Showing papers in "Indian Historical Review in 2007"
49 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors present new interpretations of Indian economic history under colonial rule, particularly with reference to R.C. Dutt's emphasis on Indo-British economic relations which excluded India's commercial links with Asia and Africa, the drain theory of the nationalists and the implications of the external Iiabilities of colonial India when translated into domestic liabilities.
Abstract: as a response to the nationalist arguments, thereby raising many new questions and issues. We get a glimpse of new interpretations which challenge some of the older and accepted tenets of Indian economic history under colonial rule, particularly with reference to R.C. Dutt's emphasis on Indo-British economic relations which excluded India's commercial links with Asia and Africa, the drain theory of the nationalists and the implications of the external Iiabilities of colonial India when translated into domestic liabilities. An important question that arises from the revisionist critique is whether they have underestimated the significance of India's subordinate political position and de-emphasized the importance of its exclusion from policy making. These and other issues have been highlighted in this volume which brings to readers the current research in this field. One wishes that the volume could have included essays relating to an earlier period of colonialism, during the early nineteenth century, a time when the Indian economy played a vital role in sustaining Britain's world-wide trade. Nevertheless, the volume adequately sums up the present state of historical knowledge of the period selected. The volume is useful for both students and scholars as well as general readers interested in colonial economic history.
20 citations
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TL;DR: In this article, the author has played on pangs of partition and blamed Radcliffe's fateful line for dividing Hindu and Muslim population, which was better than Jaya Chatterjee's formula of blaming alone the Hindu bhadralok, for partition.
Abstract: Borderless Bengal is a dangerous proposition. Borderless archive is, however, welcome for Bengal studies. In chapter II, the author has played on pangs of partition and blamed Radcliffe's fateful line for dividing Hindu and Muslim population. This is better than Jaya Chatterjee's formula of blaming alone the Hindu bhadralok, for partition. The British policy was one of rallying Muslims by political sops. Hindus fought and died for freedom whereas the Muslims were going to get the authority by brute majority for loyalty to the British. Hindus had, therefore, to opt for partition.
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors present Robes and Honour: The Medieval World ofInvestiture (2001), which contains a phenomenal discussion on exploration of the common origin and subsequent development of investiture across medieval Christianity and medieval Islam together with two essays on the ancient world.
Abstract: Stewart Gordon specializes in Maratha history and has recently completed a New Cambridge History of India volume, on The Marathas. A wide range of his articles have been published under the title, Marathas, Marauders and State Formation in Eighteenth Century India (1994). The present volume under review, edited by Stewart Gordon, can be seen as an auxiliary volume to his earlier edited work under the slightly different title, Robes and Honour: The Medieval WorldofInvestiture (2001), which contains a phenomenal discussion on exploration of the common origin and subsequent development of investiture across medieval Christianity and medieval Islam together with two essays on the ancient world by Xinru Liu and Jenny Rose. The essays included in the. present volume, from a 'congenial group of contributors, were originally presented at the panel entitled 'The Politics of Ceremonial in Mughal and Post-Mughal India', in the 28th Annual Conference on South Asia, organized by University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1999. All the contributors, namely, Gavin R.G Hambly, David C. Curley, Bernardo A. Michael, Michelle Maskiell, Adrienne Mayor, Gail Minault and the editor of the volume are established specialists in the field. Among the aspects that have engrossed their attention, special mention may be made of a ceremony, termed khil'a qaba in Arabic and khil'at or sar-o pa (from head to foot) in Persian, found common in much of South Asia in pre-colonial and colonial periods.
8 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, it was found that zinc smelting activity must have begun before first century BC, and it continued until the first quarter of the nineteenth century AD in India.
Abstract: copy of the manuscript of his work may belong to seventh or eighth century AD only. Though brass was known and used since fourth century BC, it was recognized as an alloy of copper and zinc clearly in the literature of the medieval period only. The description given in the Rasaratnakara is repeated in medieval texts (p. 182). By eleventh century AD, zinc was available in Gujarat. It is felt by the author that one could have spoken more on this subject if scientific analyses could be conducted on some of the brass objects found from different archaeological sites in India. The archaeological exploration and excavation at Zawar revealed that zinc smelting activity must have begun before first century BC, and it continued until the first quarter of the nineteenth century AD.
