A very known Historian

1. Presented to:Dr. Rafi Ullah Khan
Presented by: Anum Khan
Mphils Scholar 1st Semester
Taxila Institute of Asian Civilizations
Quaid-e-Azam University
Romila Thapar: An Historian
RomilaThapar
RomilaThapar

2. Life Story
Romila Thapar was born in India in 1931 of a well-known Punjabi
family and spent her childhood in various parts of the country because
her father was in army. She took her first degree in India from the Punjab
University and her doctorate at London University in 1958. She has
taught Ancient Indian History at London University, Delhi University
and Jawaharlal Nehru University. She was also an honorary fellow of
Lady Margaret Hall at Oxford, and has been a Professor at Cornell
University in the United States. In 1961 She joined Jawaharlal Nehru
University and still serving there as a Emeritus Professor of History .

3. Stance of Romila Thapar
• Thapar has an interest in the social and cultural history of ancient
India.
• The increasing interest in the historiography of the early period is an
indicator of the awareness of the role of ideology in historical
interpretation.
• She has also used comparative method to study similar societies with
the evidence both literary and archaeological sources. Other sources
include linguistic, ethnographic and other fields of Indology.

4. Contributions
A History of IndiaEarly India :From The Origins To AD 1300

5. Cont….
Readings in Early Indian History
The Past Before Us: Historical
Traditions of Early North India
From Lineage to State: Social
Formations in the Mid-first
Millennium B.C.in the Ganga
Valley

6. Cont….
Raj Rewal
The Historian and Her Craft: Collected Essays
(4 Volume Set)
Exotic Aliens: The Lion & The
Cheetah in India

7. Cont….
Sakuntala: Texts, Readings,
Histories
Interpreting Early India
Somanatha: The Many Voices
of a History

8. Cont….
The Past As Present: Forging
Contemporary Identities
Through History
The Past as Present: Forging Contemporary
Identities Through History
Asoka and the Decline
of the Mauryas

9. Cont….
Indian Tales (Puffin Books)
Ancient Indian Social History
India: Another Millennium

10. Cont….
Narratives and the Making of History
Time As a Metaphor of History: Early India
N on Nationalism

11. The Past and Prejudice
Exile and the Kingdom: Some Thoughts on the
Ramayana (1978)
Cont….

12. Approaches
• Rational:Rational explanation of Past
• Critical Realism : Critical Interpretation of Past .How and For What
purpose things to be done? Her Emphasis is to identify the reason or
Cause behind to an Historical event.
• Academia: She is known as a Think Tank, She wrote books of class
6th subjected to Ideology of India and its Nationalist narrative.
• Unbiased: She is Not abide by the norms which proliferates History.
• Subjective: Key elements of Evolution of Indian Society was a
Aftermath of Colonization.
• Descriptive Analysis: Historical data and figures and Analysis of
elements like politics, society, Economics, Capitalism etc.
• Historiography Analysis : She study the methods of historians in
developing history and make analysis of it by concerning other
chronicles in order to get the facts regarding history

13. Thapar’s Explanation on the Temple of Somanatha

14. Sources for Analyzing what really happened
• Turko Persian Chronicles
• Inscriptions in an around Somanatha
• Jain Chronicles
• Sanskrit Chronicles
• Epics –Literature of Resistance
• Folk Cult
• 1842 ,House of Commons

15. Rationalist
• Rationalist : Rational explanation of Past
To DeduceReason
Source of Knowledge
i.e Chronicles, Archival
Data ,Artifacts
Justifications for a
beliefs (Story) is Critical
analysis of Past
Source of conceptual
apparatus is Constructivism
and Interpretivism

16. What is Reason According to Thapar
Reason
To Figure
Out what
actually
happened
To Deduce
To work
something
Out
To think
logically
To use
mind

17. Raid on Babri Mosque

19. Stance of BB Lal and Romila Thapar
The existence of a Hindu temple in the Janma Bhumi area at
Ayodhya preceding the construction of the Babri Masjid is so
eloquent Unfortunately, the basic problem with a certain category of
historians and archaeologists—and others of the same ilk—is that
seeing they see not or knowingly they ignore. Anyway, in spite of
them the truth has revealed itself. — Prof B. B. Lal
In the uppermost levels of this trench, hardly 50 centimetres below the
surface, were encountered rows of pillar-bases, squarish on plan and
made of brick-bats sometimes intermixed with a few stones. While most
of these bases were well within the trench, a few of them lay underneath
the edge of the trench towards the boundary wall of the Masjid.
Associated with the pillar-base-complex there were successive floors
made of lime mixed with brick jelly. No coin or inscription was found on
these floors but on the basis of the associated pottery and other
antiquities the entire complex could be dated from the 12th to 15th

