Question

Why was the classification of Indian history into Hindus,Muslims and british

Answer 1

James Mill is regarded to be the first historian to write a detailed history of India in a chronological order. Mill's ‘manly plainness’ is especially evident in his 3-volume History of British India . He periodised the Indian history in to the Hindu, Muslim and British era. The main reasons for doing it were:

• making apparent as if no other major changes took place in the history of India, other than the religious ones.
• to create rift among the population of the Indians. With this motive, the Muslim era has been labeled to be full of violence and barbarity.
• to highlight the British period, he writes that it was a boon for the Indians and it had to offer several reforms.
• to defend the British intervention in Indian affairs. He makes every effort to show that the Hindu culture prevailing before the coming of the British was “rude” and “backward”.