The ancient and medieval architecture of India: a study of Indo-Aryan civilisation

xxiv INTRODUCTION

Fergusson,ifhe

had

lived

inthepresentday,

would havebeen

thefirst toreject—hisclassifications

of

"

styles." The

history

ofIndianarchitecturehastherefore

remainedwhere

Fergusson

left

it—not a

history

of

Indian life, but a

Museum ofAnti-

quitieswronglylabelled.

"

Bureaucracytome in

India," saida

distinguished his-

torianofEnglishpolitics,formerlySecretary

ofStatefor

India,

"

isagreatand splendid machineperforming

themostdifficult

taskever committed to the charge ofany

nation. Show me

whereitfails—no sensiblemanwouldhold it

perfectinevery

respect

—

showme fromdaytodayanypointwhere

bureaucracy

has been at fault, and do you suppose I will not

show my

resentment

atthe

faultandwillnotdoallIcantoremedy

it

?"^

There is much food for reflection in the fact that the

abidingcauseofthefailings—such astheyare—ofbureaucracy

inIndiahasalwaysbeen,and still is,itscomplete ignoranceof

Indo-Aryan history—the only history of India which really

matters. Itisan axiomin British Imperial administrationto

trustthe manon thespot. InIndiaheisthe DistrictOfficer,

the eyes and ears of the Government of India, dispensing

Britishjusticeunderthevillage banyantree. His knowledge

•ofIndiaiscertainlyextensiveand

peculiar—onlyhisIndiaisnot

Aryan India. Itis aboriginal

or prehistoric, Muhammadan

India,andtheIndiaoftheGovernment

files. TheIndiawhich

counts most in history, Aryan India, is not

on the file, and

underthese circumstances the District

Officerwould bemore

than humanifhe knewmuch ofit.

Itmightbesupposed thattheeducatedIndian,

born inan

Indianvillage,mustknowhisIndiaifanyone

does. Butneither

ishispoint ofview,asarule, Indo-Aryan

India. Hedoes

not

readtheopen bookofIndian art for

himself—hetrusts

tothe

1

Mr.

John

Morley,

M.P. (LordMorleyofBlackburn), The

TimesParliamentary

E.eport,Feb.i,

1908.