decent textbook for the period covering from theth century to India's recent history, Disliked the last chapter dealing with India's history after independence, From what I understand the author added it for the second edition as people complained the book ended too abruptly at independence.
Unfortunately, he did not manage to do justice to it, Half of the chapter just deals with the nehruvian era tilland overall has a very rushed feeling, Otherwise the book is quite decent,
While other books have focused on giving a broad outline of India's modern history by focusing on the freedom struggle, the author brings in the story of the communities who were fighting for greater rights for themselves besides freedom from the British.
Examples include the struggle for women's rights, struggles by untouchables, communal frictions etc, He uses the latest research in modern Indian historiography to expand on the reasons for the success of the Congress and Mahatma Gandhi's attractiveness to so many people while Gandhi was highly respected by most Indians, author shows how he was a figurehead whose messages were reinterpreted by the protesters to fit their needs rather than followed in the literal sense.
Book shows how many of the Congress' most successful movements were not begun by them, Instead they were local led movements which, after they had reached some success, were led by the Congress, In short, instead of a top down history, the author attempts to look at the different cacophony of voices which were part of the fabric of Indian history, while at the same time giving a very good broad outline of its movement towards freedom.
Very good! One purpose of the Fort William College was to prevent the spread of the ideas of freedom preached by the French Revolution.
Whowoulddthunkk. This is a slow long read, It is a text book, So do not venture if you are not interested in history, But it is loaded with amazing insights into the formation of our country, The first reading is like just reading the index, Now you know what is where, Will have to come back to it again and again,
"Bardoli lifted Gandhi out of depression" and the Calcutta Congress of Decemberwitnessed his reemergence as a national leader.
A deeply researched brilliant piece of work, Excellent, organized, detailed, thorough.
Author's work contains most concise details of India from Plassey to Partition,
Sekhar quotes leading authors in South Asia, I am familiar with their work,
As I read this work, I learnt new things,
Many Indian educated class, had to reframe their schools of thought in Indian context eg: Raja Ram Mohan Roy's work.
This brings, the question for religious traditions It has to answer questions of the current culture and age
There were two currents within British Politics Utilitarianism and Evangelicalism.
They shaped policies of British Raj,
I learnt the draining of wealth theory,
Basically, the thesis is that British rule took all the wealth of Indians,
This is popular among proIndia folks,
This was put forward by Dadabhai Naoroji, a successful businessman, Justice M, G. Ranade and R. C. Dutt, a retired JCS officer, who published, The Economic History of India in
two volumes,
In Gandhi, many shared common values like nonviolence, not against capitalism,
Everyone had something in common with him, Thus, he appealed to the masses,
Contrary to what most lay folks talk in conversation, i, e British came to conquer,
They were more interested in trade, This is selfevident.
I would recommend this to anyone interested in Indian History,
Deus Vult,
Gottfried,/Phew ! And Wow ! This book starts with a brief discussion of the decline of the Mughal Empire during Aurangzeb's time and then describes the political situation in India when the Europeans started increasing their influence.
Each of the major events has been analysed well, However, the best thing about this book was that it provided a variety of opinions by different scholars at every stage, Also, it was totally nonpartisan and POVs of all parties have been presented well,
Purely for scholarship and information, the rating would be/, However this was a bit dry and took me a couple of months,
Also, the chapter on India postindependence seemed rushed and could have been omitted, Typical history book which give proper scenario of independence how it start , the process of independence and how constitution demand proposed and how Indian achieve freedom from the Britishers.
the language of the book is simple and easily understandable compare to Bipin Chandr,
I like this book not gonna lie, I am writing the review from the perspective of a graduate student, It's informative easier to get content but sometimes the topics are made too complicated, Like that unit on social and religious reforms, you keep on reading the same paragraph but it doesn't makes sense and there is too much detailing given to the unnecessary stuff.
Same with the gandhi unit like you don't get the main point of the unit it's just too much unnecessary details and going in circles.
Also the language of this book might not be suitable for everyone it uses heavy vocab in some places which makes you go and Google their meaning.
I mean in a sense it's initiating learning but on the other hand sometimes it gets too frustrating, I don't know if book can be revised but it's the best one out here atm if you want to learn about modern india.
Informative indeed. Well documented history of India starting from British raj to partition, An authoritative, unbiased and comprehensive account of Indian Freedom Struggle, The author has tried to cover almost all aspects, viewpoints and opinions encompassing various schools of thoughts like the Cambridge, Nationalists, Subalterns and Marxists.
