Book Reviews Mohammad Ikram Chughtai (ed.), 1857 Majmooa Khawaja Hasan Nizami,

Abstract

Compiled quite meticulously, the volume under review brings under one cover almost all writings and edited works of Khawaja Hasan Nizami (25 December 1878 - 31 July 1955) on the revolt of 1857. The importance of 1857 has been highlighted by almost all historians and other writers who made it a subject of their research. A turning point in the history of India, the events of 1857 have been variously described, and designated as War of Independence, ghadar (mutiny), baghawat (revolt), shorish (turmoil), and mufsida (riots). Different historians have approached the events from their varying points of view. The compiler of the book refers to five categories of writings on 1857. One, the books written by the British authors who held Muslims responsible for the revolt; two, local, authors particularly the Hindu writers, who held the same position as the British authors; three, the writings based on secret diaries, memoirs and contemporary chronicles written by the British and local people; four, the works based on neutral, unemotional and rational analyses, such as the one by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan (Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind); and, five, the impressionistic accounts in which the human tragedies and ironies were depicted in a literary mold. According to the compiler, Khawaja Hasan Nizami’s work falls within the last category, of which two other prominent representatives were Khawaja Nasir Nazeer Firaq Dehlvi and Allam Rashid-ul Khairi