‘Land of the Gods’: Lingering presence of past in Haryana

Reicha Tanwar

THE region of Haryana has enjoyed a pre-eminent place in India’s ancient history. Several fundamental questions have found answers in the archaeological sites that lie scattered in the region. The pre-Harappan sites, for example, testify to the advanced and progressive living of its people. The region was home to the sophisticated philosophy that harmonised spirituality and the meaning of life that we find enshrined in the ‘Bhagawadagita’. Likewise, the ‘Mahabharata’ immortalised the region as a land of decisive action, martial traditions and sacrifice for righteousness and truth. In this sense, the title ‘Land of the Gods’ is justifiable and yet in the contemporary sense, appears out of context.

The book is interesting and holds attention, but the young and talented author has tried to put in too much into limited space, and this in turn renders much of the narrative sketchy and subjective. More importantly, Haryana’s ancient past that should have been discussed at greater length is done away with in a page or two. Divided into eight chapters, the book is not actually a connected historical narrative, but more a result of the author’s perception of Haryana’s history. For example, the first chapter starts with Aurangzeb and a brief reference to his oppressive rule, followed soon after with the description of the Jats by Denzil Ibbetson (a British colonial civil servant).

The volume devotes about 160 pages to modern Haryana, mainly its politics, based on a handful of books and newspaper articles with which most of Haryana’s English-knowing readers would already be conversant. The stories of Bansi Lal, Bhajan Lal and Devi Lal are well known and the volume as such does not bring anything new to the table. The chapter ‘Rise & Rise’ runs the reader through the Chautala regime, followed by the two-term Hooda government. ‘Chaudhar’ gives much space to caste politics, the caste roots of leaders and so on. Not surprisingly, the ‘Kadian’ roots of Prof Sher Singh are also highlighted even as he rarely drew his political strength and recognition from caste affiliations. On a factual note, the demand for a separate state of Haryana was raised for the first time in 1923 by Swami Satyananda. It was again raised in 1928 in the Punjab Legislative Council, which even formed a committee to examine it.

Perhaps the most serious problem that confronts Haryana today is the dwindling size of landholdings and the increasing desperation and frustration in rural society, resulting from a fall in incomes in the face of growing consumerism. This, in turn, has led to a desperate urge among the youth to manage government employment. Not surprisingly, every government from the time of the state’s formation has considered recruitment as among its prime objectives. Corruption, nepotism and a complete oversight of merit have been around for decades. No serious study of Haryana can or should understate its ills which form part of common discourse.

The volume draws attention to the hold and influence of caste in the state’s political life, but does not examine its social impact. Over 40 years ago, I came to Haryana after marriage and being a part of the university system, hoped that as the young state would evolve, it would move ahead and free itself of caste and related rigidities and medieval mindsets. This has not happened, indeed in many a case things have gone back centuries. I know, for example, of young men and women who are qualified and well placed but are unable to marry each other because one of the two is from a so-called lower caste.

The volume also brings to light the success achieved by some of the state’s women, particularly in sports. But this celebration is misleading, because the stereotypical nature of masculinity and the role defined and acceptable for women remains unchanged for a vast majority. I may add that while referring to this unchanging nature of rural Haryana, the legendary peasant leader Sir Chhotu Ram had stated in 1907 that if a villager was to return to his village after 200 years, he would be shocked and amazed to note how little had changed.