Book review : Sanjeev Sanyal's "The Ocean of Churn:

Book review : Sanjeev Sanyal's book "The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History"

 INTRODUCTION :  

The approach to the study of history has been changing from time to time. Historians and scholars have opinioned the same topic differently by examining from a different perspective. This led to the emergence of various school of historiography like Colonial, Nationalist, Marxist, Subaltern, Annals etc. Various new studies still continues to evolve. Though not new, in recent days an approach to study history from multi disciplinary perspective acquiring momentum. Famous author Sanjeev Sanyal's book " The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History" is an detailed exploration of such an approach in which he viewed the human history through the vast influence of Indian Ocean. As the name suggest, Sanyal wrote the book by giving prime focus to the Indian Ocean and narrated how it's existence impacted across the world. His concept of Indian Ocean not merely limited to the present day Indian Ocean, but covers the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf region etc also. The book was published in 2016 and published by Penguin Random House India. In the words of the publishing house, "In bestselling this author ambitious book, Sanjeev Sanyal chronicles the grand sweep of history from East Africa to Australia, conjuring the great cities of Angkor and Vijayanagar, medieval Arab empires and Chinese ‘treasure fleets’ in rich, vivid detail. He explores remote archaeological sites, maritime trading networks and half-forgotten oral tales to challenge established historical narratives with fresh evidence. Shining new light on medieval geopolitics and long-lost cities, The Ocean of Churn is a mesmerizing journey into the heart of a vibrant civilization.” 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR : 

Photo from : Livemint

The author Sanjeev Sanyal is an internationally acclaimed economist and urban theorist. He wrote on wide varieties of topics ranging from economy to history. He received the prestigious Rhodes scholarship and studied in the Oxford University. The Eisenhower fellow is the author of many bestselling books like ‘The Ocean of the Churn : How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History' (2016), ‘Land of The Seven Rivers : A Brief History if India's Geography' ( 2012), ‘The Indian Renaissance : India's Rise After A Thousand Years of Decline' ( 2008) etc. Sanyal is one of the most progressive and dynamic writer of the contemporary period. He worked as the Principal Economic Adviser to the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Govt. Of India from 2017 to 2022. He  has been a vocal critic of Nehruvian socialism and praises the liberalization of 1991. He laid his opinion that the Colonial, Nehruvian and the Marxist historiography distorted the Indian history by biased and thus there is a proper need for revisiting and rewriting Indian history through the primary resources.  

DISCUSSION OF THE BOOK :

 The book opens up by a fascinating tale of how the Pallava dynasty has traced an heir to their Kingdom when the erstwhile King, Parameshwara Verman II died in 731 CE. A delegation of Brahmin scholars, which travelled across the Indian Ocean to the far ends of Cambodia, and got back an heir that traced his roots to the Pallava dynasty from five long generations ago!! Thus, the reign of Nandi Verman II has started. 

 Sanjeev Sanyal's "The Ocean of Churn" is a book that takes you on a journey through the Indian Ocean's past. It talks about how different people, like kings, travellers, and merchants, have come together over time, sharing their ways of life and art. The book has eleven parts, each telling about important happenings from different times, linking them all to show the area's history from long ago to now. 

The book shows how things like masks from Bali, Sri Lanka, and the Andhra-Odisha coast are alike, and how family traditions among the Khasis, Chams, and Khmer are similar too. It tells a tale about royal families in Vietnam and Cambodia who are related to a Naga princess named Soma. 

 Sanyal also mixes in old stories and legends from around the Indian Ocean. He often mentioned bout giant eagles and ants from these tales in different parts of the book. The author writes history in a new way that's easy for everyone to get into.  

Author sees the ocean as a place full of action and stories, not just a big water space to cross. Sanyal looks at older histories of the Indian Ocean and gives a fresh view. He talks about how people moved around the world a long time ago, especially in Southeast Asia, and gives a different take on the time when Europeans came to the area, with stories about sailors and their fights. 

This book talks about the history of the Indian Ocean before Europeans came and shows how the cultures there have always been connected. It argues against the idea that the history of the Indian Ocean only became important after Europeans arrived. The book tells stories of ancient Indian sailors going to Australia in 2000 BCE, the first Indonesian boats reaching Madagascar, and an Indian king named Marthanda Varma beating the Dutch in 1741.  The author, Sanyal, sees the world as a complex place where many things like nature, technology, society, culture, and people all affect what happens. He believes that once something starts in a certain way, it will influence everything that comes after. 

