Tushar Goel’s film, ‘The Taj Story’, has reignited controversy over the Taj Mahal’s origins, claiming it is a Hindu temple rather than a mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. The film’s debut highlights debates about the interplay of history and ideology in contemporary India.
Scaffoldings are pictured as restoration work goes on at the dome of the Taj Mahal in Agra on October 17. | Photo Credit: AFP
A little over 60 years ago, Purushottam Nagesh Oak slept and dreamt. He woke up and claimed that the Taj Mahal in Agra was actually a Hindu palace going back all the way to 4th century. Friends of Mr. Oak, an English teacher-turned-lawyer-turned-journalist but never a historian, told him that the Taj Mahal couldn’t have been a fourth century structure as the technology employed in building the Taj in the 17th century didn’t exist back then. The fantasist turned a pragmatist, and Oak brought his argument forward by a few centuries. The Taj was now claimed to be a Hindu temple. This was in 1989. He wrote articles and a book too, but found no support from historians. Even the Supreme Court dismissed his claims as “a bee in his bonnet” in 2000.
But post-2014, history is like a revolving door, you enter and exit at your ease and pleasure. You pick and choose, you circumvent and invent. Dress it up as a movie and claim you are looking at history anew. That is how we get a movie like Tushar Amrish Goel’s The Taj Story, starring former BJP MP Paresh Rawal; just like we had The Kashmir Files and The Bengal Files, starring Anupam Kher and Mithun Chakraborty, all ideological partners of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
With The Taj Story, Goel goes where no historian has gone. Proof, evidence and knowledge amount for nothing as the director makes a case for the Mughal monument being actually a Hindu temple, much like the BJP leader Sangeet Som who called it alternately a Shiva temple and a monument built by a man who incarcerated his father. Mr. Som obviously couldn’t make out a Shah Jahan from an Aurangzeb and hence got mixed up. Much like Oak, oops, Goel, who sees no difference between history and mythology, facts and fantasy.
Recorded history
Talking of facts, the Taj Mahal was built by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan after his favourite wife Arjumand Bano Begum breathed her last after bearing the last of their 14 children. Its chief architect was Ustad Ahmed Lahori. The land for her last resting place was procured from Mirza Raja Jai Singh of Amber who had inherited it from Raja Man Singh, a celebrated general of Akbar, who was Shah Jahan’s grandfather. Shah Jahan compensated Jai Singh with four havelis from the royal property for the massive haveli in which rests Mumtaz Mahal. His firman to Jai Singh, the latter’s agreement and the Mughal emperor’s subsequent letter of granting him four havelis in lieu of one, are all part of history; unlike the claim of The Taj Story which talks in terms of a massacre and genocide of the locals for fulfilling the wishes of an emperor and his consort!
The work on the tomb started in 1632 with the finest craftsmen from across the country and West Asia. The chief mason was Mohammed Hanif from Baghdad who earned ₹1000 a month for his efforts. The pinnacle was built by Qayam Khan of Lahore and its Quranic inscriptions were done by Amanat Khan Shirazi. The mosaic work was done by local Hindu workers. Above all, some 20,000 workmen toiled for 22 years to build the monument to love. Its white marble came from Jaipur, lapis lazuli from Sri Lanka, crystal from China and coral from Arabia. The monument uses the double dome technique, previously seen only in the Humayun’s tomb in Delhi, and never seen in the country before the arrivals of the Turks.
Not the first time
Over the years, many have tried to appropriate credit for its beauty and majesty. In the 17th century, it was claimed by many in the West that the architect of the Taj was Venetian Geronimo Veroneo, a jeweller by profession. Then came the claim by Mughal Beg in Tarikh-e-Taj Mahal that it was designed by Muhammad Effendi, an architect supposedly sent by the Sultan of Turkey. Effendi though was as much an architect as Oak was a historian. In the mid 19th century it was claimed that the monument was the result of the genius of Frenchman Austin de Bordeaux, a jeweller. However, Austin died in 1632, the year the work on the Taj began. With his death all claims of Austin being the Taj’s architect were buried. And facts began to be raised.
As for fantasy, well there is Goel’s film, never mind its claim of presenting the “untold history of the Taj Mahal”. The film, replete with stereotypes of kohl-lined, skullcap-donning Muslims aims at building a nation’s memory on unreasoned mythology, far removed from the well argued debates of history. Much like Oak’s view that Christianity was nothing but Krishan-Niti. Not game for any ridiculous claims in an insipid film which opened with a mere 14% attendance in the first show? Watch M. Sadiq’s 1963-saga Taj Mahal. Sure, you would remember its song, ‘Jo wada kiya woh nibhana padega’, penned by Sahir Ludhianvi and sung with much love by Mohammad Rafi and Lata Mangeshkar. Sadiq’s film with Pradip Kumar and Bina Rai in the lead cast, made no effort at replacing history with mythology.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Movies> In the limelight / by Zia Us Salam / November 07th, 2025
There are individuals in smaller cities who have taken upon themselves the task of archiving, preserving, narrating, and circulating historical narratives — all for the love of the place and history. Indore-based Zafar Ansari is one such person who has been painstakingly collecting historical artefacts on Indore since three decades.
