Check out this PBS special on India

[Sagefrakrobatik]

http://http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/

Its pretty interesting to. There is even a section where you can ask the author a question. They did not say anything about the Dravidians and believe that that the Aryans came from Turkastein and that they were the ones described in the Rig Veda.

The last episode they talked about the spice trade, the silk road, and Ayodha where the Ramayana takes place.

They also talked about king Kush. The Buddhist king.

[realdemigod]

thanks for the info

[PARAM]

Kush was Hindu (Dharm) King not Buddhist

Edited-
The Aryan Invasion thery is totally wrong, this is not the problem of Dravidian of this fake story, they have made it Marathas, Rajputs, Gujjars, Jats, Jains etc were targets of Aryan Invasion in all there caste related websites.

[Believer]

The Aryan Invasion theory is totally wrong, this is not the problem of Dravidian of this fake story, they have made it Marathas, Rajputs, Gujjars, Jats, Jains etc were targets of Aryan Invasion in all there caste related websites.
Being from the deep Northwest, all these people of different castes/ethnicities who believe in the Aryan Invasion theory, must think of me as the 'Ugly Aryan Invader' who subjugated them. ;)

[PARAM]

This is not for Joke, we have to spread the Truth, Arya means Noble and not any clan, Europeans were proud to be called Arya thats why they made it, this was used by British to protect their Common Empire, after India's freedom, nasty Politicians are supporting this just to make their vote bank, and Muslims Christians for divide Dharma

[BryonMorrigan]

I've been watching this show...about 4 episodes in. Here are my main issues:

1. Aryan Invasion Theory hogwash. It's presented as "fact," with no mention of competing scholarship or the use of the AIT by Europeans as a means of subjugation...no mention of its use by the Nazis...and no mention of the fact that the dates used to "prove" the AIT come totally from the Christian Bible, and not from verifiable fact. They had B.B. Lal on for a bit, and talked about the recent re-discovery of the Sarasvati River...but there was no mention of the impact of that evidence in regards to debunking the AIT.

2. Look. I'm of European ethnicity. But when I'm watching a documentary on India...I don't want to watch some annoying Englishman as the host and narrator. The guy (Anglo-Saxon historian Michael Wood) acts like he has this perpetual confused amazement at everything, which only makes me feel uncomfortable watching him. Plus, as noted above, he really has no credentials in this field of study, but rather has spent most of his "academic" life making dozens of these kinds of documentaries. The fact that the BBC can't find a single damned historian or archaeologist from India, (or at least an English person of Indian heritage) and has to import someone from England just seems to make the choice based solely on skin color. This kind of documentary needed a host with "gravitas," not some effete Englishman who looks like he giggles between shots and says, "Oh look! Let's get a shot of the natives!"

It has some great pictures, and the cinematography is wonderful. But really...it's more of a travel guide for British people who want to come to good 'ol "Injah!" and prance about in khakis and pith helmets.

[Sahasranama]

2. Look. I'm of European ethnicity. But when I'm watching a documentary on India...I don't want to watch some annoying Englishman as the host and narrator. The guy (Anglo-Saxon historian Michael Wood) acts like he has this perpetual confused amazement at everything, which only makes me feel uncomfortable watching him. Plus, as noted above, he really has no credentials in this field of study, but rather has spent most of his "academic" life making dozens of these kinds of documentaries. The fact that the BBC can't find a single damned historian or archaeologist from India, (or at least an English person of Indian heritage) and has to import someone from England just seems to make the choice based solely on skin color. This kind of documentary needed a host with "gravitas," not some effete Englishman who looks like he giggles between shots and says, "Oh look! Let's get a shot of the natives!"

This is common in British documentaries, even in documentaries on mathematics. It's quite annoying indeed.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam: But at least the Brits make up for it in their comedies. Faulty Towers, Hyacinth Bucket, etc.

