What stuff the tiger’s dreams are made of: an insight into Tipu Sultan’s Khwab Nama on May 4, 2019By treating the diary’s contents as secret Kirkpatrick effectively anchors Tipu’s story within the shameful colonial tradition of demonising noble Indian rulers for the purpose of legitimising British military intervention in India It is true that Tipu was at war with the British and regional rulers but to imply that warfare was his sole concern […]
Nur Jahan behind the false façade of femme fatale and ‘power hungry’ empress on December 17, 2018The book Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan introduces us to the charismatic Nur Jahan, Jahangir’s last wife and favourite partner, as a living and breathing human whose imperiousness and an inexhaustible, uncrushing woman’s conviction to happiness and power allowed her to create an imperial legacy of her own. The author, Ruby Lal, highlights […]
A re-evaluation of tales of betrayal concerning Tipu Sultan’s defeat on November 20, 2018Tipu Sultan is known for his fierce spirit of independence and hard-headed leadership particularly in relation to resisting British expansionist interests in the south of India. He came to signify formidable native power and proved to be East India Company’s worst nightmare for almost thirty years. Tipu on various occasions displayed great dash, courage and […]
‘Aurangzeb’ — reimagining the misunderstood emperor on June 8, 2018Book title: Aurangzeb: The life and Legacy of India’s Most Controversial King Author: Audrey Truschke Publisher: Stanford University Press Pages: 136 Price: $ 11.25 Year of publication: 2017 If we glance back to review some of the most controversial figures of Indian medieval past, we should have no difficulty conjuring up the image of Aurangzeb […]
Remembering Tipu Sultan — the misunderstood ruler on May 5, 20184th of May marked the death anniversary of Tipu Sultan, the ruler of the south Indian kingdom of Mysore, who died gallantly defending his capital Seringapatam against the combined forces of the East India Company and the Nizam in 1799. In Pakistan, Tipu is remembered as a noble soldier and a martyr who raised his […]
The life of Tipu Sultan in light of the wider historical and cultural context on November 30, 2017Recent times have seen an onset of scholarship on the figure of Tipu Sultan. The very staple of fresh research on Tipu is the rejection of colonial estimate of Tipu’s character as misleading and offering enlightening perspectives on his life. Kate Brittlebank, an Australian historian and a leading expert on Tipu, has put together yet […]
Lahore In The Time Of The Raj by Ian Talbot & Tahir Kamran on July 7, 2017The book contends that under British rule, the city of Lahore continued with its centuries old legacy of connection through trade, movements of people, and ideas beyond its boundaries. Fully utilising modern means of communications such as the railways, steamships and print culture, the colonial Lahore ushered in a new age of globalisation that intensified […]