Zafar Ansari in his Museum Office. Photo: C. Yamini Krishna
As I was preparing for my research visit to Indore for a study on the princely state of Indore, all I found online were a few articles from Free Press Journal on the city. It was just a glimpse of how much of the ‘national’ media coverage and public history writing is focussed on the metropolitan cities.
Absence, inaccessibility, decay of archives and historical artefacts are constant challenges faced by history scholars in India. The lack of historical consciousness, poor funding, disinterest, discrimination, and destruction of the archives based on the ideology of the ruling disposition are some of the known reasons why such problems exist. These challenges are acute as one moves beyond the metropolitan cities, into the smaller cities and towns.
History in India, has mostly been studied from the perspective of the nation and to such endeavour small places are often insignificant. Also due to the policy of housing all the state archives in capital cities and the absence of efforts to do neighbourhood or local/regional histories, smaller cities almost feel ‘history less.’
However, inspite of the institutional gap, voices from the smaller cities are not silent. Each time I have ventured into these cities in search of archives, I have always met individuals who have taken upon themselves the task of archiving, preserving, narrating, and circulating historical narratives — all for the love of the place and history.
Indore-based Zafar Ansari is one such person who has been painstakingly collecting historical artefacts on Indore since three decades. “It all started when I received the National Youth Award for my social activities in 1994. The then President Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma said, do something great, and then I decided I will build a museum for Indore,”Ansari says with a sparkle in his eye as he narrated his dream to make a museum for his beloved city Indore.
“This will be one of its kind museum, dedicated to the city, telling the story of the city,” he mentioned. His office in Barwani Plaza in Old Palasia, bustling with artefacts, feels like a portal into another time. As one spends time with these objects, they start speaking through the voice of Ansari.
A miniature maker for industries by profession, Ansari spends more than 60% of his income towards the museum. He never lets any historical object pertaining to Indore pass, without acquiring it, sometimes this means he has had to pay very high price. “It is almost like an addiction,” he says, “It has its flip sides. I have never been able to pay my daughter’s education fee before the last date.”
The history walks, myth-busting artefacts and rare photographs
Ansari is also committed towards sharing his collection. He conducts history walks in the city and curates specific objects from his collection to tell stories of the city. Ansari has recently conducted one such walk for some of the dignitaries who had visited India during the G20 summit. He regularly runs a history column in Dainik Bhaskar where he reintroduces stories of the past to Indore’s citizens.
“I don’t just write about Kings, but also about common people, their lives,” he says, what a historian would call the social history of the place.
Through his consistent effort of writing more than 300 essays on history, Ansari has built a cannon of public history for Indore. Sitting among those objects, he narrated how Indore (state) became a commercial centre due to its close connection with opium trade, “Opium would come from Mansur to Indore and then to Bombay. Many traders and merchants from Rajputana and Gujarat settled here to do opium trade with China. After the ban on opium, the trade was converted to cotton industry.”
Ansari is hopeful that his museum will be a pedagogic intervention. “History is not something to be taught in a classroom, it has to be taught in an archive or a monument or on field using objects and artefacts,” he notes. His work with the artefacts also helps him dispel certain myths and false narratives in circulation.
Ansari’s collection has helped writers like Geraldin Lenain to write books such as The Last Maharaja of Indore by providing access to many rare photographs.
A historian or an antiquarian
After meeting Ansari, I was wondering, if there is a term to describe this love for history, something like a cinephile in case of film.
A historian is often a tag used to describe someone who engages in the work associated with history making, professionally, i.e. as a main vocation. A history buff, focusses more on consumption of history and fails to capture the commitment shown by these keepers of a city’s lore. A collector, is often differentiated from an archivist as someone who is more involved in the process of acquiring artefacts, and is not primarily oriented towards providing access. Someone like Ansari, however, who harbours a hope to build a museum, would fall somewhere in between these two.
Cambridge Dictionary offers a word antiquarian, “a person who studies or collects old and valuable or rare objects.” Antiquarianism historically has often had a negative connotation, as someone in an almost ‘mindless’ pursuit of collecting objects and committed to the minute details of it. Historian, on the other hand, is someone who narrativised the past, with the focus on writing.
Historian Rosemary Sweet notes that history writing could be done for political or polemical purposes while antiquarians prided themselves to be impartial and staying true to the material. Antiquarians are often interested even in objects of everyday life which was not of interest to historians. Interestingly, Sweet points out that the contemporary practice of history, associated with archival study, which relies on the details presented by historical artefacts is very close to antiquarianism.
After searching for these variety of terms, I am still left with no word to capture the affective engagement with history which I experienced in the office of Ansari, where history is not just a vocation or a profession, where there is a lot at stake in telling stories of the past, a significant portion of one’s earnings. This voice of history is not a dispassionate, distant evaluation of the past, but is an expression of belongingness.
Deeply personal work like this has larger social implications, it is about communities taking the ownership of their own history, and inculcating historical consciousness among themselves. Such efforts go a long way in forming the first line of defence against vilification of history and weaponisation of history for political gains, of which we are seeing increasing incidence.
