William Dalrymple on the surprising history of India | 7.30

Key Concepts

• History of Gaza: An 11-part series exploring the deep and often overlooked history of Gaza and its people.
• Palestinians: An ancient people with documented references dating back to 1483 BC, challenging the notion of their non-existence.
• Gaza as a Port City: A historically significant and rich port, conquered by Alexander the Great, known for its soft soil allowing for tunnel construction.
• The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World: A book proposing a re-evaluation of civilization's development, highlighting India's significant but often omitted contributions.
• Indian Contributions to Civilization: Mathematics (including the numbers we use daily, often misattributed as Arabic), astronomy, art, literature, dance, and the spread of Buddhism.
• Colonialism's Impact on Historical Narratives: The role of colonialism in downplaying or erasing the rich histories of colonized nations to justify their subjugation.
• Spread of Buddhism: A significant historical phenomenon originating from India, spreading across Asia without military conquest, demonstrating "soft power."
• Personal Connection to History: The author's personal experience of having ancestors on multiple sides of historical conflicts, leading to a more nuanced and personal understanding of history.
• Shedding Nationalist Narratives: The importance of moving beyond nationalistic myths to gain a more accurate and comprehensive understanding of world history.

History of Gaza: Challenging Narratives

William Dalrymple's 11-part history of Gaza aims to provide a deep dive into a region that has been at the forefront of global news for years. A key finding is the refutation of the idea that Palestinians do not exist or have no history. Historical evidence points to the "Peliset" invading Egypt as early as 1483 BC, mentioned by Pharaoh Tutankhamun III. The Assyrians referred to them as "Palashtu" around 800 AD, and the Greek historian Herodotus, in the 5th century BC, called the southern coast of the eastern Mediterranean "Syria Palestina," the origin of the word "Palestine." This demonstrates that Palestinians are one of the world's oldest peoples with a rich and continuous history.

Gaza itself is presented as an incredibly rich port city with a long history. Alexander the Great conquered Gaza, and interestingly, the first recorded instance of tunnels in Gaza dates back to Alexander's siege, where he dug under the walls due to the soft soil. Dalrymple argues for a direct line between this long history of a named people and the current global contemplation of a Palestinian state. He emphasizes that the coastal region, like other Mediterranean areas, has always been a crossroads for migrations, resulting in a multicultural, multilingual, multi-ethnic, and multi-religious area throughout its history. He refutes the argument that Arabs only arrived in the 7th century, stating that while a small elite arrived then, it was akin to the Norman conquest of England – it didn't erase the existing population. Both groups identifying as indigenous in the region deserve space.

The Golden Road: India's Transformative Role in Civilization

Dalrymple's recent work, "The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World," proposes a significant re-evaluation of how civilization developed, arguing that India's role has been largely overlooked in Western historical narratives. He notes that while Western education focuses on figures like Archimedes, crucial Indian mathematicians like Aryabhata and Brahmagupta, who developed the numbers we use daily, are often omitted. These numbers, known in the West as "Arabic numerals," are recognized in the Arab world as "Hindu numbers" (Hindi or Hindu numbers).

The omission of India's contributions is attributed, in part, to colonialism. It would have been difficult for colonizers to claim they were bringing civilization to India if they acknowledged its 4,000 years of rich history. While China has effectively promoted its narrative, particularly through the concept of the Silk Road and its contributions like gunpowder and paper, India's influence has been less emphasized.

India's most significant global contributions include:

• The spread of Buddhism: This philosophy, along with Sanskrit and Prakrit languages, and Hindu epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, spread across Asia, transforming Southeast Asia and remaining integral to the region.
• Mathematics and Astronomy: The numbers used on laptops and mobile phones were invented in India in the first century.
• Art, Literature, and Dance: These cultural forms also spread from India.

Dalrymple notes that this book has been a bestseller in India, suggesting that many Indians were unaware of their nation's profound historical impact due to colonial-era education systems that prioritized European history. While this is changing, the legacy of colonial syllabi persists.

Buddhism: India's Soft Power Diplomacy

The spread of Buddhism across Asia is highlighted as a remarkable example of "soft power." From around 200 BC to 400 AD, during the time of Emperor Ashoka, Buddhism expanded from India to Siberia, Mongolia, Tibet, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and all of Southeast Asia. This expansion brought not only Buddhist philosophy and teachings on suffering but also Indian literature, geography, conceptions of time, and cosmology. The influence of Buddhism remains evident today in countries like Japan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. Uniquely, this vast cultural and philosophical diffusion occurred "without an arrow being shot, a sword being drawn, or a spear being thrown," representing "soft power in its purest form."

Personal Reflections on History and Ancestry

Dalrymple shares a personal perspective on his engagement with history, acknowledging his own ancestors' involvement in various historical conflicts, including the East India Company, the Raj, and the Opium Wars. He finds this personal connection makes history more interesting and relatable. He has discovered ancestors on multiple sides of these conflicts, including Bengali Hindu and Mughal ancestors, whose stories were often omitted from family narratives.

He observes that his generation of Britons has grown up with the understanding that their ancestors were not always the "good guys" in global history. By moving beyond nationalist narratives and patriotic myths, individuals can gain immediate personal access to world history and a better understanding of past events. He acknowledges that while the British have been involved in atrocities, they have also, for better or worse, significantly shaped the modern world. The ability to shed a "patriotic nationalist car" is crucial for learning what happened before.

Conclusion

William Dalrymple's discussion underscores the importance of re-examining historical narratives, particularly those that have been marginalized or obscured by colonial perspectives. His work on Gaza challenges simplistic notions of the region's history and the existence of its people, while "The Golden Road" reclaims India's profound and often overlooked contributions to global civilization, particularly through mathematics and the peaceful spread of Buddhism. His personal reflections emphasize the value of shedding nationalist biases to achieve a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the past.