A Portrait of Agra

In the Shadow of the Taj: A Potrait of Agra by Royina Grewal

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book is a biography of Agra. I read the revised and updated 2014 edition. The chapters are organised in a fashion that is faintly reminiscent of Khushwanth Singh's Delhi. A chapter steeped in fascinating historical excursion followed by a chapter exploring contemporary Agra. As we read the book we understand that the Taj is just one facet to be explored in Agra. Much remains to be explored for the consummate traveler.

Royina Grewal takes us on a tour of Agra to see Kabutar-bazi; leather industry and the market of carpet weavers; the art of Mughal portraiture; needle painting and the mouth watering Agra peetha; Mumtaz's forgotten place of burial before the Taj was built; the cemetery that houses the oldest European grave in India and many more hidden secrets.

The book goes beyond a historical-structural exploration of Agra. Grewal points out the effect of Partition on the ethos of the city. Emigration of the city's Muslim population and the new immigrant population altered the city's character. I agree with Royina Grewal that the soul of a city lies in the collective memory of the residents. The remembered anecdotes assume an almost spiritual significance in people's memories. As we read the book we feel almost helpless as the 'memory of Agra' is lost to the ravages of time and apathy of its citizens.

In the words of the author: " There is a sense almost of suspended animation, a city adrift in time. Agra is a city in transition, still searching for a new identity. It needs citizens who care and a huge awareness campaign to instil pride in the city once more. But pride comes only when the stomach is full. And for many of Agra's people this requirement is still unfulfilled. Until that need is met, Agra will remain a provincial backwater, muddling through in the shadow of the Taj Mahal (P.26)."

The chapter on colonial attitudes towards Indians shows how 'harsh judgment' and 'moral superiority' of the Britishers extended to people as well as architecture. Only thirty of the five hundred palaces of the Agra Fort remain and the fort itself seems to disappear in the shadow of the Taj despite being a UNESCO World Heritage site. One can't but feel nostalgic about Agra's riverfront that was once called the golden mile. One's imagination would fall short in reconstructing the splendor of Agra with its beautiful gardens and havelis alongside the River Yamuna amidst the noise and pollution of today cramped by noisy trucks and freight cars.

For the ones who can hear Agra's voice, it is hard to miss her existential cries. For the ones who can't, this book is a must read.



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Hyderabad: A City of Hope by Malvika Singh

Hyderabad: A City of Hope by Malvika Singh

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This book by Malvika Singh is a collection of impressions about Hyderabad. The selections fall under two themes broadly: Romantic nostalgia for the Hyderabad that was - the architectural splendor evident in both Qutubshahi and Asafjahi buildings; high culture of the Nizams reflected in the literary works and culinary masterpieces - or calm resignation to the changes wrought in Hyderabad by time.

Even cities fall prey to ravages of time and the reader experiences a feeling of helplessness as some contributors describe how Hyderabad's synergistic Hindu-Muslim culture has been replaced by the garb of cosmpolitanism and ruthless capitalist competition. The result: several high rise buildings encroaching historically valuable sites, loss of vintage buildings such as the Diwan Deodi, Lakkadkot and the Basheerbagh palace.

However, there are also articles by authors who through their optimistic portrayal argue that all is not lost. It is inevitable that tradition gives way to modernity. We see traditional burkha clad women making a niche for themselves in tech-savvy Hyderabad. The old, feudal, princely ways were outdated and had to go. Change, some contributors say, has definitely been for the better as the extractive relation of Hyderabad with its hinterland areas has been replaced by a dynamic, competitive creed.

After reading the book, one can't but wish and hope that the 'mithaas' (sweetness) of Deccani Urdu and the hospitality of Hyderabadis remains untouched with time. This book is an enjoyable read for anyone curious about the soul of Hyderabad.



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Mahlaqa Chanda: An Extraordinary woman for anytime

One of my favourite haunts in Hyderabad is the Darga on top of the Maula Ali hill. This is my place of refuge, and quiet contemplation. One has to climb a few hundred steps leading to the top. The exercise is rewarding: the hill top offers beautiful views of the city sprawling endlessly.

(Photo, Personal Collection: Part of the Trek to Moula Ali Darga, 2016)

The inner courtyard of the Darga with the green pavilion offers shelter to the visiting pilgrims. It was built by Mahlaqa Chanda (1767 - 1824), the adopted daughter of the then Prime Minister of the Nizam, Nawab Ruknuddaula. She was a devout Shia Muslim and in tribute to Moula Ali, she invoked Maula Ali in her takhallus (signature at the end of the poem). Her poems are a combination of spiritual yearning and a commentary on her current times.

Mahlaqa Chanda’s work is accessible at https://rekhta.org/poets/mah-laqa-chanda/ghazals.

Mahlaqa Chanda is an extraordinary woman even by contemporary standards. She chose to never marry and remained single till the end of her life. She was an accomplished poet (and the only woman) who published a Diwan (collection of poems). Mahlaqa Chanda encouraged historical scholarship chronicling the life and times of Nizam-ul-Mulk Asif Jah II, whose reign extended from 1762 to 1803. She was an accomplished dancer and singer, and a favourite of the Nizam.

