August 10th, 2001 [Date could be earlier, 1997] The Editor [possibly New York Times or San Jose Mercury News], In your “Books” feature of 10th August, Page two you have published a picture of Mahatma Gandhi. The caption is wrong and needs to be corrected as it diminishes the lifework and the mission of the… Continue reading Letter to the Editor correcting Gandhi prayer meetings not just Hindu
October 21, 2001 The fabled jewels of the Nizams of Hyderabad are on display at the National Museum New Delhi. The family who collected them were not known for their wealth in the city of their origin, Samarqand. The treasures were collected in India. They were of such magnitude that the last Nizam, 9th in… Continue reading Khwaja A’abid, First of the Nizam Family to serve in India
September 21st, 2001 Afghanistan is attracting the attention of the world as never before. This is because it is deemed to be the source of the attack on the manifest symbols of the military and economic power of the only superpower left in the world. The alleged mastermind Osama bin Laden and the actual hijackers… Continue reading How difficult is it to rule Afghanistan?
October 24, 2001 An immigrant from Samarqand, Mir Shahabuddin, rose to high rank and won the title Ghaziuddin Khan Bahadur Firoz Jung. (The warrior for the Faith and victorious in battle commanding general.) Despite becoming blind he retained command his service ended only at his death. What was the cause of this remarkable success?
October 23rd, 2001 Up until the 18th Century India was the desired destination of those with talent skills ambition and courage. We talk of an immigrant from Samarqand who rose to high rank and made such a mark that he continued to command an army an administer a province although he became blind in an… Continue reading Awrungzeyb’s Blind General (Aurangzeb)
August 31st, 2001 Itihaas : In Mughal times, 1526-1857, being a person of note, [this applied to, both men and women], meant sporting the identity given to the individual by the reigning Emperor as specified in the title bestowed. The name given at birth became a matter of no consequence.
July 13th, 2003 Amongst Rajputs the name Hammeer has extraordinary weight power and significance. It is a name to conjure with.
January 17th, 2001 The Tehelka tapes showed clearly that the BJP and the Samata are “open to offer”. Corruption in India is now great enough to cause the wheels of commerce and industry to slowly grind to a halt. What can be done to prevent utter hopelessness from enveloping our individual beings? Although all poetry… Continue reading Remembering The Freedom Struggle
November 18th, 2001 There is much more to Indian Islam than Wahabism or ‘fundamentalism’. In the commonly held view amongst Muslims themselves there are no less than seventy-two forms in which Islam is practiced in India. Each sect considers all others heretic, who will, on the Day of Judgement, be consigned to the flames of… Continue reading Sufism, the Splendour of Indian Islam
November 6th, 2001 The rituals of death are elaborate and most complicated especially for the families of the dead who belong to the majority, Hindu community. The chief mourner has to shave the hairs of the head wear special dresses and eat special food. All those who attend the obsequies are required to go straight… Continue reading Mourning The Dead
