William Dalrymple's new book – The Last Mughal: The Eclipse of a Dynasty, Delhi 1857 is a
literary gem.he has blended historical facts with fictional details with great ease to tell the tale of 1857 uprising from an Indian perspective.William has adopted Delhi as his home ,moving to the capital with family.He drove into ‘the Mutiny Papers’ stacked and ignored on the shelves of the Indian National Archives and worked his way through thousands of documents in Persian and Urdu.Many of these documents have been translated for the first time after months of research as very few scholars are availbale to decipher persian written during 18th century India.
The book is a stroy of soul of Delhi,its secular culture and recreates the magical world of Mughal empire that ended after 1857 revolt with fall of last mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar II,direct descendant of Genghis Khan and Tamburlane, of Akbar, Jehangir and Shah Jehan.
Zafar was apoet king who was made a puppet in hands of British East India company.It agonines on his hurt pride ,his efforts to mainatin delhi culture and uphold the wounded pride of secular Mughal kingdom.
The book is a biographic account of the old king who was one of the most talented, tolerant and likeable of his remarkable dynasty, he found himself in the position of leader of a violent uprising he knew from the start would lead to irreparable carnage.
To sum up the events contained in the book.Due to imperial British rule ,forced conversions to Chirstanity, plunder of Indian resources and unrooting of Indian rulers esp.Mughal emperor-there was considerable unrest in India. Indian soldiers in British army revolted in 1857 on issues of pay,religion, discrimination and atrocities and bad treatment to Mughal emperor-who was considered the King of India.Revolting soldiers moved to Delhi ,proclaimed Zafar free king of free India.They were supported by ouste dIndian princes and kings notable being Queen Laxmibai of Jhasi ,who defeate d Britsih troops in many battles that followed.Locals, holy men nad religious laerds also supported the first Indian freedom struggle.Alas it was crushed brutually by Brtish empire with might of its army and powerful arms.
It resulted in massacre of Indians ,end of Mughl empire after mudering all the sons of Zafar.Zafar
was allowed to die a normal daeth as murdering the 87year old king would have sparked
massive revolt all over India that would have been difficult to crush.India gained freedom in 1947 nad till then British suppressed all accounts of the mutiny.Some account were save das they were in persian - a language alien to Brtish.Infact these accounts have also been written in codes and in such style that they hide more than revealing.William has based his book on these accounts.
To quote from editorail review-"The Last Mughal charts the desecration and demise of a man, his dynasty, his city and civilizations mercilessly ravished by fractured forces and vengeful British troops.
William Dalrymple unearths groundbreaking new material to create the first English account of the life of the last Emperor, and the first narrative of the Mutiny to contain large quantities of material from the Indian perspective. The Last Mughal rapidly changes our understanding of a pivotal moment in Indian and Imperial history."
A must read for India lovers.

From a poem by Zafar,written shortly after his imprisonment,
and as Mughal Delhi lay in ruins around him:


Delhi was once a paradise,
Where Love held sway and reigned;
But its charm lies ravished now
nd only ruins remain.

No tears were shed when shroudless they
were laid in common graves;
No prayers were read for the noble dead,
unmarked remain their graves

But things cannot remain, O Zafar,
Thus for who can tell?
Through God’s great mercy and the Prophet
All may yet be well.

M Afzal Guru has applied for clemency.Nothing new .New is the fact that his terrorist supporters from across the border have upped the activity either to free him forcible ,ala kandhar hijack incident sa per news reported by Indian tv channels ,or spread terror in India.Also recent a email has been send to Indian Prime Minster that threatnes him with death if Afzal guru is hanged.The e-mail contained references to Mohammed Afzal Guru, facing execution for the 2001 Parliament attack, and PDP leader Abdul Nasser Madani, who is being held in connection with the Coimbatore blasts.

According to the information, the mails, which said that "he (PM) deserves it (death) on account of the hanging sentence of Afzal Guru and the cruel fate of Abdul Nassar Madani", had the banned SIMI's name in the sender's id. It threatened to kill President APJ Abdul Kalam too. The suppose dthreat was to be carried out during PM's kerala visit on Nov.1
Should we still think of granting Afzal mercy and show the terror elements that we are afraid of them. wont it mock Indina democracy and security.
Recently ,Pakistan President in a interview accused India of inetfering in Pakistan's domestic issues.Ideally India should compalin on this as we are the victims of PAK sponsored terrorism since 1980's.
Then talking of interference have we raised the patheic state of Muhjairs in Pakistan that too when President Musharaff- himself is a mujahir.What about expolitation of women like Mukhtaran Mai and the burning issue of Balouicstan.If this is not enough then POK (pak occupied Kashmir) is nothing but forcible occupation of terrority.Couple it with black marketing of nucealr arms and a full terror mechanism is ready.
In case of Afzal it is notewothry that he himself has accepted his crime nad hs shown no remorse or guilt in his misdeeds.Then why should be free him -to let him furter terrorism in India ,to let him cross the border and become a headache for secuity situation in India.
Now if USA was in place of India ,then what would have Pakistn done.Supported Afzal hanging or raised a hue cry over it.
"Jinke Ghar shishe ke hote hai woh Doosaro ke Ghar pe Pathar nahi Marte"

