Noorani's THE DESTRUCTION OF HYDERABAD -- Book Release

THE DESTRUCTION OF HYDERABAD

A. G. Noorani

 

Challenges the official narrative to demonstrate how Hyderabad was forcibly annexed to India against its will.

• Overview

The fascinating story of the fall of the Indian princely state of Hyderabad has till now been dominated by the ‘court historians’ of Indian nationalism. In this book A. G. Noorani offers a revisionist account of the Indian Army’s ‘police action’ against the armed forces and government of Hyderabad, ruled by the fabulously wealthy Nizam. His forensic scrutiny of the diplomatic exchanges between the Govt of India and the Govt of Hyderabad during the Raj and after Partition and Independence in 1947 has unearthed the Sunderlal Committee report on the massacre of the Muslim population of the State during and after the ‘police action’ (knowledge of which has since been suppressed by the Indian state) and a wealth of memoirs and first-hand accounts of the clandestine workings of territorial nationalism in its bleakest and most shameful hour. He brings to light the largely ignored and fateful intervention of M. A. Jinnah in the destruction of Hyderabad and also accounts for the communal leanings of Patel and K. M. Munshi in shaping its fate. The book is dedicated to the ‘other’ Hyderabad: a culturally syncretic state that was erased in the stampede to create a united India committed to secularism and development

Hyderabad, Kashmir victims of Partition ‘transaction’:

‘Jinnah opposed Mountbatten’s plebiscite offer on princely JK’

GK NEWS NETWORK

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Hyderabad, Nov 29: Drawing a parallel between Kashmir and Hyderabad, noted author and political commentator AG Noorani Friday said the two were part of the same ‘transaction’ of the partition of India in 1947.
“Both these states were the victims of ill decisions taken by the powers at that time,” he said, speaking at the launch of his book titled “The Destruction of Hyderabad.” It is part of a series of his books on the partition. His two-volume “Kashmir Dispute” was released earlier this year in Srinagar. continue reading GK NEWS NETWORK

On the same shelf:  

• Sardar Patel hated Hyderabadi culture: AG Noorani    
• Revealing the other side of the story  The Hindu
• Patel's communalism—a documented record Frontline  
• Where does Nizam's city belong?  
• See also the destruction of Hyderabad in this fiction: Bright Horizons by Wilson Harp

Between Tradition and Modernity: Nizams, Colonialism and Modernity...

SPECIAL ARTICLE november 30, 2013 vol xlviiI no 48 Economic & PoliticalWeekly, by Bhangya Bhukya 
[An earlier version of this article was presented as the keynote address to a seminar on “Socio-Economic and Cultural Contribution of Mir Osman Ali Khan”, Nizam VII, organised by the Nizam Museum in September 2011, Hyderabad. Bhangya Bhukya  is at the Department of Social Exclusion Studies, the English and Foreign Language University, Hyderabad. Between Tradition and Modernity Nizams, Colonialism and Modernity in Hyderabad State]

"Nizam’s well acclaimed farman issued in 1933:
I do not wish that I should wound the feelings of any community or religion through short-sightedness or that I should so immerse myself in my religion that it might be called “Bigotry”. In short, my policy and that of my predecessors has been not only to look upon all religions of the world equally without discrimination or difference…But also to earn a good name by behaving in harmony with all like milk and sugar." Nawab Mir Osman Ali Khan , the Nizam of Hyderabad in 1933.

Info courtesy: Mohammed Ayub Ali Khan

Deccan Chronicle partners with 11th edition of 10K run

DC | 30th Oct 2013

Hyderabad: Deccan Chronicle, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is partnering with another Hyderabadi tradition — the 10K run. 

To be held on November 24, this time the 10K Run is back with a bigger, better and a greener running experience.

It started with 6,000 runners in 2003 and participation has gone up almost threefold in the last 10 years. Organised by the Hyderabad 10K Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, the run is aimed at promoting sports, fitness and health.

Extracted at Facebook from DC:

Thumbs for ek chai lao yaroo days .for mereku kya malum days .forsukoon days .for kya tho bhi hai days .for dekhke chalo bhai days .for lite le mamu days .for jigri dost days .for license bhool gaya bhaisaab days .for nayi gadi days .for khali peeli days .for pareshaani days .for bess rupai ka petrol maro yaroo days .for biryani days .for apan aisiech bolthe days .for abbhi atu yaroo days .for aj gym nahi jatuu yaroo days .for all those nakoo, kaiku, hau, hallu, baigan and pinda! !! 

#Thanksforbeingaslihyderabadi

Knowing more languages delays dementia - NAI BOLE TO SUNTE NAI

Although Hyderabad is not the language capital of India (nor like Delhi, Mumbai a salad bowl), yet the Hyderabadi-Urdu  and; Hyderabadi-Telugu gave the city a distinct place as a composite culture. And today the area is linguistically known as Telangana, with its own Telengana dialect (source). Example of the current Urdu and Telugu spoken in Hyderabad:

hyderabadi urdu (baigan me milgaya, nakko yaaro, boleto suno miya, kiraak, etc,) and hyderabadi telugu (em anna samajhainda ne, arrrrrrey pareshaani cheyyaku, nuvvu gatla bhi koshish chesinava, etc.) (source)

 "If there is one word that can be used to describe the culture in Hyderabad, it is ‘diverse’." (source) History of Hyderabad has always been bi-lingual (some would say it was mostly multi-lingual, based on what was obvious with the division of Hyderabad State, post 1947). Officially Persian was the official language up to 1893 and then Urdu up to 1948 (source). Telugu and Urdu are/were the principal languages spoken in Hyderabad (source).

