#Economic Legacy India

[pebblegalaxy]

UPA vs NDA: A Comprehensive Analysis of Oil Bonds, Economic Policy, and Political Legacies in India (2004-2024) #OilBonds #IndianEconomy #FiscalPolicy #EconomicAnalysis #FuelSubsidy #PublicDebt #PoliticalAnalysis #FinancialReforms #OMCSubsidy

An In-Depth Analysis of India’s Oil Bonds (2004-2014): Context, Impact, and Financial Legacy The Government of India (GOI) issued oil bonds between 2004 and 2014 to compensate Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for the losses they incurred while selling fuel below cost. This measure was part of a broader subsidy regime aimed at insulating consumers from volatile global oil prices. Over this decade,…

[newsepick]

Ratan Tata's Impact on India - True Indian - Tribute to Sir Ratan Tata

From architectural marvels 🏛️ to ground-breaking business ventures 💼, Ratan Tata's impact on India is undeniable. Before leading the Tata Group, he studied architecture and designed architectural gems in Jamshedpur 💎. His philanthropic spirit shone through, with Tata Sons and Tata Trusts pledging Rs 1,500 crore to combat COVID-19 💪. He championed environmental sustainability 🌳, establishing the environment division at CII to support industry efforts. Tata's unwavering support for Indian startups, like Motopaws 🐶, fostered innovation and entrepreneurship 💡. A man of adventure ✈️, he obtained a pilot's license and co-piloted a Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter plane 🚀. His passing on October 9, 2024, left a profound legacy of vision, compassion, and innovation 🙏. News Card Contents: 👉 Who is Ratan Tata? 👉 His Passion for Architecture 👉 His Philanthropic Pursuits 👉 His take on Sustainability 👉 His Support for Startups 👉 A Licensed Pilot 👉 Tata: A Man Beyond Legacy For more news on the world of Business, check out Newsepick: https://app.newsepick.com

[brijendrasstuff]

"Pv Narasimha Rao: Honoring the Architect of India's Economic Transformation"

“Pv Narasimha Rao: Honoring the Architect of India’s Economic Transformation” pv Narasimha Rao, architect of India’s economic transformation, honoring, PV Narasimha Rao’s legacy, economic reforms in India the Architect of India’s Economic Transformation A Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, to be bestowed upon Former prime minister Pv Narasimha Rao and agricultural scientist Dr. Ms…

[fatehbaz]

when the Empire's researchers realized that the cause of the ecological devastation was the Empire:

much to consider.

on the motives and origins of some forms of imperial "environmentalism".

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Since the material resources of colonies were vital to the metropolitan centers of empire, some of the earliest conservation practices were established outside of Europe [but established for the purpose of protecting the natural resources desired by metropolitan Europe]. [...] [T]ropical island colonies were crucial laboratories of empire, as garden incubators for the transplantation of peoples [slaves, laborers] and plants [cash crops] and for generating the European revival of Edenic discourse. Eighteenth-century environmentalism derived from colonial island contexts in which limited space and an ideological model of utopia contributed to new models of conservation [...]. [T]ropical island colonies were at the vanguard of establishing forest reserves and environmental legislation [...]. These forest reserves, like those established in New England and South Africa, did not necessarily represent "an atavistic interest in preserving the 'natural' [...]" but rather a "more manipulative and power-conscious interest in constructing a new landscape by planting trees [in monoculture or otherwise modified plantations] [...]."

Text by: Elizabeth DeLoughrey and George B. Handley. "Introduction: Toward an Aesthetics of the Earth". Postcolonial Ecologies: Literatures of the Environment, edited by DeLoughrey and Handley. 2011. [Text within brackets added by me for clarity and context.]

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British colonial forestry was arguably one of the most extensive imperial frameworks of scientific natural resource management anywhere [...]. [T]he roots of conservation [...] lay in the role played by scientific communities in the colonial periphery [...]. In India, [...] in 1805 [...] the court of directors of the East India Company sent a dispatch enquiring [...] [about] the Royal Navy [and its potential use of wood from Malabar's forests] [...]. This enquiry led to the appointment of a forest committee which reported that extensive deforestation had taken place and recommended the protection of the Malabar forests on grounds that they were valuable property. [...] [T]o step up the extraction of teak to augment the strength of the Royal Navy [...] [b]etween 1806 and 1823, the forests of Malabar were protected by means of this monopoly [...]. The history of British colonial forestry, however, took a decisive turn in the post-1860 period [...]. Following the revolt of 1857, the government of India sought to pursue active interventionist policies [...]. Experts were deployed as 'scientific soldiers' and new agencies established. [...] The paradigm [...] was articulated explicitly in the first conference [Empire Forestry Conference] by R.S. Troup, a former Indian forest service officer and then the professor of forestry at Oxford. Troup began by sketching a linear model of the development of human relationship with forests, arguing that the human-forest interaction in civilized societies usually went through three distinct phases - destruction, conservation, and economic management. Conservation was a ‘wise and necessary measure’ but it was ‘only a stage towards the problem of how best to utilise the forest resources of the empire’. The ultimate ideal was economic management, [...] to exploit 'to the full [...]' and provide regular supplies [...] to industry.

Text by: Ravi Rajan. "Modernizing Nature: Tropical Forestry and the Contested Legacy of British Colonial Eco-Development, 1800-2000". Oxford Historical Monographs series, Oxford University Press. January 2006.

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It is no accident that the earliest writers to comment specifically on rapid environmental change in the context of empires were scientists who were themselves often actors in the process of colonially stimulated environmental change. [...] [N]atural philosophers [...] in Bermuda, [...] in Barbados and [...] on St Helena [all British colonies] were all already well aware of characteristically high rates of soil erosion and deforestation in the colonial tropics [...]. On St Helena and Bermuda this early conservationism led, by 1715, to the gazetting of the first colonial forest reserves and forest protection laws. On French colonial Mauritius [...], Poivre and Philibert Commerson framed pioneering forest conservation [...] in the 1760s. In India William Roxburgh [and] Edward Balfour [...] ([...] Scottish medical scientists) wrote alarmist narratives relating [to] deforestation [...]. East India Company scientists [...] [including] Roxburgh [...] went on to further observe the incidence of global drought events [...]. The writings of Edward Balfour and Hugh Cleghorn in the late 1840s in particular illustrate the extent of the permeation of a global environmental consciousness [...]. [T]he 1860s [were] a period [...] which embodies a convergence of thinking about ecological change on a world scale [...]. It was in the particular circumstances of environmental change at the colonial periphery that what we would now term "environmentalism" first made itself felt [...]. Victorian texts such as [...] Ribbentrop's Forestry in the British Empire, Brown's Hydrology of South Africa, Cleghorn's Forests and Gardens of South India [...] were [...] vital to the onset of environmentalism [...]. This fear grew steadily in the wake of colonial expansion [...] particularly [...] after the great Indian famines of 1876 [...].