5 citations
TL;DR: The complexities in the legal processes and its interpretation, in combination with the colonial needs, resulted in fluctuating judicial verdicts, which either condemned or condoned such cases in different regions of India as well as within these regions in relation to different caste categories as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Caste endogamous marriages are popularly acknowledged as the comer stone of the caste system. Yet; inter-caste marriages both between high caste men and low caste women and vice versa have existed at various levels of society and in different regions of India in different historical periods. 1 The colonial period shows a serious challenge being posed to such marriages making them highly contentious. Legally attacked such marriages bring to the fore the growing contradiction between the needs of the colonial government and certain sections of Indian society. The fluidity noticeable in the colonial policy towards inter-caste marriages closely corresponded to the fluidity existing at the local level. The complexities in the legal processes and its interpretation, in combination with the colonial needs, resulted in fluctuating judicial verdicts, which either condemned or condoned such cases in different regions of India as well as within these regions in relation to different caste categories.
TL;DR: A significant section of women's history, especially of those on the margins, considered the "other" women in the construction of middle class women, remains invisible as mentioned in this paper. The "other women represented common women, considered to be coarse, vulgar, loud, morally degraded and sexually promiscuous".
Abstract: In history voice of the common people has been invisiblized for a long time. However, in recent times attempts have been made to bring the common people to the forefront of history. But still, a significant section of women's history, especially of those on the margins, considered the ‘other’ women in the construction of middle class women, remains invisible. The ‘other’ women represented common women, considered to be coarse, vulgar, loud, morally degraded and sexually promiscuous. Having greater access to public sphere, these women were relatively independent, outside rigid formations and not so clearly contained by caste, class, gender or a demarcated space, and so considered threatening. Bringing these women as subjects in history would unsettle the middle class ‘respectable’ discourse. One important section that has been excluded from history are women performers. Nationalist discourses have always negated or erased their creative aspect by putting them out of the framework of the respectable nation....
TL;DR: The more one reflects on life and its uncertainties, the greater one marvels at the intoxicating grip religion has on life as mentioned in this paper, and the more one can see the duality of this-worldly/other-worldly, sacred/profane or pure-impure-ean can be gauged through many eyes but can immerse in our soul through one way only, that is, love, devotion and sacrifice.
Abstract: The more one reflects on life and its uncertainties, the greater one marvels at the intoxicating grip religion has on life. Till date, religion seems to be the sole provider of any information on ' life after death', which, in tum, has a shadowy influence on our mundane affairs. The duality of this-worldly/other-worldly, sacred/profane or pure-impure-ean be gauged through many eyes but can immerse in our soul through one way only, that is, love, devotion and sacrifice.
TL;DR: In this paper, Gooptu shows the professional isolation Cornelia endured so bravely and maintained her professional integrity and was shocked by the unscrupulous behaviour of the male lawyers who were only interested in earning money.
Abstract: Cornelia faced enormous odds when she tried to practise at the Calcutta High Court where she was repeatedly insulted and humiliated for being a woman. She was notallowed to appear, nor permitted to use the Bar library though .she had the same professional qualifications as her male colleagues and her expertise in drafting was privately acknowledged. Gooptu shows the professional isolation Cornelia endured so bravely. But she maintained her professional integrity and was shocked by the unscrupulous behaviour of the male lawyers who were only interested in earning money.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine the social implications of the proliferation of epigraphs from a specific point of time onwards in the Tamil South and argue that there is a direct link between the emergence of a class of landlords with non-traditional rights, privileges, and powers, and the social widening of the use of deeds in early medieval south India, evident in the form of the proliferated epigraph.
