Aneesh Gokhale Profile picture
Jan 24, 2022 14 tweets 3 min read Read on X
Not only is Abide with me a Christian Hymn, it is a Christian Funeral Hymn.

Yup, we were humming a funeral tune for approx 70 years during " Beating the Retreat "

And yeah, it's called " Sacred Song"
This is the American Navy. Note the occasion.
Yep, very Universal lyrics.
May I add, beating the retreat was first performed for Queen Elizabeth II in the 1950s.
Who plays such stuff on a day the Republic of India is celebrated ?
The poet himself was very clear it was a Christian Funereal tune.

Ref : Indian Express.
Only other place I have seen such dark lyrics is in Death Metal songs.

This was Gandhiji's favourite ? 🤔
As the RMS Titanic went down, Abide with Me was played by the ship's band. Apt for the sombre occasion.

Is our Army going down like the Titanic for this song to be played ? 😠
Ref : Business Standard.

14 years after Independence, our first PM put on an elaborate ceremony to impress Quen Elizabeth II.
The replacement suggested - Aye Mere Watan ke Logo is not religious in the slightest and definitely not a funeral hymn.

Good decision.
It's been 75 years. I think we can do away with most Colonial Era songs.

75 years is the gap between 1870 and 1947. Nearly the whole of British Raj.

The aim should be to slowly evolve our visible symbols away from Colonial ones.
Why are some people so apologetic about this ?

If it was a Christian Funereal Hymn, own up and say - Yes we played a religious hymn (about Christian Funeral) for 70 years in an awovedly secular Army.
As time progresses, our military symbology has to be a post Independence phenomenon.
Whole poem is available online, do read for yourself and decide.

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More from @authorAneesh

Jan 28, 2023
Stupidest article I read today

Portuguese version of “Islam was not always imposed, just look at Taj Mahal”
Well not quite, for as Pliny The Elder says in the 1st Century AD

“In no year does India drain our empire of less than five hundred and fifty million sesterces, giving back her own wares in exchange, which are sold to us at fully hundred times their prime cost”
Military control of trade routes was a new dynamic that Europeans brought in. Earlier that control happened via an interdependent economy. Involving India, Arabia and the East African coast.

Where India failed was in recognising this new form of mercantilist behaviour.
Read 11 tweets
Jan 15, 2023
While environmental concerns should be addressed, buddhi jeevis should not be allowed to hijack India's Inland Water Transport and destroy it.

We are already behind the whole world.
Canada and United States

St Lawrence seaway. Runs for 600 km and raises ships 170m via a series of locks between the Atlantic Ocean and Lake Superior.
Ships of considerable size - 200m long, can transport goods from anywhere in the world right into America's Midwest using the St Lawrence seaway system.
Read 16 tweets
Nov 20, 2022
This week in 1869

The Suez Canal was opened to traffic. Image
For a route that shaved 3000 miles off the distance to India and provided a short cut that brought a months long voyage to weeks, the main opposition to it came from... Great Britain !
A canal through the desert had been given serious by Napolean Bonaparte during his Egypt invasion. His engineers had told him it was not feasible. Finally, it was another Frenchman - Ferdinand Lesseps who built it. Image
Read 9 tweets
Apr 3, 2022
Leftist loonies are now fighting over who puts out the most lunatic article viz TKM

This is one of the winners I think 😂😜
New Delhi annexed an Indian state which has sent MPs to Parliament 🤡🤡🤡
Ok two things :

1. Is there any rule a 35 year old cannot be in University? There are several PhD / MBA courses being done by people in that age bracket.

2. Considering they were showing JNU, quite possible he was still doing his Bachelor's 😜😜
Read 6 tweets
Feb 16, 2022
The HMS Trincomalee

Built in 1817 at the Bombay Docks by the Wadias it is the oldest British Navy warship that can still float.
The reason being that Indian Teakwood has far better properties than English Oakwood when immersed in saltwater.

That combined with ship building skills of the Parsis.

Hence, India built ships were invariably superior.

Pic ref : BBC
The HMS Minden, also made at Bombay Docks by the Wadias, sailed to Baltimore.

The American anthem was composed on it.
Read 15 tweets
Feb 9, 2022
Example 1

Algeria - 98.2% Muslim

google.com/amp/s/www.inde…
Example 2

Tunisia - 99% Muslim

google.com/amp/s/amp.dw.c…
Example 3

Azerbaijan 97% Muslim

nytimes.com/2012/10/06/wor…
Read 10 tweets

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