Lucknow: Fire Of Grace
The Story of its Renaissance, Revolution and the Aftermath
Amaresh Misra

        The Book covers a vast period of history of Avadh and takes the reader through all aspects of life, cultural; political and economical transition during the period. It throws light on the gradual evolution of the avadhian spirit and lifestyle over two century and a half and its final decline till the recent years. Emphasis is more on cultural and social overtones.

       First of its kind to reveal the true scenario of avadh history, its composite culture vis-a-vis the gloomy and absurd picture depicted by british historians or their agents and the indigenious stock who gleefully cling to their side of the story. The author has rightfully dedicated the book -

To,
the people of Lucknow, Avadh and U.P.
so that they feel
good, bad and smug the world over.

Lucknow 1857 - The Two Wars at Lucknow - The Dusk of an Era
Roshan Taqui

        The state of Avadh, the biggest of its time, was annexed by East India Company in January, 1856 and a general rebellion provoked. The rebellion, as per vox populii, was started on 10th May 1857 from Meerut. This book with the help of original references and contexts reveals that the war of independence was started on 3rd of May 1857 from Lucknow only. The period from January 8th 1856 to May 3rd 1857 was very important considering as the prelude period of war of independence. For the first time some important factors and incidents of that period have been discussed in this book.

        That was the period of character assassination. The agents of East India Company, with their wilful words used derogatory remarks against the freedom fighters and tried their level best for their character assassination. "They were all wrong" has been shown in this book. The datewise history from 1st January, 1857 to 31st December 1857 has finally been written in this book. The loot of Avadh from March 1858 onwards shows that invaders were only looters. Some light on the characters and personalities of Begum Hazrat Mahal, Raja Jia Lal and other soldiers has also been thrown to show that they were the lodestar of the First War of Independence.

"Pearl by the River"
Nawab Wajid Ali Shah's kingdom in exile
Sudipta Mitra

        History emerges with clarity in retrospect. Events become significant only when one peeps into the past. Perhaps no one had anticipated that the exile of Wajid Ali Shah, King of Awadh, would eventually lead to a cultural and aesthetic renaissance in Calcutta

        Wajid Ali Shah reached the banks of Hooghly on 26 May 1856, following a long and weary journey of three months. But destiny was not kind to him and soon he was arrested and placed in Fort William by the British Government. After being in custody for twenty-five months the former King was eventually released. But a twist of fate had changed his path and taken him away from a life of luxury to austerity.

        It is difficult to decipher the real man from all that has been written about the Nawab. With a prologue by Dr. Meerza Kaukab, the great grandson of Wajid Ali Shah, Pearl by the River elaborates on how the seeds for an enriching, artistic and intellectual life for Calcuttans were sown on the day Wajid Ali Shah stepped into his caravan for his life's last journey to the then capital of colonial India.

The book is,
A tribute to all the great souls resting in eternal peace underneath
the marble floor of Sibtainabad Imambara, Metiyaburj.

Inauguration of the Book at THE TOLLYGUNGE CLUB - Kolkata Jan 28th 2017 Mr. Indrajit Mookherjee, President of Tollygunge Club and Dr. Kaukab Qudr Meerza unveil the book followed by a speech by Dr. Kaukab Qudr Meerza (2nd from left) and Mr. Indrajit Mookerjee (4th from right). The author Dr. Sudipta Mitra is standing 4th from left.

Nepal Mein Urdu Sha'ari
Compiled By:
Prof. Dr. Abdul Rauf


Publisher:
Urdu Pakistan Studies Chair Research Centre
Tirubhavan University
Kathmandu - Nepal

With a Foreward by:

Miss Fauzia Nasreen
Pakistan Ambassador to Nepal
Kathmandu

        First of its kind published in Nepal. It is a collection of the Urdu sha'ari of Nawab Birjis Qadr and his followers who had gone with Begum Hazrat Mahal to Nepal seeking political asylum in the aftermath of 1857. During their stay which extended over 3 decades Urdu flourished amongst them in Kathmandu bringing up a host of urdu poets.