Beyond the democratic myth: Ayesha Jalal decodes the subcontinent’s Political DNA
Ayesha Jalal, Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia: A Comparative and Historical Perspective, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1995 Ayesha Jalal’s Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia: A Comparative and Historical Perspective, published in 1995, stands as a seminal intervention in understanding the complex and often contradictory political trajectories of post-colonial India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Esteemed […]
Challenging essentialist histories: Ayesha Jalal’s nuanced portrait of South Asian Muslims
Ayesha Jalal’s Self and Sovereignty: Individual and Community in South Asian Islam Since 1850 stands as a monumental and intellectually profound work, meticulously exploring the complex evolution of Muslim identity and political consciousness within South Asia. This dense, scholarly tome, spanning over six centuries of tumultuous history from the mid-19th century CE through colonialism, nationalism, […]
The historic Karachi trial and Mohammed Ali Jauhar’s famous address to the jury- Part 1
The Ali Brothers, Dr. Kitchlew (Punjab), Shri Shankeracharya of Sharda Mutt, Maulana Hussain Ahmed of Deoband, Pir Ghulam Mujaddid, and Maulana Nisar Ahmed were indicted for criminal conspiracy, promoting enmity to Government, and attempting to seduce the troops from their allegiance. The indictment was based on the following resolution passed by the Khilafat Committee on […]
Saadat Hasan Manto: A Witnesser of Borders
Manto asks in his essay, “Why do I write?” He says that he is a pickpocket who picks the stories from his pockets rather than from his imagination, which is still influencing many contemporary short story writers and film makers. His translations and short stories are definitely a landmark for the development of Urdu literature.