20. Attached to the piers of the Babri Masjid there were twelve stone pillars
which carried not only typical Hindu motifs and mouldings but also
figures of Hindu deities. It was self-evident that these pillars were not
an integral part of the Masjid but were foreign to it. Since, as already
stated, the pillar-bases were penetrating into the Masjid-complex, a
question naturally arose whether these bases had anything to do with
the above-mentioned pillars affixed to the piers of the Masjid.
Since the main objective of the excavation was to ascertain the
antiquity of the settlement, the brief report in the Review did not make
any mention of these pillar-bases. In fact, these had nothing to do with
the main enquiry.(A lay stance in order to support the 2nd Report )
Excavation Findings

21. Excavation Findings
On December 6, 1992, the Masjid was demolished by the Kar
Sevaks who had assembled in a large number at the site. The demolition,
though regrettable, brought to light a great deal
of archaeological material from within the thick walls of the Masjid.
From the published reports it is gathered that there were more than 200
specimens which included many sculptured panels and architectural
components which must have once constituted parts of the demolished
temple. Besides, there were three inscriptions…
One inscription is engraved on a stone slab, measuring 1.10 x .56
metres, and consists of 20 lines. It has since been published by Professor
Ajaya Mitra Shastri of Nagpur University in the Puratattva,

22. The inscription is composed in high-flown Sanskrit verse, except for a small portion in
prose, and is engraved in the chaste and classical Nagari script of the eleventh-twelfth
century AD. It has yet to be fully deciphered, but the portions which have been fully
deciphered and read are of great historical significance . It was evidently put up on the
wall of the temple, the construction of which is recorded in the text inscribed on it.
Line 15 of this inscription, for example, clearly tells that a beautiful temple of
Vishnu-Hari, built with heaps of stone (sila-samhati-grahais) and beautified with a
golden spire (hiranya-kalasa-srisundaram) unparalleled by any other temple built by
earlier kings (purvvair-apy-akritam nripatibhir) was constructed. This wonderful
temple (aty–adbhutam) was built in the temple-city (vibudh–alayani) of Ayodhya
situated in the Saketamandala (district, line 17) showing that Ayodhya and Saketa
were closely connected, Saketa being the district of which Ayodhya was a part. Line
19 describes god Vishnu as destroying king Bali (apparently in the Vamana
manifestation) and the ten-headed personage (Dasanana i.e. Ravana).

23. Who? When? Why?
Refers to causality (cause), causality is fundamental to rational thinking.
You can’t have rational thinking until you are committed to some sense
of causality
Cause and effect Relation ship
There must be a Logic and rationality behind to causality
Somnath Temple Destroyed Hindus Truman Attack on BabriMosque
Critical Inquiry

24. Left Centric Historian /Unbiased
In autobiography titled Njan Enna Bharatiyan (I an Indian) of Dr KK
Muhammed, former Regional Director(North) of Archaeological Survey
of India, after Twenty four years later of the demolition of Babri Masjid
, Muhammad has come out with the allegation that Left historians like
Romila Thapar had thwarted(oppose) an amicable(polite) settlement to
the Babri Masjid issue. Dr KK Muhammed also claim that remains of a
Hindu temple were found during the excavation made by a team of
archaeologists headed by Professor BB Lal.

25. E vA
Epistemology
(How do we know)
Axiology (What is
right)
Ontology
Metaphysics (What is
Real)
Axiology
(What is right)
Ontology
Nature and Origin of the
matter
Critical Realism used to emphasis on
Knowing Through
Experience-Reason
Authority –Intuition
Active Construction
Ethics
Aesthetics
Axiology (What is
right)
Axiology (What is
right)
Axiology (What is right)
Searching of Facts with
the help of
Evidences(Archaeologi
cal Evidences )
Chronicles
(Sansikrat,Persian,Jain)
Analysis of Records
Innate Knowledge :
Skepticism
She make Judgments of
stories through
Rationalism approach
She became
objective while
perceiving History
and Interpret it in the
light of chronicles and
logics
Critical Realism

26. Primary Evidence
• Artifacts as the primary source for Interpretation of Past
• Further Excavations carried out will broaden the cultural profile will negate the
theory or some times add on the existing theory
Theory is Tentative
Existing
Theory
Excavations
Carried out
Artifacts
Contributes the
Cultural Profile of
Region
Rejection of old
theory
Consistency
Achieved
Scientific Theory
New theory
(Paradigm Shift)
Rejection of old
theory

28. Colonization
Secular Nationalism
James Mill : They are not 1 Religious Nationalism
• Hinduism
• Muslims
Anti Colonization
Two
Monolithic
Societies
Muslims were
spread in sects
• Shia,
• Baralayee,
• Sunni
Hindus were
spread in sects
• Brahmanas
• Sharamans
etc
Society and its Discourse