"In Language there is a spice of spelling," said Geoffrey Grigson in The Private Art. [quoted in Dictionary of Library and Information Science Quotations Edited by Mohamed Taher and L S Ramaiah. ISBN: 8185689423 (New Delhi , Aditya, 1994) (p. 164)] This statement is probably very true about the effect of Hyderabadi spices in spelling, as seen above.

 The current news is about the bi-lingual sample of Hyderabad population:

In the News:

More Evidence Bilingualism Delays Dementia 

Medscape-Nov 7, 2013 "We chose Hyderabad, in India, as it has large numbers of both monolingual and bilingual people, and it is a native population with few ..

'Knowing more languages delays dementia' Bushra Baseerat, TNN

Dementia is a progressive brain disease that causes memory loss, severe intellectual decline and behavioural disturbances in people aged over 60 years

Nai bole toh suntey nai.....Hyderabadi Shayri..... - YouTube

 

Dear Hyderabadi mian, this is for you: Why a (Hyderabadi) man’s place is in the kitchen (chulley meinch hi)

Why a man’s place is in the kitchen

Cooking is a metaphor for the gender divide that gives the Indian male primacy at home, Livemint

Extract:
“Men really have very big egos sir, how to get them (sic) to cook or help at home?”
... But, sometimes, I scratch my head when I have conversations of the type I had in Hyderabad, a heaving city where the middle and upper classes are notorious for the size of the dowries they demand for their sons and the domestic expectations they make of their daughters-in-law....
... My argument is—as it always has been—that at the heart of this disgrace is the belief instilled in the Indian male from childhood that he has no place in the kitchen, that he is the provider and must be cooked for and looked after. Continue reading.

On the same shelf:

• Dear Hyderabadi Man, THE TIMES OF INDIA 

The Legend of Bhagmati — Fact or Fiction, by Mohammed Safiullah

Bhagmati’s place in Hyderabad’s history debated, deccanchronicle.com

Retired IAS officer Bawa interacts with heritage enthusiast Mohd. Safiullah who gave a presentation, Bhagmati — Fact or Fiction at the Salar Jung Museum on Saturday. — DC

Extract: ... He pointed out to the fact that there are no manuscripts, inscriptions and miniature artworks depicting Bhagmati. In fact, there isn’t even a marked grave. Therefore, she is more the product of fiction than fact. ... However, other historians did not agree. They said the evidences that Safiullah quotes are not accurate.

However P. Jogi Naidu, the retired deputy director of the department of archeology, said, “Bhagmati's tomb is located in Talab Katta, on the eastern side of Charminar. The then Chichdam village (now known as Shah Ali Banda) was an important area of the Qutb Shahi dynasty and it was Bhagmati’s birth place. Some people have removed all the inscription written on the tomb and do not allow visitors to view the grave. The Deccan School of Art from 1750 onwards represented her miniatures and painting and also depicted the events during that era.” continue reading

On the same shelf:

• Metro Rails’ mischief- Hyderabad named as Bhagya Nagar, Siasat 

  Hyderabad, November 09: Metro Rail project officials have very treacherously inscribe “Hyderabad Metro Rail- a new face of Bhagyanagar” on its website. It only shows the communal mentality of the officials of Metro Rail project. The so-called intellectuals are bent upon declaring Hyderabad as Bhagyanagar. They claim that Bhagmati was the beloved of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah, Founder of Hyderabad City but it is only a fiction which has no relevance with reality.

  The fact is that Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah named this city after Hazrath Ali, to express his devotion for Hazrath Ali who was also called Hyder-e-Karrar. Hyder Mahal was the wife of Quli Qutub Shah and the mother of Hayath Bakhshi Begum. In those days, there used to be many Baghats (Gardens) and therefore the city was called Bagh-e-nagar which after distortion becomes Bhagyanagar. Those who talk of the legendary love story of Mohammed Quli Qutub Shah and Bhagmathi should know that Purana Pal was constructed in 1578 and at that time, the age of Quli Qutub Shah was only 9 years. The story of Bhagmati is imaginary. Had she been the member of the Royal family, a coin could have been minted on her name or a tomb would have constructed but nothing has happened. It is for the citizens of Hyderabad to ask the Managing Director of Metro Rail Project, Mr. N.V.S. Reddy that how did he give place to this mischievous slogan on the official website of Metro Rail Project. continue reading

• Hyderabad, Musi river and a love story, DC

Rædleafpoetry India (RLP) Award @ Hyderabad, November 16, 2013

"The city is preparing itself to unveil the first Raed Leaf Poetry-India Awards for 2013 scheduled for November 16." Indian Express

• RaedLeaf Poetry: Preach, Preserve, Promote Poetry

 In the news:

• Clipping of The New Indian Express-Hyderabad, 04-11-2013 :readwhere Burnishing a diminishing diamond, By Swati Sharma

Bangalore-Hyderabad volvo bus tragedy - list of travellers

• List of the travellers of the bangalore-hyderabad volvo bus. Share this info friends..might help

• Bangalore-Hyderabad bus tragedy: Driver, travel company owner arrested Daiji World   Oct 31 11:29am

• Bus tragedy: Kin of two techies claim same body 
• Mishaps stir RTA, but not for long, DC | 01st Nov 2013

• 45 passengers burnt alive as bus catches fire 

  INDOlink   Oct 30 11:33pm
• Andhra bus tragedy: Police to conduct DNA tests for identifying deadThe Times of India   Oct 30 06:41am
• Transport Department wakes up to passenger safety The New Indian Express-1 hour ago

• Volvo rules out fuel tank explosion Times of India-by Nikhila Henry

• Driver called boss seconds before fire The New Indian Express-Oct 30, 2013
• Six software engineers among bus fire victims Indian Express-Oct 30, 2013