Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

bbc.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 81 posts

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#21

Post by sbmthakur »

ebbi wrote: post #5
pm90 wrote: post #3

Besides the sketches, she has written extensively about Indian rulers at the time (e.g. Ranjit Singh). If you found this interesting, you would love the Empire Podcast... I believe they talk about Emily in the episode on Afghanistan ( https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/79-invading-afghanista... ); Dalrymple's book on the subject (Return of a King, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_of_a_King ) is also a masterfu…

William Dalrymple's books are great reads. Makes reading history enjoyable. Highly recommend all his books, particularly his most recent 'The Golden Road'

Reading that one now. I finished The Anarchy before that and it was a great intro to the 18th century and how it made the ground fertile for upcoming colonial period.

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#22

Post by crossroadsguy »

rr808 wrote: post #12
throwawaypath wrote: post #7

[flagged]

It was amazing to see the blue sky coming out in Asian cities during covid. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52313972

Even though pollution in India is bad and getting worse everyday, smog in Delhi is/was an exception, not the national norm (even among tier 1 cities, let alone tier 2 and below). That too not year round (though I must say Delhi/NCR is increasingly becoming unliveable).

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#23

Post by adithyareddy »

pm90 wrote: post #18
throwawaypath wrote: post #7

[flagged]

While European states invested in building up their human capital over the past 200 years, most of the Indian economy was turned into an extractive colonial state. The lack of investment set the country back by a lot. After Independence, it turned its back sharply on Capitalism (rightfully so, having suffered under extreme capitalism for a couple of hundred years). Unfortunately, that didn’t end up working very well…

The account you're replying to was created 49 minutes ago and has 2 comments, both on this thread, one already flagged and dead. Please don't waste your time engaging bait.

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#24

Post by drTobiasFunke »

pm90 wrote: post #17
SilverElfin wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably not one thing but the sequence of Islamic colonialism, followed by European colonialism, followed the splitting of India, the introduction of consumerist lifestyles (plastic crap), globalism, etc. I imagine any society where the existing stable system is violently destroyed will have issues with people not having their original culture and way of life, but also they probably had to just survive, and didn’t h…

The Islamic period in India was one of the most prosperous periods in India’s history, ever. India was responsible for 25% of the worlds GDP during Mughal Emperor Jahangirs reign. The decline of Indian economy is directly a consequence of British Policies.

Not true. It was rich, yes. The emperors took it all. The common people got nothing. Hence the big tombs etc. Indigenous institutions were destroyed, libraries and universities burnt. Religious structires destroyed and natives under constant threat and conflict. This is directly reflected by the complete lack of pioneering work in science, technology, astronomy, mathematics, philosophy and literature during this period. All of that was pre islamic invasion.

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#25

Post by throwaway7783 »

lolnice wrote: post #20
pm90 wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

While European states invested in building up their human capital over the past 200 years, most of the Indian economy was turned into an extractive colonial state. The lack of investment set the country back by a lot. After Independence, it turned its back sharply on Capitalism (rightfully so, having suffered under extreme capitalism for a couple of hundred years). Unfortunately, that didn’t end up working very well…

[flagged]

No one is in denial. The parent post is just explaining why, and not that the problem doesn't exist.

The biggest issue we have is the mindset of the common (wo)man, regardless of why it is the way it is.

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#27

Post by sa501428 »

thesmtsolver2 wrote: post #15
throwawaypath wrote: post #7

[flagged]

Most of Western cities were open landfills till a few decades ago despite advantages reaped from colonialism. India still has some negative momentum from nearly 300 years of European colonialism. 700 years of Islamic occupation that destroyed native universities like Nalanada didn’t help.

"700 years of Islamic occupation" is just false. Some Muslim dynasties began through conquest, as many dynasties throughout Indian history did. But over centuries, Muslims integrated, intermarried, adopted local languages and customs, and became part of Indian society. Muslim-ruled states relied heavily on Hindu generals, officials, and allies, and their wars were largely fought over territory and power, not as some continuous occupation or religious war against Hindus.

Criticizing specific rulers is fine. But Indian Muslims are indigenous to India, and their ancestors converted for many reasons, including Sufi influence, social mobility, and escape from caste discrimination.

Of note, Mughal India accounted for roughly 20–25% of global output. It was British colonial rule that exploited and stole insane amounts of wealth and led to India’s economic decline. Comparing centuries of complex Indo-Hindu-Muslim history with British colonial occupation and extraction makes no sense. And calling Indian Islam a foreign invasion is misplaced bigotry.

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#28

Post by sa501428 »

drTobiasFunke wrote: post #11
throwawaypath wrote: post #7

[flagged]

Above comment is accurate. All Indian indigenous systems were destroyed (education, governance, taxation etc) during the 1000 years of foreign occupation. India still operates under the oppressive system imposed by the colonizers to subjugate the population. The shock and ripple effects of the plunder, destruction and subsequent partition has crippled the subcontinent. It might take several centuries to rebuild and r…

Mughal India was roughly 20–25% of global output. It was British colonial rule that exploited and stole insane amounts of wealth and led to India’s economic decline. Comparing centuries of complex Indo-Hindu-Muslim history with British colonial occupation and extraction makes no sense.

Some Muslim dynasties began through conquest, as many dynasties throughout Indian history did. But over centuries, Muslims integrated, intermarried, adopted local languages and customs, and became part of Indian society. Muslim-ruled states relied heavily on Hindu generals, officials, and allies, and their wars were largely fought over territory and power, not as some continuous occupation or religious war against Hindus.

Indian Islam is not a foreign invasion that destroyed. Indian Muslims are indigenous to India, and their ancestors converted for many reasons, including Sufi influence, social mobility, and escape from caste discrimination.

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#29

Post by sa501428 »

SilverElfin wrote: post #9
throwawaypath wrote: post #7

[flagged]

Probably not one thing but the sequence of Islamic colonialism, followed by European colonialism, followed the splitting of India, the introduction of consumerist lifestyles (plastic crap), globalism, etc. I imagine any society where the existing stable system is violently destroyed will have issues with people not having their original culture and way of life, but also they probably had to just survive, and didn’t h…

[flagged]

Re: An Englishwoman who sketched India before photography took hold

#30

Post by SilverElfin »

pm90 wrote: post #17
SilverElfin wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Probably not one thing but the sequence of Islamic colonialism, followed by European colonialism, followed the splitting of India, the introduction of consumerist lifestyles (plastic crap), globalism, etc. I imagine any society where the existing stable system is violently destroyed will have issues with people not having their original culture and way of life, but also they probably had to just survive, and didn’t h…

The Islamic period in India was one of the most prosperous periods in India’s history, ever. India was responsible for 25% of the worlds GDP during Mughal Emperor Jahangirs reign. The decline of Indian economy is directly a consequence of British Policies.

Yes prosperous. Minus the brutal and barbaric genocide, oppressions, etc. Obviously such colonialism destroys culture and wealth even if a few powerful outsiders extract wealth for themselves. You’re whitewashing Islamic colonialism for some weird reason.
Post reply on HN