Effect of certain changes
The flaring issue is, whether with the change in the geography of a place, the history of the place is effected or not. And if answer is there then up to what extent. Although, in a wider sense, to change the geography of a place it needs either big calamity or devastating war. That may result into marking of new boundaries of the place. But sometimes, internal changes in the geography of a place are marked as “geography settlement.” In such case, we notice vast changes. Such changes occur in shape of new settlement in the name of demography, urbanization and with the introduction of new colonies. Suddenly, a place once deserted turns up into a place bustling with huge crowd inhabiting the place.
The answer to the question is , yes! With the change of geography the history of the place too gets changed but partially, not as a whole. The reason is, history is accumulation of so many events and incidences which register its presence for long and permanently. When the present and future of a place treads a long, toilsome path with decades and centuries then it finds place in the history. In between this period, it goes through a ‘transition period’ and transition always undulates between present and future. More over, this transition period may bring either positive or negative aspects. Not so fertilized and backward places once identified were desolated and deserted one, with the passing of time became the “hot spot” of industrial business activities.
In our India, erstwhile backward location of once named as “Gud gaona”, today is one of the most bustling, industrial center with the new name of “Guru gram.” Not only this, this place is as costly in India as Tokyo is in Japan. On the other hand, if geography of a place is changed by some natural calamity or man made catastrophe, then? Archives of historical periodicals are fraught with instances of such geographical changes. Not so long ago, partition of undivided India into Pakistan and India and later on division of Pakistan into a separate State of Bangladesh is example of man made geographical changes. Here, if we scrutinize the facts, in positive aspects history remains the same in ancient prospect of undivided India but in modern aspect it’s negative one. It’s another fact, Pakistan never accepted the real history of pre partitioned time and falsely rewrote its history.
The destruction as an aftermath of World War I and II changed the geography of various nations. It’s an established fact, when present sped into past, it gets registered into the category of the history. But for this categorical registration into history it requires a long waiting period of decades or centuries. Otherwise, it remains alive in the memory of peoples as the ” incidence of yesterday” only. When at least three generations of that period vanish from the earth then it gets registered in the category of “modern history.” In the above mentioned paradigm of “God gaona to Guru gram” the ecological transformation added with geographical settlement in boundaries and replacement of old generation by new generation is worth counting. But all these effects are countable up to a certain limit only.
Macabre paradigm
The horrible example of destruction of changing of geography of Hiroshima and Nagasaki district of Japan are evident. But the resurgence of Japan in it self is the unique example of change of geography and that of history. At present, war troubled areas of Sudan and adjacent countries, as well as, that of Ukraine are another citation of geographical changes that going to effect the history of the place as well. War in a consequence leads to the migration in shape of exodus. Th emigrants with the the passing of time become the denizen of another place and as such become the part and parcel of another culture. They gradually assimilate there.
Such changes, whether caused by calamity or made by man later on become the interesting subject matter of the study of historians or social study researchers. This can be comprehended by the instances of ruined ancient civilizations of “Harrapan culture, Indus valley, Incas civilization etc.” The dreaded migration of people from the Himalayan range of India to the plains in search of better future is another glaring example of geographical changes in the name pf geographical settlement.
Another instance of changing of the of the ecological system as an outcome of geographical settlement is construction of big dams on streaming rivers. This change certain to be studied as part of history in near future. When man constructs a dam by changing the natural flow of a river, is in some probabilities bound to cause devastation in near future. Just imagine a picture, if a big dam is wrecked by some natural calamity like that of earth quake or by the sabotage of enemy nation.What kind of massive destruction and devastation it can bring to the huge territory.
For some years it shall be registered in the memory of people as the incidence of yesterday but certainly after some decades as a part of history in shape of geographical changes. The history as it simply narrates us, we are helpless to witness the geographical changes and either be benefited by it or suffer from it. Penned by — Vinay Pharasi…..
