Comments on: On Raja Paurava and Alexander

By: Jaya

Jaya — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 18:16:03 +0000

Me as a supporter of ancient Indian history would definitely support Salman Rashid. The problem with we south west Asians are that we don’t acknowledge our glorious past. For us every thing comes to an end with religion.

Lets keep history and religion separately. There is only one true religion and i.e. Humanity. Why King Paurava or Akbar are still remembered because they promoted religion of Humanity!!!

By: Vandana

Vandana — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:27:22 +0000

It is said that, ” without the past there can be no future.” This article should be seen in that context and not be viewed through the prism of religion. Pakistan is Islamic, no questions about that but as the writer said , it did not descend neatly packaged thus some time around 750A.D.The people pf this land existed before that and followed different religions. Pakistanis are South Asians and not Arabs.

By: Vandana

Vandana — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 17:06:33 +0000

God bless you Piya for your optimism.When all Hindus are not seen as conniving, idol worshipping infidels(as they were portrayed to Pakistanis) and when all Muslims stop looking like the temple plundering invaders of the past( to Hindus),then and then alone can we move down that road of friendship.

By: piya g

piya g — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 16:15:40 +0000

I agree with the writer!! We have to akcnowledge our heroes. From Porus to Tipu Sultan to Ray Ahmed nawaz Kharal to Aziz Bhatti and a lot more
As long as Porus is concerned, I think he was a hero for our soil. You said Raja Dahir- with due respect Bin Kasim was another plunderer. It is how our history is presented to us and I think its all becuause of gaining some political benefits. It is also true that now we can not give name PRITHVI to any of our road but why????? because of our historians- no?? We needed to present hindus as evils so every hindu figure is evil for us- I am sure one day will come when we will be saying INDIA IS OUR BEST FRIEND and Indians will be saying the same for us- This all hetered is becasue our armies needs ROTI ROZI

By: Step in Time Tours

Step in Time Tours — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 10:45:43 +0000

As a reply to question 3, Indeed the answer is not as obvious and as one would expect, it is actually a fairly complicated issue. Comparing Moorish Spain to Pakistani denial. All people from any civilization should never forget their roots because this is what their foundation relies on, to keep them with a strong purpose. Letting that become the be, and end all of your identity encourages fanaticism in the culture that one comes from other than the culture that you live in.

In some ways this is good; but in other ways in the long term it ends in your society becoming weak, one of the strengths of Andalusian, Moorish society in the middle ages was the willingness of the Ummayyad Khalifat to absorb the culture of Spain itself; in the its willingness to create a distinct Western Muslim identity. They never negated what was there already; meaning they never made a subculture apart from the main culture they became a part of the culture. They accepted the good things and left the bad things from the original culture. Even the name Andalusia comes from the name; land of the Vandals the previous culture before the Moorish Arab influence the “al” from the Arabic represents the definite article meaning “The”.

Indeed for ethnic communities to survive in the West, needs to appreciate and respect their immediate past, but also to develop a clear ethical foundation on how Asians can survive long term, by developing a new culture were they can live adopting western ways of living that correspond to good character.

By: Sidhusaaheb

Sidhusaaheb — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:09:30 +0000

BTW, I agree with Raza that the BJP and its Sangh-parivaar are, essentially, ‘the other side of the same coin’.

By: Sidhusaaheb

Sidhusaaheb — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:05:05 +0000

It is interesting to note how those holding extremely negative views always cite the actions of those with similarly negative view points on ‘the other side’, in order to justify their own.

‘Two wrongs do not make a right.’ obviously does not ring a bell with them.

By: Jahane Rumi | Buddha, the Taliban and Pakistan-

Jahane Rumi | Buddha, the Taliban and Pakistan- — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 07:47:02 +0000

[...] MasoodComment on ?.na junoon raha na pari rahi – when neither you exist nor I exist by shehla MasoodComment on On Raja Paurava and Alexander by Buddha, the Taliban and Pakistan at BlogbhartiComment on On the ?death of Pakistani culture? by Buddha, the Taliban and Pakistan at [...]

By: Buddha, the Taliban and Pakistan at Blogbharti

Buddha, the Taliban and Pakistan at Blogbharti — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 05:28:27 +0000

[...] will be a poorer place if these mad, roving fundamentalists would remove all the signs of our pre-Islamic heritage and ancient [...]

By: Shaheen Sultan Dhanji

Shaheen Sultan Dhanji — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 01:05:39 +0000

Raza, this needs to go on Pak Tea House ! I second Shaheryar!!