Chanda rode to war alongside the Nizam in the Battle of Pangal and the Nizam is said to have depended on her wise counsel. In recognition of her bravery and contribution she was awarded the title “Mahlaqa” and the Jagir of Adikmet. She was made a Mansabdar, which entitled her to an income all through her life. She enjoyed extraordinary privileges in the Nizam’s court and was reputed to be a confidant and counsellor to the Nizam. Her charm and erudition broke gender barriers and made her an indispensable presence in the Asafjahi court, a typically male bastion. The present area of the Osmania University, Syedpalli, Hyderguda/old MLA colony, Chandapet, Pallai Pahad and Alibagh are part of the Estate awarded to Chanda by the Nizam.
(Imama, Syeda (Ed). The Untold Charminar: Writings on Hyderabad. Penguin Books India: 2008: pp. 26-34)

I wonder why she chose to live a solitary life. Chanda explains the tenuous nature of being an accomplished and well read woman in a patriarchal society in a letter to her mother.

“No, Ma, I will not marry. I will not be at the mercy of any single man, to be left like you to almost die of hunger and exhaustion. I have my Lord, my God, my Maula, I have your love – I have so much. I will teach and train other girls what i have learnt of the beautiful world of poetry, music and dance of which we have an endless source in this land, they will also acquire the ability and the knowledge to earn if they need to.”

(Latif, Bilkees I. Forgotten. New Delhi: Penguin, 2010: P.113)

I feel this pretty much echoes the sentiments of the modern woman and the need to be independent. Mahlaqa Chanda also built an orphanage for underprivileged girls. The building still stands and houses the Nampally Girls High School. Chanda Bagh, the garden that houses the graves of Mahlaqa Chanda and her mother, is at the foothill of Moula Ali Hill. The following link takes you to a tour of Chanda Bagh and the recent restoration work undertaken by the Nizams trust and other institutions.
https://rekhta.org/poets/mah-laqa-chanda/video


I empathise with Chanda’s sentiments about not being able to reconcile her public life with the sheltered, secluded life marriage entailed in those times. In her words:

“I lack nothing, ya Maula, for God has given me so much in so many ways. My dilemma is that I am desired and wanted in marriage and I have to decide which way of life I should follow. I cannot be a wife, a begum of a great Lord and still indulge in all my interests.....What will happen to my dhrupads and khayals? Never will I be able to whirl around in scintillating dances with my ghungroos alive with sound, and the beat of my feet dancing to the throbbing beat of the music. These are a part of my whole being. Can I live without them?........Dear Lord, confined to a harem; I suppose that I will be cared for....Today I am honoured, respected, loved. Should I surrender all that I am, all that I have? Help me to decide, my Lord. You have cared for me always. Show me the way that I should choose.”

(Latif, Bilkees I. Forgotten. New Delhi: Penguin, 2010: P. 91)

(Painting by Rai Ventkatchallam. Hunting Party of Nizam 'Ali Khan, late 18th century. Opaque watercolor on canvas. Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad.)
The above painting depicts a lone palanquin with a woman in the upper right corner (Mahlaqa Chanda) and her pet cheetahs: confident and at ease in the Royal procession dominated by men.

As a woman able to traverse the worlds of professional work and marriage, I salute Chanda’s spirit. It is the light of many such women that shines our path today.

(Photo, Personal Collection: My men with Chanda Bagh in the background, 2016.)

Hyderabad and Delhi: My two favorite cities

I identify myself as a Hyderabadi having spent a major part of my adult life in this city. I love Hyderabad.
I am fascinated by the layers of history one encounters through the old city. Hyderabad is so very much like Delhi, a city whose seams seem to be bursting by the constant inflow of people writing their own stories and leaving their imprints.

For instance, right beside the Charminar of the Qutubshahis is Nizamia General Hospital built by the Asafjahi Nizam. A few hundred yards further is the Mecca Masjid. Its construction was initiated by the Qutubshahis but completed by Aurangazeb after his Deccan victory, inadvertently incurring the curse that bad luck follows anyone who completes the construction of the mosque.

The destinies of Hyderabad and Delhi have been intertwined. Their kings fought battles against each other and beside each other at several points in time.

Aurangazeb the last of the great Mughals and Tanashah the last Qutubshahi king rest in their tombs in Kuldabad, rivals in life but neighbors in death. Their tombs lie in the same tomb complex. Kuldabad is also the final resting place of the first Asafjahi ruler Nizam-ul-mulk, Aurangazeb’s loyal general, who laid the foundation for modern Hyderabad after the end of the Qutubshahi dynasty.

My trips to Delhi were only for work until...last year around this time, Vishnu and I made an exclusive 'touristy' trip. We booked our stay in a hotel beside Khan Market, opposite Sujan Singh Park. Sujan Singh Park, house to Delhi’s celebrated biographer, the eccentric Khushwant Singh whose opening line about Delhi was:

“I return to Delhi as I return to my mistress Bhagmati when I have had my fill of whoring in foreign lands…”
Singh, Khushwant. Delhi: A Novel. Delhi: Penguin Publishers ltd, 1990.

I read it as Khushwant Singh’s complaint about Delhi’s seductive snare that drew in warriors from far lands North West of Delhi: From Muhammad Ghur to the five dynasties of the Delhi Sultanate, Babur and his Mughal dynasty upended by the British. Just like the legendary curse of Hyderabad’s Mecca Masjid, it is said that whoever builds a city in Delhi doesn’t stay in it for too long.

I like to believe in the romance of it all...
Delhi deserting Shahjahan (after he built Shahjahanabad) and to prove its fickle mindedness once again,
Delhi ousting the British after they built their grand offices on Raisina Hill.