The Grand Republic of Indus (AMW FACTBOOK)

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Grand Republic of Indus
सिंधु के ग्रैंड गणराज्य

Basic Facts

Official Name: Grand Republic of Indus
Other Names: Indus
Motto: United in Diversity
Capital: Saidpur (RL Islamabad)
Largest city: Karachi
Official Languages: Hindi, Latin, Greek (hundreds of unrecognized languages)
Demonym: Indusi
Form of Government: Aristocratic Republic
Primus of the Republic: HH Delem Brahma, Maharaja of Kashmir
Legislature: the Great Assembly
Total Land area:
Population: 338,623,560 (2012 estimate)
GDP: 236.518 billion
GDP per capita: 1,295
Monetary unit: Indusi Panas
Internet Domain: .in

Table of Contents
History
Government
Economy
Military
Culture
Religion
Demographics
Geography
Biographies

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History of Indus

Birth of the Grand Republic

The lands in which the Grand Republic of Indus calls home has been inhabited by humans since the Neolithic era, the earliest human civilizations to take root emerged along the banks of the Indus river, the natural wonder that has witnessed the rise and fall of countless empires.

However the origins of the current republic lie in the early 17th century when the Western and Eastern Roman Empires established their first colonies on the subcontinent. In this era the lands of Indus were divided between the militant Malwa Empire in western Indus and the fractured Kingdoms of the East. While the Malwa were, in theory, the rulers of those lands as well, in practical terms their control over the region limited to the occasional tithe or military expedition due to the need to defend against the Islamic Caliph and their perpetual attempts at invasion.

Thus the regions were ripe for colonization. While the first colonies were initial successes, in less than a century they were transformed by waves of adventures, criminals of all nations fleeing the law, unscrupulous merchants, and political refugees of all stripes, into unstable rogue cities that caused the eastern Raja's (Kings) to unite and wage the first of three 'Wars of Pacification' to bring the chaos to an end.

This prompted a strong response by the Roman states to retake their colonies, and by the end of the Third War of Pacification the bulk of the Eastern Kingdoms had fallen into the hands of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires.

Meanwhile in the west, the Malwa Empire limped on, having managed to achieve a 'Long Peace' with the Muslims, the Empire had turned in on itself. Endless coup attempts, massive corruption, a series of ineffectual Emperors, all of which led Malwa to be vulnerable to the offers by European trading companies for special rights and privileges. As the Malwa nobles and royals schemed and stabbed each other in the back for increasingly smaller slivers of power, the European merchants gained more and more power. However just when it seemed that Malwa would become part of a Colonial Empire, a western educated noblemen named Ranjit Singh rose to power in the region now called Punjab. Waging a vicious political campaign in the dying court of the Malwa Emperor, Ranjit managed to seize power, ruling through the dying Malwa dynasty as Regent. Ranjit then played the European powers off against one another in order to avoid seeing the Empire turned into a colony. By the time of his death the merchant trading companies had lost almost all their trading privileges in Malwa.

His son Kharak felt comfortable enough to depose of the Malwas and established a new state that would be called 'the Punjabi Empire' by historians. Turning his attention to the lands of the east, Emperor Kharak began the work of a lifetime. Through a combination of negotiation, secretly funded rebellions, and bribery, he was able to bring a large portion of the lost territories back under his control.

However disaster struck when he died of suspected poisoning at the age of 40, throwing the Punjabi Empire into turmoil since his successor, Emperor Nau, quickly proved to be both corrupt and incompetent. In response to this, nine of the most wealthy and influential noble families in the Empire banded together to murder him and the bulk of the Imperial family in what is called 'the Grand Revolution'.

However the nine were unable to agree upon a new Emperor and nearly split into factions, but were forced to band together when an allied general in the army warned them of a plot to restore the dynasty through a collateral relation. The Nine then gathered as many wealthy and well-connected noble families as they could, and along with generals and other leaders started what is now called 'the Grand Assembly', a convention to create a new, aristocratic government to replace the fractured Punjabi Dynasty. The new government would be ruled by a 'Primus', or a First among Equals, elected from amongst their own members, to govern the nation as a whole for a ten year mandate along with his (or her own) personal lands.

The 'Grand Republic of Indus' was born, named after the great river that nourished the lands of the countless dynasties and kingdoms that their peoples had dwelt in for thousands of years. The new republic faced serious challenges from the start in the remaining members of the Punjabi dynasty and the European empires, wishing to re-expand their colonial empires. But after the Second Battle of Lahore the last serious Punjabi Pretender, Duleep the Young died after being struck by an unknown shooter, the nobles of Indus then turned their attentions towards the needs of their new nation.

Expansion of the Republic and the Golden Age

With the birth of the Grand Republic in the west, the Grand Assembly under the newly elected Primus Baji Rao, Peshwa of Ghaznavid (Modern day Kyber Pahunktwa, under FIS rule) voted unanimously to bring the various petty-kingdoms of the east under Indusi control. Baji Rao however was aware that this process would take time, as the European powers had expanded their companies into the various petty-states that had arisen due to Malwa's decline.

