The myth

 The myth

There is a belief that our ancestors for almost last 1200 years, allowed so called foreigners like Mughals, Afghans, Turks, Mongols and traders from far Europe such as Britishers, Portuguese, French to invade our country and conquer us because the glorious Hinduism taught us to accommodate foreigners. Never ever we admit that the Indian kings got defeated by foreign power because Indians are weak in military power and valour. I want to offer few points for the above theory.

1. Indians in Gangetic plains were mostly agrarian. We have more forest cover where elephants, tiger, deer are available. Except elephant (in a lesser way), other animals can’t be domesticated and useful for surface warfare. On the contrary the central Asian countries Turkmenistan , Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgizistan, Mongolia, Asia Minor) including Afghanistan, Baluchistan have steppes where as nomadic tribe they mostly get food by haunting. The staple food they buy from traders by selling animal skin, horses and carpets woven from lamb wool. Still the time of discovery of engine horses were the main stay for warriors. For movement also horses were used extensively. In Hindustan (the land beyond river Sindhu) traditionally devoid of horses. So Indians could not move out of their land. We only had sea routs. But Indian maritime never been technologically superior than counterparts of Europe. Also there was no need to go out because food was plentiful. 
2. But it was not same for nomadic tribes. Tribal boys from their childhood started taking lessons for haunting and become master of the craft. Because of the inter rivalry between tribes, each tribe wants to maintain big fleet of army. But to maintain big army they need money. So they invade other countries and plunder. Muhammad Ghazni, Muhammad Ghori, Nadir shah, Ahmed Shah Abdali all came and went back after conquering and amassing wealth left our country.
3. Question is despite greater manpower Indian kings were always defeated whenever a foreign invasion took place. I think there are three main reasons behind the above fact.
4. a) Indians were generally not a warrior clan. b) when one king is attacked, the neighbouring kings hardly extend military help. c) Our quality of weapons not upto mark and also much less use of horse.
   
   
   
5. Babur could win over Ibrahim Lodi because he used canon. In Europe from Roman time onward, with the spread of Christianity and later on Muslim faith there were conflicts between them which led to crusade. Later Byzantine and Ottoman Empire has led to many fights. The tribes of Europe Visigoths, Vandals, Slavs, Saxons, Turks have been fighting with each other. Because of constant war they were much ahead of Indian king’s military power. Also gun powder, modern Artillery, AirPower, naval power, in all respect they were much ahead of us. In mid eighteen’s century , Marthas become more powerful and conquered Delhi, because they hired services of European military veterans to give training to Maratha regiment. Those European Generals were hired by Nizam of Hyderabad. But when Nizam was defeated by Marathas, all those  Europeans came under Maratha Empire. 
6. Even in maritime, the European started trading out side their country in late fifteenth century. First Spaniards conquered Cuba, West Indies, South America, and then Vasco da Gama conquered Malabar Coast and the Indonesia followed by Britishers ruled entire India.
7. The Industrial Revolution doomed our trading capability, but that is another story.
8. So I only humbly conclude that it is  not greatness of Hinduism, that we ruled by outsiders simply because we were never any match to outside forces militarily.

Debadatta

01/03/23