One key point in the book is about societies where family lines and inheritance come from the mother's side. This was common among rulers on the eastern side of the Indian Ocean. The book talks about different rulers and queens from history who followed this tradition, like the Khmer in Cambodia and a South Indian dynasty. It also mentions Indian soldiers fighting in different places around the Indian Ocean. Sanyal connects different social and cultural stories from the Indian Ocean area.  He talks about how temples and merchant groups worked together, and how they didn't care about social class. The book could have included more stories from Africa to balance the focus on India.  

The book "The Ocean of Churn" talks about the history of the Indian Ocean, including natural disasters like tsunamis and famines. It suggests these events might have different causes than what we usually think, like a Chinese invasion.  According to the author, the Indian Ocean has not only been a stage for trade and cultural exchange but has also witnessed major geopolitical shifts. Sanyal discusses the strategic importance of the region during World War II, when it became a theatre of war between the Allied powers and the Axis powers. The British utilized their control over naval routes in the Indian Ocean to counter Japanese aggression and protect their colonies. 

Similarly, the book explores the contemporary geopolitical dynamics in the region, with emerging powers like China vying for influence in the Indian Ocean as a part of their global ambitions. The author, Sanyal, believes it's important for historians to visit the places they write about. He combines geography and history to tell the story of the Indian Ocean.  The uniqueness of the book is, It give more importance to the  history of the country to the South of the Vindhyas and the North-East which are totally invisible in the main stream writing that mostly focused on North Indian region. 

It also talks about how Indian history has been written and criticizes the usual way of telling history. For example, Sanyal thinks that agriculture started in India and that a river known to archaeologists today is the same as the sacred River Saraswati from ancient texts.  The another important discussions inside the book is on various persons that were not usually discussed thoroughly. The author revisited those historical characters and newly questioned and examined them. For instance, the author questioned the story that King Ashoka became peaceful and turned to Buddhism, suggesting that Ashoka still fought battles after converting. Sanyal challenges the image of Tipu Sultan as a hero against the British, saying he also fought against other Indian leaders. He praises While historical writings gave much importance to Congress and Gandhiji, the author gave importance to  Indian freedom fighters like Subhash Chandra Bose and the Indian Navy for their roles in India's independence, which are often forgotten.  

The book mixes myths, legends, folk tales, and oral histories with scientific discoveries. For example, it explores whether a community's shared memories could be about real events from the past. It also looks at the Sinhalese people's memory of their origins, supported by language, genetics, and culture.  For example, Sanyal talks about the Japanese invasion that ended European rule in Indonesia and links it to an old Javanese prophecy. The book's mix of stories, myths, and possible truths makes history more interesting and less dry. 

OUR FINDINGS IN THE BOOK :

 As per our understanding, Sanyal uses the word 'churn' to describe how people, royal families, and objects have moved and mixed around the Indian Ocean. The title might also hint at ancient myths, like the story of the ocean being churned in Hindu mythology.  While reading the book, many times I got goose bumps knowing some magical facts. Again in some points the book disappointed me too.

 The book looks at evidence from genetics, archaeology, anthropology, and geography to trace the movements of continents and people long ago. But saying that the Indian Ocean is the only place that shaped human history might be a bit too much. Again, The author denied the various interpretation of other school in maximum points which also not appropriate as these schools also have some valuable insights to the history. This school contributed a lot to the history writing. Some historians might see Sanyal's book as a playful study meant for non-historians, but it shows his serious search for the truth. He doesn't let his personal beliefs get in the way of the facts. His approach avoids political bias and aims for a history that is open and diverse.  

CONCLUSION : 

In conclusion, "The Ocean of Churn" is a book that makes the long and lively history of the Indian Ocean easy and fun to learn about, showing the ocean as a place full of life and history. It brings up new discussions in history by questioning the usual way we think about the Indian Ocean. Through its exploration of timeless tales like the churning of the ocean, the book offers profound insights into the human condition and the eternal struggle between good and evil. As the waves of myth crash against the shores of reality, readers are left with a deeper understanding of the cultural richness and philosophical depth of Indian civilization, reminding us that the echoes of ancient stories continue to reverberate through the currents of our modern world. The book reads like a travel diary, full of folklore, stories, and descriptions of historical sites. It's full of excitement for history. 

REFERENCES: 

1. Own copy of the book ‘ The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History' by Sanyal, Sanjeev; 2016 Edition, Penguin Random House Publication, India 

2. Gopala, Pingali : ‘The Ocean of Churn' , book review on Pragyata.com, 2019 

3. Patel, Varsha : ‘The Ocean of Churn', book review on Prabuddha Bharata; July 2017. 

4. Sanjeev Sanyal in conversation with Sunil Khilnani, ZeeJLF, 2017, Official youtube channel ‘Jaipur Literature Festival’; Youtube.