History is the record of the past, especially in context of the progress of human race. It affords us with glimpses onto acts, events, ideas, characters of the past; thus helping us to know more about the centuries gone by.
When we trace the annals of history, right from the outset to the recent times, we notice some events and characters to have repeated their performance with salient features.
It is almost over, as if such acts and ideas were meant to occur again in different centuries, though in slightly differently perspective. What is the significance of such repetition?
Wars and destructions have meandered through history. The causes for the origin of wars have been more or less the same-almost lust for power and the greatness, or else to prove the superiority of a set of values, be it social or political in nature, or for economic gain. The consequences of war and destruction have been similar: the emergences of new powers, the new pack of rulers were not very different from predecessors, as far as their goal of conquest is concerned.
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Almost every century has seen the rise of a great leader. The reformers and leaders genuinely concerned about the condition of the society of the time, have always stressed the importance of similar virtues and values. Thus, the fundamental message delivered to humanity by the Buddha, Mahavir, Guru Nanak and Mahatma Gandhi was more or less similar.
History is thus nothing, but man’s long struggle for survival, identity and values. The struggle has often been born more than a slight resemblance in methods used and the manner adopted in such period. Such repetition of historical fact-events, ideas and acts-sometimes makes us think that there was nothing coincidental, but a planned sequence leading towards a pre-destined goal.
However, revelation of mistakes and pains that have, despite repetition, it seems, has worked against man’s struggle for a better life, and man has never learnt from his past set of mistakes.