Under his reign, Baji Rao was able to negotiate the incorporation of several of the smaller petty-states. Though was forced to personally lead troops to suppress the rebellion of the Sidhu clan in Punjab, and later authorized invasions of two petty kingdoms in the modern region of Rajasthan. This set the pattern of Indusi expansion for the next two centuries, negotiation whenever possible, or invasion if the land was weak enough.

By the time that Rao's term as Primus ended, he had set the foundation for what became known as the Golden Age of Indus.

During the late 18th to the early 20th centuries, the population and territory of Indus grew by leaps and bounds, the arts flourished as European styles were introduced and experimented with, often being mixed with more traditional Indusi art forms. Hinduism, the native faith of Indus underwent a massive revival in which the great religious thinkers assimilated western thought into Hindu philosophy in order to modernize the religion. New forms of literature were created by creative writers under the patronage of the noble class, and the first universities since the fall of the Malwa Empire were constructed in this time.

However on the political front as the Eastern states were being slowly but surely incorporated into the Grand Republic, the influx of the newly elevated nobility from these regions lead to the birth of new factions within the Great Assembly. Roughly put there were two main factions, one was known as the 'Western Nobles' desired to incorporate the newly acquired lands into their own territories as much as possible, while the 'Eastern Nobles' fought to preserve their states within Indus in order to save as much of their old powers as possible. Within the two groups were countless subdivisions and cliques that changed with each political breeze, adding further complications.

Not to mention that each decade the elections for the office of Primus became more and more hotly contested between the two factions, however it was more often than not decided by a series of well placed bribes on the part of the wealthiest families that secured the elections. The reason being that wealthiest families also tended to have the most minor nobility on their side, whichever candidate that particular family supported would result in the nobles under their patronage to vote that way as well.

As a result of the infighting, the actual powers of the office of Primus bled out, while it's role in political arbitration faded and the authority of the wealthiest and highly connected nobles grew. The oligarchy envisioned by the founders of Indus was strengthened to the point of becoming a permanent fixture of Indusi politics.


The Great War


The War of Muslim Aggression


Modern Era

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Government of Indus

Introduction

The government of Indus is described in the 'Charter of Rights, Privileges, and Duties' as an Aristocratic Republic, in which the former nobility of the Punjabi Dynasty (along with later elevated families) have the exclusive right to membership in the Great Assembly and the right to vote for the Primus of the Republic. In addition to this, the 'Families' are granted a long list of rights and exclusive privileges unique to their place in the delineated caste system described in the charter.

The Primus of the Republic is considered to be the official head of state and the government within the Grand Republic, while the official powers are limited, the office itself brings a large number of unofficial powers and influence that is not to be trifled with, not to mention that the Primus is usually also a ruler of a region in their own right. Foreign ambassadors and representatives often cultivate the Primus more often than not due to the Primus being the best source of advice on who to speak too/bribe/negotiate/etc. within the Grand Republic. The current Primus of Indus is His Highness Delem Brahma, the Maharaja of Kashmir.

The Families are the collective body of Nobility in Indus that are often called the real rulers of the Grand Republic. Their rights and privileges many, their actual duties few. Legally the families are divided internally into two groups, the Great Families and the Lesser Families. The Great Families being the handful that rule the various regions (usually former Kingdoms) of Indus and from whom the Primus of the Grand Republic is usually elected. The Lesser Families are those lesser families who are either descended from European colonists, military generals, ancient noble families, etc who work for the various Great Families and serve as advisers, administrators, etc. Those who are lucky enough to be elevated to status of 'Family' are almost always elevated to the Lesser Families, though it is still theoretically possible to be elevated to 'Great Family' status.

The Great Assembly is the collective legislative body of 'the Families' of the Grand Republic. Formally called into session by the Primus in the capital for two six-week sessions every year, consisting of the highest ranking of the Great Families and other government officials, the lesser families have the right to witness the sessions and give their opinions. In truth decisions are often made in advance through secret negotiations between the Great Families behind closed doors, and the Great Assembly is often considered to be a rubberstamp of the state.

The Regions are the formal designation of the subdivisions of Indus. Ruled over by the various Great Families the regions in some respects function as their own countries (the rulers are usually titled as 'Maharaja'), however have ceded certain powers to the national government. In practice due to the oligarchic government this means that the nation more often than not resembles a confederation held together by cultural ties, mutual interest, and protection from outside forces.

The Council of Security is a secretive, little understood organization that exists to maintain 'the security of the Grand Republic' by means of espionage, counterespionage, internal surveillance and a network of informers. It's believed that the CoS works to maintain the status quo within Indus, protect the rights of the Families, prevent any mass democratic reforms or revolutions, and to prevent a Primus from gaining too much power. Recently due to Delem Brahma's strides in centralizing it has been whispered that he is either a member or is directly in charge of the CoS.

The Legal System of Indus is a tortuously complex beast which critics of the state accuse of serving the sole purpose of protecting the rights of the nobility at the expense of everyone else. The laws and courts of Indus are often accused by human rights activists of being arbitrarily used on the lower castes, while only being applied to the nobility sparingly (normally only when the case against the noble in question is made by another noble). Bribery is also said to be a common occurrence, with Indus exiles stating that even a low ranking Dalit can get out of murdering another Dalit if they can give their local judge a cow.

