.

Please post your questions in the comments below- it would be worth beforehand scouring his impressive profile. I imagine we can focus more on the early Aryans as that would be more interesting to this blog.

I’m hoping to attend another very interesting lecture on Wednesday-

I’ll be sure to live blog this one. Incidentally it will conflict with another lecture I had been looking forward to.

However I have a distinct feeling that living blogging a Cambridge lecture on Brahmins will be orders of magnitude of more interest to our readers than Portraiture in Safavid Iran!

 

 

The Indian Muslim question

I can see BP Open Thread has exploded into a flame war about Pakistani Hindus vs Indian Muslims.

I thought I would share my experience. The moment I go to India; I subconsciously de-Muslimfy. Indians & Hindus are just not comfortable and since I’m the non-confrontational type (only Kabir can role me up) I adapt accordingly.

When I’m with Pakistanis I tend to change colours accordingly however I have increasingly made my personal (and increasing) distaste of Islam known.

Pakistan is very riven with a class dynamic so it doesn’t matter what religion you are so as you belong to the right class. There are issues with Ahmadis.

Both societies have so much to do in improving minority rights but I do feel they mirror their ideological priors. Indians look at Muslims almost as a caste and Pakistanis internalise accordingly to class divisions (certain minorities belong to certain stratas).

Continue reading The Indian Muslim question

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