Masterclass with Manu S. Pillai: The Untold Story Of India's Rebel Sultans

#ReadInstead Lit Fest: Author Manu S. Pillai talks about India's Rebel Sultans

[dsbdsb]

What Manu seems to be missing is that Indians esp. Hindus/Buddhists & Jains had no problem in adopting new things from outside influences {as can be attested from earlier Indo-Greek kindoms or Romanka Siddhantas etc.} but there was a certain kind of prohibition within Islam or Abrahamic religions which forced them to remain identity-bounded even while changing or modifying their terms of engagement esp. those who were considered Idolaters or 'Others'. Take for e.g. Muslims having to create new laws in Indian subcontinent which accepted Dhimmis who had no books aka non Abrahamic Idolators {Greatest Sin} as Fiqh {Islamic law} states that Dhimmi status is only for 'People of the book'.

Even in latest book by Mr. Richard Eaton India in the Persianate Age: 1000-1765 he acknowledges the difference among Hindus & Muslims with regards religion & identity.

Book Excerpts -

"the Sanskrit term typically used by contemporary Indians to describe the conquerors was not ‘Muslim’ but ‘Turk’ (turushka). Further complicating the idea of some religion-based ‘clash of civilizations’ is the fact that Muslims who had already settled in north India – specifically, in early-thirteenth-century Benares – fought with Indian dynasties against these invading Turks."

"the authors of the Persian chronicles, unlike their Indian counterparts, certainly did see the world through the lens of religion"



While yes i agree the engagement did not happen around religious identities but by looking at the kinds of things which were happening within each individual domain of society at that time shows that there was a great sense of loss & people were trying to salvage & innovate to somehow make things work {Various Sufi, Bhakti & Baba cults} because there was great divide & even Kings joined in these experiments like Akbar's Din-E-Ilahi or Ibrahim Adil Shah II who revered Hindu goddess Saraswati. Point is Hindu-Muslim divisions continued even when people were not subscribing their identity as Hindus.

Read the following paper to understand how Indian religions started taking shape after encountering Muslim rule & how boundaries around identities formed -


As noted by Octavio Paz in his luminous study of India "The encounter between the strictest and most extreme form of monotheism” and “the richest and most varied polytheism left a deep wound on the psyche of its people."



Then another problem is considering overriding of culture as borrowing of secular aspects, where does that leave inculturation, misappropriation etc. ? Also what is being considered as 'secular aspects' - cultural markers like foods, clothes etc. or something else ? Does this not make secularization a form of homogenization project ?


I agree with the rest but the things which are being sidelined do have some aspects which are problematic and needs to be acknowledged & resolved.

[taranakhan]

We had such a north India centric view of history!

[sathyakrishnan]

It's really engaging to listen to Manu's narration of History. 😊 Decided to read Rebel Sultans from now on. ✌️

[ranjithabm]

Always wanted to pick up and read Manu's book, definitely going to pick the rebel sultans book now. He definitely gave a different perspective on sultans and the secularism.

[monisshvarun]

Manu one thing I want to add here is.... Ur superb story telling skills... Whether it is in the form of books or else by oratory.... Both are simply superb... We get hooked and end up hearing till
So, manu I have written a book called The valley of dreams.. Which is a fiction and related to reincarnation.... So who should I approach for further publishing and all... And how it is done.... No idea... Written a book and have ideas on other fictions also but... Gone blank what to do next after having a manuscript.... Kindly answer