In a way the pompous condescending attitude makes it easier to interpret as 'perhaps hogwash'. The 'insider' seriousness is more dangerous. For example, if they hired a guy from Delhi with an accent, would the Hindus be more likely to believe the exact same information? Certainly this strategy works for the Christians of Kerala, among other places.

Aum Namasivaya

[Ramakrishna]

Namaste,

I saw the documentary last year, and I agree with Bryon. It had its good points and its bad points, although the presenting of the AIT as fact was annoying. At first, having the Englishman as a narrator didn't really bother me, but now I see the point that Bryon is making.

Jai Sri Ram

[BryonMorrigan]

This is common in British documentaries, even in documentaries on mathematics. It's quite annoying indeed.

Like I said before: India needs an Indian version of Dr. Zahi Hawass. There are probably hundreds of documentaries on ancient Egypt shown on American television each year...and all of them are under the watchful eye of Dr. Hawass...or Dr. Hawass doesn't let them film the documentary! Heck, he's become such a "celebrity" that they made a reality show following him around ("Chasing Mummies"). Hawass has that "gravitas" that I'm talking about...and it's not just because he's a native Egyptian.

[BryonMorrigan]

Vannakkam: But at least the Brits make up for it in their comedies. Faulty Towers, Hyacinth Bucket, etc.

Oh, I love me some British comedy. I grew up on Fawlty Towers, Good Neighbors, To the Manor Born, and Monty Python.


In a way the pompous condescending attitude makes it easier to interpret as 'perhaps hogwash'. The 'insider' seriousness is more dangerous. For example, if they hired a guy from Delhi with an accent, would the Hindus be more likely to believe the exact same information? Certainly this strategy works for the Christians of Kerala, among other places.

Yeah, if they just got "some guy" from Delhi...but like I said, I'd like to see a serious, Indian academic. B.B. Lal is way too old though. I realized that when he makes an appearance in the BBC documentary. But I just HAVE to believe, that in a country of over a BILLION people...there's some guy that would be perfect for this sort of thing. ;)

[Ramakrishna]

Vannakkam: But at least the Brits make up for it in their comedies. Faulty Towers, Hyacinth Bucket, etc.




Oh, I love me some British comedy. I grew up on Fawlty Towers, Good Neighbors, To the Manor Born, and Monty Python.

Namaste,

I used to watch a few minutes of random British comedies when they came on PBS after a show I was watching, and they looked ridiculous. But at the recommendation of a friend, I watched Blackadder, and it's fantastic!



Yeah, if they just got "some guy" from Delhi...but like I said, I'd like to see a serious, Indian academic. B.B. Lal is way too old though. I realized that when he makes an appearance in the BBC documentary. But I just HAVE to believe, that in a country of over a BILLION people...there's some guy that would be perfect for this sort of thing. ;)

I definitely agree on the need for a serious great Indian academic who can do documentaries and such things. Perhaps with the improvement of the Indian educational system we will see some pop up in the coming years.

Jai Sri Ram

[Sahasranama]

I definitely agree on the need for a serious great Indian academic who can do documentaries and such things. Perhaps with the improvement of the Indian educational system we will see some pop up in the coming years.
Perhaps, this is a job cut out for BryonMorrigon. :)

[BryonMorrigan]

Perhaps, this is a job cut out for BryonMorrigon. :)

Nah. I'd happily produce it...or write the script...but I have very little "gravitas," and a Southern American accent. ;)

[Arjuni]

BryonMorrigan: Oddly, you'd get more clout with the British for having a Southern American accent. All of the British folks I met, during the four months I lived there, were intensely disappointed that I didn't have one; they knew that I was from Louisiana and hoped to hear a sultry drawl. Apparently the Southern accent is as sexy to them as the British accent is to Americans.

But really...it's more of a travel guide for British people who want to come to good 'ol "Injah!" and prance about in khakis and pith helmets.

