What is the problem with the periodisation of Indian history that James Mill offers?
James Mill divided Indian history into three periods – Hindu, Muslim, and British. This periodization has its own problem. It is difficult to refer to any period of history as ‘Hindu’ or ‘Muslim’ because a variety of faiths existed simultaneously in these periods. It is also not justified to characterize an age through the religion of the rulers of the time. What it suggests is that the lives and practices of others do not really matter. It is worth mentioning that even rulers in ancient India did not all share the same faith.
