History in the Public Domain

History is a hot topic in popular politics of the public domain. Pressures from different kinds of ideological positions and politics of identities of various kinds put serious constraints on the practice and writing of history. Despite the challenges, scholarship has continued to grow. Current historiographical thrusts illustrate how a whole range of themes and issues are dealt with by professional historians from a variety of perspectives with reference to sources and evidence. For instance, issues relating to the complex interactions between religion and political culture are no longer being swept under the carpet.

This collection of short essays and extended discussions on current research aims to intervene in public debates on what exactly happened in history. Given the situation, attempts of this kind can possibly help in somewhat bridging the wide gap between serious academic research and misplaced assumptions of popular histories. Much as historians are accused of merely speaking to themselves (and boring others), they need to be taken seriously when intervening in public debates using specialized historical methods and practices. Historical research conducted in universities can inform popular debates in newspapers, television channels, social media, and roadside dhabas for that matter, to lift the discussion to an informed intellectual plank and to bring about historical literacy and civility in the public domain.

Table of Contents

• Preface 11
• 1. Invoking Virtues of Truth: Haq Ali Ali Ali Maula Ali Ali 15
• 2. Authoritarianism in the Garb of Democracy 19
• 3. Politics of Religion and the Writing of History 24
• 4. Liberalism/Dogmatism and the Writing of History 28
• 5. Challenges to the Writing of History in the Indian Vernaculars 32
• 6. Cultural Productions and the Question of Identity 36
• 7. Ramayana's Multiple Traditions in Cross- Cultural Contexts 42
• 8. Sanskrit Historical Traditions: Rajatarangini of Kalhana 54
• 9. Khwaja Gharib Nawaz Mu'in-ud-Din Chishti: Founder of Chishti Sufism in India 58
• 10. The Making of the Qutb Minar Complex and its Historical Significance 63
• 11. Mahbub-i Ilahi Hazrat Khwaja Nizam-ud-Din Auliya 67
• 12. Days in the Life of a Sufi 71
• 13. The Historic Projects of Sultan Muhammad Tughlaq 76
• 14. Indo-Persian Historiography: Ziya-ud-Din Barani and his Tarikh-i Firuzshahi 80
• 15. Cultural Dynamics as Heritage 84
• 16. Kabir and the Idea of Unity in Diversity in Bhakti Traditions 88
• 17. Akbar's Conquest of the Flourishing Country of Kashmir 93
• 18. History and the Present: Relevance of Akbar in our Troubled Times 101
• 19. Religion and Political Culture in Mughal India 107
• 20. Nur Jahan and the Fascinating World of Mughal Women 119
• 21. Jafar Zatalli: Exposing Fake Propriety of those in Power 124
• 22. Power, Memory and Architecture: A Review 131
• 23. Early Modern Bengal: An Earthly Paradise 135
• 24. One Thousand Years of Bengali Culture 148
• 25. Modern Social History at its Best 157
• 26. Unpacking Theory and History in a Dialogic Relationship 166
• 27. Reading the Gulistan of Sa'di Shirazi 170
• 28. Histories of Tribals and Dalits 174
• 29. Partition's Biharis: A Tribute to Dr Papiya Ghosh 178
• 30. Religious and Political Entanglements in Modern India 186
• 31. Conversion and Islamization in India 195
• 32. Music in Islam 199
• 33. Women in Dargahs 204
• 34. The Status of Dogs in Islam 208
• 35. Colours of Love and Hate in Traditions and History 211
• 36. Mirza Ghalib and the Tragedy of 1857 219
• Concluding Remarks: Struggle for Peace in Violent Political Times 226
• Glossary 235
• Select Bibliography 239
• Index 249

Raziuddin Aquil teaches history at the University of Delhi. Professor Aquil has published widely on religious traditions, literary practices and political culture in medieval and early modern India.