So blogspot has the capability to publish in the Devanagari script through a simple translation of the latin script. Here's my test and comments.
A Vedic Prayer
ॐ
असतो मा सद्गमय
तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय
मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय
ॐ शांति शांति शांतिही
ॐ
Lead me from the Unreal to the Real
Lead me from Ignorance to Knowldege
Lead me from Death to Immortality
Om, peace, peace, peace
This is surprisingly easy to use. As soon as I type a word, it is converted to Devanagari so I can check the spelling and make changes. Left clicking on a converted word brings a popup list of similar spelling choices which is very useful. For example Ma (or Maa) got transliterated to maam but I could correct it through the left click menu. Easy to get a hang of methinks.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Do the British Deserve Credit for "Modernizing" India
On the BR forum, there was a heated discussion going on as usual. The topic was the supposed modernization of India that was due to the British. Unfortunately, there is very little clear thinking in India and elsewhere on this topic. There is much support for the view that though the British looted India and beggared her, they were relative benevolent and modernized India. Among the holders of such views are the current PM, MMS. There is much wrong with such a view and it mostly reflects the deference the holders have for the British. Anyway, my response which got some support and surprisingly eliminated at least for a time, arguments from those who support this "modernization" view was:
"The British "modernisation" of India was done with looted Indian money and for their purposes. Very simple fact. Being that we were one of the richest countries in the world then (that's a fact) and actively involved in trade with the rest of the world (again a fact) not isolationist like China, we would surely have bought whatever technology we needed anytime we wanted it. And for less cost, more efficiently and in a manner that suited our purposes not somebody else's.
Similarly, social change was a given in India, we were also quite familiar with concepts like rule of law (read Ashoka's edicts) and democracy (plenty of well established city republics even in Buddha's time (all well established fact's mind you - even "eminent" historians agree). The monarchies were not absolute unlike the contemporary west - the king had established obligations and assemblies of advisors were not uncommon. Democracy in its modern form would have come to India, probably sooner rather than later.
To talk about the "information economy" as a "benefit" of British colonialism and our "advantage" of knowing the English language is so exceedingly stupid that it boggles the mind. More likely than not, in the absense of colonialism, we would have been well industrialized, richer and have no need for coppers thrown at us by the looters. Absolutely no acknowledgment of their "modernisation" is needed at all. It's like thanking your daughter's rapist for teaching her the marvelous technique of using a condom (so HE wouldn't get any disease). You only talk about the rape, the condom is mentioned only in the context of getting a health check.
"The British "modernisation" of India was done with looted Indian money and for their purposes. Very simple fact. Being that we were one of the richest countries in the world then (that's a fact) and actively involved in trade with the rest of the world (again a fact) not isolationist like China, we would surely have bought whatever technology we needed anytime we wanted it. And for less cost, more efficiently and in a manner that suited our purposes not somebody else's.
Similarly, social change was a given in India, we were also quite familiar with concepts like rule of law (read Ashoka's edicts) and democracy (plenty of well established city republics even in Buddha's time (all well established fact's mind you - even "eminent" historians agree). The monarchies were not absolute unlike the contemporary west - the king had established obligations and assemblies of advisors were not uncommon. Democracy in its modern form would have come to India, probably sooner rather than later.
To talk about the "information economy" as a "benefit" of British colonialism and our "advantage" of knowing the English language is so exceedingly stupid that it boggles the mind. More likely than not, in the absense of colonialism, we would have been well industrialized, richer and have no need for coppers thrown at us by the looters. Absolutely no acknowledgment of their "modernisation" is needed at all. It's like thanking your daughter's rapist for teaching her the marvelous technique of using a condom (so HE wouldn't get any disease). You only talk about the rape, the condom is mentioned only in the context of getting a health check.
Top Ten Good Things about Indian Communists
At B-R, one poster wrote in praise of communists and was roundly critized by fellow forumers. I thought this was highly unfair to Indian communists. To highlight all that is good about Indian communists, I came up with a top-ten list of things to like about Indian Communists. With so much good about them, it was a huge fight to get to be on the list. But after much soul searching, this is what I ended up with. So here's the
Top Ten Things to Like About Indian Communists
(10) Ensure cheap labor by keeping poor poor
(9) Always economical - even with the truth
(8) Increase vocabulary with words like "bourgeois" and "proletariat"
(7) Support missionaries so these damned Hindus can be kept in check
(6) Election results known well in advance
(5) Brinda Karat's Bindi
(4) Nandigram!
(3) Give workers much needed R&R through strikes
(2) Policy of ceding land to China so India has less people and land to bother about
And the number one reason to like Indian Communists
(1) Dead communists make excellent tourist attractions
Top Ten Things to Like About Indian Communists
(10) Ensure cheap labor by keeping poor poor
(9) Always economical - even with the truth
(8) Increase vocabulary with words like "bourgeois" and "proletariat"
(7) Support missionaries so these damned Hindus can be kept in check
(6) Election results known well in advance
(5) Brinda Karat's Bindi
(4) Nandigram!
(3) Give workers much needed R&R through strikes
(2) Policy of ceding land to China so India has less people and land to bother about
And the number one reason to like Indian Communists
(1) Dead communists make excellent tourist attractions
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