This made me giggle, then shake my head. I have a few India guidebooks in my apartment right now, and one of them, the National Geographic guide, I couldn't finish reading. It's written by a British woman and marks out some rather odd features, including colonial villages, Christian cathedrals, and other "sights" that had me shrieking at the book, "WHO goes to INDIA to see this stuff?!" (My favourite passage mentioned the Chinese fishing nets as a highlight in a walking-tour around Kochi. I apologise to anyone here who has made fishing nets a vital part of their itinerary, but I would not mourn if I missed this particular sight.)

Never mind British or Indian, academic or no, I graciously volunteer to be an American host for the PBS series, just for the pleasure of that one episode where I snap and start shaking the camera about, while glaring right into it and screaming, STOOOOOP WITH THE STUPID ARYAN INVASION THEORY ALREADY STOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOOOOPIIIIIIIT! Educational, probably not. Satisfying, yes indeed.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

[Sahasranama]

Never mind British or Indian, academic or no, I graciously volunteer to be an American host for the PBS series, just for the pleasure of that one episode where I snap and start shaking the camera about, while glaring right into it and screaming, STOOOOOP WITH THE STUPID ARYAN INVASION THEORY ALREADY STOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOOOOPIIIIIIIT! Educational, probably not. Satisfying, yes indeed.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.
Actually, this is why we have youtube.

[rainycity]

the host of this program sort of gave me the impression that he thought of india as a kind of curious story in the pages of history seen from the all knowing ethno-centric perspective of a westerner and englishman. Like there would be no 'story of britain' because only countries like india are 'stories', its kind of condascending. I don't know if I'm making any sense

[Rationalist]

the host of this program sort of gave me the impression that he thought of india as a kind of curious story in the pages of history seen from the all knowing ethno-centric perspective of a westerner and englishman. Like there would be no 'story of britain' because only countries like india are 'stories', its kind of condascending. I don't know if I'm making any sense

This ethno-centrism and chauvinism is an all too familiar part of Western society and ideology. I hate it whenever Westerners try to say anything on other cultures and nations and religions; they almost always cannot avoid a tone of condescension and scorn, as if they think their customs and traditions are superior (which they are not).

In fact, many people think I am anti-Westerner when I speak out against this arrogance so intrinsic of their society.

Fools...

[Rationalist]

BryonMorrigan: Oddly, you'd get more clout with the British for having a Southern American accent. All of the British folks I met, during the four months I lived there, were intensely disappointed that I didn't have one; they knew that I was from Louisiana and hoped to hear a sultry drawl. Apparently the Southern accent is as sexy to them as the British accent is to Americans.

But really...it's more of a travel guide for British people who want to come to good 'ol "Injah!" and prance about in khakis and pith helmets.

This made me giggle, then shake my head. I have a few India guidebooks in my apartment right now, and one of them, the National Geographic guide, I couldn't finish reading. It's written by a British woman and marks out some rather odd features, including colonial villages, Christian cathedrals, and other "sights" that had me shrieking at the book, "WHO goes to INDIA to see this stuff?!" (My favourite passage mentioned the Chinese fishing nets as a highlight in a walking-tour around Kochi. I apologise to anyone here who has made fishing nets a vital part of their itinerary, but I would not mourn if I missed this particular sight.)

Never mind British or Indian, academic or no, I graciously volunteer to be an American host for the PBS series, just for the pleasure of that one episode where I snap and start shaking the camera about, while glaring right into it and screaming, STOOOOOP WITH THE STUPID ARYAN INVASION THEORY ALREADY STOPITSTOPITSTOPITSTOOOOPIIIIIIIT! Educational, probably not. Satisfying, yes indeed.

Indraneela
===
Oṁ Indrāya Namaḥ.
Oṁ Namaḥ Śivāya.

The National Geographic has a proven anti-Indian and Hindu bias. Almost anything produced in the Western world about India has this quality.

[Ramakrishna]

The National Geographic has a proven anti-Indian and Hindu bias. Almost anything produced in the Western world about India has this quality.

Namaste Rationalist,

Really? My family is subscribed to National Geographic Magazine, and I've found it to be very interesting. But I've never seen or read any of their stuff about India, though.

Jai Sri Ram