Yes, I think we need to salute Kalki for this. I would like to talk about my own perceptions of his writing style later on when I have more time.
As of now, I would like everyone to consider the consequences of either not knowing our own history or not valuing our history and heritage enough -
I think as a consequence, we have -
Regressed as a society in every way. We have had leaders like RRC, RC and some others who have had amazing vision and definitely pride in what they believed was possible, yet - now, we have leaders of mediocre capabilities and practically no vision being paraded as the ultimate. Are we richer today as a society - definitely not Do we, as a society, have pride and dignity and prominence in the general scheme of things? - We do have people of exceptional individual talent, merit and capabilities but we have nothing significant as a society, compared to the heights achieved by the great rulers more a thousand years ago. The area that we live in now as a state is considerably smaller than the times of RRC & RC; in fact its even smaller than the 2 states above us. Even Ponni is not with us!
I could go on, on this but I will suffice it to say that the first thing that needs to be taken up is inculcating our history to those around us and definitely to our younger generation. I hope each of us here will do his or her part in at least talking about it to the maximum no. from the younger generation.
I have been deeply interested in history ever since my schooldays and as many said i had to search for details outside the textbooks. but then how many of us know the true history.
we have been led by the movies and books in paths that are contrary to true facts. just for example people always have a misconception that the muslim invasions never touched the south and it was the north that sufferred. tamilnadu was one of the earliest to be colonised by the muslims. who do you think followed the last pandyas. - the madurai sultanate. even before the invention of the gun malik kafur travelled all the way to madurai/ rameshwaram from delhi conquering every state on the way.
we all feel katabomman was a great fighter who refused to bow down before the british and refused to pay his taxes. there are records to prove kattabomman paid all his taxes in due time except the last. only the last one was not paid and that too qwhen kattabomman was on a holiday and his diwan had a fit of patriotism. and kattabomman with his mother toungue being telugu couldnt have possibly uttered those great orations before jackson.( and I have read that jackson was censured and court martialled for mis handling the poligar issue.
if the british had not come what would have been the scenario in chennai for example. we would have been a muslim province ruled by the nawabs of carnatic and in case a united india was being formed we would have been debating whether to join india or pakistan.
so my contention is not only are our children being taught lesser history but they could also be taught something contrary to original facts.
We have so much info in our archives - am sure we can cull a chapter on chola history & pandya history from them. it can then be edited/proof read and brought out as a free handout/pdf file or pushed through proper channels to include into the syllabus as they deem fit. So that our laments dont just stop with posts in this group.
1. School text books will give only a politically correct and approved version of history. At least in my school days, I had access to books by different authors and publishers, giving slightly different version of the incidents. Even that luxury is not available, I think, nowadays. Text books writing and publishing by NCERT only add to the woes.
2. Regarding preserving and publishing manuscripts - the organizations, both private and government, libraries etc. will face enormous hurdles, resource crunches and time - and will not be able to do it in the foreseeable future. Like Project Madurai (excellent effort and service), a similar effort must be initiated with volunteers to type and host the manuscripts from scanned or xeroxed copies. About 1000 volunteers will achieve a lot in one year.
3. Another way to 'expose' is to write monographs on specific topics,personalities and events of historical importance, and bring all known data - written, oral etc. - in one document with references available, of course without bias. Such monographs written by experts will help rapid dissemination of knowledge. RV's info about Kattabomman is ripe material for a monograph.
Hi if you see sivagangai siimai he actually talks. but there is a legend of him being mute and encouaging his army by taking a fist ful of white chaff( ummi) and blowing it away.