Romila Thapar: Total Ripper

Back for the attack, as promised. Unfortunately, this entry is proving extremely tedious because I am writing about meeting one of the all-time most brilliant historians of India and cannot help but feel completely inadequate even discussing her. Nevertheless, one must persevere.

So, last week my family here in Delhi (yes, even white people can have brown relatives) invited me to dinner and casually mentioned Romila Thapar would be in attendance. Romila Thapar is to the History of Ancient India what Stephen Hawking is to physics or Eddie Van Halen is to the guitar. She did not invent it, but she reinvented it and made it much more intense than any of her predecessors. I have also read a number of her articles and her career-capping book for my classes, so I knew for myself that her reputation was deserved. There was no way I was missing the chance to break roti with Romila.

Then came the damned illness, but I was determined to get there even if it was in a litter. Thankfully, it didn’t come to that and, queasy though I was, I managed to make the trip up to central Delhi without attendants. Romila arrived last, but after she got there, the whole room gravitated towards her for the rest of the evening (except for when my “aunt” got into an alarmingly loud argument with her sister about the legal system). She may be 75, but she is sharp as a razorblade taco. Her manner is confidence incarnate, but without the arrogance one usually finds in such eminent persons.

Although I would have preferred the topics of conversation to involve more of Ancient South Asia and less of the relative merits of different whiskeys, I was one of only three people able to discuss the former, whereas everyone but me enjoyed weighing in on the latter. I have grown accustomed to this type of thing, but when you are dining with the world’s most knowledgeable historian on Ancient South Asia, is asking her what she thinks of bourbon really a useful question? Either way, I actually said very little even after this topic had been extinguished because what would have been the point? I can listen to myself anytime.

(Ok, this is one of many instances of Gandhi being sketchy. Isn't he basically saying women should try to cause their own deaths rather than survive rape? I guess he's just the NOT SO maHOTma Gandhi.)

As I sat there, I began thinking about how much history Romila Thapar had actually seen with her own eyes. She was born in 1931, during the height of the independence movement. She was not born in India. She was born in British India. In 1947, she was attending school in Britain and because she was the only Indian prefect, they made her raise the Indian flag and give a speech on August 15. That must have felt kind of awesome, to be one of the first people to declare that your countrymen had thrown off 190 years of oppressive rule.

The conversation dwelt on Indian politics for much of the evening and Romila explained how she had abandoned Congress after Nehru died because she thoroughly distrusted Indira and thought the Congress Party hypocritical and only superficially dedicated to secularism. Throughout Romila Thapar’s professional career and personal politics, secularism has been the guiding force. She watched with disappointment as Nehru’s dreams of religious harmony died during the 1970s and hit a nadir in 1984 during the anti-Sikh riots which followed Indira’s assassination. I had not previously known how pervasive the riots were in Delhi. Usually in India, such conflicts do not erupt into the wealthier areas of town. She said this changed in 1984 as Hindus and Muslims mobbed together in an effort to wipe out Sikhs all over India. Thousands and thousands died in all manner of horrible ways. The police often helped. Romila had to hide Sikh friends in various places throughout her house as the crowds scoured her upper-middle class suburb. Trying to understand India is not possible without reflecting on the horror of having to hide your close friends from lynch mobs. This is a much more regular occurrence here than one would care to imagine. Apparently, those riots are the reason the wealthier neighborhoods have tall gates now.

In addition to opposing communalism, Romila has also encouraged archaeological preservation efforts, a woman after my own heart. I conclude with her anecdote about what I dub the anti-Yanni campaign.

A few years ago, Yanni decided he wanted to have a concert on the banks of the Yamuna river right next to the Taj Mahal. (Editorial comment: Yanni is a total dick.) Although the government had enacted strict rules banning basically all activity in a 300-meter radius around the structure, local officials completely ignored it because of all the money they hoped to make, both over and under the table. About 10 prominent and concerned citizens including Romila go to the Supreme Court in Delhi to file a “cease and desist” motion. When they get to court, however, the judge asks about the actual measurements and they admit with embarrassment that they have not taken any measurements. The judge tells them that he is giving them two days to get measurements or he will dismiss the case.

Every other plaintiff bails on going to Agra due to some malingering that could not be moved except Romila. She calls up an architect friend and they grab a measuring tape and catch the dawn train to Agra the next day. They discover that not only is the facility the local government is constructing for the concert in violation of the zone (only a few meters from the base of the structure), but so is the access road they are building to the site. Armed with precise measurements, they return to Delhi that night and appear at court the next morning. Romila informs the clerk they are returning as instructed with all the information and the clerk replies that the judge has already dismissed the case. Yanni played his damned concert. I hope the food here made him really ill. That story sums up India rather well I think.

To review, Romila Thapar is sick. She also eats very neatly.

Now playing: A bunch of drum solos by Neil Peart of RUSH. Here’s one of many that hurt my brain when I try to comprehend them. I've heard it said that Neil Peart is God. This may be true, but if so, may I suggest that he is a Hindu god with many arms.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=kJRF0hD5TPQ