Dewalghat Diaries

Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani

Celebrating the life and teachings of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani (d. 1166), a mystic, a Sufi master, a thinker, and a leader. Ghos-e-Azam (the Great Helper) as he is referred to, was the progenitor of the Qadirya order of Sufi thought and practice that started in Baghdad and has spread the world over as one […]

Karbala

To the 72 who stood valiantly against tyranny, deceit, and broken agreements. To their bravery and courage. Their patience and fortitude. To their righteousness, their spirit, and their benevolence. Their magnanimity.To the children who perished and to the mothers, sisters, and widows who mourned. To the valiant flag bearer and the dashing groom. To the […]

Tuzk-e-Jahangiri

An unusual book I recently leafed through is the Tuzk-e-Jahangiri, the autobiography of Emperor Jahangir, the 4th Mughal Emperor who presided over the world’s richest empire, 5 times larger than the contemporaneous Ottoman Empire and 10 times larger than the British empire in terms of its wealth. The book is vivid in its account of […]

Nawab of Dewalghat

At the mouth of the Gawilgarh Hills, a short distance from the Ajanta caves and near the battlefields of Assaye in Maharashtra lies the vassal of Dewalghat (Duelghat). Situated in the center of this hamlet, the proud but crumbling Dewalghat Fort has a larger-than-life presence and has witnessed stories of six generations of the same […]