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The Unsaid

With you I can be me,  no masks and no reverie; It's all about the dawn and sunset,  the sky and it's hued spree;  The colours are ret,  Let's just be free.                                          -Abhinav

कविता- खोखले शब्द

  जब शब्द खोखले हो जाते हैं, तब आवाज़ भी शोर मचाती है;  और कान रेगिस्तान बन जाते हैं, जिनमें रेत भर जाती है l                                                                                शब्दों  की चिता अभी भी सिर्फ सुलग रही है, दूर जलती अग्नि चक्षुओं को चुभ रही है;  इ र्द-गिर्द वो सब लील जाती है, शब्द कुछ जल रहे हैं।        जब तक चेतना आएगी, सिर्फ राख़ रह जाएगी; शब्द जल चुके होंगे, और ये ज़मीं ज़मींदोज़ हो जाएगी।                                                                                                 ...

Partition of India, Delhi and communal violence

  Introduction The day of 14th August 1947 was a day of victory and defeat for India, on one hand India got freedom from the British rule while partition as a defeat for Indian communal and cultural unity on the other. With the creation of Pakistan, the struggle which earlier the two countries share unitedly got divided and the violence which emerged after the partition due to communal differences led to massacre on such a large scale which many scholars compare with the Serbs in Bosnia, the Albanians in Serbia and Jews, Gypsies and others in Nazi Germany as the author Gyanendra Pandey mentions in his book ‘Remembering Partition’. Delhi being the capital also suffered the violence and many people came to Delhi to flee the communal tensions; majorly from the Punjab province of that time, but lakhs of people left the place as well due to riots and most of them were Muslims, around 3.3 lakh muslims left Delhi at that time and after 1947 violence Delhi lost its place or character as t...

The nature of Tribal Movements in Colonial India- a brief reflection

  Introduction The History of colonization and Tribal Movements during 19 th and 20 th century had been largely studied together for the latter being observed under the reflection of the former because national movement and tribal movements shared similar objectives, but they have contextual differences as well. National movement can be considered as a symbol representing various regional movements, their demands and discontent among people not just against the British but also the local landlords and administration.                        Taxation policies formed by the British and local landlords, also led to socio-economic exploitation and oppression of tribal communities. Interference of belief systems like Hinduism and Christianity had a mixed impact on tribal protests, on one hand some tribal communities converted and used their ideals as an ideology to keep their struggles driving while on the other many revisit...

Seven cities of Delhi and the city of 'Shajahanabad'

  Introduction: - Delhi had been a major center of power since 11 th -12 th century or when the Delhi Sultunate came into existence because its rulers and later Mughals made it their capital and established cities which were symbol of their splendor, dominance and wealth, but some issues which they faced in their settlements were water and security which led to construction of huge fortification walls and a lot of expenditure. This issue got resolved only after the coming of Mughals and founding of Shahjahanabad. Delhi over the time developed commercial and cultural center where people from all walks of life and around the world came for trade and settled that’s why it became a ‘ Melting Pot ’, it do not have a culture of its own but developed into a place which absorbed everyone’s   culture, traditions, politics and diplomacy. Some major settlements of 13 th and 14 th century Delhi were Jahanpanah, Kilokhari, Siri, Firoz shah Kotla, Tughlaqabad, Firozabad and settlement ...

Desecration of religious places meant- understanding through Romila Thapar's book 'Somnath- many voices of history'

  Introduction:- Romila thapar’s book ‘Somnath- many voices of history’ helps us to look towards the events of temple desecration from different perspectives instead of a popular narrative propagated by Colonial era historians, government and nationalist school of historians. Her book present before us varied sources composed during or after the lifetime of Mahmud of Ghazni, which broaden our perspectives about a temple and its functions which were wholly different from today’s time. It also presents before us the causes behind raids by different rulers of multiple origins and regions. The review The book helps us to understand the reason behind the raids on temples, importance of a temple as an institution, the kind of ecosystem a temple is or it develops because the roles which temples played during ancient or medieval times were very much different from today’s time. As many historians mentions about the methods of legitimation for an emperor or a dynasty’s rule, religious...

Some debates around practice of 'Sati' during colonial India

  Introduction: - Sati, the inhumane practice of widow immolation, which was as a parameter for a devoted and virtuous wife was prohibited by the British in 1829, however it didn't vanish completely and debates supporting and opposing it emerged and most initiated by men. Women, under whose context all these arguments were made was silent. This patriarchal society was arguing around, in the name of women and for the sake of woman but for their own purposes and woman was not voicing her own issues. For example- the evangelicals used to write and spoke about woman for raising funds for their missions and societies. So, here in the essay, I will discuss about some of the debates related to sati during colonial era, situated in and around the region of Bengal. Debates around Sati: - The practice of Sati fell under the colonial criminal law and varied government bodies had right to frame policies and laws regarding this. The governor-general and his council, officials of criminal ju...