cbkwgl
cbkwgl

A proud Indian with interests in Indian History and Contemporary Politics.

Asia

The Stronger China Becomes, The Weaker it becomes – patterns in chinese history

China is a unique case. Peace leads to trade and prosperity in the interior of China. Prosperity leads to unequal distribution of wealth between the territories which benefitted from the trade and areas which didn’t benefit. While coast based trade means coast gets richer at the expense of the producer, land based trade means more raids from the Steppes. And more raids in the interior means more armies sent to fight the armies and more armies means more taxation. People are unhappy they are taxed more, armies are unhappy centre is not supporting them enough. And this erupts into a rebellion in China major enough to kill millions and lead to the collapse of whole Chinese Government. It’s not a one-off affair – it happened again and again. Almost every dynasty which ruled China ended because of disturbances in the interior. And Ladakh has a potential to trigger another Dynastic Cycle.

History

Rise of Russia and Fall of Persia in Eastern Caucasus

The Russian blood shed in Asia, on the shores of the Araks and the Caspian Sea, is no less precious than that shed in Europe on the shores of Moscow and the Seine, and the bullets of the Gauls and Persians cause the same suffering - Kotlyarevsky

Security

India-China Bilateral Meet – And…the talks fail

The verdict is clear. India says China is to be blamed but talks of non-military options, but China clearly says India should vacate the area. In fact, it's the same language both sides used and it clearly hints that there was no breakthrough. India is ready to yield a few inches but China wants to yield none. Does this mean China is waiting for the October-December window for attacking India and extract it's pound of flesh and is just passing time till then, trying to humour Indians and lull them into a false sense of security?

Culture

Indian Caste Narrative – Sifting Fact from fiction

When the Europeans tried to make sense of Indian caste system, they have a model readily available - the Sistema de Casta. It was almost identical fit but not an exact fit...The vilification of caste system(which is regularly confused with caste hierarchy) is main stream now. Any evil India faces is a result of caste system. But, there are some fundamental questions which need to be addressed before trashing it as something abhorrent to human nature.

Analysis

Zorawar Singh and Sengge Namgyal – The Validity of Indian Claims on Tibet

This is in fact, the claim of both China today and the Dogra General Zorawar Singh then. While Zorawar Singh claimed Guge as a part of Ladakh and tried to take it over, China claims Shipki La etc for being a part of Guge and Ladakh because it's a part of Tibetan Empire...Going by the strategic importance Minsar and Darcheng have, commanding the access to Lipulekh, Maryum and Tinker Passes and slicing G219 into two, it makes much sense for India to reassert Indian and Bhutanese sovereignty in a manner it deems fit.

Culture

Government Control of Temples – What Next?

While one can wish away Government control of Hindu Temples, it's not such easy a proposition to find an answer. Which one is better? A better management of temple under government control or a private management for a temple?

Culture

The Hakenkreuz-Swastika Debate

The Swastika-Hakenkreuz debate flared up yet again clearly highlighting the need for sensitivity and knowledge in the society. A prominent handle, @StopAntisemites on twitter led a lynching campaign against a Hindu student who tried to differentiate between the Nazi Hakenkreuz and Hindu Swastika... In fact, Murphy is accused of deliberately mistranslating Hakenkreuz into Swastika leading to the perpetual hate against the symbol. His clerical background and Nazi Germany rejecting Murphy's translation further hints at a deliberate malice.