C. Yamini Krishna works on film history, urban history and Deccan history. She is a part of the Khidki collective. She currently teaches at FLAME University.
This work was done as a part of the Foundation Project is implemented by India Foundation for the Arts (IFA) under the Arts Research programme, made possible with support from BNP Paribas India.
source: http://www.m.thewire.in / The Wire / Home> Culture / by C Yamini Krishna / May 16th, 2024
Amirbai Karnataki is one of the earliest Kannada singer-actress who made it big in Hindi cinema. She went to Bombay when women artistes were labelled ‘fallen’, but with grit and passion Amirbai became a star and sang 380 songs in 150 Kannada and Hindi films.
Amirbai’s tale is one of inspiration
For someone who didn’t belong to the gramophone generation but the golden period of radio, Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhonsle, Mukesh, and Rafi ruled our hearts and constituted our imagination of a film song. The same AIR, during a light music programme, had played “Ninnane Neneyuta Ratriya Kalede”. This, was a carbon copy of Lata’s memorable “Saari Saari Raat Teri Yaad Sataye”, but the voice was starkly different. It had a heavy nasal tone, and the flawless rendition had a simplicity to it. The charming song left an indelible mark and I felt I had to recover her voice from pages that were unknown to me.
Amirbai Karnataki was an unheard voice for the Seventies: she was long gone, and had faded into the archives of black and white era of early films. She was someone who lived on in personal memories of people who had known and heard her.
Amirbai Karnataki (1912-65), who sang 380 songs in 150 films, was an early singer and actress of Hindi cinema. This singer who sang the unforgettable “Main to pavan chali hoon bole papiha” and “Bairan Nindiya Kyon Nahi Aaye”, was born in Bijapur in Karnataka. During the 1930s Amirbai was a prominent name along with stars like Suraiyya, Shamshad Begum, Noor Jahan and Zohrabai Ambalewali.
When Lata Mangeshkar came on to the scene, many of these singers moved into the background and for the later generations they remained unknown.
Born into a family of artistes, Amirbai’s parents Ameenabi and Husensaab worked for a theatre company and even ran one for many years. Growing up years for Amirbai and her five siblings was filled with music and theatre, what with many of her uncles and aunts being top musicians and actors in theatre. She lost her father early and her uncle, Hatel Saheb took care of all the children.
During those years, Bijapur was part of Mumbai Presidency and the sangeet natak tradition in these parts was flourishing. The famous Balagandharva’s company and several other theatre companies camped at Bijapur; Amirbai and her sister Goharbai, trained as they were in classical music, impressed these companies with their singing and they began to not only sing for several of them, but also act.
As Rahmat Tarikere writes in his biography of Amirbai Karnataki, Amirbai moved from Bijapur to Mumbai, from theatre to films. But the exact date and nature of these movements and transitions are hard to tell. The story of Amirbai is a sum total of several happenings in a historical period as there are few definitive documents to lead us to any accurate picture. Painstakingly put together by the biographer, Tarikere says that when Amirbai reached Mumbai (it was perhaps the year of Alam Ara’s release, 1931), women who worked in films, theatre and music were still seen as “fallen”.
Women artistes were often ridiculed as “free women” and among the several women performers, Amirbai and her sister Goharbai too, tried to free women of this stigma. In fact, families not only disowned such women, but there were instances of women being killed for choosing the arts.
In fact, Rahmat Tarikere says that the kind of fight these women put up with the social circumstances of those days is no less significant than the freedom struggle itself. If women artistes, in the later years, earned fame and reputation, it was because of the sacrifices these women made. Ironically, two very popular films “Basant” and “Kismet” in which Amirbai acted deals with the plight of actresses.
Amirbai became a very reputed singer and actress of her times. She was highly paid, and even built a theatre Amir Talkies in Bijapur. She travelled the length and breadth of North Karnataka giving programmes related to theatre and cinema.
A singer who sang some of the finest love songs, had a very unhappy love life though. Tarikere writes how her husband, a Parsi actor who played villain in those days, Himalayavala, abused her physically and emotionally. She had to suffer several assaults from him and even separation became a painful affair. Unable to recover from the trauma, she went into oblivion for several years, and later Badri Kanchawala, with his love and care brought back peace into her life.
At the age of 55, Amirbai passed away; Karnataka had been unified by then and the rest of Karnataka hardly knew of her. Even the newspapers reported her death four days later. It was only later that people have slowly learnt of Amirbai’s greatness and how Gandhiji was immensely fond of her rendition of “Vaishnava Janato”.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by Deepa Ganesh / February 27th, 2015
Writer Bolwar Mahamad Kunhi talks about literature and fests.
Karnataka : Bengaluru : 30/10/2017 : Bolwar Mohammed kunhi during The Bengaluru Literature festival in Bengaluru on Sunday. Photo : Sudhakara Jain.
