Title
The Loss Of Hindustan: The Invention Of India,Used
Processing time: 1-3 days
US Orders Ships in: 3-5 days
International Orders Ships in: 8-12 days
Return Policy: 15-days return on defective items
Payment Option
Shortlisted for the Cundill History PrizeA fieldchanging history explains how the subcontinent lost its political identity as the home of all religions and emerged as India, the land of the Hindus.Did South Asia have a shared regional identity prior to the arrival of Europeans in the late fifteenth century? This is a subject of heated debate in scholarly circles and contemporary political discourse. Manan Ahmed Asif argues that Pakistan, Bangladesh, and the Republic of India share a common political ancestry: they are all part of a region whose people understand themselves as Hindustani. Asif describes the idea of Hindustan, as reflected in the work of native historians from roughly 1000 CE to 1900 CE, and how that idea went missing.This makes for a radical interpretation of how India came to its contemporary political identity. Asif argues that a European understanding of India as Hindu has replaced an earlier, native understanding of India as Hindustan, a home for all faiths. Turning to the subcontinents medieval past, Asif uncovers a rich network of historians of Hindustan who imagined, studied, and shaped their kings, cities, and societies. Asif closely examines the most complete idea of Hindustan, elaborated by the early seventeenth century Deccan historian Firishta. His monumental work, Tarikhi Firishta, became a major source for European philosophers and historians, such as Voltaire, Kant, Hegel, and Gibbon during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Yet Firishtas notions of Hindustan were lost and replaced by a different idea of India that we inhabit today.The Loss of Hindustan reveals the intellectual pathways that dispensed with multicultural Hindustan and created a religiously partitioned world of today.
⚠️ WARNING (California Proposition 65):
This product may contain chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, or other reproductive harm.
For more information, please visit www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
- Q: What is 'The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India' about? A: 'The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India' is a historical analysis by Manan Ahmed Asif exploring how the subcontinent transitioned from a multicultural identity as Hindustan to a more religiously defined identity as India. The book discusses the impact of European colonialism on the region's historical understanding.
- Q: Who is the author of the book? A: The author of 'The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India' is Manan Ahmed Asif, a historian who focuses on South Asian history.
- Q: What are the main themes discussed in the book? A: Key themes in the book include the historical identity of South Asia, the cultural and religious dynamics of Hindustan, and the influences of European thought on modern perceptions of India.
- Q: How many pages does the book have? A: 'The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India' consists of 336 pages.
- Q: When was this book published? A: 'The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India' was published on November 24, 2020.
- Q: What is the binding of this book? A: The book is available in hardcover binding.
- Q: Is the book new or used? A: This book is in new condition.
- Q: What type of readers would benefit from this book? A: Readers interested in South Asian history, colonial studies, and cultural identity will find 'The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India' particularly informative.
- Q: Does the book include a bibliography or references? A: Yes, 'The Loss of Hindustan: The Invention of India' includes references and a bibliography to support its historical analysis.
- Q: Are there any notable historical figures discussed in the book? A: Yes, the book discusses significant historians, including Firishta, whose works contributed to the understanding of Hindustan in historical context.