The Promises of India

Abstract

India’s myriad of ethnic, religious, and linguistic identities makes it perhaps the most culturally and geographically diverse nation on the planet. Historians have often opted to consider the narrative of Indian history under a Hindu nationalist light in terms of the influences brought by invading groups on the subcontinent. Within the currents of Hindu historiography particularly into twentieth century, there was recognition of the legacy of periods of Islamic rule, in particular on the inequities manifested by an elite of Muslim rulers subjugating a Hindu majority. However, social and caste division and oligarchic rule are actually millennial traditions in India that continued with the British colonial period that added an extra Indian layer to social stratification. Independence from Great Britain in 1947 brought not only self-determination but also the partition of former British colonial territory between Hindu-dominated India and Muslim-ruled Pakistan. Despite partition, present-day India is still home to numerous ethic and religious groups with a vibrant film industry as varied as the country itself.