Who improvised whom? Orientalism and the East

Who was the true architect of knowledge—the East or the West? This article unravels the paradox of Orientalism, exposing how colonization first thrived on the intellectual wealth of the very civilizations it sought to “civilize”. From literature to language, history to heritage, the East stood as a beacon long before imperial narratives claimed otherwise. As cultural hegemony persists in subtler forms, the question remains: who is truly improvising whom?

Orientalism before Edward Said justified the West's presence in the East, claiming they were there to improve education and teach the Eastern side of the world the real meaning of civilization. In India, this was the time when the Indus Valley Civilization was yet to be discovered. But before that, who was learning from whom? Who was improvising?

This question is as complicated as the justifications provided by the colonisers but as simple as our understanding of the ground reality of Orientalism. For example, go back to 19th-century Calcutta when Fort William College existed. This was the era when John Gilchrist asked Meer Amman to translate the historical Baag-o-Bahar. This dastan became one of the most renowned books in the world, known for its rich language and legacy. It played a key role in providing knowledge about undivided India's language, culture, and traditions.

To equip British officials with a cultural and historical understanding of India, dastans were translated by the finest Urdu writers of that time in institutions like the Fort William College. This is how the British ruled India so effectively—by learning from historical literature and traditional values. Understanding the elements of Indian society, both its strengths and weaknesses, gave them an advantage. By holding the key to history, culture, language, and literature, they ruled for almost 200 years. So, we can say it was more of a strategic war on culture and language than a political war. Colonisers found it easier to learn the language, art, literature, and culture of the people they sought to dominate.

Is this still the major tactic colonisers use? Learning about the imperial powers is a big task, but understanding how they were successful is all the more important. Right now, hegemony is visible in every aspect. One must learn a particular language to survive even in a world that is so heterogenous. People are losing their grip on vernacular languages, and cultural hegemony is eroding the rich legacy of one's own identity. We can say this is also a form of colonisation—but indirect.

Looking at it from the ground level, eastern languages, with their rich literature, history, and legacy, are being deprived. Each of us is bound by the language of the colonisers. Mashriqi Shairyat (Eastern Literature) is older than the existence of Great Britain. The oldest and finest philosophies originated from either Greece or the Arab world. Similarly, literature written in Persian, Sanskrit, and Urdu reflects the glorious past of the East, which is deeply rooted in spiritual values and the legacy of its ancestors. These societies refused to bow before the imperialist world. The East was educated long before the arrival of the colonisers. Some of the greatest and oldest poets belonged to the Arab world, followed by Persian, Sanskrit, and Urdu writers and poets. If we truly analyse history, we find literature already rich with the likes of masnawi, qasida, dastan, and drama.

Since the beginning, the West has seen profit even in literature. They colonised countries later; what they colonised first were vernacular languages and native cultures. Travelers found it easier to turn their trade into an invasion.

Edward Said writes, “Every empire, however, tells itself and the world that it is unlike all other empires, that its mission is not to plunder and control but to educate and liberate.”

Before the West introduced its scientific advancements, Jabir Bin Hayyan was already recognised for his contributions to chemistry and alchemy. Bharata Muni had already written the astonishing Natya Shastra, which created a world of art on stage before cinema arrived in India. Imru’ al-Qais flourished in the Arabian Peninsula with his mastery of qasida poetry before the colonisers set foot in the region. Firdausi and Saadi Shirazi glorified history through their literary techniques long before the the Western literature entered the Persian world. Amir Khusrau was already composing magnificent poetry for the diverse population of the East. Beyond them, countless artists, scientists, writers, poets, dramatists, historians, travelers, professors, and reformers shaped their native lands long before the colonial era began.

We were civilized before the colonisers; their civilization was merely in its infancy. What we need to do is learn, safeguard, understand, and teach. The dimensions and diversity of the rich Eastern world not only helped the colonisers rule but also gave birth to the concept of Orientalism.

The question of who was learning and who was teaching should now be easy to answer. The West colonised minds before it colonised lands. Even today, only those who speak the colonisers' language are considered truly literate. A "gentleman" is still defined as one who wears a Western coat and pants with a suitable haircut. A confident woman must conform to Western ideals; if she wears her native attire, she is still seen as oppressed or uncivilized. In today’s world, people feel the need to dine in fancy restaurants simply because it aligns with the class system imposed by capitalists and colonisers.

Who is allowing the colonial mindset to enter native lands?

Of course, the people of the native lands themselves. If people truly want to liberate themselves, they must first understand what liberation means. True freedom lies not just in reclaiming political and geographical autonomy but also in protecting language, history, culture, and literature. Colonization cannot feed us if we are already filled and satisfied with our heritage. Allama Iqbal, the Poet of the East, writes in his nazm Shua-e-Umeed and dedicates it to the East. He writes:

آفاق کے ہر گوشے سے اٹھتی ہیں شعاعیں

بچھڑے ہوئے خورشید سے ہوتی ہیں ہم آغوش

اک شور ہے، مغرب میں اجالا نہیں ممکن

افرنگ مشینوں کے دھویں سے ہے سیاہ پوش

مشرق نہیں گو لذتِ نظارہ سے محروم

لیکن صفتِ عالمِ لاہوت ہے خاموش

پھر ہم کو اسی سینۂ روشن میں چھپا لے

اے مہرِ جہاں تاب! نہ کر ہم کو فراموش

Aafaq ke har goshey se uthti hai shuaein

Bichde huwe khursheed se hoti hai hum agosh

Ik shor hai, Maghrib mein ujala nahi mumkin

Afrang masheeno ke dhuen se hai siah posh

Mashriq nahi go lazzat-e-nazara se mehroom

Lekin sifat-e-alam-e-lahoot hai khamosh

Phir hum ko usi seena-e-rawish mein chupa le

Ae mehr-e-jahan taab! Na kar humko faramosh.

These verses reaffirm that no matter how much the colonisers and capitalists try to pollute the East, we will return to the river of our legacy, history, and identity. We will quench our thirst from our tree of knowledge and spirituality. We will separate our free will from the cage of imperialism, capitalism, and colonisation—and liberate ourselves.

Tabinah Shabir is a student pursuing Bachelor’s in Urdu from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited By: Sana Faiz

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.