Text by: Richard Grove and Vinita Damodaran. "Imperialism, Intellectual Networks, and Environmental Change: Origins and Evolution of Global Environmental History, 1676-2000: Part I". Economic and Political Weekly Vol. 41, No. 41. 14 October 2006

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The “planetary consciousness” produced by this systemizing of nature [in eighteenth-century European science] […] increased the mobility of paradise discourse [...]. As European colonial expansion accelerated, the homogenizing transformation of people, economy and nature which it catalyzed also gave rise to a myth of lost paradise, which served as a register […] for obliterated cultures, peoples, and environments [devastated by that same European colonization], and as a measure of the rapid ecological changes, frequently deforestation and desiccation, generated by colonizing capital. On one hand, this myth served to suppress dissent by submerging it in melancholy, but on the other, it promoted the emergence of an imperialist environmental critique which would motivate the later establishment of colonial botanical gardens, potential Edens in which nature could be re-made. However, the subversive potential of the “green” critique voiced through the myth of endangered paradise was defused by the extent to which growing environmental sensibilities enabled imperialism to function more efficiently by appropriating botanical knowledge and indigenous conservation methods, thus continuing to serve the purposes of European capital.

Text by: Sharae Deckard. Paradise Discourse, Imperialism, and Globalization: Exploiting Eden. 2010.

[southeastasianists]

Singapore’s prosperity has long set it apart from many other former British colonies. There is another difference, too: Singapore has clung to honouring its former colonial ruler — and it wants to keep doing so.

Special accolade has gone to Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, who is considered to have founded modern Singapore in the early 1800s. For decades, Singapore’s textbooks credited Raffles with transforming the island from a “sleepy fishing village” into a thriving seaport. He has been the central character in a larger official narrative that says imperial Britain had set up Singapore for success as an independent nation.

Dedications to Raffles dot the landscape of Singapore. A business district, schools and dozens of other buildings bear his name. Two 2.5-metre likenesses of the man loom large in downtown Singapore.

But a new statue of Raffles, installed in a park in May, has revived a debate about the legacy of colonialism in Singapore. On one side is the broader establishment, which has held up British colonial rule positively. On the other are those who want a closer inspection of the empire that Raffles represented and the racial inequity he left behind, even as Singapore became wealthy.

This divide has surfaced before, perhaps most prominently a few years ago when Singapore celebrated the bicentennial of Raffles’ arrival on the island. Now, the new statue has set off a fresh debate, with critics pointing out that other countries have for years been taking down monuments to historical figures associated with slavery or imperialism, or both.

“The thing about Raffles is that, unfortunately I think, it has been delivered as a hagiography rather than just history,” said Alfian Sa’at, a playwright who wants to see the Raffles statues destroyed. “It’s so strange — the idea that one would defend colonial practice. It goes against the grain on what’s happening in many parts of the world.”

The new statue of Raffles stands next to one of his friend Nathaniel Wallich, a Danish botanist, at Fort Canning Park. Tan Kee Wee, an economist who pooled $330,000 with his siblings to commission the statues, said he wanted to commemorate the pair’s role in founding Singapore’s first botanic gardens, which were his frequent childhood haunt. He donated the sculptures in his parents’ name to the National Parks Board.

Opponents have also criticised the government for allowing the statue to go up at the park because it was the site of the tomb of precolonial Malay kings. The parks board said it considered historical relevance in the installation of the sculptures.

Questions about the statue have even been raised in Singapore’s parliament. In June, Desmond Lee, the minister for national development, responded to one by saying that Singapore did not glorify its colonial history. At the same time, Lee added, “We need not be afraid of the past.”

The plaque for the Raffles statue explains how Singapore’s first botanic gardens “cultivated plants of economic importance, particularly spices”. That, critics said, was a euphemism for their actual purpose: cash crops for the British Empire.

Tan defended the legacy of British colonialists in Singapore, saying they “didn’t come and kill Singaporeans”.

He added: “Singapore was treated well by the British. So why all this bitterness?”

Far from benign

But colonial Britain was far from benign. For instance, it treated nonwhite residents of Singapore as second-class citizens. Raffles created a town plan for Singapore that segregated people into different racial enclaves. And he did not interact with the locals, said Kwa Chong Guan, a historian.

“He was very much a corporate company man, just concerned with what he assumed to be the English East India Co’s interests,” Kwa said.

Raffles landed in Singapore in 1819 as Britain was looking to compete with the Dutch in the Malacca Strait, a crucial waterway to China. At the time, Singapore was under the sway of the kingdom of Johor in present-day Malaysia. Raffles exploited a succession dispute in Johor to secure a treaty that allowed the East India Company to set up a trading post in Singapore.

Within a handful of years, Singapore was officially a British territory. Convict labour, largely from the Indian subcontinent, was crucial to its economic development. So, too, were Chinese immigrants, which included wealthy traders and poor labourers.

Singapore achieved self-governance in 1959, then briefly joined Malaysia before becoming an independent republic in 1965. It has since built one of the world’s most open economies and among its busiest ports, as well as a bustling regional financial hub.

In recent years, the government has acknowledged, in small ways, the need to expand the narrative of Singapore’s founding beyond Raffles. Its textbooks now reflect that the island was a thriving centre of regional trade for hundreds of years before Raffles arrived.

In 2019, officials cast the commemoration of Raffles’ arrival as also a celebration of others who built Singapore. A Raffles statue was painted over as if to disappear into the backdrop. Placed next to it, though only for the duration of the event, were four other sculptures of early settlers, including that of Sang Nila Utama, a Malay prince who founded what was called Singapura in 1299.

To some historians and intellectuals, such gestures are merely symbolic and ignore the reckoning Singapore needs to have with its colonial past. British rule introduced racist stereotypes about nonwhites, such as that of the “lazy” Malay, an Indigenous group in Singapore, that has had a lasting effect on public attitudes. Colonialism led to racial divisions that, in many ways, persist to this day in the city-state that is now dominated by ethnic Chinese.

“If you only focus on one man and the so-called benevolent aspect of colonialism, and you don’t try to associate or think about the negative part too much, isn’t that a kind of blindness, or deliberate amnesia?” said Sai Siew Min, an independent historian. (Story continues below)

Role of race

Race relations played a role in Raffles’ ascension in Singaporean lore. Soon after Singapore became independent, the governing People’s Action Party — which remains in power decades later — decided to officially declare Raffles the founder of Singapore. Years later, S Rajaratnam, who was then the foreign minister, said that anointing a Malay, Chinese or Indian as its founder would have been fraught.

