1) I am not an Indologist, but a journalist and writer – and that by accident…
Born and educated catholic, I cant be blamed for any bias
First got interested in Indology in Kashmir Exodus
Started studying Indian History came upon Aurangzeb… a monster
From Aurangzeb to Shivaji Maharaj – the Napoleon of India is mostly ignored
Then beginning of Indian History – of course Max Mueller, but a Christian
And Mortimer Wheeler, who could be called the father of Aryan Invasion
Now this theory is proved wrong = even Romila Thapar know that
But still basis of Indology – Thus wrong foundations
2) These were first indologists. Zoom to today
In my country France, Christophe Jaffrelot demonized Mr Modi, the BJP & Hindus in general. In the US, Trushke or Witzel did the same. And so on in Norway, Sweden, England etc. I have fought jaffrelot for 30 years, but he is still dominant :. Le Monde or France 2 TV always turn to him for comments on the PM or the recent general elections.
3) Now one of the problems, apart Aryan Invasion is : a) Philology as defined by western researchers means you cant love and get emotionally or spiritually identified in what you study. But how can you study Sanskrit without merging into mantras? How can you study temples without being part of pujas?
India has to be lived - This is why most indologists who live abroad are ignorant & hostile about India
b) As Max Mueller or Wheeler, most western indologists suffer from a conscious or often unconscious superiority complex and think of India and Hinduism as lesser civilizations.. But ancient Greece borrowed so much from Vedic India. & till 19th century, great thinkers like Nietzsche; Voltaire or Hegel knew about the Upanishads or the Bhagavad Gita
c) negative subjects like castes: 1,1 million hits on Google if u do a search; or Hindu fundamentalism, right wing BJP etc
4) Remedies
Indians need to take back philology.
First, Indian History needs to be rewritten : Aryan invasion theory to be removed and heroes, heroines of India lifted up.
2d Indian education needs to be changed . At moment it produces only western Clones good for export
3rd new generation of young scholars, Hindus, Christians, Muslims (agha khan followers such as Wipro Aziz Premji) to be groomed
4th. Create a school of Indology in India in a central place like Varanasi or Ujain & bring in, at Indian Govt cost, young western scholars and Indologists so that they soak in a bit of true and ancient India (classes in history, basic Sanskrit, Indian literature etc). Send them back after a 1 year certificate. In time they will rise up the ranks and spread in their countries a more positive image of Bharat. Namaste (francoisgautier26@gmail.com / 93435384189)
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