The narrative is immaculately balanced without tilting towards any particular ideology, Highly recommended to anyone who wants to understand India, what differentiates this from the others is the fact that for every incident the reactions of several authors are discussed, So in one place you get all the points required for analysis, বলয লখ কন বই পডত আমর সধরনত খব বশ সময লগন একট ৫০০ পষঠর বই টন পডল ৮১০ ঘনটর একট কম বশ হত পর বইযর ধরন অনযয বশ সময নই ন এটই মন হয একমতর বই য পডত আম এত সময নযছ পর এক সপতহ ধর পডছ ঐতহসক ঘটন নয লখ বই ব পরবনধ টইপ বইগল সধরনত বর হয দই চর পত পড আর পডত ইচছ কর ন কনত এট আম গগরস গলছ আধনক ভরতর ইতহস, মঘল শসন, কষমত ও রজনতক পট পরবরতন, দশ বভগ নয এত সমদধ ও তথযমলক বই আম আগ আর পডন বইযর শরতই মঘল সমরজযর আভযনতরন বভদ, পতন ও একই সমনতরল উপমহদশ বরটশ শসনর উতথনর বশদ বরণন রযছ উপমহদশ বরটশ শসন থক শর কর দট সবধন, সরবভম রষটরর জনম অবধ ঘট যওয গরতবপরন ঘটনসমহর সবচছ ও নরট বরণন রযছ এই বইত ইতহস নয কতহল পঠকদরক চমবকর মত টন রখর মত অনককছ রযছ এই বইত একট সবধ হল বইয পরতট ঘটন চযপটর অনযয ভগ কর দয আছ, এত বশল বই পডত বরকত লগল য কউ তর পছনদর বষযট অনযস চযপটর দখ পর নত পরন, তব একট অসবধ এই য, ইতহস বরণনয লখক খব গভর যনন, ফল ঘটনগল কমন যন ছড ছড মন হযছ শষ হযও শষ হইল ন টইপ ওভরঅল ভল লগছ অবশযই পচ তর Well researched and balanced throughout the narration, Must read for readers want to read modern Indian history with a deeper sociological and political perspective, But the writer does not quote primary resources in the reference that brings the major flaw in the reliability and research of the book.
This book is a study in eclecticism which travels through time to the pluralist Indian society and nationstate as we know today.
The British Raj is at the center of Indian historiography vacillating between evangelic, liberal, orientalist and conservative ideologies which where expressed through the "Apparatus of British Rule", namely army, ICS, Judicial system, Council of directors, Board of Control.
The East India Company after the Battle of Palashi anglicized Plassey didn't overtly defy the dwindling Mughal empire's suzerainty over Bengal rather than installed its ministers in the Mir Jafar's state council.
This policy was expanded to other acquired princely states in the Indian subcontinent as the East India company's expansionist policy resulted in territorial gains.
Land taxation policy became the substantial source of money in the British treasury which was reformed regionally to increase the collection pushing the poor peasants into a state of abject poverty.
Permanent settlement, Ryotwari and Mahalwari system each had distinct characteristics but otherwise all promoted an ever increasing tax demands through zamindari or other local landed aristocracy invoking variegated responses from the oppressed classes.
"Colonial constructs" are principles along which any group can rally around but the principles are inherently created by the colonial masters.
The author deals with many such constructs which shaped the Indian perception on number of issues, namely modern state, civilizations, etc, These constructs resulted in an inward retrospective look which culminated, albeit surreptitiously into Hindu revivalism, tribal insurgencies, Muslim alienation, Dalit and women oppression.
The revolt ofwas a watershed moment in the Indian history, The Charter Act ofplaced the Indian state under the direct control of the British Crown, the disrupting policies Lord Dalhousie like doctrine of lapse etc.
were terminated and the Mughal dynasty was invalidated, The lack of leadership in the revolt was evident from the random spurt of violence across north India, although south India remained largely peaceful.
The revolt was also epochal in the change of British perception towards Indians who were now looked upon with contempt and beyond reformation.
The humble beginnings Of Congress inas a debating club following constitutionalism didn't consider the cessation of British rule in India.
The elitist, land owning, patriarchal, Brahamanical organization was really constrained in its perception, plan and reach which changed only with the arrival of Mahatma Gandhi.
The polyphonic nationalism that India experienced was manifested in the large number of organizations during the lateth and earlyth century, namely Brahmo Samaj, Arya Samaj, Congress, Muslim league, Unionist party, communist party, Hindu mahasabha, Kisan sabha, Akali Dal, etc.
The reforms initiated by liberal governments like Montagu Chelmsford prepared the ground for the ultimate dream of self rule of Indian Swarajists.
The instrumental ability with which Gandhi navigated such varying political landscape during noncooperation movements, civil disobedience movements and countless Satyagraha campaigns are appreciated by a number of historians, anthropologists in the book.
The debate on Partition has now changed from the causes to the aftermath suffered by the people as onlookers, aggressors and victims of communal riots which transpired across the Indian subcontinent.
The book argues that Indian nationstate was not created but formed which is still plagued by the civic and ethnic discourses of its citizenry.
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