Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Indian Rulers in Vietnam

Here is the story. 

A small country like Vietnam beat the mighty USA to its knees in 1975. A reporter asked the Vietnamese leader how they were able to beat the mighty USA. The leader replied: During the War, we used to study the warfare tactics of Chhatrapati Shivaji. We were inspired by him. We used his war tactics against the US Forces and won. 

When the Vietnamese Foreign Minister visited India, she asked where Shivaji’s Samadhi is located. She was told it is in Raigadh. She immediately visited Raigadh, paid her tribute, picked up the soil around the Samadhi and put it in her brief case. 

She said this soil is the land of the braves. When I go to my country, I will mix it with the soil of my country. 

Don’t you think this makes all the Indians proud! 

The problem is I have heard the same story in another place. But there is a name change. Instead of Chhatrapati Shivaji, it was Rana Pratap Singh. 

This morning, I read the same story in a Tamil news magazine. The name mentioned is King Raja Raja Chola. The Vietnamese Foreign Minister visited his palace in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu, and picked up the soil around his palace. 

Similar to ethnic jokes in India. Jokes are the same. But the name of the community will differ from time to time and place to place. 

I think using such hyperbole makes them feel good.

This is it for the year 2021.  (Advance) Happy New Year Greetings.

PS: Why leave out greatest Indian female empresses and queens?  Waiting to hear about Rani Lakshmibai, Razia Sultana, Rani Padmini, Ahilyabai Holkar, etc.

15 comments:

  1. Whether it is Shivaji or Rana Pratap or Raja Rajan, all are Indians (original - not invaded moghuls or Chinese Indian black Indian American Indian concept). Even the so-called technically advanced people couldn't even explain how Tanjore Bragadeeswarar temple was built during Raja Raja Chozhans time especially how the single rock dome was taken to the top (no cranes no engineering graduates those time). It's an engineering marvel. Proud to be an Indian

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  2. One thing that Indians miss to be proud of, is our spirit to sustain our culture and rebuild things even after major conquests.

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. You are right.

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  3. Good one! In these days of social media, the chances of such legends getting metamorphosed is all the more.

    Relying on past glory has only historical significance. No true value in the present. One of our biggest tragedies is precisely that: we pride too much on the greatness of our past, forgetting what and how we should be now, in the present.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Pradeep. You are 100% correct.

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  4. Thats a great amount of information and knowledge. I was ignorant of the fact that Vietnamese or others collect soil.
    Perhaps these Vietnamese gals are joking. Have they collected soil from Mongolia where Chengiz Khan originated?

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    1. Thanks for your comments Kirtivasan. I have no idea.

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  5. Interesting anecdote. Never knew that Indian fighters were revered by Vietnamese leaders.
    The current problem is that media/social media conveniently morphs the tales as per their convenience, and often the reader has limited options to verify the legitimacy of the story.
    Also, while it needn't be a good idea to bask in the glory of the past, it is a good idea to know about the nations history. Isn't it strange that we often find foreigners sharing great stories about Indian leaders/rulers while Indians are not as inquisitive about their history !

    Btw, on the matter of anecdotes, recently realized that there is a painting of Tipu Sultan's army fighting the Anglo Mysore war in NASA ! Did you know that :D

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    1. Thanks for your comments Dwiti. You are absolutely right. Yes, Dwiti, I have read about that painting in NASA. As the story goes, it was first noticed by President Abdul Kalam during his visit there.

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    2. Here is the version I read:

      An extract from Wings of Fire - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam with Arun Tiwari

      "Towards the end of my visit, I went to the Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island in East Coast, Virginia. This place was the base for NASA's sounding rocket programme. Here, I saw a painting prominently displayed in the reception lobby. It depicted a battle scene with a few rockets flying in the background. A painting with this theme should be the most commonplace thing at a Flight Facility, but the painting caught my eye because the soldiers on the side launching the rockets were not white, but dark-skinned, with the racial features of people found in South Asia. One day, my curiosity got the better of me, drawing me towards the painting. It turned out to be Tipu Sultan's army fighting the British. The painting depicted a fact forgotten in Tipu's own country but commemorated here on the other side of the planet. I was happy to see an Indian glorified by NASA as a hero of warfare rocketry."

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    3. Thank you for sharing the extract.
      I heard about this in a podcast on Spotify I am now hooked to. It has many such rarely heard anecdotes on the Indian Space program of which, contrary to popular belief, Kalam is just a small part. Do try.

      https://allthingssmall.in/shows/podcasts/mission-isro/

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    4. Thanks Dwiti for letting me know about this podcast - Spotify. I will certainly try it.

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  6. I too have heard this, concerning Shivaji. May you and your family members have a healthy wonderful New Year.

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