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The IUP Journal of History And Culture


July' 07
Focus Areas
  • Environmental history

  • History of medicine

  • History of science and technology
  • History of time and space
  • Urban history
  • Business history
  • Administrative history
  • Cultural history
  • Iconography
  • Marine archeology
  • Folk and tribal studies
  • Working class history (proletariat)

Articles
   
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The Changing Connotation of Dharma in the Early Indian Context: A Problem in Plurality and Dilemmas
The British Empire, Ecology and Famines in the Late 19th Century Central India
Franco-Maratha Relations: The 18thCentury Revisited
In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India
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The Changing Connotation of Dharma in the Early Indian Context: A Problem in Plurality and Dilemmas

-- Nupur Dasgupta

This paper presents the perspectives of the past and some present readings with regard to the genesis of the concept of Dharma—a comprehensive term for social and moral principles in the early Indian society. Taking a broad view from different genres of the early Indian literature, it is observed that the concept and practices of Dharma has taken a multi-linear path of evolution with several simultaneous trends branching into several directions. There were forces of differences, discontinuities and connections in the organic growth of these concepts and institutions between the first millennium BC and the fourth century AD. A historical review of the genesis of social codes in early India would reveal the conscious working of a disciplinary apparatus with full faith in its practicable ethical character. This is what may be termed as the sastric attempt at controlling and containing the social developments. On the other hand, there was a profound concept of absolute morality in the Upanishads, which were brought to the wider arena of public morality in the Buddhist philosophy. Dharma, a term with a wide connotation, enveloped a loose body of principles of absolute ethics in a manner that could easily lend themselves to coercive applications in the guise of sastric dictum. The early Indian social philosophy stands unique in balancing and creating a mixture of apportioned, graded social responsibilities and disciplinary mechanisms. Starting with the Vedic literature, which reveals the formation of certain terms and definitions bearing upon power and authority, the paper moves on to the post-Vedic theories revealing three distinct traditions of thought in: (a) The Buddhist Pali canonical texts, (b) Kautilya's Arthasastra, and (c) the Dharmasastras represented by the Manusmriti. In these texts, the absolute moral principles get shaped side by side with the distinct strands of individual, status-oriented social codes. Towards the end, the paper touches upon the dilemma encountered by later day intellectuals in the perception of `Dharma', which is revealed in the Mahabharata, a composition illustrating the flutterings of free spirit within the gilded cage of social constructs. The ordinary man's standpoint brings the issue into sharp focus in the Mrcchakatika.

Article Price : Rs.50

The British Empire, Ecology and Famines in the Late 19th Century Central India

-- Laxman D Satya

This paper looks at how the British Raj, economic exploitation, ecological change, and famines were interrelated events during the late 19th century in Central India. It analyzes the impact of colonial state policies in the context of the material condition of the people on the one hand, and environment on the other. The commercial agenda of the British imperialism contradicted rather than complemented the survival needs of the people. How did the British justify noninterference in the face of acute crisis like the famine? This question forms the theoretical background to the paper. Other significant aspects of famine, such as scarcity, hunger, disease and death, form the main backdrop.

Article Price : Rs.50

Franco-Maratha Relations: The 18thCentury Revisited

-- Umesh Ashokrao Kadam

Many a time, the 18th century History of India is stated to be the History of the Maratha power. But very little justice has been done to this statement. The relationship between the French and the Marathas was one of the most striking features of the 17thand 18th centuries. Hence, it is imperative to carry out research on this relationship. It is indeed a coincidence that the careers of the two nations in India, i.e., the Marathas and the French ran concurrently. At the very moment, the French thought of establishing in India and the Marathas also started to carve out an independent state for themselves. In the light of the new material available and the existing primary sources, the relations can be restudied and rewritten by giving due importance to the diplomatic projects, economic aspects of the relations, the American war of Independence, the French revolution, the transformation of Maratha kingdom into a confederacy, the role played by the private merchants and traders on the Malabar coast, French freelancers, the Maratha aristocrats and the external relations of the Maratha power with indigenous powers in connection to the French power. The relations between the two were purely commercial on the side of the French, and politically and commercially motivated on the part of the Marathas. This paper particularly deals with the Franco-Maratha relations from 1668 to 1749. This period mainly deals with the French relations with the Chhatrapatis and tries to evaluate the political and diplomatic situation in the Deccan and the Karnataka.

Article Price : Rs.50

In Spite of the Gods: The Strange Rise of Modern India

-- Author: Edward Luce

Reviewed by Dietmar Rothermund

Edward Luce was the New Delhi correspondent of the Financial Times from 2001 to 2005. This gave him a chance to observe India's recent rise from close quarters. He made very good use of it as this book shows. Being married to an Indian, he is also somewhat of an insider, but he has maintained a critical distance which enables him to look at India from his own perspective. The gods may wonder how Luce can be so sure about India having progressed without their help. But his intention in giving his book this title is to controvert the usual emphasis on "spiritual" India. It is somewhat more difficult to explain why he finds India's rise "strange". Probably, it is the stark contrast between persistent poverty and surprising achievements which strikes him as "strange". It is to his credit that he does justice to both the aspects.

Article Price : Rs.50

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Automated Teller Machines (ATMs): The Changing Face of Banking in India

Bank Management
Information and communication technology has changed the way in which banks provide services to its customers. These days the customers are able to perform their routine banking transactions without even entering the bank premises. ATM is one such development in recent years, which provides remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the development of this self-service banking in India based on the secondary data.

The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is playing a very important role in the progress and advancement in almost all walks of life. The deregulated environment has provided an opportunity to restructure the means and methods of delivery of services in many areas, including the banking sector. The ICT has been a focused issue in the past two decades in Indian banking. In fact, ICTs are enabling the banks to change the way in which they are functioning. Improved customer service has become very important for the very survival and growth of banking sector in the reforms era. The technological advancements, deregulations, and intense competition due to the entry of private sector and foreign banks have altered the face of banking from one of mere intermediation to one of provider of quick, efficient and customer-friendly services. With the introduction and adoption of ICT in the banking sector, the customers are fast moving away from the traditional branch banking system to the convenient and comfort of virtual banking. The most important virtual banking services are phone banking, mobile banking, Internet banking and ATM banking. These electronic channels have enhanced the delivery of banking services accurately and efficiently to the customers. The ATMs are an important part of a bank’s alternative channel to reach the customers, to showcase products and services and to create brand awareness. This is reflected in the increase in the number of ATMs all over the world. ATM is one of the most widely used remote banking services all over the world, including India. This paper analyzes the growth of ATMs of different bank groups in India.
International Scenario

If ATMs are largely available over geographically dispersed areas, the benefit from using an ATM will increase as customers will be able to access their bank accounts from any geographic location. This would imply that the value of an ATM network increases with the number of available ATM locations, and the value of a bank network to a customer will be determined in part by the final network size of the banking system. The statistical information on the growth of branches and ATM network in select countries.

Indian Scenario

The financial services industry in India has witnessed a phenomenal growth, diversification and specialization since the initiation of financial sector reforms in 1991. Greater customer orientation is the only way to retain customer loyalty and withstand competition in the liberalized world. In a market-driven strategy of development, customer preference is of paramount importance in any economy. Gone are the days when customers used to come to the doorsteps of banks. Now the banks are required to chase the customers; only those banks which are customercentric and extremely focused on the needs of their clients can succeed in their business today.

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