Babur: The Chessboard King

DID BABUR DEMOLISH THE TEMPLE BESIDE BABRI MASJID?

· Portrays Babur as a multifaceted ruler, challenging the typical depiction of an infallible conqueror and a benevolent human being

· Brings to light his adept navigation through political intricacies and adversities

· The story of Babur’s unyielding pursuit of power amid treacherous political landscapes

Written by Aabhas Maldahiyar, published by Penguin Random House India, the gripping, anecdotal and deeply researched Babur: The Chessboard King delves into Hindustan’s economic landscape during Timurid rule and portrays Babur as a multifaceted ruler, challenging the typical depiction of an infallible conqueror and a good human being.

Babur, the visionary founder of Timurid Empire in Hindustan, had a fair share of early struggle following his father’s tragic demise in AD 1494. Then on, Babur embarked on an unyielding pursuit of power amid treacherous political landscapes, the narrative unveils his moniker, ‘the chessboard king,’ portraying his adept navigation through political intricacies and adversities.

From his ascent to rulership in Ferghana amidst familial threats to fleeting victories and losses in Samarkand, the book paints a poignant picture of Babur’s journey. It portrays his retreat to tribal lands after relinquishing hopes of reclaiming Ferghana, eventually establishing a mountainous kingdom in Kabul, a pivotal milestone preceding his ambition to expand into Hindustan. Recounting his initial endeavour to penetrate Hindustan in AD 1505, his alliances, and subsequent setbacks after Sultan Husayn Mirza Bayqarah’s demise, leaving him as the sole Timurid prince in power, the book opens a window to Babur’s failed second attempt to enter Hindustan, encapsulating the initial thirteen to fourteen tumultuous years of his reign, marked by exile, fleeting victories, and delicate alliances.

Meticulously sourced from the Persian manuscript of the Baburnama and other primary sources, this book represents a milestone in Babur’s biographical genre, essential for comprehending the ambitions of this enigmatic king.

It is currently on pre-order and will be released in India in mid-February.

About the author

Aabhas Maldahiyar, an Architect and Urban-Designer, amalgamates an intense love for History with captivating storytelling. He champions the seamless fusion of History and Architecture, recognizing their intrinsic connection in narrative creation. His architectural masterpieces, envisioned as repositories of future stories, ignite his diverse literary odyssey, spanning Marxist and Ex-Marxist phases. Initially embracing Marxism in architecture school, a visit to Ajanta's caves ignited a profound transformation. Shifting from Marxist literature to crafting fiction inspired by the Red Ideology, he delved deeper into the realms of History and Politics. His inaugural nonfiction, Modi Again: An Ex-Communist's Manifesto (2019), chronicles his remarkable journey. Babur: The Chessboard King stands as the inaugural volume in his forthcoming series on ‘Timurid Gurkaniyan’ (erroneously known as Mughals), founded on primary sources. A skilled reader of Persian manuscripts, Aabhas offers a distinctive lens to historical narratives.

My mother - Parambir Kaur

ਸਿੱਖ ਧਰਮ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਾਦਗੀ ਤੇ ਜਿੰਨਾ ਜ਼ੋਰ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ ਉਸ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਦਾ ਸ਼ਾਇਦ ਹੀ ਕਿਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਹੋਵੇ । ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਂ ਇਸਦਾ ਜਿਉਂਦਾ ਜਾਗਦਾ ਸਬੂਤ ਸੀ । ਸਾਦਾ ਖਾਣਾ ਪੀਣਾ, ਰਹਿਣ ਸਹਿਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਬਿਤਾਉਣ ਵਾਲੀ ਉਹ ਅਜਿਹੀ ਔਰਤ ਸੀ ਜਿਸਨੇ ਅਖ਼ੀਰ ਤੱਕ ਸਾਦਾ ਜੀਵਨ ਦਾ ਪੱਲਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਛੱਡਿਆ। ਸਾਦਾ ਤੇ ਸਕਾਰਾਤਮਕ ਨਜ਼ਰੀਆ ਵਾਲੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਦੀ ਜੀਵਨ ਜਾਚ ਸਿਖਾਉਂਦੀਆਂ ਕਿਤਾਬਾਂ, ਪ੍ਰੇਰਨਾਦਾਇਕ ਬਾਲ ਸਾਹਿਤ ਤੇ ਅੰਗਰੇਜ਼ੀ ਸਾਹਿਤ ਰਚਦੀ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਂ ਦਾ ਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਲੇਖ ਵੀ ਸਾਦਗੀ ਉੱਤੇ ਹੀ ਸੀ। 

