I do not understand why ‘Thoughts on Pakistan’ is now marketed as ‘Pakistan or The Partition of India’. Does it have to do with the controversy it generated in the tumultuous decade of its publication? It was first published in the early 1940s after the Muslim League Resolution had called for the creation of Pakistan,…
Category: History
Hindutva & Hinduism- Hinduphobes perhaps Know more than Scriptures & the Supreme Court (An Essay)
The Supreme Court, in the ‘Shastri Yajnapurushadji’ judgement of 1966, attempted to narrate the meaning of historical and etymological genesis of the word ‘Hindu’ and to define HINDUISM, but concluded with these words- “Hinduism is impossible to define”. The Court adopted Radhakrishnan’s submission that Hinduism is complex, and the theist and atheist, the sceptic and…
क्या था बाबर और उसके बाप का ख्वाब-ए-हिंदुस्तान ?
Hotstar पर हालिया रिलीज़ हुई The Empire में बाबर को अपने वालिद मिर्ज़ा उमर शेख के ख्वाब-ए-हिंदुस्तान को बहुत शिद्दत से लेते हुए दिखाया गया है । मिर्ज़ा उमर निहायती कमजोर शासक था – उसे नर्म दिल कहकर बेइज़्ज़त किया गया है । फ़रगना उससे संभलता नहीं था, समरकन्द जीतना उसकी हैसियत से बाहर था…
अकबर के संतों से मिलने के नहीं हैं प्रमाण
किस्से-कहानियों का अकबर सर्वव्यापी है । बहुतेरे साधु-संतों के संग अकबर की मुलाकातों की किंवदंतियाँ प्रचलित हैं । बीरबल के किस्सों के हिसाब से अकबर सवालों, पहेलियों और गप्पों का भी बादशाह था । सत्यान्वेषी अकबर दीवान-ए-खास में बैठकर विभिन्न धर्माचार्यों के साथ धर्मचर्चाएँ किया करता था । बर्बर बाबर और कठमुल्ले औरंगजेब जैसे धार्मांध…
Vijay Gokhale’s Tiananmen Square – A Diplomat Looks Back & Exposes the Hollowness of Western Propaganda
Tiananmen Square is in the city centre of Beijing, located near the City’s Central Business District, and named after Tiananmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace) which separates it from the Forbidden City. The western part of the Forbidden City houses the Chinese Communist Party HQs, and is known as Zhongnanhai. Tiananmen Square has an area of…
Our Caricatured Heroes : How Nehru became Chacha & Other Tragedies
A couple of photographs of Bhagat Singh wearing red and yellow turbans, and sporting some stubble were published in the I&B Ministry and the Punjab Government advertisements in 2010. They were criticized by Bhagat Singh’s family, Prof. Chaman Lal and Bipan Chandra on the ground that Bhagat Singh had renounced (not just stopped sporting) his…
WHY COULD JAWAHARLAL NOT TOLERATE “PRIYA PURUSHOTTAM”?
Rajarshi Tandon’s politics did not initially irk Panditji. The latter had actively backed the former’s ‘No Tax’ campaign in 1930, and also lent support to his work with Kisan Sabhas. Both the leaders came from Allahabad, and worked together since the 1930s, beginning with the Civil Disobedience Movement. In the 1937 Provincial Elections, the INC…
Mobocracy 1920-21 Reprised in 2020-21: Gandhi is No More, but His Words can Guide
During his 1920 train tours, Gandhi discovered India, and more importantly, understood the Indians. The country was in a state of ferment, people were highly expectant, keen to be led and express themselves socially and politically. During and after his visits, Gandhi recorded his observations- “the Congress is a demonstration for the mob. Though organized…
रानी विक्टोरिया का इस्तक़बाल और सूखे घोड़ों की सवारी
बरगद के तने सी चौड़ी रानी विक्टोरिया जड़ मुद्रा में जमी बैठी हैं कलकत्ता में । काले कौवों को अक्सर इस कांसे की काली महारानी के साथ क़हक़हे लगाते देखा जा सकता है । 1901 में जब रानी ने अपनी भारीभरकम देह त्यागी थी ,तब उनके एक मातहत नथेनियल कर्ज़न ने उनकी और ब्रितानी हुकूमत…
Lt.Gen. Sagat Singh -A Veritable Superhero!
The Chief of the Army Staff or the Field Marshals do not conduct on-ground operations during a skirmish, a battle or a war, but local commanders do. Quite by design, India has chosen to ignore the heroics of such diehards, the most prominent among them being Lt.Gen. Sagat Singh of the 3rd Gorkha Rifles. Perhaps…
Dhimmi , Dhimmi EVERYWHERE
Dhimmi, Dhimmi everywhere, Not a drop of Dharma. Only Rent-seekers, pole climbers, Withered away all Karma ? (4) Surrounded by an ocean wide of wilful ignorance, Ever willing to surrender, Explore the scope for compromise on matters of civilization, Apologetic , guilt-ridden, Always unsure, ever unwise. (11) A millennium of servitude has killed and buried…
MURSHIDABAD – The City of Totos, Tumtums & Hazaarduari
Located on the eastern bank of Bhagirathi, the ancient channel of Ganga, Murshidabad was the capital of Nawab-Nazims of Bengal in the 18th century. It gradually lost its importance to Calcutta, but remained the seat of Nawab Bahadurs . I had read about the beauty of Hazaarduari Palace ,but was dissuaded from making the journey…
Abhinav Pancholi 