Bolwar Mahamad Kunhi, 66, is the only Indian writer conferred with two Central Sahitya Academy Awards (2010 & 2016) for creative prose in Kannada. He received the Atta Gallata Bangalore Lit Fest 2017 Award for Kannada for his overall contribution on the concluding day of the Lit Fest on Sunday. With 250 short stories and a host of novels, with several directed towards children behind him, Kunhi a recipient of the Karnataka Rajyothsava Award and Karnataka Sahitya Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award says, “Young writers should regularly read what seniors write and get inspired to find their own words and voice.” Kunhi, who said every recognition is a moment of inspiration to writers, spoke to MetroPlus regarding his life and writing. Excerpts:
Do you think such literary fests are important for the growth of literature?
Yes. Such festivals also add their share to other ingredients required for a healthy literary growth, look at the buzz they create, have you ever seen this kind of an unprecedented crowd? I am not as aware of the present statistics of other languages. This is my uncorroborated research. In recent times Kannada literature has seen a huge number of publications, possibly surpassing that of any other Indian language. The number of literary events or the number of Jnanapeeth awardees we have could surpass those from any other language. This could be another reason some Kannada writers have achieved celebrity status.
Is literature the voice of society?
Literature always augurs well for society and provides wisdom to humanity. All religious books, which I consider part of literature, are works of wisdom which have had a great impact on humankind. Literature also taught civic sense to man who lived like a wild animal. The conversations and dialogues in such events also propagate the same wisdom.
After Chand Ali in ‘Swathantrayada Ota’ who is the next character in your work awaiting attention?
In the last two years I have been busy in understanding two important characters for different reasons. First to write 1000 couplets about Ambedkar and second to write a novel on the Prophet’s beloved wife, Ayesha. The second has gained more traction in the last few months. When I wrote the first ever historic novel on Prophet Muhammad Oidiri two years ago, it was well-received. But most of the characters in Odiri were male. The thoughts, words, actions, and the attitude was male. I always wondered if the women of that time had opinions of their own. Did they ever voice what they felt? Even in solitude? This is the subject of the proposed novel titled Umma (Mother) inspired by the life of Ayesha. I am not sure which one will be completed first.
After Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar who wrote on Gandhiji, your book on the Mahatma received instant recognition. How important is it for today’s children to read about Gandhiji?
To guide our children in the right way we show them role models. It is a shame we are unable to give them contemporary examples to encourage and mould their personality. The examples that we provide from history or mythology seem too overwhelming for them. Historical characters are kept on a pedestal and are inaccessible. Gandhiji maybe one example which children can relate to since they read and learn about him a lot and he is the most recent of those examples! To these children my book attempts to show that Mahatma Gandhi was not an unachievable superhuman. He was a common, simple boy, who grew up like most of us, as a darling to his parents, went to school, studied prescribed text books and qualified as a lawyer. As a young man he fought for the downtrodden and stood for truth, non-violence and social justice. I tried to depict him as a common man who lived an uncommon life to become a Mahatma.
Do female characters get more importance in your novels?
I don’t think so. Being feminist writer is not an easy way to popularity. Though I was born in a male-dominated community, I was brought up with the love of various women in my early life – my mother, my sisters and my first teacher. They were the ones who tolerated my anger, frustration and ego and loved me unconditionally. That guilt might be the reason women are central to my work. I dedicated my first story collection to ‘Appi Bayi’, the teacher who taught me to write alphabets. The second one was to my mother who I buried with the same hands that I dedicated it to. Another work was to my elder sister and another to my two daughters. My mega novel is dedicated to my beloved. All of this could be due the same guilt. May be my work as an emotional man resonates with like-minded people and thus gets appreciated.
How was your experience writing the screenplay for ‘Munnudi’ and ‘Athithi’?
My writing is like a sculptor’s. It takes shape with time. I don’t believe in inspirations. Cinema, definitely is not my medium. I wrote the screenplay under the persuasion and for the love of my friends P. Sheshadri, who bagged nine National awards in a row and Dattanna, an inimitable character actor. I wrote what I felt for both movies and they incidentally won national awards. I cannot comment on what else I might be able to do in cinema, at least not now.
Can you talk about your initiation to writing considering you have no writers in the family?
I joined Syndicate Bank in Gulbarga after my B.Sc. Much later when I was associated with the Sahitya Academy I discovered that most members had masters degrees. It enthused me into getting an MA in Kannada in the 1980s.
My desire to write was another one of such self-imposed challenges. During a casual conversation while playing carrom with writer Arooru Lakshmana Seth in Gulbarga, I asked him how he was able to visualise and write so much. His said “non-writers like me cannot understand the process.” That comment propelled me into writing a short story and getting published in Navbharat which was the beginning.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Books> Authors / by Ranjani Govind / October 30th, 2017
The recipient of Padmashri award for communal harmony had earned the sobriquet of ‘Karnataka’s Kabir’
‘Karnataka’s Kabir’ Ibrahim Nabisaheb Sutar is presented the Padmashri award by President Ram Nath Kovind at Rashtrapati Bhawan, in New Delhi on April 2, 2018.