ਨਾ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਵਿਚ, ਉਹ ਤਾਂ ਮਰਨ ਵਿਚ ਵੀ ਸਾਦਗੀ ਦਾ ਪ੍ਰਤੱਖ ਰੂਪ ਦੇ ਕੇ ਗਏ। ਉਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਜੀਵਨ ਵਿਚ ਮੈਂ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਦਾ ਨਿਰੋਲ ਤੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਰੂਪ ਦੇਖਿਆ ਹੈ, ਬਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਕਿਸੇ ਵਹਿਮ ਭਰਮ ਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਾਂਡਾਂ ਤੋਂ, ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਨੂੰ ਹਮੇਸ਼ਾਂ ਸਮਝ ਕੇ ਪੜ੍ਹਨ ਵਾਲੇ। 

ਆਪਣੇ ਆਖ਼ਰੀ ਸਾਹ ਲੈਣ ਤੋਂ ਪਹਿਲਾਂ ਉਹ ਆਪਣੀਆਂ ਇੱਛਾਵਾਂ ਲਿਖ ਕੇ ਦੇ ਗਏ ਸਨ। 

' ਸਸਕਾਰ ਤੇ ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਆਪਣੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਤੇ ਓਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਸਕੇ ਭਰਾ ਦੇ ਪਰਿਵਾਰ ਤੋਂ ਇਲਾਵਾ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੂੰ ਨਾ ਬੁਲਾਇਆ ਜਾਵੇ, ਇਹ ਕੋਈ ਰਸਮ ਨਾ ਬਣਾਈ ਜਾਵੇ। ਫੁੱਲ ਚੁਗਣ ਦੀ ਕੋਈ ਰਸਮ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੁੰਦੀ, ਬਲਕਿ ਸਾਰਾ ਅੰਗੀਠਾ ਸੰਭਾਲ ਕੇ ਸਭ ਤੋਂ ਨੇੜੇ ਵਾਲੇ ਵਗਦੇ ਪਾਣੀ ਵਿਚ ਵਹਾ ਦਿੱਤੀਆਂ ਜਾਣ। ਅੰਤਿਮ ਅਰਦਾਸ ਵਾਲੇ ਦਿਨ ਓਹਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਕੋਈ ਤਸਵੀਰ ਗੁਰੂਦਵਾਰੇ ਵਿਚ ਨਾ ਰੱਖੀ ਜਾਵੇ। ਅਖੰਡ ਪਾਠ ਨਾ ਰੱਖਿਆ ਜਾਵੇ, ਸਗੋਂ ਸਹਿਜ ਪਾਠ ਵੀ ਨਹੀਂ - ਕਿਉਂਕਿ ਓਹਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪਤਾ ਸੀ ਕਿ ਪਾਠ ਓਹੀ ਜਿਹੜਾ ਆਪ ਪੜ੍ਹ ਕੇ ਤੇ ਸਮਝ ਕੇ ਕੀਤਾ ਜਾਵੇ। ' 

ਅਜਿਹੀਆਂ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਦੇ ਧਾਰਨੀ , ਸਿਰਫ਼ ਆਪਣੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਹੀ ਨਹੀਂ, ਆਪਣੇ ਮਰਨ ਵਿਚ ਵੀ ਸਭ ਗੱਲਾਂ ਪੁਗਾ ਕੇ ਗਏ। 

