India's Indigenous Judicial System: Misunderstood & Overturned by Colonial Rule | Dr. Meenakshi Jain

Описание: In this powerful and insightful lecture, Padma Shri Dr. Meenakshi Jain explores the indigenous judicial systems of India, which were deeply rooted in Dharma, local customs, and decentralized community justice, particularly the Panchayat system. Drawing on historical texts, early British records, and epigraphic evidence, Dr. Jain reveals how India’s legal traditions were systematically misunderstood, mistranslated, and dismantled under British colonial rule.

Beginning with the East India Company’s assumption of Diwani rights in Bengal, Bihar, and Odisha in 1768, Dr. Jain traces the colonial trajectory of legal centralization, mistranslation of texts like Manusmriti, and the imposition of rigid, uniform codes of law. These colonial distortions displaced centuries-old flexible, pluralistic systems that had evolved to accommodate diverse regional, caste, and community traditions.

The talk offers rare insights into:

Dharma-based jurisprudence as a community-rooted system.

Recognition of regional, caste, and gender customs in Indian legal thought.

The Panchayat system’s efficacy in delivering fast, local justice.

How British translations and misapplications of Hindu texts (like Manu Smriti) created lasting damage.

Testimonies from British officials who praised Panchayat justice and lamented the inefficiency and corruption of colonial courts.

How colonial judicial interventions led to rigid legalism, delay in justice, and jail overcrowding — issues that persist even today.

This talk is not just a historical reflection but a call to decolonize our understanding of Indian legal systems, and restore respect for India's civilizational legacy of community-centered justice.

📌 Presented at the Conference on Indian Knowledge Systems through Colonial Encounter, jointly organized by Indica and the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

🧭 Whether you're a student of law, history, governance, or Indian knowledge systems — this talk is a must-watch.

🔖 Chapters (Suggested for YouTube Timestamping):
0:00 Introduction
4:00 Pre-colonial indigenous justice system
7:00 British misunderstandings and early interventions
15:00 Role of Dharma and local customs
26:00 Rigidities introduced by colonial codes
34:00 Panchayat system praised by British officials
41:00 Impact of colonial courts on jail overcrowding and legal delays
46:00 Concluding reflections and appeal to IKS scholars

📚 Speaker Bio:
Dr. Meenakshi Jain is a renowned historian, Padma Shri awardee, and author of influential works on Indian civilization, temple traditions, and decolonial historical narratives. Her scholarship has reshaped public understanding of critical issues like Sati, Ram Janmabhoomi, and the colonial distortion of Indian institutions.
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