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

INTRODUCTION xxv

Anglo-Indianinterpretationofit. Helearnshishistorymostly

fromofficial
text-books,

andifheisanofficial,

from theGovern-

ment

files.

A bare recital of the

historical

fallacieswhich form the

basisofEuropeanhistories ofIndiawouldfillalargevolume,

and

the

omissionof essentialfactsanotherone. Perhaps one

illustrationwillbe

sufficient. Inthe

Sessionof

1913

the

Under-

SecretaryofStateforIndia,whenpresentingtheIndianBudgetto

Parliament,explainedthatthechiefdifficultyofBritishgovern-

ment in Indialayin thefact thatthegreatmass ofthe people

"

still

livedinthefifthcenturya.d." Thesewordsftiayexpress

aprofound

historicaltruth, butonlywhen takeninasensethe

very opposite of that which they were

intended to convey.

Mr. Montagu wished to paint a picture of the Cimmerian

darknessinwhichthe Indianmassesdwelt, but not to revive

memories

of the time when Indo-Aryan civilisation reached

its zenith

;

when

Vikrimaditya,

the

hero of Indian romance

and legend, had saved the liberties of

Aryan India from the

savage

barbarians who were ravaging Europe;

and when

Indianculture was

the inspirationofthecivilisedworld.

An

impartial historian

might well consider that the

greatest

triumph ofBritish

administrationwouldbetorestoretoIndia

all thatshe

enjoyed inthefifth century

a.d.

Many

explanationshavebeengivenofthe

causesofIndian

unrest, but none

seem to take into account that which

has

always been

thegreatdisturbing

causeinthe historyof

India.

It

has neverbeen

a racial

question. Indiahasbeenas happy

and

contented under

Scythian orMogul rulersas

underthose

of Aryan race.

It has not

been a religious question,

for no

peoplehave been

moreopen-minded

inreligiousthought

than

Indians.

But ever

since theAryans made

India prosperous

and contentwith

the wonderful

organization of their

village

communities

andthe

splendid culture

whichgrewout of

them,