Ibrahim Sutar, polyglot folk singer, who toured India spreading the message of Hindu-Muslim unity, died in Mahalingpur in Bagalkot district on February 5. He suffered a massive heart attack around 6.30 in the morning. He died a few minutes later, family sources said. He was 82. He leaves behind his wife, son and two daughters.
The recipient of Padmashri award for communal harmony had earned the sobriquet of ‘Karnataka’s Kabir’.
The founder of ‘Bhavaikyate Bhajana Mela’ began his career as a Harikathe bhajan singer going around villages and towns. He regaled audiences with stories from Hindu and Islamic scriptures always leaving with a message of harmony, and need for ethics in personal life. He sang songs and gave lectures, quoting from multiple scriptures without the need to read from notes. He was equally well-versed in Kannada and Urdu.
In his later life, he emerged as a public speaker, visiting schools, colleges and Lingayat mutts to speak on vachana and dasa literature. He was honoured with the Karnataka Rajyotsava award in 1995, and the Padmashri in 2018.
Born in a poor weaver family in Mahalingpur, he dropped out of primary school to work as an assistant to a weaver. He developed a spiritual bent of mind early in life. He began attending lectures in the Sri Basavananda Swami mutt and participating in bhajans in Sadhu Maharaj temple. He was a member of the mosque committee that went around villages, asking the faithful to wake up early during the month of Ramzan. He studied Hindu and Islamic scriptures with equal zeal and developed a team of bhajan singers. The ‘Bhavaikyate Bhajana Mela’ performed across Karnataka and Maharashtra.
A routine performance was in the question–answer format interspersed with songs of dasa saints and vachanas . One of the team members came up with a question that sounded very ordinary, but had deep spiritual undertones, like: ‘Who is important in life – god or guru?’ Sutar used anecdotes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, Islamic scriptures and stories from the life of prophets to give his opinion, that was directed at the audience, rather than the team member who kept asking questions.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> India> Karnataka / by Special Correspondent / February 05th, 2022
Professor Ghulam Muhammad, widely known by his pen name Marghoob Banihali, was an illustrious scholar, poet, and cultural historian whose literary and academic contributions have left an indelible mark on the landscape of Kashmiri literature and thought.
Born on 5th March 1937 at Bankoot, Banihal, in the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, he emerged as a multidimensional personality whose erudition encompassed not only Kashmiri language and literature but also Persian, Urdu, and English.
Marghoob Banihali’s journey, marked by personal loss, intellectual rigor, and literary innovation, reflects the resilience of a scholar deeply rooted in his cultural milieu yet transcending regional boundaries in his vision.
He passed away on 27th April 2021 at his residence in Srinagar, leaving behind a rich legacy of scholarship, poetry, and cultural reflection. The formative years of Marghoob Banihali were fraught with challenges. He lost his mother at the tender age of eight and his father when he was merely fourteen. The successive losses not only plunged his family into economic hardship but also exposed the young boy to the harsh realities of life at an early age. The family’s business suffered a severe blow, forcing Marghoob to traverse arduous paths—both literal and metaphorical—toward education and personal growth. In March 1954, he undertook a challenging journey to Islamabad to appear for his matriculation examination, traveling around seventy kilometers through snow-clad mountainous terrain. These early experiences of adversity instilled in him resilience, humility, and a deep understanding of human struggles, qualities that would later find expression in his literary and scholarly endeavors.
Marghoob Banihali received his early education under several prominent Kashmiri educators who shaped his intellectual and literary sensibilities. Among these were Haji Ghulam Ahmad Shah, who later became his father-in-law, Hakim Muhammad Hafiz Allah of Rawalpora, Srinagar, and Molvi Ghulam Muhiuddin Kirmani of Pattan Baramulla, who advised him to adopt the pen name “Marghoob.”
Another significant influence in his formative years was Master Ghulam Nabi Geeri, a member of his own family, who provided guidance and support during his early scholarly pursuits. Despite financial constraints, Marghoob pursued his education in a private mode, simultaneously embarking on a teaching career that would span decades. He eventually completed his Masters in Persian and went on to earn a PhD in the same field, laying the foundation for a distinguished academic career.
Professionally, Marghoob Banihali held diverse roles that reflect his commitment to education and literature. He served as headmaster and vice-principal at higher secondary schools and as a Tehsil Education Officer (TEO) before joining the University of Kashmir in 1969 as a lecturer in the Persian Department. His tenure at the university spanned over three decades, during which he contributed to the Department of Kashmiri, the Central Asian Studies Department, and the Iqbal Institute. He retired in 1997 as the Head of the Department of Kashmiri, leaving behind a legacy of mentorship, scholarship, and administrative excellence.
Marghoob Banihali’s literary oeuvre is vast and varied, reflecting his erudition, spiritual depth, and commitment to human values. His writings primarily focus on Islamic subjects, communal harmony, and ethical and cultural reflections. He authored over fifty books in Kashmiri, Urdu, Persian, and English, covering poetry, literary criticism, cultural history, and translations. His first poetic collection, Partavistan, earned him the Sahitya Akademi Award for Kashmiri literature in 1979 and the state Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, establishing him as a prominent voice in contemporary Kashmiri poetry. His works transcend mere literary expression; they engage deeply with the cultural, spiritual, and philosophical dimensions of Kashmiri society.
