A powerful story set in post-1857 Rohilkhand, Western Uttar Pradesh, Gold Dust of Begum Sultans journeys from the plains to the mountains Mohammadpur, Aligarh, Nainital. In this intensely patriarchal setting, the book explores Akbar Ali Khan's household, paradoxically dominated by strong Begums across three generations Qamar Zamani, Jahanara and Shehzadi. The Nawabs and Sahibzadas watch helplessly as their fortunes dwindle and the strong, tempestuous matriarchs come to the fore. Even while studying a crumbling feudal binary of the traditional and the modern, this novel captures the cultural ethos of one of the richest riyasats a culture in full display in the strong passions and extravagant indulgences of the patriarchs. As their antics come under the scrutiny of the British, the novel considers the manoeuvrings of the women protagonists. All the while, a new India struggles to be born. Gold Dust of Begum Sultans is a fascinating and unforgettable exploration of the history of the powerful Rohillas and their times.
Minority Pasts explores the diversity of the histories and identities of Muslims in Rampur-the last Muslim-ruled princely state in colonial United Provinces and a city that is pejoratively labelled as the centre of "Muslim votebank" politics in contemporary Uttar Pradesh. The book highlights the importance of locality and emotions in shaping Muslim identities, politics, and belonging in Rampur. The book shows that we need to move beyond such homogeneous categories of nation and region, in order to comprehend local dynamics that allow a better and closer understanding of the historical re-negotiations of politics and identities by Muslims in South Asia.
Dr Kozlowski's important study pioneers a fresh approach to the study of a critical Muslim institution: the endowments or awqaf which almost everywhere in the Islamic world provide support for mosques, schools and shrines. The wealthier Muslims who establish endowments inevitably have an eye on social, political and economic conditions and have traditionally used awqaf as part of an effort to preserve their wealth and influence, especially in periods of change and uncertainty. The book focuses on the use of endowments by Muslims suffering the dislocations caused by the imposition of British rule in India and examines in detail the social and political implications of the controversy over endowments that took place in the imperial courts and councils. The author's observations and insights can be applied to many periods and places in the Muslim world and his novel approach will attract all those interested in the study of Islam.
The vast Deccan plateau of south-central India stretches from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal. In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, the region was home to several major Muslim kingdoms and became a nexus of international trade — most notably in diamonds and textiles, through which the sultanates attained remarkable wealth. The opulent art of the Deccan courts, invigorated by cultural connections to the Middle East, Africa, and Europe, developed an otherworldly character distinct from that of the contemporary Mughal north: in painting, a poetic lyricism and audacious use of color; in the decorative arts, lively creations of inlaid metalware and painted and dyed textiles; and in architecture, a somber grandeur still visible today in breathtaking monuments throughout the plateau. The first book to fully explore the history and legacy of these kingdoms, Sultans of Deccan India elucidates the predominant themes in Deccani art—the region’s diverse spiritual traditions, its exchanges with the outside world, and the powerful styles of expression that evolved under court patronage—with fresh insights and new scholarship. Alongside the discussion of the art, lively, engaging essays by some of the field’s leading scholars offer perspectives on the cycles of victory and conquest as dynasties competed with one another, vied with Vijayanagara, a great empire to the south, and finally succumbed to the Mughals from the north. Featuring some 200 of the finest works from the Deccan sultanates, as well as spectacular site photographs and informative maps, this magnificently illustrated catalogue provides the most comprehensive examination of this world to date and constitutes a pioneering resource for specialists and general readers alike.
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas distinguished himself by his ceaseless passion for revolutionary politics, which he expressed through his writings and films. He was a visionary who strongly believed that creative and artistic interventions are indispensable to nation-building. Bread Beauty Revolution, spanning the years 1914 to 1987, encapsulates Abbas's work, ideas, and ideals. It also provides an insight into the beginnings of modern India. The volume encapsulates 74 books, 40 films, 89 short stories and 3,000 pieces of journalistic writing byAbbas. His work flows in three languages - Urdu, Hindi, and English - and he translated his own writings freely from one language to another. The volume is in ten parts: (i) 'Abraham and Son', about Abbas's birth and upbringing; (ii) 'I Write as I Feel', which includes Abbas's first and best known short story 'Ababeel' (Sparrows), the story of Abbas's struggle after the publication of his short story 'Meri Maut' (also called 'Sardarji'), and Mulk Raj Anand's letter celebrating his literary genius; (iii) 'My First Love Affair', on his lifelong relationship with and unabashed admiration for Jawaharlal Nehru; (iv) 'Naya Sansar', the witnessing of the birth of an independent India; (v) 'Dharti ke Lal', recounting Abbas's love-hate relationship with the Left movement of which he was an outspoken advocate as well as fearless critic, his account of the birth of IPTA, writing the play Zubaidah and being invited to make the film Dharti ke Lal; (vi) 'Bambai Raat ki Bahon Mein', about another love that gripped his mind and soul, the Indian film industry; (vii) 'Reminiscences', containing personal accounts by people whose lives Abbas influenced, as well as a short story by him, 'Achchan ka Aashiq' (Achchan's Lover); (viii) 'Jagte Raho', an account of Abbas's fight against the censorship imposed on his film Char Shehar Ek Kahani (Four Cities, One Story), 1968, which led to the famous case, K.A. Abbas versus the Union of India, and the landmark judgment in his favour holding that pre-censorship of cinema was a violation of freedom of expression; (ix) 'Ek Aadmi', Abbas's 'beginning' as well as his 'end': his review of Shantaram's film Aadmi which brought him to the film world, and Ek Aadmi, his last film, which had a posthumous birth; andfinally, (x) 'Rahi', named after the eponymous movie Abbas made in 1953 about tea garden workers.
"In Central Asia, Muslim shrines have served as community centers for centuries, particularly the large urban shrines that seem, in many cases, to have served as the inspiration as well for a city's architectural development. In Four Central Asian Shrines: A Socio-Political History of Architecture R. D. McChesney documents the histories of four such long-standing shrines-Gur-i Mir at Samarqand, Khwajah Abu Nasr Parsa Mazar at Balkh, the Noble Rawzah at Mazar-i Sharif, and the Khirqat al-Nabi at Qandahar. In all four cases the creation and evolution of the architecture of these shrines is traced through narratives about their social and political histories and in the past century and a half, through the photographic record"--
