When I learnt to write I became my own master, I became very strong, and that strength is with me to this very day.
V. S. NaipaulRead
I think when you see so many Hindu temples of the 10th century or earlier disfigured, defaced, you realise that something terrible happened. I feel the civilisation of that closed world was mortally wounded by those invasions the old world is destroyed. That has to be understood. Ancient Hindu India was destroyed.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the destruction of ancient Hindu civilization and its cultural heritage due to invasions.
In this quote, V. S. Naipaul emphasizes the profound loss suffered by ancient Hindu civilization, as evidenced by the disfigurement of their temples. He suggests that these alterations symbolize a significant and devastating impact on the culture, art, and history of Hindu India, indicating a need for acknowledgment and understanding of this historical trauma.
Themes
HinduismCivilizationInvasionDestructionHistory
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture on cultural heritage, one might mention this quote to highlight the impact of historical invasions.
More from V. S. Naipaul
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His ignorance seemed to widen with everything he read.
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All the things that were read to me by my father were stories about things becoming all right.
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