Comments on: The Destruction Of Our Shared Cultural Heritage http://indianmuslims.in/the-destruction-of-our-shared-cultural-heritage/ A Window Into The Indian Muslim Life Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:21:41 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mazaar-e-Aftab-e-Mousiqui « Curiously Curious http://indianmuslims.in/the-destruction-of-our-shared-cultural-heritage/comment-page-1/#comment-53817 Mazaar-e-Aftab-e-Mousiqui « Curiously Curious Sun, 08 Feb 2009 20:31:51 +0000 http://indianmuslims.in/the-destruction-of-our-shared-cultural-heritage/#comment-53817 [...] else that happened in 2002, this was perhaps a less egregious infraction. Given what happened to Wali Dakhani’s grave, perhaps we ought to be relieved that the mazaar exists at all. It’s likely that the [...] [...] else that happened in 2002, this was perhaps a less egregious infraction. Given what happened to Wali Dakhani’s grave, perhaps we ought to be relieved that the mazaar exists at all. It’s likely that the [...]

]]> By: mahi http://indianmuslims.in/the-destruction-of-our-shared-cultural-heritage/comment-page-1/#comment-2222 mahi Thu, 01 Mar 2007 07:58:21 +0000 http://indianmuslims.in/the-destruction-of-our-shared-cultural-heritage/#comment-2222 While I am for preserving heritage, I would add this: It may be that in Gujarat the saffron boys wilfully did the desecration. On a whole though, our country, we as a people, have never had the sense of history which then compels you to accord the requisite care to artefacts of the past. This is true across religion. There are many many great Indian personalities, of every caste creed and religion, that have just receded into the dust, without as much as a small board to commemorate them. Thats been our sense of ourselves. Which is okay, with me, for the large part (cos am more concerned about our present). When we naturally get to a point where we cherish and want to protect our history, its welcome. But doing it just for the sake that its the done thing in 'modern' or 'western' societies will not gain us much. So we can and should denounce the willful desecration of such things, but we should also remember that we as a society never were history-conscious (at least not in the sense of preserving objects). While I am for preserving heritage, I would add this:

It may be that in Gujarat the saffron boys wilfully did the desecration. On a whole though, our country, we as a people, have never had the sense of history which then compels you to accord the requisite care to artefacts of the past. This is true across religion. There are many many great Indian personalities, of every caste creed and religion, that have just receded into the dust, without as much as a small board to commemorate them. Thats been our sense of ourselves. Which is okay, with me, for the large part (cos am more concerned about our present). When we naturally get to a point where we cherish and want to protect our history, its welcome. But doing it just for the sake that its the done thing in ‘modern’ or ‘western’ societies will not gain us much.

So we can and should denounce the willful desecration of such things, but we should also remember that we as a society never were history-conscious (at least not in the sense of preserving objects).

]]> By: taranakhan http://indianmuslims.in/the-destruction-of-our-shared-cultural-heritage/comment-page-1/#comment-2205 taranakhan Thu, 01 Mar 2007 06:55:49 +0000 http://indianmuslims.in/the-destruction-of-our-shared-cultural-heritage/#comment-2205 Shocking...to say the least...and very painful to hear that we have no respect for art and culture anymore. If we start dividing even art and poetry on communal lines, we will totally degenerate as a nation. I remember reading about Umrao Jaan Ada's grave, after the remake 'Umrao Jaan' was released - that half the grave has been covered by a road, with little regard to the sentiments of her extended family who couldn't do anything to save it. Shocking…to say the least…and very painful to hear that we have no respect for art and culture anymore. If we start dividing even art and poetry on communal lines, we will totally degenerate as a nation. I remember reading about Umrao Jaan Ada’s grave, after the remake ‘Umrao Jaan’ was released – that half the grave has been covered by a road, with little regard to the sentiments of her extended family who couldn’t do anything to save it.

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