Abstract: This article seeks to examine the social implications of the proliferation of epigraphs from a specific point of time onwards in the Tamil South. Though the presence of writing goes back to c. 200 b.c., it was during the fourth-fifth centuries that inscriptions in the form of brahmadēya deeds begin to appear indicating the emergence of a stratified agrarian society and its political structure, namely the consecrated monarchy. Through the sixth-seventh centuries issuing of brahmadeya deeds involving exemptions, privileges, rights and powers not known to the pre-agrarian social formation characterized by different economies with the dominance of agro-pastoralism, became more frequent. The increase of brahmadeyas meant expansion of rice-fields, which in its turn presupposed consolidation of relations in plough agriculture through of the system of hereditary specialization of occupations and their ordering into a hierarchy. By the close of ninth century the number of deeds became several hundreds, which in a couple of centuries, rose to several thousands. The use of writing seems to have become essential for legalizing the new rights, privileges and powers ordained from above, which were beyond the purview of conventions based on oral traditions. Further, the spread of the use of writing as a necessary component of the administration meant the rise of bureaucracy and document-based governance. The central argument of the article is that there is a direct link between the emergence of a class of landlords with non-traditional rights, privileges and powers, and the social widening of the use of deeds in early medieval south India, evident in the form of the proliferation of epigraphs.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a comparative philosophy that deals with classical Indian philosophy and post-modernist thought on several issues common to both, such as language and writing, desire, suffering, existentialism, suicide, death, disappearing self, identity, ontology, rationality and madness.
Abstract: Carl Olson is a distinguished philosopher and scholar who has already written a few books on Indian religion and philosophy. He is also interested in yoga and Transcendental Meditation. The present book is on comparative philosophy that deals with classical Indian philosophy and post-modernist thought on several issues common to both. It consists of nine chapters devoted to 'Language and Writing', 'Desire', 'Suffering', 'Abjection and Death', 'Disappearing Self', 'Identity', 'Ontology', 'Rationality and Madness' and an introductory and concluding chapters titled 'Beginnings' and 'Endings' respectively.
TL;DR: The historical writings of 80m Prakash Verma constitute some of the most critical interpretations of Mughal art historical material as discussed by the authors and have consistently worked on themes and areas that have aided in filling some baffling blank spaces in medieval Indian history.
Abstract: The historical writings of Professor 80m Prakash Verma constitute some of the most critical interpretations of Mughal art historical material. He is one historian who has consistently worked on themes and areas that have aided in filling some baffling blank spaces in medieval Indian history. One can see the care he takes to bring to surface various details of the Mughal cultural and social milieu through his analysis of medieval documents and more especially the painted folios.
TL;DR: In this paper, Arun Bandopadhyay discusses the management and productivity of common property resources in post-colonial India are associated with multifarious issues like environment and ecology, poverty and equity, rural development, bureaucratic perception and participatory democracy, and discusses these issues with reference to the states of West Bengal and Tamilnadu.
Abstract: The contentious issue of Common Property Resources (CPRs) in the post-colonial era is an illuminating study by Arun Bandopadhyay. He discusses these issues with reference to the states of West Bengal and Tamilnadu. Bandopadhyay contends that the management and productivity of CPRs in post-colonial India are associated with multifarious issues like environment and ecology, poverty and equity, rural development, bureaucratic perception and participatory democracy, The disregard of CPRs in rural development programmes as well as in effective forest management in post-colonial South Asia was a glaring reality. Bandopadhyay concentrates on the history of village forestry in postcolonial South Asia, with special reference to.Tamilnaduand West Bengal from the triple perspectives broadly grouped as 'ecological', 'technological' and 'participatory'. He argues that there was not only a complex interplay of these issues but they overlapped and at the same time were interdependent.
TL;DR: A well organized mode of trade, coupled with caravansarais, postal services, inspection-houses and check-ports, was ensured by the rulers and the ruling class as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Asia and Persia, and frequent dynastic changes in India, trading activities never stopped. The rulers and the ruling class, that is, Mongols and Turks, made sincere efforts to protect and promote the trade and provided security for the traders, and in the trading routes and trading centres. A well organized mode of trade, coupled with caravansarais, postal-services, inspection-houses and check-ports, was ensured. The cities were full of foreign goods, enjoying the patronage of the state and were thronged by the merchants from allover the known world, Regardless of natural calamities, geographical hurdles, fear of highway robbers and scarcity of water, the merchants and their caravans remained on the march.