Among his notable works is Marghoob Theory, published in English in 1982, which offers a systematic proposal for the improvement and modernization of the Kashmiri script. This work has been lauded by scholars such as Prof. Syed Maqbool, former Director of the Centre for Central Asian Studies, who described it as a scientifically viable and practical method that preserves the connection of Kashmiri with its source languages while making it more accessible to the Kashmiri-speaking populace.
Similarly, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Malik, a distinguished linguist, recognized the significance of this contribution for the development and preservation of Kashmiri language and literature.
Another seminal work, Kashir Bale Apare (1989), provides a detailed account of Kashmiri culture, language, and literature as prevalent in the Pir Panchal region. Through meticulous research, Marghoob Banihali chronicled the evolution of Kashmiri literature, highlighting its linguistic and cultural heritage.
His translations further enriched Kashmiri literary resources; in 1975, he translated Kalilah wa Dimnah into Kashmiri, introducing the classic collection of fables to a broader audience.
He also translated the monograph on the “Nightingale of India” (Bulbul Hind), Sarojini Naidu, thereby familiarizing Kashmiri readers with the Bengali poet Qazi Nazrul Islam. Marghoob Banihali’s engagement with historical and cultural scholarship is exemplified in Qadeem Kashur: Some Glittering Milestones of Ancient Kashmiri (with Special Reference to Shaikhul Alam), published by the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, in 2001.
This work provides the cultural and linguistic background of Shaikhul Alam’s poetry, situating it within the broader historical and intellectual traditions of Kashmir.
Similarly, his scholarly inquiry into Iqbal’s thought culminated in Kalam Iqbal kay Ruhani, Fikri wa Fani Sarchasmay (2006), a critical exploration of Iqbal’s philosophical, spiritual, and literary dimensions.
He also authored Ikhliqiat Marghoob (2005) and Khas Ihsan, poetic collections that address Islamic themes such as Tawhid, Risalah, and Akhirat, blending devotional fervor with literary sophistication.
His translation of the rare manuscript Noor Namah of Baba Naseebuddin Ghazi into Urdu (published in 2013) further attests to his dedication to preserving and disseminating Kashmir’s spiritual and literary heritage.
“Professor Marghoob Banihali was a cultural beacon of Kashmir, revered in literary and social circles for bridging the region’s historical, linguistic, spiritual, and literary traditions with contemporary scholarship. His work, including his writings, teachings, and translations, deeply engaged with Islamic thought, human values, and communal harmony. Banihali significantly contributed to the Kashmiri language through the Marghoob Theory and rejuvenated Sufi poetic traditions. As a poet, scholar, teacher, and humanist, his legacy is a testament to the power of knowledge and devotion to culture, faith, and humanity, making him a jewel in the crown of Kashmiri literature.”
Marghoob Banihali’s scholarship was not confined to the written word; he was a dedicated teacher and mentor, particularly in the study of Persian poetry of Iqbal.
Associated closely with Aali Ahmad Saroor, whose monumental works on Iqbal he studied and taught, Marghoob enabled research scholars at the Iqbal Institute of Philosophy and Culture to engage with Iqbal’s Persian poetry critically and independently.
By teaching the fundamentals of Persian language and literary analysis, he empowered a generation of scholars to navigate complex texts and philosophical concepts with confidence. In the foreword to Adam Gharay Iqbal (Iqbal’s Humanistic Philosophy), Professor Abdul Haq aptly observed: “Prof Marghoob is a knowledgeable person and a thinker as well. He is truthful, sincere, and honest in thinking, and practical in dealings. His multidimensional personality, combined with his erudition in Urdu, Persian, and Kashmiri literature, provides students and teachers ample guidance.”
A prominent dimension of Marghoob Banihali’s personality was his humility, nobility, and spiritual inclination. Mir Ghulam Rasool Nazki affectionately called him “mahboobi” (my beloved), while Akhtar Mohiuddin described him as an Islamic poet and writer endowed with pure nature (salim al-tabah).
Yusuf Taing, a renowned literary critic, noted that Marghoob Banihali’s poetry, whether in ghazal, naat, nazm, rubai, or manqabat, consistently reflects a profound love for the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), serving as a versified biography of the Prophet and reviving the spiritual essence of Kashmir’s Sufi poetic tradition.
Through works such as Tohfai Tawhid (2017), he rejuvenated the age-old legacy of Kashmiri Sufi poetry, imbuing it with tawhidic thought and devotional depth.
Professor Marghoob was a vital link between Kashmir and Jammu, belonging to the distinguished line of Pir Panchal poets and literary figures, including Kamghar Kashtwari, Rasa Javeedani, Nishat Kashtwari, Janbaz Kashtwari, Bashir Badrwahi, Shahbaz Rajourwi, and Manshur Banhali.
