麻豆社

Good morning.

Ever since I was young, I鈥檝e been fascinated by history and how it shapes our identity. It鈥檚 the idea that decisions made in the past can have an enduring impact and perhaps even influence our views and opinions on issues affecting us in the present day. I was reminded of this when I visited an exhibition in Central London recently.

The Empire of the Sikhs at the Brunei Gallery is a remarkable insight to the riches and glamour of the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the first half of the 19th century. It explores how the different Sikh states of the time managed to unite behind a single person and grow to become a major power in the Indian subcontinent, before its eventual collapse and annexation by the British. For Sikhs, this period marks one of the high points of our cultural and secular identity, a time when artists and craftsmen were given strong patronage, and when Hindus, Muslims and Europeans held positions of great influence in the Sikh court.

Our history is what often defines us, both collectively and as individuals. It allows us to understand where we have come from, and more importantly, who we are today. However, history needs to be viewed as a flowing river, constantly moving, continuously changing.

It鈥檚 important for us to know our past, but we should never find ourselves beholden to it. Attitudes towards the British Empire, for example, have undergone frequent revision. Once considered to be the very model of Victorian benevolence and progression, it鈥檚 now viewed by many through the lenses of the repression and subjugation inflicted by Britain upon various parts of the world. Some of the laws introduced a century and a half ago by the British Empire can still be found in force in former colonies today, and they continue to impact the lives of millions.

It鈥檚 easy to be trapped by the beauty of the past, of looking back at the halcyon days when things seemed so much simpler and better. But such visions of Albion fail to reflect the reality of our modern world, and I believe we must be willing to adapt and change to what鈥檚 happening in contemporary society if we are to truly progress as humankind.

Yesterday saw that progress in action when a law, enacted by the British Raj over 150 years ago and which caused misery for countless numbers of people, was wiped from the statute books by the Indian Supreme Court. Homosexuality in India has finally been decriminalised. The judgement runs to almost five hundred pages, but there鈥檚 one quote which stands out in particular. It鈥檚 from Justice Chandrachud, who said:

鈥淚t is difficult to right the wrongs of history. But we can certainly set the course for the future.鈥�

I believe that those wise words go far beyond the confines of any ruling of law.

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