Destiny...

After getting used to Singapore, I'm back to writing my wonders...

I have always believed in a higher power that guides the Universe on its path...and perhaps thats what people call Destiny. Though some things are totally out of ones control, most of an individual's life depends on how he handles things and hows he adapts himself to the changes...

But still there are some things and events, which when pondered upon in a holistic way, seem to fit together magnificently, as though the mercury in the Terminator fuses back together to form something totally different from the original pieces! And thats when I again wonder about Destiny...

Well, frankly all this has been there in my mind throughout my life, but reading the Indian History recently bowled me out! I read Swami and Panipat, two great books that describe the Third Battle of Panipat and the start of the downfall of the Maratha Empire. But whats interesting is that had the Marathas not been defeated, the British could never have conquered the whole of India. It was only after the Marathas collapsed that the British took over, ultimately uniting the whole sub-continent and bringing in the Modern Age!



I have always credited the British colonial rule as an impetus for national unity, rationalism, scientific temper and modern education. Although India was the greatest ancient civilisation, it somehow lost its way in the mid-way and maybe its the British Raj and the amazing freedom struggle that is again taking India to its rightful place.

And then, I read more(lukkhagiri on wikipedia rocks! :P) about the Durranis and the infamous Nadir Shah and their success stories and how they united the Central Asia and the formation of today's Afghanistan! Its incredible how a small shepherd boy from the plains of the Central Asia has had such an impact on the history of the world greatest nation. Nadir Shah who plundered India ruthlessly and attained pedestals of cruelty was assassinated by his own son and chieftains trying to save the rebels from a massacre. And this gave the chance to the Afghans to unite under Ahmed Shah Abdali(Abdulla Durrani) and lay the foundations of Afghanistan.

And hadn't it been for Abdulla Durrani's might and skillful war strategies, the Marathas' campaigns in Nothern India would have gone unchecked! I am proud of the Maratha empire and its legacy, but there were many fanatic Anti-Muslim leaders who would have wiped Islam from the face of India, another indispensible factor in India's culture and modern indentity as the "Merging of Oceans"... (see Discovery's 'Story of India' :))

And the same events and the subsequent chain brought the Maratha empire, the last standing power standing against the British East India Company, to its knees and set another wonderful chapter in India's heritage.

The way the events fall into place and the immense global effects it has is just to be wondered about...