He was described by Bahar Ahmad Bahar as “a movement, a history, and a trendsetter,” and Prof. Ghulam Mohiuddin Hajni famously likened him to “a jewel coming from the sky-rocketing mountains of Pir Panchal.” Mohan Lal Aash extolled him as “a diamond carved out from the high rocks of Pir Panchal,” recognizing his deep understanding of global literary trends, mastery over expression, and devotion to the Rishi philosophy of Hazrat-e-Alamdari in Kashmir. Prof. Waheed-u-Din Malik, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Kashmir, hailed him as “a brilliant scholar of oriental languages, a sincere Kashmiri who undertook the arduous task of bringing out the best of Kashmiri culture and language through creative writings.”
One of Professor Marghoob Banihali’s seminal contributions to Kashmiri linguistics is the Marghoob Theory, a concise yet powerful work in English that chronicles the birth and evolution of the Kashmiri language and proposes a practical framework for its script reform. This work, consisting of around 100 pages, received praise from scholars and linguists alike for its scientific approach, practical applicability, and preservation of linguistic heritage. It has been recognized as a landmark achievement in Kashmiri language studies, providing a bridge between tradition and modernity in the realm of script and literacy.
Throughout his life, Marghoob Banihali exemplified the qualities of a consummate scholar, poet, and humanist. His multidimensional personality combined erudition, humility, devotion, and a profound sense of social and cultural responsibility. He engaged deeply with the literary and spiritual heritage of Kashmir while extending his intellectual reach to encompass Persian, Urdu, and English literature. His literary output, comprising over fifty books, reflects a commitment to ethical values, spiritual insight, and cultural preservation. His translations, critical studies, and original works enriched the literary corpus of Kashmir and created pathways for future scholars to explore the region’s rich literary and philosophical traditions.
Marghoob Banihali’s contributions were recognized with numerous accolades, including the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award in 1979 for Partavistan, the state Sahitya Akademi Award in 1977, and the Ghalib Award from the President of India in 2008.
Beyond awards, his enduring legacy lies in the generations of students, scholars, and readers he inspired, the rejuvenation of Kashmiri Sufi poetic traditions, and the preservation and propagation of the Kashmiri language and culture.
Professor Marghoob Banihali’s life exemplifies resilience in the face of adversity, intellectual curiosity, and unwavering dedication to cultural and spiritual values. His scholarly rigor, poetic genius, and commitment to education rendered him a guiding light in Kashmir’s literary and academic spheres. The impact of his work continues through his sons, particularly Prof. Mushtaq Marghoob, who carry forward his philanthropic and intellectual legacy, ensuring that the torch of knowledge and cultural enrichment remains alight.
In conclusion, Professor Marghoob Banihali was not merely a literary figure or an academic; he was a cultural beacon whose life and work bridged the historical, linguistic, spiritual, and literary traditions of Kashmir with contemporary scholarship. His writings, teachings, and translations reflect a deep engagement with Islamic thought, human values, and communal harmony, while his humility, sincerity, and spiritual devotion rendered him a revered personality in both literary and social circles. He rejuvenated the rich Sufi poetic traditions of Kashmir, contributed to the evolution of the Kashmiri language through the Marghoob Theory, and inspired generations of scholars and poets. As a poet, scholar, teacher, and humanist, Marghoob Banihali remains a jewel in the crown of Kashmiri literature, a legacy that will endure for generations to come. His life is a testament to the power of knowledge, perseverance, and devotion to culture, faith, and humanity. May his soul rest in peace.
(The author a veteran academician is a former Professor and Head Department of Islamic Studies, Kashmir University. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”) hamidnaseem@gmail.com
source: http://www.thekashmirhorizon.com / The Kashmir Horizon / Home> Opinion / by Prof. Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi / October 28th, 2025
Theatre group Kathputliyan’s latest production is based on a Marathi play
Zafer Mohiuddin
Zafer Mohiuddin, founder of Kathputliyan theatre group, is known for his signature Urdu and Hindi plays. Most plays directed by him deal with serious subjects including the Partition and complicated human relationships.
This time Zafer has directed a Hindi slapstick comedy, Pyaari Padosan. The play was originally written by a Marathi playwright, Suresh Khare. “It deals with the relationship between a husband, wife, and a new neighbour, which leads to misunderstandings and confusion between these characters, when the wife goes to visit her parents,” says Zafer. “We chose this play as it lends itself to comic situations.”
The architect-turned-playwright and director says, “I had not done a comedy for 20 years. This time, I decided to come up with a rib-tickler.”
The director has been a part of the theatre scene for over two decades and directed and acted in many plays. Besides this, he has also been part of Bikhre Bimbh with Arundhati Nag and written dialogues for the series Malgudi Days.
A still from the play
Zafer is thrilled that the theatre scene has come alive once again. “We were being suffocated within our four walls during the pandemic. Theatre groups have become active and people too have started venturing out to watch plays.”
Zafer says, “Most of us theatre practitioners, put in our own money into the production. We are still struggling for sponsorships. So, many of us work during the day so we can follow our passion for theatre during our free time. I only hope people and corporates will encourage theatre, classical music and dance. Without the right support, these arts will not be able to sustain themselves.”