“So we put up an Englishman — a neutral, so there will be no dissension,” Rajaratnam said.

The decision was also meant to indicate that Singapore remained open to the West and free markets.

In a 1983 speech, Rajaratnam acknowledged that Raffles’ attitude toward the “nonwhite races was that without British overlordship the natives would not amount to much”.

Critics of the Raffles statues also argue that his legacy should reflect his time on the island of Java. Although Raffles outlawed slavery in Singapore, he allowed trading of slaves in Java, including children as young as 13, according to Tim Hannigan, who wrote a book about Raffles.

The new statues of Raffles and Wallich were created by Andrew Lacey, a British artist. The sculptures evoke the two men as apparitions — symbolism that Lacey said represented the world’s evolution away from the West.

Lacey said he had “wrangled” with the public reaction toward his sculptures and he had no qualms if Singaporeans wanted to take them down, destroy them or replace their heads with the Malay gardeners who were instrumental in creating the botanic gardens.

“I was cognisant of the complexities of making any dead white male,” he said of Raffles. “I wasn’t cognisant of the degree of complexity around him.”

[whencyclopedia]

Smoke and Ashes: Opium's Hidden Histories

"Smoke and Ashes: Opium’s Hidden Histories" is a sweeping and jarring work of how opium became an insidious capitalistic tool to generate wealth for the British Empire and other Western powers at the expense of an epidemic of addiction in China and the impoverishment of millions of farmers in India. The legacy of this “criminal enterprise,” as the author puts it, left lasting influences that reverberate across cultures and societies even today.

Written in engaging language, Smoke and Ashes is a scholarly follow-up to the author’s famous Ibis trilogy, a collection of fiction that uses the opium trade as its backdrop. In Smoke and Ashes, the author draws on his years-long research into opium supplemented by his family history, personal travels, cross-cultural experience, and expertise in works of historical verisimilitude. Composed over 18 chapters, the author delves into a diverse set of primary and secondary data, including Chinese sources. He also brings a multidimensional angle to the study by highlighting the opium trade's legacy in diverse areas such as art, architecture, horticulture, printmaking, and calligraphy. 23 pictorial illustrations serve as powerful eyewitness accounts to the discourse.

This book should interest students and scholars seeking historical analysis based on facts on the ground instead of colonial narratives. Readers will also find answers to how opium continues to play an outsize role in modern-day conflicts, addictions, corporate behavior, and globalism.

Amitav Ghosh’s research convincingly points out that while opium had always been used for recreational purposes across cultures, it was the Western powers such as the British, Portuguese, the Spaniards, and the Dutch that discovered its significant potential as a trading vehicle. Ghosh adds that colonial rulers, especially the British, often rationalized their actions by arguing that the Asian population was naturally predisposed to narcotics. However, it was British India that bested others in virtually monopolizing the market for the highly addictive Indian opium in China. Used as a currency to redress the East India Company (EIC)’s trade deficit with China, the opium trade by the 1890s generated about five million sterling a year for Britain. Meanwhile, as many as 40 million Chinese became addicted to opium.

Eastern India became the epicenter of British opium production. Workers in opium factories in Patna and Benares toiled under severe conditions, often earning less than the cost of production while their British managers lived in luxury. Ghosh asserts that opium farming permanently impoverished a region that was an economic powerhouse before the British arrived. Ghosh’s work echoes developmental economists such as Jonathan Lehne, who has documented opium-growing communities' lower literacy and economic progress compared to their neighbors.

Ghosh states that after Britain, “the country that benefited most from the opium trade” with China, was the United States. American traders skirted the British opium monopoly by sourcing from Turkey and Malwa in Western India. By 1818, American traders were smuggling about one-third of all the opium consumed in China. Many powerful families like the Astors, Coolidges, Forbes, Irvings, and Roosevelts built their fortunes from the opium trade. Much of this opium money, Ghosh shows, also financed banking, railroads, and Ivy League institutions. While Ghosh mentions that many of these families developed a huge collection of Chinese art, he could have also discussed that some of their holdings were most probably part of millions of Chinese cultural icons plundered by colonialists.

Ghosh ends the book by discussing how the EIC's predatory behaviors have been replicated by modern corporations, like Purdue Pharma, that are responsible for the opium-derived OxyContin addiction. He adds that fossil fuel companies such as BP have also reaped enormous profits at the expense of consumer health or environmental damage.

Perhaps one omission in this book is that the author does not hold Indian opium traders from Malwa, such as the Marwaris, Parsis, and Jews, under the same ethical scrutiny as he does to the British and the Americans. While various other works have covered the British Empire's involvement in the opium trade, most readers would find Ghosh's narrative of American involvement to be eye-opening. Likewise, his linkage of present-day eastern India's economic backwardness to opium is both revealing and insightful.

Winner of India's highest literary award Jnanpith and nominated author for the Man Booker Prize, Amitav Ghosh's works concern colonialism, identity, migration, environmentalism, and climate change. In this book, he provides an invaluable lesson for political and business leaders that abdication of ethics and social responsibility have lasting consequences impacting us all.

Continue reading...

[rockislandadultreads]

Read-Alike Friday: African Europeans by Olivette Otele

African Europeans by Olivette Otélé

Africans or African Europeans are widely believed to be only a recent presence in Europe, a feature of our ‘modern’ society. But as early as the third century, St Maurice—an Egyptian— became the leader of a legendary Roman legion. Ever since, there have been richly varied encounters between those defined as ‘Africans’ and those called ‘Europeans’, right up to the stories of present-day migrants to European cities. Though at times a privileged group that facilitated exchanges between continents, African Europeans have also had to navigate the hardships of slavery, colonialism and their legacies.

Olivette Otele uncovers the long history of Europeans of African descent, tracing an old and diverse African heritage in Europe through the lives of individuals both ordinary and extraordinary. This hidden history explores a number of questions very much alive today. How much have Afro-European identities been shaped by life in Europe, or in Africa? How are African Europeans’ stories marked by the economics, politics and culture of the societies they live in? And how have race and gender affected those born in Europe, but always seen as Africans?

Caste by Isabel Wilkerson

In this brilliant book, Isabel Wilkerson gives us a masterful portrait of an unseen phenomenon in America as she explores, through an immersive, deeply researched narrative and stories about real people, how America today and throughout its history has been shaped by a hidden caste system, a rigid hierarchy of human rankings.

