THE LACK OF FORMAL EDUCATION

By Mohan Guruswamy 

How did Modi end up thinking Alexander was stopped on the north bank of the Ganges opposite Pataliputra?

Many years ago I visited the excavations at the site of the original Pataliputra near present day Patna. The massive columns that survived the annual ravages of the Ganga tell us of the glory of the Mauryans.  But Alexander never came this far. To understand how Modi goofed one needs to go far away to the west to Mendhar.

Mendhar is an interesting and historical place. Its midway between Rajouri and Poonch. The ancient Mughal road to Kashmir is nearby. The name Mendhar is derived from the Indo-Greek king Menander (155 -130BC) who founded it. Nearby is the village of Baflias, whose name  was inspired by Alexander's favorite war horse Buchephalus. Many believe it was buried here, but it is unlikely as Alexander didn't cross the Hydapses (Jhelum).

 I visited the area in 1994 as a guest of the famous 25 Division of the Indian Army and witnessed a night attack across the LoC with direct fire by anti-aircraft guns to take out some pesky Pakistani bunkers. The road is scenic and it would have made a great tourist drive but for the troubles.

"Menander I Soter  or Menander I the Saviour", is also known in our Pali sources as Milinda. He was an Indo-Greek King of the Indo-Greek Kingdom (155–130 BC) who established a large empire in northwestern regions of South Asia and became a patron of Buddhism.

Menander was initially a king of Bactria, in present day Afghanistan with the present day Bagram as its capital. After conquering the Punjab Menander established an empire in South Asia stretching from the Kabul River valley in the west to the Ravi River in the east, and from the Swat River valley in the north to Arachosia (the Helmand Province). 

Ancient Indian historians indicate that he launched expeditions southward into Rajasthan and as far east down the Ganges River Valley as Pataliputra (Patna), and as the Greek geographer Strabo wrote that he "conquered more tribes than Alexander the Great."

But about a hundred years before Menander a Greek did arrive in Pataliputra. He was Megasthanes, from whose chronicles we derive a good part of what we know about the Mauryans.  He was undoubtedly was a learned man and a reputed officer, which explains his appointment as an ambassador to India. At the time of treaty between the Greek ruler Seleucus I Nicator and the Indian ruler Chandragupta Maurya in c. 303 BCE, he was serving as an officer under Sibyrtius, who was Seleucus's satrap of Arachosia

Of course Narendra Modi famously confused Menander with Alexander when he claimed that the Pataliputra Kingdom defeated Alexander. Both names ended with "ander".

Alexander turned back after the battle of Hydapses in 326 BC between his Greek army and King Porus (Purshottam?) of the Paurava kingdom on the banks of the river. This is the battle glorified in our history for the surrender of Porus and its chivalrous acceptance by Alexander.

When asked by Alexander how he wished to be treated, Porus replied "Treat me as a king would treat another king". Impressed, Alexander indeed treated him like a king, allowing him to retain his lands.

They don't teach history in the shakha but regale each other with fairy tales of the past that never was.