Regions of Indus (in detail)

WIP

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Economy of Indus

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Military of Indus

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Culture of Indus

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Religion in Indus

Indus is considered by many to be the most religiously diverse nation in the world, four major faiths were founded within the nation. The largest of which, Hinduism, finds it's roots in the ancient Indus Valley Civilization, making it the oldest living faith in human history.


Hinduism

Hinduism is the dominant faith of Indus at over 80% of the population estimated to adhere to one of it's many traditions. Considered to be a fusion of several cultural practices that lack a single founder, and often referred to as Sanātana Dharma, or 'the eternal law'. The faith has ebbed and flowed, much like the waters of the Indus River for thousands and thousands of years. However most branches of the faith engage in daily worship and prayers, annual festivals, pilgrimages, and a select few becomes ascetics (or Sadhu), abandoning regular society in pursuit of moksha (or enlightenment).


Islam

Islam in Indus has had a tumultuous history since it's introduction in the 7th century. First spread into Indus by traveling merchants, the faith managed to sink deep roots into the land in spite of the wars waged between the various Islamic Caliphates and kingdoms and the Non-Muslims rulers of the various Empires and Kingdoms that existed in what is now known as Indus. While Islam has contributed much to the culture of Indus, the FIS/Indus War (or the War of Muslim Aggression) has resulted the largest wave of Anti-Muslim persecution in centuries. Millions were driven out of Indus in the aftermath of the war due to the population exchanges, later still with the downfall of the wealthiest Muslim noble families the poorer ones were left to the mercies of the Indusi Nobility that had suffered great humiliation due to the war. As a result the Islamic faith has no real clout in the corridors of power, the once robust population is in steep decline due to many either finding ways out of the Indus or converting to other faiths to escape the stigma.


Sikhism

Sikhism is the second largest faith in Indus, a strictly monotheistic tradition founded in the Punjab by Guru Nanak and ten successor Guru's. Considered by outsiders to be a fusion of Islam and Hinduism, the Sikhs believe in the oneness of God and that their religious and secular lives are one and same. The Sikhs adhere to a strict set of ethics and due to several periods of persecution have developed a strong military tradition and often serve in the armed forces or law enforcement. At the height of their power the Sikhs ruled over the western portions of modern Indus as the Punjabi Empire. The modern region of Punjab is the only region in the world with a Sikh majority, and the faith has grown with an influx of Muslim converts due to the aftermath of the FIS/Indus War.


Christianity

Christianity in Indus is the fourth largest faith, having recently over paced Islam with an estimated 10 million followers. The Christian sects are divided roughly down the middle between the Roman Catholics and the Eastern Churches with a small smattering of Protestants. While small communities of Christians are believed to have been present in Indus for over a thousand years, the faith only began to grow in earnest with the arrival of Roman missionaries during the colonial period. While viewed with suspicion in certain quarters due to it's evangelization tendencies, in the modern era the Indusi Christians are a robust community within the republic.


Buddhism

The third largest native faith, Buddhism is a nontheistic religion that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, often referred to as the 'Buddha' or 'the awakened one'. The Buddhists believe that all suffering in the world is caused by ignorance of a universal truth, that reality is an illusion and that if one achieves enlightenment then a state of Nirvana can be gained and suffering ended. At one point the dominant faith within Indus, temporarily overthrowing Hindu practices, Buddhism proved more successful outside of Indus as it was largely reabsorbed into resurgent Hindu sects but still survived in various, smaller forms within eastern Indus well into the modern era.


Jainism

Jainism is the smallest of the Indusi religions with less than four million adherents. It's origins are obscure but does have a tenuous link with Buddhism due to it's founder Mahāvīra being a contemporary of Buddha. Jain's practice extreme ahimsa (non-violence) and a powerful reverence for life and extreme self-control over the passions and desires of the body to gain enlightenment. While having gone into decline since the 8th century, the Jains still have carved out a place within Indus as a highly connected and educated elite.


Zoroastrianism

The Zoroastrians of Indus (or Parsi) represent a small community of Persians who fled into exile with the rise of Islam centuries, shrinking in number due to a refusal to accept converts and genetic disorders due to a small gene-pool. Never the less the Zoroastrians have more often than not held positions of privilege and power within their traditional holdings in Gujarat and Sindh. Most Zoroastrians are ignorant of the theology of their faith, instead more focused on ritual, identity, and the desire for purity. Most Zoroastrian rituals involve fire, and the worship of a single God called 'Ahura Mazda'.


Hellenism

Hellenism is a broad term for the Greco-Roman faiths introduced into Indus by the Western and Eastern Roman Empires during the colonial period. Viewed as a foreign version of Hinduism, the Greco-Roman deities were often honored and worshiped alongside the local ones, to the point that while those officially claiming to be 'Hellenist' as a faith is quite low, a blended Helen-Hindi cultural identity is quite prevalent along the costal regions where the first colonies were established.

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Demographics of Indus

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Geography of Indus