Beyond race, class, or other factors, there is a powerful caste system that influences people’s lives and behavior and the nation’s fate. Linking the caste systems of America, India, and Nazi Germany, Wilkerson explores eight pillars that underlie caste systems across civilizations, including divine will, bloodlines, stigma, and more. Using riveting stories about people—including Martin Luther King, Jr., baseball’s Satchel Paige, a single father and his toddler son, Wilkerson herself, and many others—she shows the ways that the insidious undertow of caste is experienced every day. She documents how the Nazis studied the racial systems in America to plan their out-cast of the Jews; she discusses why the cruel logic of caste requires that there be a bottom rung for those in the middle to measure themselves against; she writes about the surprising health costs of caste, in depression and life expectancy, and the effects of this hierarchy on our culture and politics. Finally, she points forward to ways America can move beyond the artificial and destructive separations of human divisions, toward hope in our common humanity.

On Savage Shores by Caroline Dodds Pennock

We have long been taught to presume that modern global history began when the "Old World" encountered the "New", when Christopher Columbus “discovered” America in 1492. But, as Caroline Dodds Pennock conclusively shows in this groundbreaking book, for tens of thousands of Aztecs, Maya, Totonacs, Inuit and others —enslaved people, diplomats, explorers, servants, traders—the reverse was true: they discovered Europe.

For them, Europe comprised savage shores, a land of riches and marvels, yet perplexing for its brutal disparities of wealth and quality of life, and its baffling beliefs. The story of these Indigenous Americans abroad is a story of abduction, loss, cultural appropriation, and, as they saw it, of apocalypse—a story that has largely been absent from our collective imagination of the times.

From the Brazilian king who met Henry VIII to the Aztecs who mocked up human sacrifice at the court of Charles V; from the Inuk baby who was put on show in a London pub to the mestizo children of Spaniards who returned “home” with their fathers; from the Inuit who harpooned ducks on the Avon river to the many servants employed by Europeans of every rank: here are a people who were rendered exotic, demeaned, and marginalized, but whose worldviews and cultures had a profound impact on European civilization.

The Dawn of Everything by David Graeber

For generations, our remote ancestors have been cast as primitive and childlike—either free and equal innocents, or thuggish and warlike. Civilization, we are told, could be achieved only by sacrificing those original freedoms or, alternatively, by taming our baser instincts. David Graeber and David Wengrow show how such theories first emerged in the eighteenth century as a conservative reaction to powerful critiques of European society posed by Indigenous observers and intellectuals. Revisiting this encounter has startling implications for how we make sense of human history today, including the origins of farming, property, cities, democracy, slavery, and civilization itself.

Drawing on pathbreaking research in archaeology and anthropology, the authors show how history becomes a far more interesting place once we learn to throw off our conceptual shackles and perceive what’s really there. If humans did not spend 95 percent of their evolutionary past in tiny bands of hunter-gatherers, what were they doing all that time? If agriculture, and cities, did not mean a plunge into hierarchy and domination, then what kinds of social and economic organization did they lead to? The answers are often unexpected, and suggest that the course of human history may be less set in stone, and more full of playful, hopeful possibilities, than we tend to assume.

[women-throughout-history]

Rani Abbakka Chowta

Rani Abbakka Chowta, a key figure in Indian history, was part of the Chowta dynasty ruling coastal Karnataka. Known as Abhaya Rani for her bold nature, she emerged as an early freedom fighter against foreign invaders and colonial rule. As the queen of Ullal, Abbakka staunchly opposed Portuguese dominance, refusing tribute payments in 1555. Abbakka also challenged economic subjugation by the Portuguese, insisting on trade for the welfare of her people. Despite personal challenges, including a strained marriage, she prioritised her daughter's well-being, ultimately rescuing her daughter from an unwanted marriage proposal and resisting political alliances that compromised her principles. Abbakka's administration and army was inclusive, with individuals from diverse sects and castes. She formed strategic alliances with influential leaders to fortify her position against Portuguese incursions. Regarded as a significant threat by the Portuguese, Rani Abbakka stands as an early beacon of the Indian freedom movement. Her legacy endures through historical accounts and a bronze statue in Bengaluru, commemorating her unwavering defence of Ullal and her pivotal role in India's struggle for independence. Yet her story remains unknown, often overshadowed by the stories of other famous figures.

[careermantradotorg]

Tata Institute of Social Sciences: A Hub for Social Change and Academic Excellence

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) is one of India's most renowned institutions dedicated to higher education and research in social sciences. Established in 1936, TISS has evolved into a premier academic institution offering programs in a wide array of disciplines like social work, public policy, health, and education. Its legacy of contributing to social development and policy-making has earned it a reputation as a critical player in shaping India's social landscape.

Historical Background

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences was founded as the Sir Dorabji Tata Graduate School of Social Work. It was Asia's first school of social work, highlighting the foresight of its founders, who envisioned the need for well-trained social workers to address the pressing social issues of that time. Over the years, it grew into a multidisciplinary university, officially recognized as a Deemed University in 1964.

Mission and Vision

TISS’s mission is to create a humane and just society through education, research, and outreach. It aims to develop professionals who can address complex social, political, and economic issues with innovative solutions. The institute’s programs are designed to focus on human rights, social justice, and sustainable development.

Academic Programs and Courses

TISS offers a wide range of programs at undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral levels. Some of the key areas of study include:

Social Work: TISS is well-known for its Master’s program in Social Work (MSW), which prepares students to engage in community-based development work, social welfare, and advocacy.

Public Health: The institute offers programs that focus on health policy, health systems, and public health administration.

Human Resource Management: TISS is a sought-after institute for its postgraduate program in Human Resource Management and Labor Relations, recognized as one of the best in India.

Development Studies: This program addresses issues related to development policy, rural development, and urban studies, offering critical perspectives on national and global socio-economic challenges.

Education: The institute also has a strong presence in the education sector, providing degrees in education and teacher training programs aimed at transforming India's educational landscape.

Research and Impact

Research is one of the cornerstones of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences. The institute conducts cutting-edge research in areas like gender studies, poverty alleviation, mental health, disaster management, and governance. Its findings often influence national policies and contribute to positive social change.

TISS collaborates with government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and international institutions to implement its research on the ground. The research centers at TISS include:

Centre for Social and Organizational Leadership (C SOL)

Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policies (CSSEIP)

Centre for Human Rights

Each center focuses on a specialized area of social research, enabling TISS to contribute to a wide range of social and developmental issues.

Campuses and Facilities

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences has several campuses across India, with the main campus located in Mumbai. Other campuses are in Tuljapur (Maharashtra), Hyderabad (Telangana), and Guwahati (Assam). Each campus offers unique academic programs tailored to the socio-economic context of the region. The Mumbai campus, in particular, is known for its vibrant student life, state-of-the-art research facilities, and commitment to community engagement.

Admissions and Eligibility

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences conducts its own entrance exam known as TISS-NET for admission into various postgraduate programs. The eligibility criteria vary based on the program, but a bachelor's degree from a recognized institution is a minimum requirement. TISS-NET tests candidates on general awareness, English proficiency, and logical reasoning.