Pyaari Padosan, will be staged on November 27 at 3.30pm and 7.30pm at Ranga Shankara. Tickets, ₹250, available on BookMyShow
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Theatre / by Shilpa Anandraj / November 25th, 2022
Director Zafer Mohiuddin says the play is a conversation between the medium of theatre, film and television
Kavita Agarwal and Zafer Mohiuddin in stills from the play | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Kathputliyan Theatre Group (KTG) will stage, Ek Actor Ki Maut. Directed by theatre actor, director, playwright Zafer Mohiuddin, the play is originally written by Croatian writer, Miro Gavran and adapted to Hindi by Saurabh Srivastava.
“It is about two actors, Akshay and Ira, who develop a bond while rehearsing for a charity show,” says Zafer in his baritone, from Alliance Francaise. “Akshay is a struggling actor, while Ira is established with a successful career spanning 40 years. Akshay invites Ira to act in a play, and Ira reluctantly agrees. The play explores Ira’s love for theatre, and the emotions the two actors go through as they share aspects of their lives.”
Zafer plays Akshay while Kavita Agarwal plays Ira. “The play is also a conversation between the medium of theatre, film and television. And how many use theatre as a stepping stone for film. For instance, though NSD was started to propagate theatre, actors train there to seek a career in films. Ira is also guilty of the same while Akshay, however, believes in theatre.”
The play, says Zafer, posits the theory that an actor dies when he exits the stage.
Zafer started off as an architect, but discovered his passion for theatre and became a playwright. Though he has done voice overs, advertisements and films, Zafer has stayed deeply rooted in theatre since 1979, when he founded Kathputaliyaan Theatre Group
Ek Actor Ki Maut Zafer says is a serious play. “I travelled to Delhi recently and a visit to NSD is a must with every trip. This time, while I was there, I bought 20 plays and one book was this. The subject hit me so hard that I immediately contacted the playwright, sought his permission and we started working on this play.”
The theme engulfed Zafer. “It is an intense play with no form of stylisation, and a lot of dialogue. It is a serious discussion between two senior actors with long, meaningful, powerful silences that are crucial to the play.”
Zafer says the play was staged for an intimate audience and this is their first public show. Kavita has been with Kathputliyan for the past three years and has also worked with other theatre groups.
The play will be staged on March 24, 3.30pm and 7.30pm at Jagriti, Whitefield. Tickets on BookMyShow.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Entertainment> Theatre / by Shilpa Anandraj / March 20th, 2024
Diners at Sheraton Hyderabad were recently introduced to the rarely seen Bhatkali cuisine, thanks to home chef Fatima Riyaz. Through an exclusive pop-up, Fatima presented dishes rooted in the coastal town of Bhatkal in Karnataka, highlighting its Nawayathi heritage and centuries of cultural exchange.
Bhatkali food is known for its unique blend of spices, coconut, and rice. “Five out of six dishes have rice in some form,” Fatima explained, noting how coconut adds sweetness and depth to most preparations. Spice levels are high, but carefully balanced with caramelised onions. Signature to the cuisine is Loli, a red chilli-based spice paste slow-cooked in coconut oil and used across dishes.
The Sheraton menu included Mudkale, rice balls with prawns cooked in coconut oil, and seasonal desserts like Chibbad, a local melon served with coconut milk and lime. While seafood dominates the cuisine, Fatima also created vegetarian versions to suit diverse diners.
Her food is deeply personal, drawn from family traditions and her community’s layered history. “Our cuisine reflects Islamic influences, Jain touches, and coastal Indian roots,” she said. The language of her community, Nawayathi, similarly borrows from Marathi and Konkani, echoing cultural ties along the western coast.
Fatima began cooking professionally after the pandemic, inspired by people reviving traditional recipes. Since then, she has taken Bhatkali cuisine to cities through curated pop-ups. “I only cook this cuisine,” she noted. “It is Indian, but with a sweetness that is ours.”
Story by Deccan Chronicle
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Features> Latest News> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / September 20th, 2025
An Islamic Heritage Exhibition titled “Durrat-ul-Iman” was organised by the SKSSF Stewart Gunj Unit in South Andaman between 17 to 19 October, with the active participation of all Madrassas under ARJM . The event served as a vibrant platform for students to present creative and educational displays reflecting Islamic history, knowledge, and spirituality.
The exhibition featured a range of thematic models and interactive setups, including an artificial Qabr (grave) designed by youth members, a matching board circuit highlighting the teachings and details of the four Imams of Islam, a quiz corner, a selfie point, and a video presentation on “The Signs of Qayamat.”
Among the exhibits, the Isra-wal-Meraj display drew particular attention for its detailed depiction of the Prophet’s journey from Mecca to the heavens. Visitors praised the effort and imagination that went into the presentation, which combined learning with deep spiritual reflection.
The exhibition was organized to foster Islamic education, encourage creativity among students, and strengthen community engagement through faith-based learning. With overwhelming response from people, the exhibition was widely appreciated by the public for its innovative displays and spiritually enriching atmosphere.
source: http://www.radiancenews.com / Radiance News / Home> Latest News> Report / by Radiance News Bureau / October 23rd, 2025
