Here is my blog, thinking Activity given by Prof. Dilip Barad about Shashi Tharoor, to ponder some of the attractive ideas from his speech and also make critique on his work An Era of Darkness.
1. Write on key arguments in Shashi Tharoor's book - " An Era of Darkness".
● His speeches videos are :-
1. Speech at Oxford Union.
2. Looking back at the British Raj in India: The University of Edinburgh.
3. Exclusive interview by Karan Thapar On His book "An Era of Darkness."
4. About British Colonialism in India in His New Book ' An Era of Darkness'.
1. Shashi Tharoor's Stirring Speech at Oxford Union
In this video Shashi Tharoor ironically speaks against the master narrative and provides a detailed note with figures and sums regarding how the Indian Economy was severely affected by the colonialism imposed by Britain. Shashi Tharoor challenges the prime narrative and sets a postmodern outlook in his arguments. He says that ‘India was governed for the benefit of Britain’.
The most amazing thing is that Dr. Shashi Tharoor is delivering this speech at Oxford Union in front of white people against their narrative and they are appreciating! This indeed seems so wonderful to hear. As far as my opinion is concerned, I really appreciate the views of Dr. Tharoor, as genuinely it sounds so appealing to hear someone speaking for the minor or colonized people in front of the colonizers.
“Colonialists like Robert Clive brought their rotten boroughs in England on the proceeds of their loot in India while taking the Hindi word loot into their dictionary as well as their habits. And the British had the gall to call him Clive of India as if he belonged to the country, when all he really did was to ensure that much of the country belonged to him.
By the end of 19th century, the fact is that India was already Britain's biggest cash cow, the world's biggest purchaser of British goods and exports and the source for highly paid employment for British civil servants. We literally paid for our own oppression. And as has been pointed out, the worthy British Victorian families that made their money out of the slave economy, one fifth of the elites of the wealthy class in Britain in 19th century owed their money to transporting 3 million Africans across the waters. And in fact in 1833 when slavery was abolished and what happened was a compensation of 20 million pounds was paid not as reparations to those who had lost their lives or who had suffered or been oppressed by slavery but to those who had lost their property.Dr. Tharoor further makes a quotable statement which sounds so well-
“No wonder that the sun never set on the British empire because even god couldn’t trust the English in the dark.”
The next video is on a lecture delivered by Tharoor at The University of Edinburgh
2) Looking Back at the British Raj in India: The University of Edinburgh
At the University of Edinburgh, Tharoor gave an excellent speech on looking back at British Raj. He talked about his PhD and most importantly about the academic rigor which is must required for writing any thesis or paper. This was very relating to the students of literature, especially who are doing their graduation and post - graduation. In a nut shell, Tharoor talks about how Britishers and other colonizers looted India. All the colonizers came to this country and robbed all the useful things. India was capable enough to produce textile and steel, and in agriculture also India was producing much organic and nutritious crops. But the drawback for India was new machinery and technology was not easily accepted. Otherwise India was potent enough to rule all over the world and govern the highly prestigious culture. In some manner it can be stated that the submissiveness of Indians was also the result of this colonization. Not a single empire would have dared to enter this country if the three watch words Liberty - Equality - Fraternity were applied among the princely states and provinces of India
(3) Interview on his book "An Era of Darkness"
In this video Tharoor talks about his book An Era of Darkness. Britain transformed India from the richest country in the world to the poor country. Taxation, economy and many things were made weak. He says that how Britishers attacked the Indian economy by increasing tax. People, who were unable to pay the tax, were whipped, tortured and harassed, treated very cruelly by the Britishers. India was rich in many industries also, such as steel, textile, hand loom etc. These colonizers made Indians weak enough that Indians lost the courage to strike back, and raise the voice. By taking the advantage of this weakness, Britishers kept on looting and sucking the prosperity of India for 200 years.
(4) Another Interview on his book with Suhasini Krishnan
(5) Interview with Vishnu Varma
In the later 3 videos on the book written by Tharoor, he throws light on various aspects by attacking the British colonies and it's influence which lasted for 200 years. Indeed this book will be of a worth reading. None other than Tharoor have talked about Indian economy with such deep historical sense, and after having a close introduction to the book, if we try to write a brief critique on it, it stands as an individual talent with the parameters of T. S. Eliot's essay, Tradition and Individual Talent.
2. Write critique on both the films with reference to Postcolonial insights.
The Black Prince' is the tale of subjugation of the last Sikh king of Punjab, Maharaja Duleep Singh, the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh directed by Kavi Raaz. The dilemma in the entire film is over identity. The identity crises, the belongingness, the religious conflicts play a very vital role in shaping the future coarse of the black prince who has been giving the throne at the age of five upon the death of the father and has been abducted by the British government at the age of fifteen.
"What you seek is all gone now, my black Prince"
This is a chronicle surrounded over the identity and the fate of the last king of Punjab who loosens the throne and was never allowed to return. It is surrounded around the kingdom exploring relations with Queen Victoria. It is about the story lost in history and the colonial rule have never narrated it, the postcolonial way of looking to the subjects is the narration of the film. It unveils the whole new chapter of Indian History - from the prince's lost kingdom to his journey of being converted to Christianity. Hence, the narrative highlights the things and oppressions which the British have done to the subjects.
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