TL;DR: Daud Khan's receiving of a magnificent robe from Munim Khan during the banquet of reconciliation on 12 April 1575 (for example, Abul Fazl's Akbarnama, Vol. III, pp 130-3 I). By donning it, Daud Khan became ritually 'incorporated' into the body of the emperor, which formally ended Daud's independence as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: Daud Khan's receipt of a magnificent robe from Munim Khan during the banquet of reconciliation on 12 April 1575 (for example, Abul Fazl's Akbarnama, Vol. III, pp. 130-3 I). By donning it, Daud Khan became ritually 'incorporated' into the body of the emperor, which formally ended Daud's independence. In principle, the khil'ats had been worn by the ruler himself and, therefore, their acceptance symbolized the incorporation of the person into the body of the ruler, who incarnated the empire (F.W. Buckler, 'The Oriental Despot', in M.N. Pea.rson, ed, Legitimacy and Symbols, 1985, pp. 177-79). There was a 'political rite, a ritual incorporation, in which symbolism was everything', remarks Richard Eaton concerning the event (The Rise of Islam, 1993, p. 143).
TL;DR: A collection of articles on disparate themes of historical and contemporary interests mainly comprises contributions to a 1999 special issue of South Asia, the journal of the South Asian Studies Association of Australia as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: This collection of articles on disparate themes of historical and contemporary interests mainly comprises contributions to a 1999 special issue of South Asia, the journal of the South Asian Studies Association of Australia. In his Introduction to the volume, Asim Roy attempts to justify the reprinting, locating it in the post-S/l l anxieties concerning Islam and the language of violence. Indeed, the publishers are cashing in on the current debate; publications on 'Islam' now constitute a huge industry. The saving grace is that most of the essays here were written before 9/11 and, therefore, are largely free from the instant opinions and justifications proffered even in seemingly academic writings. Still we may note that the concern to show the social, cultural and political diversities amongst Muslims in different locations within South Asia, which is the main aim of this volume, stems from an anxiety over a potentially powerful Islamic bloc. Most of the contributors are at pains to show that there has been no monolithic Islam in South Asia, and no centralized source of religious authority to guide Muslims in any unified or exclusive manner. Therefore, there is nothing to fear, even as sections of Muslims come under terrible pressure in certain contexts.
TL;DR: The Chachnama is an important source book for studying the socio-religious as well as the political history of the 7th and early 8th century Sind, whereas as mentioned in this paper only focuses on a re-reading of the political events in a manner so as to strengthen the cause of modern Sindhi nationalism.
Abstract: Whereas the Chachnama is an important source book for studying the socio-religious as well as the political history of the seventh and early eighth century Sind, Khushalani's Chachnama Retold only focuses on a re-reading of the political events in a manner so as to strengthen the cause of 'modern Sindhi nationalism'. Thus, it becomes a classic case of how to 'read' a historical text of importance to seek justification of our modern day notions of 'nationalism'.
TL;DR: In this paper, a compendium of 18 papers presented at a national seminar organized in 1996 under the auspices of North Bengal University is presented, covering socio-political, socio-cultural and socioeconomic perspectives of Kamata Koch Behar (modern day Cooch Behar).
Abstract: This volume is a compendium of 18 papers presented at a national seminar organized in 1996 under the auspices of North Bengal University. The papers covered are broadly socio-political, socio-cultural and socioeconomic perspectives of Kamata Koch Behar (modern day Cooch Behar). The organizers of the seminar deserve our gratitude for meticulous planning of the seminar with particular emphasis on the different aspects touching the whole gamut of activities of the people of Koch Behar under three broad categories.
TL;DR: A study of the UP Congress party in the United Provinces, 1937-42, based on archival sources, documents, and oral interviews is presented in this article, which attempts to delineate developments in UP Congress organization as it shifts from movement to government formed under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1935.