Notable Alumni and Contributions

TISS alumni have made significant contributions to various sectors, including public policy, social work, academia, and the corporate world. Many TISS graduates are working in leadership roles in NGOs, government bodies, international organizations, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Conclusion

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences stands at the forefront of social science education and research in India. Its commitment to social justice, equity, and sustainable development makes it a unique institution. Through its academic programs, research initiatives, and community outreach, TISS continues to play a crucial role in addressing the most pressing social challenges of our time.

[artiegenius]

The Aesthetics and Appreciation of Indian Parallel Cinema

Indian Parallel Cinema, often referred to as the New Wave or Art Cinema, emerged as a distinct movement in Indian filmmaking during the late 1940s and 1950s. Unlike mainstream Bollywood, which is characterized by its song-and-dance routines, melodrama, and formulaic narratives, Parallel Cinema aims to portray realistic stories with a focus on social and political issues. It draws heavily on the traditions of Italian Neorealism, French New Wave, and Japanese Cinema.

Historical Context

The origins of Indian Parallel Cinema can be traced back to the works of pioneering filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, and Mrinal Sen. Satyajit Ray's "Pather Panchali" (1955) is often credited with setting the tone for this movement. The film's emphasis on realism, its nuanced portrayal of rural Bengal, and its departure from the escapist fare of Bollywood, marked a significant shift in Indian cinema.

Aesthetics of Indian Parallel Cinema

Realism

At the heart of Parallel Cinema is a commitment to realism. This is reflected in various aspects:

Narrative Style: The narratives are often straightforward and slow-paced, allowing the audience to engage deeply with the characters and their environments.

Character Development: Characters are complex and multi-dimensional, often grappling with socio-economic issues, personal dilemmas, and moral conflicts.

Setting: Films are frequently shot on location, capturing the authentic atmosphere of rural villages, urban slums, or middle-class households.

Visual Style

Parallel Cinema employs a distinctive visual style that enhances its realistic portrayal:

Natural Lighting: Filmmakers often use natural light to achieve a more organic and less polished look.

Minimalistic Art Direction: Sets and costumes are kept simple and true to the setting of the story.

*Cinematography: There is an emphasis on long takes, handheld camera work, and static shots, which contribute to the immersive experience.

Themes

The themes explored in Parallel Cinema are typically more serious and socially relevant compared to mainstream films:

Social Inequality: Many films address issues of poverty, caste discrimination, and gender inequality.

Political Issues: Films often critique governmental policies and societal structures.

Human Relationships: The complexities of human emotions and relationships are a central focus.

Key Films and Directors

Satyajit Ray

Pather Panchali (1955): A poignant depiction of a poor family's struggle in rural Bengal.

Charulata (1964): A sensitive portrayal of a lonely housewife and her emotional journey.

Ritwik Ghatak

Meghe Dhaka Tara (1960): A powerful narrative about the partition of Bengal and its impact on a refugee family.

Subarnarekha (1962): Addresses the issues of displacement and survival post-Partition.

Mrinal Sen

Bhuvan Shome (1969): A satire on the Indian bureaucracy, marking the arrival of the New Wave.

Ek Din Achanak (1989): Explores the mystery and turmoil following a man's sudden disappearance.

Shyam Benegal

Ankur (1974): Highlights the class struggle in rural India.

Nishant (1975): A grim tale of feudal oppression and the fight for justice.

Appreciation of Indian Parallel Cinema

Critical Acclaim

Parallel Cinema has garnered significant critical acclaim both nationally and internationally. It has been recognized at major film festivals like Cannes, Berlin, and Venice, helping to elevate Indian cinema on the global stage.

Influence

The movement has influenced a generation of filmmakers who continue to draw inspiration from its aesthetics and thematic concerns. Directors like Mani Kaul, Kumar Shahani, and more recently, Anurag Kashyap and Dibakar Banerjee, owe a debt to the legacy of Parallel Cinema.

Cultural Impact

Parallel Cinema has played a crucial role in shaping the discourse on social and political issues in India. It has provided a platform for marginalized voices and brought attention to the struggles of everyday life.

Conclusion

Indian Parallel Cinema remains a vital and influential part of the country's cinematic landscape. Its commitment to realism, its exploration of pertinent social issues, and its unique aesthetic continue to inspire filmmakers and captivate audiences. As we look towards the future, the legacy of Parallel Cinema will undoubtedly endure, reminding us of the power of film to reflect and shape society.The Aesthetics and Appreciation of Indian Parallel Cinema

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Lula faces numerous challenges as Brazil assumes G20 presidency

Lula also takes over at a time of bitter internal divisions in the group, legacy of outgoing president Narendra Modi.

As Brazil takes over the G20 presidency on December 1 from India, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva will be challenged to fulfil his promise of holding up the interests of the global south amid two ongoing wars and a slowing global economy.

Lula also takes over at a time of bitter internal divisions within the group, the legacy of outgoing president Narendra Modi, whose team, eager to force a joint declaration, ran roughshod over diplomatic niceties in closed-door meetings.

Despite these hurdles, Lula is forging ahead and has announced Brazil’s three key priorities as head of the G20: social inclusion and the fight against hunger, phasing out fossil fuels in favour of renewable energy and reforming global economic governance.

The Group of Twenty – the G20 – is a forum for the world’s largest economies to coordinate on key issues of global policy. Between them, G20 countries represent 85 percent of global output and two-thirds of the world’s population.

Continue reading.

[chekonsoftravancore]

History of Chekavar lineages

In the Arithapatti Stone Inscription of the 3rd century BC is the oldest record using the Ezhava noun.

In a paper presented at the first All India Oriental Conference held in Poona in 1919, H. This fact was brought to light by Krishnasastri.

The Sithannavasal cave inscription, which is believed to be dated to the end of the 2nd century BC, mentions a “Cherupoil Ezhavan” who installed a “Kavuti Ittan”.

If anyone has any doubts, let me give you more evidence that how ancient the Ezhavas are in Kerala.

Historians all agree that the Ezhavas are the descendants of the Villavars who founded the ancient Dravidian Chera dynasty and ruled South India.

The Villavarei of Travancore were called Illavars or Ezhavas.

Bowing is an ancient art form among the Ezhavas.

Villavar means an archer or a skilled archer.

The relationship between the Billas and the Ayut Ezhavas of Karnataka is this way.

The Ezhava community has left its indelible mark in many Meghalayas as a major economic force in Kerala in building the cultural identity of Kerala.

Farmers, industrialists, foreign traders, domestic traders, weavers, warriors, teachers, Sanskrit scholars, great physicians, astrologers, poets, artists, rope makers, toddy makers, wheel spinners, odu makers and ship rope makers have always flourished in Kerala.

