[Assam] Invaders

[Manoj Das]

Dear all dadas Chandan and Himendra

I just finished reading a book called "The Mughal Empire- by John F
Richards, Cambridge University Press" would like to quote two few
paras on eastern frontier of Mughal empire. page 105-6.

"Under Jahangir the empire continued to be a war state attuned to
aggressive conquest and territorial expansion. In the northeast, after
weary campaigns to subdue the Afghans, the Mughals clashed with a new
enemy, the Ahoms. This hardy, aggressive, Shan people had been moving
from their home in upper Burma slowly down the Brahmaputra valley
since about 1400. As they did so, they defeated and assimilated or
drove off the indigenous tribal and Hindu peoples of the region. The
Ahoms gradually came under Hindu religious and cultural influence as
they progressed along the Brahmaputra river.

Ahom determination shaped the limits of Mughal power in the northeast.
Unlike many Indian regimes, the Ahoms were not worn down by
centuries-long struggles against encroaching Muslim power. Like their
opponent they looked back on a history of victorious
aggression........."



On 3/4/06, Chan Mahanta <cmahanta at charter.net> wrote:
> Dear Himen-da,
>
> I am relieved to hear that. Now then, the only
> question that remains is WHO exactly the invaders
> from 600 years or so back are that you are so
> very against :-)?
>
> Best,
>
> c
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 12:11 PM -0500 3/4/06, Himendra Thakur wrote:
> >Dear Chandan,
> >
> >As for your question:
> >
> >How would you characterize someone's
> >stereotyping Indian Muslims as invaders:-)?
> >
> >
> >
> >My answer is:
> >
> >Anybody who stereotypes Indian Muslims as
> >invaders will be characterized as someone
> >committing gross stupidity.
> >
> >
> >With the best wishes,
> >Himendra
> >
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: <mailto:cmahanta at charter.net>Chan Mahanta
> >To: <mailto:assam at assamnet.org>assam at assamnet.org
> >Cc: <mailto:hthakur at comcast.net>Himendra Thakur
> >Sent: Saturday, March 04, 2006 11:04 AM
> >Subject: Re: [Assam] A new politics of race: India and its Northeast
> >
> >Hi Himen-da:
> >
> >First off, you don't need to refer to me as Mr.
> >Chandan Mahanta. You can continue to refer to me
> >as Chandan, and even Sondon --in a truly Oxomiya
> >fashion. I understand why you have turned so
> >formal, but I am still cool with the older more
> >personalized one, should you wish to revert back
> >to it. My disagreements with your views,
> >irreconcilable as they may be, does not effect
> >my respect of you as an elder of our small
> >probaxi Oxomiya community.
> >
> >Another thing: I don't think that personal
> >anecdotes or even biographical accounts are in
> >the prohibited list of assam net topics. But I
> >am glad I could open that door for you. I too
> >enjoyed reading about you as a Naga. And can't
> >wait to hear about how the story of the young
> >couple ended.
> >
> >Having gotten those issues out of the way, allow
> >me to help you deal with something that
> >obviously  continues to haunt you, but for
> >entirely wrong reasons:
> >
> >	My comment "-- "the anecdote you cite here --- merely points to
> >	your importance, as demonstrated by the courtesy you received
> >	from him … with the hour long interview"--" was not about your
> >	citing a personal experience with J M Lyngdoh. It was about your
> >         high opinion of Lyngdoh,and how you developed that,  but which
> >	had NOTHING to do with the subject under discussion: That DEMOCRACY
> >	was bad for India, a comment that demonstrated Lyngdoh's inability
> >	to separate DEMOCRACY from what passes for democracy in India.
> >
> >And I stand by my observation that it did prove
> >your own importance. Why else would Lyngdoh, the
> >then principal secretary to the President, a
> >powerful position I am sure, who not only gave
> >you an hour-long interview, but convened a
> >meeting of one of the country's most elite of
> >bureaucrats for you to give your spiel on
> >banning dowry? Would he have given such an
> >interview and accord the privilege of pleading
> >to this coterie of top IAS cadres to the poor
> >father of a burnt bride of Haryana,  for banning
> >the practice?
> >
> >
> >Finally, and most importantly, a question: How
> >would you characterize someone's stereotyping
> >Indian Muslims as invaders  :-)?
> >
> >Regards,
> >
> >Chandan
>
>


--
Manoj Kumar Das
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