Abstract: The book based on archival sources, documents and oral interviews is a study of the Congress party in the United Provinces, 1937-42. It attempts to delineate developments in the UP Congress organization as it shifts from movement to government, formed under the provisions of the Government of India Act of 1935. It further takes developments leading to the actual build-up towards the Quit India Movement. The last two chapters deal with 'Congress and the War' and 'Gathering Momentum: From Individual to all out Satyagraha, 1940-42'. The title of the book tends to give an impression of the presence of Congress government during 1939-1942, when in fact there was no Congress government in the province during this period.
TL;DR: The emergence of political societies and their eventual collapse, extension or transformation into a state system is closely associated with the expansion and intensification of agrarian activities as mentioned in this paper, which is the case in most of the world.
Abstract: The emergence of political societies and their eventual collapse, extension or transformation into a state system is closely associated with the expansion and intensification of agrarian activities. Tillage compelled the social.groups, which were hitherto semi-nomadic in nature, to develop its relation with land resulting in a permanent attachment with it. I Response to agricultural opportunities varies from place to place in the context of time and space. Evidently the adaptation of agriculture or assimilation to agrarian society is not preferred by the people of mountainous and forest regions. They are, by and large, conservative in leaving behind the age long cattle/pastoral economy.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors explore the image of the iron industry in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam from the late medieval to mid colonial period, focusing on the technology of the artisans concerned as well as the production organization of the blacksmiths and iron smelting in the region.
Abstract: The present study seeks to explore the image of the iron industry in the Brahmaputra Valley of Assam from the late medieval to mid colonial period. It seeks to focus light on the technology of the artisans concerned as well as the production organization of the blacksmiths and iron smelting in the region. It also tries to link up the changing image ofthe iron industry with the colonization of the region in the nineteenth century. The period has been selected because it is a transitory phase that witnessed a shift from one production relation to another.
TL;DR: The colonial "mutiny novel" was a highly popular literary genre in the nineteenth century as discussed by the authors and an important trope that recurrently appeared in these writings was that of the "loyal Indian woman" which was constituted in the figure of the devoted ayah, the loyal dancing girl and the English hero's faithful concubine/wife.
Abstract: The colonial ‘Mutiny novel’ was a highly popular literary genre in the nineteenth century. An important trope that recurrently appeared in these writings was that of the ‘loyal Indian woman’. This was constituted in the figure of the devoted ayah, the loyal dancing girl and the English hero's faithful concubine/wife. Additionally, there was the trope of female friendship across the race divide. Far from being a reflection of existing social relations, however, this trope was a textual construct, shaped and reinforced by the exigencies of empire. It formed a part of the textual strategies deployed to address post-Rebellion insecurities and reinforce the hegemony of empire which the events of 1857 had seriously contested.
TL;DR: Kashmiri society, polity and economy were not fortuitous should we consider that the freedom movement of Kashmir was thoroughly informed by secular and socialist ideology, though the ultimate cause of its successful permeation into the arteries of the movement lies in the Kashmiri ethos as fanaticism and inhumanity never quite caught on Kashmiri collective mentality.
Abstract: In 1947, when the whole of the Indian subcontinent was reeling under the frenzy of communal hatred, the appalled Mahatma Gandhi could, however, see a 'ray of hope in Kashmir'.' Kashmir did not only remain violence-free amidst its violence-tom neighbourhood, it also went against the current trend by refusing to exercise the choice of shaping its political future dictated by religious considerations. Kashmir also took the lead in abolishing the 'feudal' system in the Indian subcontinent.' In fact, the socialist policies were followed with such vigour in Kashmir immediately after 1947 that Joseph Korbel, a Czechoslovak member of the UN Commission on Kashmir, and an arch enemy of Communism, found 'danger' in Kashmir because of 'communization' of the state.' These distinguishing traits of Kashmir society, polity and economy were not fortuitous should we consider that the freedom movement of Kashmir was thoroughly informed by secular and socialist ideology, though the ultimate cause of its successful permeation into the arteries of the movement lies in the Kashmiri ethos as fanaticism and inhumanity never quite caught on Kashmiri collective mentality.'