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The Loss of Hindustan
The Invention of India
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The Loss of Hindustan
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The Indian subcontinent was once known as Hindustan, a multicultural region with a cohesive political identity. Manan Ahmed Asif explores the abandonment of this pluralism under European influence, such that a place once understood as the home of all faiths is now consideredβlocally and abroadβthe land of the Hindus.
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Description
Shortlisted for the Cundill History Prize
Remarkable and pathbreaking - A radical rethink of colonial historiography and a compelling argument for the reassessment of the historical traditions of Hindustan. - Mahmood Mamdani
The brilliance of Asif's book rests in the way he makes readers think about the name 'Hindustan.' Asif's focus is Indian history, but it is, at the same time, a lens to look at questions far bigger. - Soni Wadhwa, Asian Review of Books
Remarkable - Asif's analysis and conclusions are powerful and poignant. - Rudrangshu Mukherjee, The Wire
A tremendous contribution - This is not only a book that you must read, but also one that you must chew over and debate. - Audrey Truschke, Current History
Did India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh have a shared regional identity prior to the arrival of Europeans in the late fifteenth century? Manan Ahmed Asif tackles this contentious question by inviting us to reconsider the work and legacy of the influential historian Muhammad Qasim Firishta, a contemporary of the Mughal emperors Akbar and Jahangir.
Inspired by his reading of Firishta and other historians, Asif seeks to rescue our understanding of the region from colonial narratives that emphasize difference and division.
Asif argues that a European understanding of India as Hindu has replaced an earlier, native understanding of India as Hindustan, a home for all faiths. Turning to the subcontinent's medieval past, he uncovers a rich network of historians of Hindustan who imagined, studied, and shaped their kings, cities, and societies.
The Loss of Hindustan reveals how multicultural Hindustan was deliberately eclipsed in favour of the religiously partitioned world of today. A magisterial work with far-reaching implications, it offers a radical reinterpretation of how India came to its contemporary political identity.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
The Loss of Hindustan by Manan Ahmed Asif explores the impact of British colonial historiography on Indian history, challenging longstanding notions of religious division. The book is praised for its deep analysis of the historian Firishta's work and provides a thought-provoking reexamination of pre-colonial history, emphasising the effects of colonial narratives on historical writing. It is celebrated for its intellectual depth and its vision for understanding the past with a decolonial perspective, making it an essential read in global intellectual history.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780674292338
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 01 March 2023
Country: United States
Imprint: Harvard University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly
DIMENSIONS
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 235.0mm
Weight: 250g
Pages: 336
About the Author
Manan Ahmed Asif is Associate Professor of History at Columbia University and the author of A Book of Conquest (Harvard).
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