The recently passed Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 is a great law in terms of notion and concept and is a milestone for both the judiciary and the women's movement as it Provides a clear definition of domestic violence ,Aims to protect women from verbal, emotional, economic and sexual abuse and Offers free legal service to victims .The Act aims at protecting women from verbal, emotional, economic and sexual abuse and offers free legal service to such victims.Under the Act, wives, mothers, live-in partners, sisters, mothers-in-law or any woman with whom a man has a relation with are covered. The husband or male companion accused of violence against a woman will have to cough up Rupees 20,000 as a fine and can be imprisoned for any kind of violence or insult.The act seeks to cover those women who are or have been in a relationship with an abuser where both parties have lived together in a shared household and are related by consanguinity, marriage or a relationship in the nature of marriage, or adoption. In addition, relationship with family members living together as a joint family are also included. Even those women who are sisters, widows, mothers, single women, or living with the abuser are entitled to legal protection under the Act.

Under the Act, the victim can approach a police officer, protection officer, service provider or magistrate for relief by way of a protection order. The victim also has a right to file a complaint under Section 498 A of the Indian Penal Code, wherever relevant. In addition, the aggrieved person is also entitled to shelter, if needed, in the shelter home.
It has been argued that the cat can be used to balcmil men ,but in a male dominayed Indian socitey its positive aspects are more important.

Just reda this.its good news for AIDs patients.A breakthrough combination of three HIV/AIDS drugs, Viraday has been launched by Cipla which would help the HIV infected persons in effectively treating the dreaded disease by taking just one tablet a day. Viraday is a combination of three anti-HIV drugs including efavirenz 600 mg, tenofovir 300 mg and emtricitabine 200mg.
This treatment is not only less cumbersome but could be taken even when the HIV infected person is taking medicine for tuberculosis which is not the case otherwise.
Cipla is the first company to launch the combination drug in India. This combination is drug was earlier available only in the United States and European countries. However, the cost of this combination therapy in the US and Europe is Rs 52,800 (indian rupees)per month while Cipla has made it available here at just Rs 5200 per month. The toxicity of this combination drug has been found to be lower than the drugs taken individually. Viraday with its convenient once a day dosage and accessibility is Cipla's most significant achievement.
It must be remebred that cipla has been the torch bearer in international market for reducing the prices of anti-AIDs medicines.This is a good news for patients in Africa ,India and South Asia nad parts of Latin America where affordability of medicine is a big issue.

Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's much-awaited reshuffle of the Union Cabinet has finally given India a proper foreign minister after a year.ExDefence minister from Pranab Mukherjee who has been appointed the next External Affairs minister.He was the foreign secetary during Indira Gnadhi
days,was in running for post of prime minister after Indira's Gandhi assasination and also recently when Sonia Gandhi declined the top job.Also he held the same porfolio in Narshima Rao govt.He bring experince to the job but the old age related dieseas keep him occupied and his travel are curtailed in keeping with his frail health.Not so good cosidering teh afct that job demands extensive travel.
Called 'Mr Clean,' 65-year-old A.K.Antony, a former Kerala chief minister, returns to the Union Cabinet after a gap of over 11 years when he resigned as Civil Supplies Minister in the Narasimha Rao government. Now he is the new Defence Minister ,a job done by Pranab Muherjee till now.
He was in wilderness after Kerala debacle and this posting is the reward for loyalty to Gandhi dynasty and also for the fact that Congress party doesnt have a suitable candidate.
Some balance has been retsorted by giving Oscar Fernandes, who was minister without portfolio, independent charge of Labour and Employment.Poor Oscar till now was handling congress party affairs as his betanoire was given tourism ministry.Now its even.So congress need s new young generation leaders for party work and also to fill ministry shoes.
Example India's HRD minster Arjun Singh is a old warhorse who walks with a stick and he has many comapnions ,like murli deora, sisram ola and H.LBhardwaj ,in age bracket.
Congress has a new heir in Rahul Gandhi ,who is being gromme dby current prime minsiter,but he lacks a core group that his father late Rajiv Gandhi had in companions like late Madavhrao Scindia,late Rajesh pilot.Okay rahul can look forward to priyanka Gandhi ,Rajesh pilot,Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sandep Dikshit,Deroa junior but they are not being given any organiastional responsibilities to learn the political ropes.
This mistake can cost congress daerly as it is not inducting fresh blood neither in part nor in ministries.