No other community had as many Ayurvedic physicians as the Ezhava community.

The Ezhava physicians practiced medicine as a service without talent.

The Ezhavas got this medical tradition from their connection with Buddhism.

Although Brahminical supremacy and Chaturvarnya suppressed the Ezhavas from society by making them untouchables, Sanskrit scholars, medical experts and accomplished researchers emerged from among the Ezhavas from their Buddhist tradition.

If you doubt any of this, do some research on Cherthala Kollat ​​Itti Achyutan Vaidya, author of Hortus Malabaricus.

The Chavarkote, Vallabhassery and Valliparambil Cholayil Medimix families are well-established traditional Ezhava Vaidya families.

Ashtanga Hridiya was translated from Sanskrit into Malayalam by Ezhava Vaidyacharya Kyaikkara Govindan Vaidya.

Chekavar is our clan name which was only used by Ezhavark and Thiyar in Kerala. No other caste has this.

The tradition of Aromal Chekavar and Unni Archa and so many families used the name Chekavar. In the writings of our ancestors, there was Chon Chekon Chevakan Chekavar along with their name. But now it is not like that we have to boldly add Chekavar name along with our name not to beat anyone not to compete with anyone to maintain our legacy.

In the introduction of Hortus Malabaricus, Kollat ​​Itti Achyutan Vaidyare is introduced as Chekor.

Kanterwischer stated that during the mid-eighteenth century, the Purakkat king, who ruled from Ambalapuzha as his capital, had very few Nayans in his army and the army and its leadership were entirely filled with Chegos.

(All this indicates that our traditional clan name is Chekavar. Now movie makers are adding Chekavar name to everyone seen. If you hesitate, some others will make our real history their own. You add Chekavar clan name to your future generation.)

Cheerapanchira Mukal Vattam Temple is the family temple of the ancient Ezhava lineage Cheerapanchira.

The family home where Swami Ayyappan studied at Kalaripayattu.

Up here, someone was walking around saying that there is no temple and no altar for Ezha people.

It is good for those who are like that to know a little bit of world information from time to time.

Chekavar clan had many ancient temples. From here to here in Kerala. Apart from that, the family has temples, kavas, tharas, nagatharas and many other forms of worship. Also there were many temples run by the Nair caste and the Ezhava community together. When they were in good harmony, later the Brahmin ideas kept dividing the two communities for their own benefit.

Let’s be proud we are “Chekavar” blood ⚔️ Add clan name Chekavar with name 🙏

Credit :-

[digitaldetoxworld]

Safety and Precautions for Bharat Bandh Tomorrow: How to Stay Informed and Safe details and impact

 Introduction

"Bharat Bandh,"details and impact  or "All-India Strike," is a time period utilized in India to refer to a national shutdown, frequently prepared via diverse companies to protest towards government rules or social problems. It is a form of civil disobedience geared toward drawing attention to unique grievances and is marked by way of significant closures of corporations, colleges, and transportation services. This collective movement is typically orchestrated by using political parties, exchange unions, or social groups to exert strain on government and spotlight their needs.

Historical Context

Reasongs for Bharat Bhandh Protest the concept of a national bandh is deeply rooted in India's history of political activism. During the Indian independence motion, leaders like Mahatma Gandhi used non-violent methods, inclusive of moves and boycotts, to venture British colonial rule. These methods had been instrumental in mobilizing public opinion and placing pressure on the British authorities. The legacy of those strategies keeps in modern India, where the term "Bharat Bandh" displays both historical continuity and current challenges.

Purpose and Objectives

The number one reason of a Bharat Bandh is to protest towards government policies, economic selections, or social injustices. The goals can range broadly, but generally encompass:

Protesting Policy Decisions 

Trade unions, political parties, or social agencies may call for a bandh to oppose new government guidelines that they accept as true with are unfavorable to the public. For instance, a bandh is probably organized in reaction to controversial economic reforms, exertions laws, or changes in welfare packages.

Demanding Reforms

A Bharat Bandh can be a tool to call for specific reforms. This should consist of demands for better wages, progressed operating conditions, or modifications in legislation that impact numerous sectors, inclusive of education or healthcare.

Raising Awareness

 Beyond instant needs, a bandh serves to raise awareness approximately broader social troubles. This can consist of worries associated with environmental degradation, human rights abuses, or inequalities in society.

Showing Solidarity

Strikes also can be a way of displaying team spirit with precise reasons or groups. This might contain helping marginalized groups or communities suffering from particular rules.

How a Bharat Bandh Works

A Bharat Bandh is commonly prepared thru a series of deliberate sports and strategies:

Announcement

The call for a bandh is normally introduced earlier by means of the organizing frame. This declaration would possibly come through press releases, public meetings, or social media systems. The declaration includes details about the date, the scope of the bandh, and the particular needs or issues being protested.

Participation

On the day of the bandh, various sectors of society take part inside the strike. This consists of shutting down companies, colleges, and government workplaces. Public transportation offerings can also be halted or seriously disrupted. Participation can range, with some regions experiencing whole shutdowns whilst others might also have partial compliance.

Public Support

 Public aid for a bandh may be important to its fulfillment. Organizers regularly are looking for to garner guide from one-of-a-kind sections of society, inclusive of workers' unions, student businesses, and civil society organizations. Support may be mobilized thru rallies, demonstrations, and public speeches.

Enforcement

In some instances, enforcement of the bandh may additionally contain picketing or different types of protest activity. This can encompass blocking roads, staging sit down-ins, or organizing rallies to ensure compliance and draw attention to the motive.

Impact of Bharat Bandh

The impact of a Bharat Bandh can be each on the spot and lengthy-time period, affecting diverse factors of society:

Economic Disruption

A bandh can cause large monetary disruption. Businesses, especially small and medium establishments, may additionally suffer losses due to the closure of shops and workplaces. Transportation disruptions can affect day by day commutes and logistics, impacting both neighborhood and country wide economies.

Public Life

Daily life is often disrupted at some stage in a bandh. Schools and educational institutions may also remain closed, and public services may be restrained. This can affect college students, parents, and different sectors reliant on normal offerings.

Political Repercussions

Politically, a a hit bandh can positioned stress on the authorities to deal with the demands of the protesters. It can lead to negotiations or coverage changes if the government understand the bandh as a signal of full-size discontent.

Social Awareness

A bandh can also improve public awareness approximately the troubles handy. Media insurance and public discourse generated by using the bandh can convey interest to particular grievances, doubtlessly leading to broader social and political changes.

