Mangaluru: “Kashi is mentioned in the Upanishads itself, and history is etched on the walls of Kashi’s temples. It is incorrect to trace the history of Kashi only from the 12th century,” said historian and Padma Shri awardee Meenakshi Jain.Meenakshi received the 8th Mangaluru Lit Fest Award on Saturday. During an interactive session, she said, “Kashi’s history is often cited as starting only from the 12th century. That is incorrect. Kashi has existed since the period of the Upanishads; we must understand that. Its history is written right on the walls of the temple. Nevertheless, in 1936, an individual filed a lawsuit claiming the land belonged to the waqf. A thorough investigation was conducted even under British rule. Information was gathered by interviewing 35 residents, and a report of nearly 4,000 pages was submitted.” Clarifying the issue over Mathura, she said, “In Mathura, out of the 13.3 acres reserved for the temple, a national party gave three acres to the Idgah Maidan in 1968. Previously, it was not possible to speak or write about these issues. Prior to 2010, no publishers came forward to publish books on Indian history. Now, my books are being published. I never believed I would see the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, but in 2025, that became a reality.“Speaking in the session titled ‘Reconnecting with Our Civilisational Heritage’, she said, “Several civilisations perished over time. However, if our civilisation remains alive today despite numerous invasions, it is because of the common people and their faith.”“The reason we did not surrender, regardless of the attacks on our civilisation, is our beliefs and practices. We worshipped the Mother Goddess since time immemorial. There is a reference to this even in an inscription found in Madhya Pradesh dating back approximately 11,000 years, and it continues to this day. We did not abandon our faith. It is the common people who preserved and carried that faith forward,” she stated.“In the past, the common people played a far more significant role than the kings. Our civilisation was not built by kings alone; the contribution of the common people is immense. Some years ago, 601 inscriptions were discovered in Sanchi. Among the pillars there, only three were donated by kings. It was not just men; women also played a vital role,” she said.She continued, “However, our textbooks taught us that there were always conflicts between different classes, and that we were constantly fighting each other. We are told there were internal feuds between Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists for generations. This was a conspiracy by the British to ‘divide and rule’ us. Ours is a country where people of all faiths lived harmoniously. Indian history must be viewed through Indian eyes, not through the eyes of foreigners.“The dialogue with Dr Meenakshi Jain was moderated by Prithvi Karinje.
