Write a note on the conflicting views on Indian Renaissance. (20Marks)

Ans. The part of educated people in molding the popular supposition and driving the general population is past. One such wonder which pulled in wide interests among both the Marxist and non-Marxist researchers was the Bengal Renaissance which is now and then likened with the Indian Renaissance. It is on the grounds that a group of contemporary educated people moved toward becoming related with different developments of thoughts for the most part got from western-sources. Indian renaissance, frequently likened with Bengal renaissance, has been a broadly discussed subject among savvy people and students of history. The most begging to be proven wrong part of this subject has been its naming which unmistakeably echoes the Italian scholarly experience and social marvel of the fifteenth and sixteenth hundreds of years in Europe charged as the renaissance.

 

Among the Marxist students of history Susobhan Sarkar was the first to breakdown this blossoming of social, religious, scholarly and political exercises in Bengal. In his paper, notes on the Bengal renaissance, first distributed in 1946, he proclaimed that the ‘pretended by Bengal in the advanced arousing of... [Continue to Read Complete Answer]

Explore More

- IGNOU ASSIGNMENTS

- IGNOU SOLUTIONS

- IGNOU BOOKS 

Describe the important features of Indo-Persian tradition of history writing during the Mughal period. (20Marks)

Ans. The Ghurian conquest of North India towards the close of 12th century AD is an important event in Indian history. This attracted emigrants from the neighbouring countries who represent different cultural traditions. One of the traditions introduced by them was that of history writing. With the coming of Mughals in 16th century AD, the tradition of history writing achieved new heights. Among the Muslim elite, history was considered as the third important source of knowledge after the religious scripture and jurisprudence. Abdul Fazl, Nizamuddin Ahmad, Abdul Qadir Badauni, Khwaja Kamgar Husaini and Abdul Hamid Lahori were some important historians of the Mughal period.

The most dominant feature of the historiography of Mughal period is the tradition of history writing by official chroniclers appointed by almost all emperors till the reign of Aurengzeb. These chroniclers were appointed by the emperors and all official records were provided to them for the purpose. Another salient feature of the period is Autobiographical accounts written by emperors themselves. Tuzuk-i-Baburi by Babur and Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri by Jahangir are the important works in this genre. Apart from official works which had obvious constrains, a number of independent works were written by independent scholars which provide a critical appraisal of the policies and events of the period.

Early Writing

Zahiruddin Muhammad Babur, who invaded India and supplanted... [Continue to Read Complete Answer]

Explore More

- IGNOU ASSIGNMENTS

- IGNOU BOOKS

- IGNOU SOLUTIONS 

What do you understand by oral history? Discuss it's relationship with the mainstream historiography. (20Marks)

Ans. Oral history is a brand of historiography which focus on the study of historical information about individuals and families, local areas and communities, important events and on ordinary people and groups by means of planned interviews, audiotapes, videotapes or by other oral modes; and it is generally ignored by the mainstream historiography. Oral history can be seen as the earliest form of historical inquiry; it predates even the written word. It employ methodologies with roots both in the pre-modern and modern historiographies. By concentrating on the small scale and on the ordinary people, it contest the dominant historical discourses of both pre-modern and modern periods.

The boundaries of oral history are extremely porous. It crosses the lines between the pre-modern and the modern periods; between the pre-literate and literate cultures; between individual and collective, and between the subject and the writer. Ronald J. Grele, in his entry on 'Oral History' writes, "when oral historians or those who use the term oral history in their writing, describe what it is they do, they mix genres with abandon. Sometimes what is being described is oral tradition; at others life history, life review, or life course. For some oral historians the practice is the collection of interviews for archival purposes, to provide a record for the future. For others it is the conduct of interviews for particular publications or public history projects, and for still others it is a pathway to community empowerment. In recent years oral history has become a noun, the thing itself is the thing being collected, rather than the activity for interviewing for historical purposes. Indeed there is even debate over whether oral historians simply collect oral histories or create them".

Jan Vansina, great oral historian who has worked in Africa, writes, "oral traditions have a part to play in the reconstruction of the past. The importance of... [Continue to Read Complete Answer]

Explore More

- IGNOU ASSIGNMENT

- IGNOU BOOKS

- IGNOU SOLUTIONS 

Write a note on the historiographical traditions in early India. (20Marks)

Ans. Now we no Longer understand history to be simply a chronicle of kings. Instead, historians are interested in, explore, and attempt to reconstruct histories of the environment, of gender relations, of social categories and classes that were regarded as marginal, subordinate or even insignificant, of processes, and of regions that were considered peripheral. Most of these works were composed by literate men, generally Brahmana, for consumption by the ruling elite. Vast sections of the population, including common women and men, find little or no place within such narratives. Clearly, history and notions of the Indian past were inextricably enmeshed in notions of power.

Following are the various early texts and traditions that have historiographical significance:-

1. VEDIC DANSTUTIS

If we understand histories as recording events that were regarded as significant by those who chronicled them, some of the earliest examples of these come from the Rigveda. These include... [Continue to Read Complete Answer]

Also Read

IGNOU ASSIGNMENTS

IGNOU BOOKS

IGNOU SOLUTIONS

What is causation? Discuss the manner in which historians use causation to explain any historical phenomenon. (20Marks)

Ans. Causation is one of the most important historiography tool which helps in history writing. A cause is basically a condition that is both necessary and sufficient for bringing about an event. It is a condition that is always present when the event ‘E’ occurs and always absent when the event ‘E’ doesn`t occur. Like social scientists, historians provide complete explanation of the phenomenon under consideration by determining what caused that event to occur. The search for causes, that is, causation is an important part of historical analysis. In word`s of E.J.Tapps, “without a concept of causation, there is no history”. Causation plays a vital role in providing coherent and intelligible explanation of the past.

Until 18th century, historians believed that cause must be an antecedent event occurring prior to the explained event. But following the works of scholars like John S. Mill, cause is no longer identified as just an event that occurred before.....[Continue to Read Complete Answer]

Also Read

IGNOU ASSIGNMENTS

IGNOU BOOKS

IGNOU SOLUTIONS