Challenges and Criticisms

Despite their importance, Bharat Bandhs face numerous demanding situations and criticisms:

Economic Impact

The economic effect of a bandh is regularly debated. While organizers argue that the disruptions are a important a part of protest, critics factor out that the economic losses can be full-size, in particular for daily wage employees and small groups.

Public Inconvenience

The widespread public frequently bears the brunt of the disruptions caused by a bandh. Commuters, students, and others who rely upon public services can also face full-size inconvenience, main to frustration and complaint of the bandh organizers.

Violence and Unrest

In some instances, Bharat Bandhs can lead to violence and unrest. Clashes among protesters and law enforcement or among specific organizations of protesters can arise, main to property harm and public safety worries.

Effectiveness

The effectiveness of a bandh in attaining its objectives can range. While a few bandhs result in policy changes or negotiations, others may additionally result in restricted outcomes or fail to draw sufficient public assist.

Recent Examples

Recent instances of Bharat Bandh illustrate the various variety of troubles being protested:

Farmer Protests

In current years, Bharat Bandhs had been prepared in reaction to agricultural policies affecting farmers. The farmers' protests towards new agricultural legal guidelines led to several national strikes, reflecting sizeable opposition to the regulation.

Labor Rights:

Trade unions have organized bandhs to call for better wages and working situations. For example, bandhs have been called to protest against exertions law modifications or to advise for higher minimal wages.

Environmental Issues

Businesses affected by Bharat Bandh environmental companies have used bandhs to raise focus approximately troubles such as pollutants and deforestation. These bandhs intention to draw interest to environmental challenges and push for policy modifications.

[pitchperspective-23]

India's T20 World Cup Triumph 2024

 "Dhoni finishes off in style, It's India who win the World Cup." These lines said by Ravi Shastri had gone old with respect to India's World Cup Trophy drought. The most dominating team in bilateral series could not win an ICC Trophy and this was the biggest disappointment for ICT fans. After losing the 2023 world cup final, the first thought which came into my mind was that most probably 2024 t20 wc would be the last world cup Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will play together. So, this was their only chance for a world cup glory and they did not gave us a feeling of dismay, sadness and disappointment but an year full of cherishing memories, joy and happiness

India won the T20 World Cup 2024 happening in the USA and West Indies. They became the only team to win a world cup staying unbeaten. Their journey to the final was a happening one from the high pressure game against or the game against Australia. Especially, the game against Pakistan was a sheer representation of the evolution of Indian team's pace battery in the last decade. From 98 percentage of winning the match with Pakistan our pace battery broke their dreams of winning a game against India as they took the game from them in the last 10 overs. From the first game to the last one, India never looked a under confident or worn out team as they dominated everybody they faced badly. One such win was against Australia in the Super Eight which was personal for every Indian citizen ( If you know what I am talking about). Rohit's knock in that game was the indication of the frustration he had in himself after every knockout loss in every world cup in the last 5-6 years with more respect to 19th November. Then comes the Semifinal against England and that transition from 10 wicket win to 10 wickets out was outstanding. The game was one sided as soon as England completed their powerplay during the batting stint. Every cricket in the team was hungry of that silverware. So, they never looked back to the losses they had been facing but focused on their race to the unmatched legacy of winning a World Cup Trophy. The final was the best which could happen in an ICC tournament. It was not a cricket match a display of every emotion one can imagine in a game of cricket. India set a target of 177 and defend for India seemed easy until Klaseen smashed 24 runs in the 15th over and his team needed just 30 of 30 balls. India's pace attack pulled off a blinder from that stage by first Bumrah giving an economical over and then Hardik took the wicket of Klaseen to shift the momentum of the game on his side. The hidden hero was Arshdeep Singh who also pulled of two brilliant overs at the right - one in the middle and the other in the death. Last over consisted of South Africa requiring 16 runs and Hardik had to defend them. The first ball was a full toss indicating the pressure Hardik had with respect to his last 6 months. Miller swung his bat so hard but could not get the middle and it was the sticker that touched his bat but it was enough to go to the boundary but not above it as Suryakumar Yadav caught the ball and fancied India's chances to get the silverware. 

Virat Kohli was in tears and Rohit Sharma lied down to celebrate their undermining hard work in the last decade and the last time in this format. The pair decided to announce their retirement from T20I's together after getting their hands on the silverware. Looking back to their world cup triumph I see a roller coaster ride filled with emotions of joy, happiness and satisfaction. The trophy weighing 12kg which they lifted had made 1.3 billion people happy back home which they expressed through lighting firecrackers and doing individual parades. India became the first cricket team to win a T20I world cup unbeaten displaying their want to get hands on the trophy badly and they gave everything for it. We also gave everything for it and got the result back paying the debt of our worshipping to the team from the last 17 freaking years.  

Ravi Shastri's lines were replaced by the ones - Long on, Long On and what a catch, Suryakumar takes it and Miller's gone !!!!!!!!

[laxmi04]

Enhancing CSR Impact through collaborating with Marpu Foundation

Impact of CSR on Business.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has a significant impact on firms, affecting reputation, stakeholder relationships, and resilience in addition to financial measures. Engaging in CSR activities improves brand image, attracting socially concerned customers and investors. Internally, it improves employee morale and productivity. CSR matches with growing rules and cultural expectations, providing extra benefits such as access to money and decreased risk. Furthermore, it promotes innovation, resulting in competitive advantage and market expansion. Businesses handle societal difficulties by engaging stakeholders, so obtaining their social license to operate. Finally, CSR's impact extends beyond profit, promoting positive societal outcomes and contributing to a sustainable future. Companies that integrate CSR into their fundamental strategies achieve financial success while also furthering social and environmental goals.

About Marpu foundation.

Mr. Kadiri Raghu Vamsi, a recognized National Youth Awardee, coined the term "Marpu" to indicate transformation. At the Marpu Foundation, we use individual potential to create positive change in the world. Our primary goals are to promote volunteerism, environmental stewardship, and sustainability. With a team dedicated to affecting change and providing a supportive environment for all, we have been named "The Best NGO in India" for 2020. We empower people to express their ambitions, work toward sustainability, and build alliances with groups that share our vision. Our efforts produce tangible results, not through traditional charity, but through empathy-driven, innovative approaches. Join us as we work to create a more egalitarian and compassionate future.

Why Collaborate with Marpu Foundation?

As businesses aim to make a positive influence on society and the environment, collaborating with the Marpu Foundation NGO can help them amplify their CSR efforts and promote genuine change. The Marpu Foundation is a renowned leader in employee volunteering and engagement.They bring significant experience, networks, and resources to the table, enhancing your CSR initiatives and increasing impact.

The Marpu Foundation's CSR approach places a strong emphasis on employee volunteering and involvement. It operates at 39 locations across 15 states, with over 80,261 volunteers and 10,245,120 beneficiaries. Their work topic revolves around environmental sustainability, economic development, social development, and goal-oriented partnership.

