Abstract
“East is east, and west is west; and never the twain shall meet.” (Rudyard Kipling) The West and East have different cultures in the technological development in transportation and communication. These two meet so frequently in international setting but east encounters communication difficulties, breakdowns, misunderstandings, even conflict and confrontation because they fail to understand each other in intercultural communicates. Western idea of low-context communication, individualism, hierarchy and assertiveness portray the image of eastern societies as static and undeveloped. In this regard popular opinion from the side of west is that oriental despotism was a hurdle in the development of means of communications in oriental societies. This paper explores the misconceptions that east had no idea of transportation and communication. Even the postal system was the invention of the west. In medieval India, Sher Shah made a serious effort for effective system of communication. This paper also highlights the means of communication which provide a strong profile to Sher Shah Suri in the history of medieval kings. His policies made him an ordinary oriental despot or a reformer as his foe (Nasir-ud-din Humayun, the Mughal King( 1530-1555) gave tribute to him as Usta-a-Badshahan (Teacher of kings).
Keyword(s)
Communication, Surveillance, India, Sher Shah Sur’s Regime, West and East