India cuts periodic table and evolution from school textbooks

[Sheilbh]

They tend to just replace the historic globally respected heroes with fictional versions of minor historic fools who accomplished nothing but tried to be violent.

Not sure if it's fictional. I think Bose is a significant figure and an important figure.

There's always a process of re-evaluation of national heroes and national myths - because they and the history we tell ourselves say more about our societies now than anything else. I think that's true of the founding fathers, of Gandhi v Bose, of Collins v de Valera.

But I also think it's something you see in the re-appraisal and centring on stories of radical traditions in civil rights, labour movements over myths about more conciliatory, gradualist leaders. And frankly you can project a lot onto failed leaders/movements especially with a tragic end (see Collins) - I think Jinnah plays that role in Pakistan because he died so soon after independence that while we know a lot about him but he can be a bit of a blank canvas. I think it just always reflects our times - and so did the earlier stories we told ourselves or were taught when we were growing up.

I think the shift away from Nehru and Gandhi just, in my view sadly, reflects the India of today. And there are aspects that I think are quite sad about that shift (because I think Gandhi and Nehru are incredible figures) - but there's others that aren't. I read a piece recently on the extent to which roles in elite Indian institutions are now more open to people who don't speak English. I think there is a cultural cringe that's being shaken off and that mood - even aside from the Hindu nationalism - maybe needs a different set of heroes than London barristers, including a man who made his "tryst with destiny" speech declaring independence in English.

[grumbler]

It's weird that Hinduism is seen by a large part of the west as the peaceful religion. I blame the Beatles

The second-highest caste in Hinduism is the Kshatriya caste, which is the warriors and nobility. The highest caste, the Brahmin, is supposed to be non-violent and ascetic, but the Kshatriya have a religious duty to engage in violence when so ordered, understanding that those they kill will simply be reincarnated.

[Valmy]

People mix up Hindus with Buddhists and Jains.

And then Buddhists in Myanmar turned out to be thugs too.

I think founding fathers who established bedrock principles *should* be glorified.

You Yuros are just jealous because your founding fathers were all hairy warlords. 

bedrock principles like its ok to own slaves?  No thanks.

Well some of them felt very guilty about it.

[crazy canuck]

People mix up Hindus with Buddhists and Jains.

And then Buddhists in Myanmar turned out to be thugs too.

I think founding fathers who established bedrock principles *should* be glorified.

You Yuros are just jealous because your founding fathers were all hairy warlords. 

bedrock principles like its ok to own slaves?  No thanks.

Well some of them felt very guilty about it.

Very principled of them. 

[Richard Hakluyt]

Jefferson loved his slaves