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It has often been suggested that Indian nationhood came into existence with the unification of its landmass under colonial rule. This commonplace claim begs a vital question: what constitutes nationhood? Is our national consciousness as inchoate as being forged through external impulses? And if not, what is really our idea about ourselves?
As a keen lifelong student and writer of history Smita Mukerji attempts to answer this question in this Srijan Talk, since this is also the most important function of history. As a frame of reference she has selected the rise and course of the Maratha Empire, as this was the strongest bid of native Indians to assert themselves against a foreign culture. How the Marathas defined their struggle is central to this question of who we are.