29. Nationalism emerged as
Shared History, Religion
and Language
Historical origins gave power
to Anti Colonial Movements
Anti Colonial Nationalism
gave shape to wider identity
i.e Secular Identity
History is to the Nationalism while POPPY is to the opium addict
James Mill stance of Two different
Religions
Two Nation Theory
• Emergence of Nations State
Territoriality
Sovereignty
Equality of States
Nationalism
Power Politics
•

30. Critical Realism :Critical Interpretation of Past
Stance of Romila Thapar: An Historical Methodology
Q. What is Researcher’s evidence?
Q. How reliable is Researcher’s evidence?
Q. What are the causal linkups a Researcher’s is making in evidence?
Q. What is this leading Researcher’s to?
Q. Is Researcher’s “Eventual Argument” based on logic and
Reasoning?
Triangulation of Matter
Actuality
Reality
Experience

31. Triangulation:
• Reality : Knowledge of What and Why Things done (Somnath Destruction)
• Actuality: Knowledge of What actually happened (what was distructed Manath,
Langham)
• Experience: Knowledge of What is perceived to be happened (Invasion on Hindus
Sentiments )
Ontology

32. She did Academic Research. Thapars focus of study is Society .Her research model is
“Circular Model” qualitative in nature
Academia
Scientific
Theory
HypothesisObservation
Research
Available Historical
Theories are tested
with the help of
Chronicles and
Archaeological
Evidences
Design a study to test
hypothesis
Perform the Research
Create or
modify the
theory

33. Academia :Circular Model

34. • Qualitative Research
 Historical Research
Research Method/Type
Particulars Description
Focus Experience -Stories
Philosophical Roots Constructivism , Interpretivism
Goals of Investigation Discover a new Theory
Design Characteristics Flexible -Easy to implement

35. Research Methodology
Rational behind the study
Rearch Hypothesis
Research
Hypothesis
Research Hypothesis
Gap /Problem Definition
Research Objective
Research HypothesisResearch Design
Evidence
(Archaeological/Chronicles
Data Collection & Analysis tools
Limitations of the Study

36. Conclusion
• Romila did her extensive Study of Socio –Cultural ,Politics and Economical
Courses and discourses of India etc.
• Her study includes Historiography Analysis of Past events .She left the
theory of Somanatha open and wait for more evidence in order to know
what was really happened As she knows when studied Archaeological
findings . She came up with a complete insight of a past event.
• 1st Report of Archaeological survey of India did not mentioned the structural
elements of Somanatha which laid beneath the structure of Babri Mosque, and
and in the mosque(pillars) too the 2nd Report illustrates that structural elements
so it is quite doubtful and It is said that the 2nd report of ASI is not representing
facts. if structural elements were unearth earlier so why they cant reveal.
• She uncover the Stories which are the part of Nationalist narrative by
describing the facts.

37. Bibliography
• Thapar Romila https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiIACiUhuA8&fbclid=IwAR2M3M-
2XA1IEXof7FdnIz6k9xcjvykEKTpvg8l-XTxc5iEsY6Jk5cqKqg0 Accessed (1-Nov-2018)
• ThaparRomilahttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJqjb4NzFRU&fbclid=IwAR2bBrmq2Eg
lm2ycSWlNdvIr3Mb6MmYAZ86e44-kJt4314WKQkXcgVE4hz4 Accessed (15-Nov-2018 )
• Thapar Romila https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-
LxPzkeLBOo&fbclid=IwAR2ewsA_D9BSqcqiinyq-
lhnYwW2WixHL2S0EFQj4fe2uCbj_i_ANlXeUl8
• Accessed (17-Nov-2018)
• https://www.firstpost.com/india/left-historians-connived-with-extremists-mislead-muslims-
on-babri-issue-says-archaeologist-in-new-book-2592188.html accessed 1-dec-2018
• Thapar ,R.(2012) Umashankar Joshi Memorial Lecture “Perspectives of the History of
Somnatha” .
• Thapar,P. (2016), DNA , Efforts are being made to 'obfuscate' the definition of nationalism:
Romila Thapar .

38. • Bharata Bharati (2010) Was there a temple at the Ramjanmabhumi before the Babri Masjid was
built? – B.B. Lal https://bharatabharati.wordpress.com/2010/09/25/archaeology-was-there-a-
temple-at-the-ramjanmabhumi-before-the-babri-masjid-was-built-b-b-lal/ Accessed 17-Nov-2018)
• Thapar ,R.(2018) Quartz India ‘A histtorian explains why India’s ‘national culture’ is
both Hindu and Muslim .
Bibliography