Isfahan’s Blue Mosque inspires a painting
On a long tiring flight, I was not too amused by another predictable rant on “Intimidation in Tehran” in the Time magazine. However, while…
Saving Kahoo Jo Daro
Read this impassioned appeal in the press – it also alerted me to the situation that haunts this ancient relic. The city is built…
The plight of Bahadur Shah Zafar’s descendants
I had earlier posted on the sad state of the heart wrenching denouement to the dazzling Mughal Empire thanks to Indscribe who related the…
Welcome Hatshepsut
Amazing how the past continues to interact with the present. Hatshepsut was an ancient Egyptian queen who declared herself as the king and ruled…
Dalrymple on gods and monsters
In an era when most British officials were interested only in exploiting India, a few remarkable men celebrated Hindu art and culture. William Dalrymple…
The tributes continue – remembering Qurratalain Hyder
The literati in India and Pakistan are grappling with the larger question of Qurratulain Hyder’s stature in Urdu, and some would say, World literature.…
Why I’ve learned to love the novel…
Thanks to Isa Daudpota, I was introduced to Rebecca Goldstein who marries the art of novel with science in an effortless manner. Her remarks…
Islamic Spain: History’s refrain
Alexander Kronemer writes: “At its peak, it lit the Dark Ages with science and philosophy, poetry, art, and architecture. It was the period remembered…
Qurratulain Hyder -End of an Era
The death of Qurratulain Hyder marks the end of an era of the finest writing in Urdu. Hyder, also known as Ainee Apa, dominated…
Anyone listening?
Thanks to my friend Temporal, I had a chance to read this account of contemporary Pakistan – The diary of a border crosser –…
Qurratulain Hyder talking to BBC on the first South Asian novel
SG has sent me this old audio recording of Qurratulain Hyder when she visited London in the 1990s and was interviewed by the BBC.…
Qurratulain Hyder is dead!
I have been upset the entire day. Perhaps it does not matter in the larger scheme of things. But this is a sad, sad…
Darlymple on India and Pakistan
William Darlymple’s article published in the Guardian is an insightful piece that attempts to be unbiased and reflects on some pertinent issues that afflict…
Islam forbids terrorism
Excerpts from here: Sentence of death is allowed only through the process of justice, but even then, forgiveness is better. Nor take life –…
On Half truths – Guest Post by Ali Eteraz
Today, Jahane Rumi is publishing a guest post by Ali Eteraz who is well known in the blogopshere. Eteraz is a gifted, fiery writer…
60 “Best” Books from India
To celebrate the Indian Independence day, Hindustan Times has published a rather interesting list of 60 best books from India. From the list, my…
Nazmain Chand – Poems for 15th August
Happy Independence day to the Indian friends and readers! Today’s post comprises a few poems that may capture several moods and facets of the…
60 Years of Independence – some links
Found these great links on the internet: Freedom at Midnight by VK Joshi Bombay Stock Exchange – Epitomizing India’s Growth by Nayanima Basu Raising…
Healing the wounds of Partition ..
I read this interesting, albeit a little contentious, piece by Ravinder Kaur that examined the impact of partition on settling the communal question. The…
Du’aa (Prayer) on the Independence Day
This moving poem by Faiz was written forty years ago and still sounds so fresh and relevant… Du’aa (Prayer) — A nazm for Pakistan’s…