ABSTRACT
The notions of unity and harmony are key features in Ancient India , and they come to the fore on several levels: cultural, social, geographical and political. In its introduction, the textbook states,
In no other part of the ancient world were the relations of man and man, and of man and the state so fair and humane. . . . Hindu India has few tales to tell of cities put to the sword or of massacres of noncombatants. . . . There was sporadic cruelty and oppression no doubt, but in comparison with conditions in other early cultures, it was mild. To us the most striking feature of ancient Indian civilisation is its humanity. 2
These general statements are presented to the readers at an early stage. As such they establish an interpretative framework revolving around harmony and tolerance. However, the textbook also clearly acknowledges the existence of conflict, particularly between different kingdoms. Thus, a key objective in the following discussion is to illuminate how the textbook conceptualizes the relationship between unity and harmony on the one hand and diversity and conflict on the other. As I will show, notions of Hindu cultural similarity were prevalent in the textbook’s depiction of the political and social history of ancient India. To a large extent, such a master narrative was produced through decontextualization.