Looking Forward.

As businesses face complex socioeconomic and environmental concerns, collaborating with the Marpu Foundation provides a path to long-term influence. Companies that embrace shared aims, values, and skills may promote good change, foster resilient communities, and contribute to a more sustainable and fair future for all.

Conclusion.

Working with the Marpu Foundation offers a great chance to advance CSR initiatives and bring about significant change that is in line with particular SDGs. Businesses may increase their effect and leave a long-lasting legacy of social and environmental responsibility by coordinating their strategies, mobilizing their resources, and involving the community. Let's work together to fully realize the potential of cooperation in order to build a more hopeful and sustainable future for future generations.

[xtruss]

Tolerance and Capitalism; Slavery and Swindle: the Mixed Legacy of the Dutch in New Amsterdam

— April 5, 2024 | By Wendy Blake

View of New Amsterdam 1664, Watercolor. Photos courtesy of New-York Historical Society

Two remarkable letters are on display in the New-York Historical Society’s installation “New York Before New York: The Castello Plan of New Amsterdam.”

One, a 1626 letter to the Dutch West India Company from an official in New Amsterdam, the seat of colonial government in New Netherland, describes the “purchase” of “the island Manhattes from the Indians for the value of 60 guilders” (converted by a 19th-century historian into $24). That letter is the only record of the infamous transaction.

1626 Letter Describing the “Purchase” of Manhattan.

The second letter, written by present-day Lenape chiefs whose ancestors inhabited the region when the Dutch arrived, declares the “purchase” invalid. Indeed, says Russell Shorto, director of the New Amsterdam Project at NYHS and exhibition curator, who reached out to the tribes for this response, the transaction was a swindle: The Lenape would have viewed the transaction not as a sale but as a land-use treaty, amounting to an economic and defensive alliance with the Dutch. The items valued at 60 guilders (kettles, knives, and such) would not have represented payment for land but gifts typically presented upon the sealing of a treaty.

The chiefs’ letter, addressed to “Ancestor,” decries the 400 years of devastation experienced by the Lenape people but proclaims that the surviving families have reconnected with “The Land and Waters of Manahahtáanung.”

The NYHS exhibition, which marks the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Dutch settlers, brings together rare items that document the ugly legacies of African enslavement and dispossession of Native tribes while also speaking to the valuable contributions of non-Europeans. It also describes two foundational elements of Dutch culture that positively influenced the city we know today.

“The Dutch brought a tolerance that was unusual in Europe at the time—in fact, intolerance was official policy in France, England and Spain,” said Shorto in an interview with the Rag. “You had this mix of people speaking different languages and worshipping different ways. [The Dutch] showed in effect that tolerance of others was a recipe for economic success.”

As inventors of the stock market, they also imported capitalism. “They were a practical, seafaring people, and it was in their interest to have an entrepôt [a global trading post],” said Shorto. “Everyone in New Amsterdam was a trader. They would put money back into particular ventures and voyages.”

Business in the New World centered on the fur trade—particularly the “soft gold” of beaver pelts, which were secured by Native trappers—paving the way for New York to become a commercial hub. But the city would also become a center of the slave trade.

The Castello Plan, Showing the City of New Amsterdam Around 1660.

The earliest known map of New Amsterdam, known as the Castello Plan, is a highlight of the exhibition. Drafted by Jacques Cortelyou, the surveyor general for the Dutch territory in the New World, and illustrated by cartographer Johannes Vingbooms, the map offers a bird’s-eye view of the city at its peak, around 1660. It depicts 300-some houses, home to about 1,500 people; extensive gardens; a windmill; a fort; and a church attended by Christians of many denominations, including enslaved Africans—all south of the fence that would become Wall Street. A 3-D rendering of the map allows visitors to tour the city virtually, taking them down a canal and under bridges.

The map is on loan from the Laurentian Library in Florence, Italy. (It was sold in Amsterdam to Cosimo III de’ Medici, an Italian grand duke, and went missing for over 200 years before turning up in 1900 at the Villa di Castello in Florence; hence the name.)

Though it resembles a small frontier village, the city depicted on the map offered great opportunities for wealth-building, especially for white Europeans. A 1655 book encouraging European emigration to New Netherland (the Dutch-claimed territory that included large parts of the northeast and mid-Atlantic) said the Dutch “regard foreigners virtually as native citizens” and that in the capital, New Amsterdam, “anyone who is prepared to adapt can always get off to a good start.”

But not all were welcomed with open arms. On display is a petition to the city from Asser Levy, one of New Amsterdam’s 24 Jewish residents, who sought burgher status. Peter Stuyvesant, director-general of New Netherland from 1647 to 1664, had barred Jews from being burghers (citizens), which meant they couldn’t serve as guards for the city. Adding insult to injury, Stuyvesant then taxed them for not serving. Levy’s initial petitioning to become a burgher was unsuccessful, but Jews eventually won their case.

The exhibition introduces us to Native figures of the time, such as Seweckenamo, a chief of the Esopus people living north of Manhattan, who in 1664 proposed a treaty to Stuyvesant by carrying a branch to New Amsterdam and promising peace as “solid as a stick.”

It also reveals how Dutch leaders in Europe, appalled by a two-year war between the settlers and the Native population, condemned Stuyvesant’s predecessor, Willem Kieft, for “abominations” against the tribes and recalled him. Kieft had ordered soldiers to massacre Indigenous people in their sleep, sparking a war in which over 1,000 Native people and hundreds of colonists were killed.

Bones, Pottery Shards, and Other Fragments Used By Africans in Traditional Healing.

Most surviving artifacts from New Amsterdam relate to European settlement, but in 1984, a special group of objects – presumably collected by an enslaved African – was unearthed near present-day Pearl Street. This “mpungu” collection, found buried in a basket covered by a Dutch plate, includes shell fragments, shards of pottery, marbles, and a copper thimble. It was a Central African belief that the objects had to be broken and previously used so that a healer could engage with their energies.

Despite centuries of rapid and unceasing changes on Manhattan island, the original street grid of New Amsterdam remains remarkably intact. But the Dutch colony itself came to a quiet end in 1664, when its citizens surrendered control without resistance to the British. Shorto, whose books include Island at the Center of the World, a history of Dutch Manhattan, says he’ll be writing about the British takeover next.

Wendy Blake, who writes about arts and culture for the Rag, is a descendant of Jacques Cortelyou, the surveyor general of New Netherland who drafted the Castello Plan.

“New York Before New York: The Castello Plan of New Amsterdam” will be at the New-York Historical Society, at Central Park West and 77th Street, until July 14.