ThePrint Thinking Medieval: Not just Nehru, even Hindutva stems from Macaulay legacy
Nov 23, 2025
Ananya explores how colonial legacies still influence modern Indian thought, intertwining Nehruvian liberalism and Hindutva. She critiques British narratives that blame India's decline on climate and racial factors. The discussion highlights how English-educated elites shaped nationalist ideologies. Ananya contrasts various leaders' views on India's decline, emphasizing the need for authentic decolonization. The podcast culminates in a call to respect vernacular languages and uplift marginalized communities.
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Macaulay's Vision Became Real
- Macaulay's 1835 minute promoted an English-educated Indian elite and this class indeed emerged by the freedom struggle era.
- Colonial education created a brown sahib class that severed ties with many traditional social and religious practices.
Colonial Binaries Shaped Indian History
- British scholars read India's past through European categories, simplifying complex histories into Hindu, Muslim, and British phases.
- This framework framed medieval India as decline and justified colonial rule as progressive.
Romanticism And Racism Mixed In Colonial Thought
- European intellectual trends both romanticized ancient India and blamed racial mixing for decline, mixing admiration with racist explanations.
- These competing views produced a muddled colonial narrative used by Indian nationalists later.