ਓਹਨਾਂ ਦੀ ਦੌਲਤ, ਜਿਹੜੀ ਓਹਨਾਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਜ਼ਿੰਦਗੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਕਮਾਈ, ਉਹ ਅਸੀਂ ਹੁਣ ਤੱਕ ਕਈ ਤਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਨਾਲ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰ ਰਹੇ ਹਾਂ। ਜਿੱਥੇ ਜਿੱਥੇ ਓਹਨਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਰਚਨਾਵਾਂ ਛਪਦੀਆਂ ਸਨ, ਉਥੋਂ ਦੇ ਸੰਪਾਦਕਾਂ ਵਲੋਂ, ਤੇ ਓਹਨਾਂ ਦੇ ਪਾਠਕਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਜੋ ਸ਼ਾਨਦਾਰ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਂਜਲੀਆਂ ਮਿਲੀਆਂ ਓਹਨਾਂ ਸਭ ਦੇ ਅਸੀਂ ਤਹਿ ਦਿਲੋਂ ਧੰਨਵਾਦੀ ਹਾਂ। 

ਮੈਂ ਉਹ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਤੇ ਸ਼ਰਧਾਂਜਲੀਆਂ ਆਪਣੀ ਮਾਂ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰੋਫਾਈਲ ( Parambir Kaur ) ਤੋਂ ਸਾਂਝੀਆਂ ਕਰਨੀਆਂ ਚਾਹਾਂਗੀ ਤੇ ਜਲਦ ਹੀ ਕਰਾਂਗੀ। ਓਹ ਆਪਣੇ ਪਿੱਛੇ ਇਕ ਸ਼ਬਦਾਂ ਦਾ ਹਾਰਿਆ ਭਰਿਆ ਸੰਸਾਰ ਛੱਡ ਗਏ ਨੇ। ਓਹਨਾਂ ਸ਼ਬਦਾਂ ਦਾ ਜੀਵਨ ਭਰਪੂਰ ਤੇ ਸਕਾਰਾਤਮਕ ਹੋਣਾ ਹੀ ਸਭ ਕੁਛ ਹੈ। ਸਾਦਾ ਜੀਵਨ ਜਾਚ ਤੇ ਸਾਦਾ ਹੀ ਇਸ ਦੁਨੀਆਂ ਤੋਂ ਚਲੇ ਜਾਣਾ ਵੀ ਪ੍ਰੇਰਣਾ ਦਾ ਸਰੋਤ ਬਣਿਆ ਰਹੇਗਾ।

~ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਬੀਰ ਕੌਰ

Grief

Grief

By Amritbir Kaur

I miss her in more ways than is imaginable. Most of the time I can't even tell but there's always a sad strain running in the background. At times I have actually felt guilty about being happy without her. She should have been here. I had a lot to share with her. She was the only one with whom I used to discuss the classic English literature including Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Francis Bacon, G.K. Chesterton, G.B. Shaw, O Henry, Guy de Maupassant et al. 

I am even more saddened when I find the sad strains in how my daughter exhibits a change of behaviour. Kids are not just kids, let's stop underestimating them. They are far more mature than a parent can ever imagine. 

This sad strain plays heavy upon my mind even more when we are joyous. I have been very fortunate with Shubham being the strong pillar of support. But we can't change time or what has happened. We both often feel her laugh ringing in her ears when she used to thoroughly enjoy the jokes that Shubham used to crack especially for her. Our evening cup of coffee was always with her for the past more than 5 years now. 

She used to always call our team a 'formidable team' and we cherish that word for ourselves. Grief doesn't pass just like that! 

I wish I could playback time, I wish ...

On Watching Movies

 On Watching Movies

(By AMRITBIR KAUR)

Even a simple story line movie like 'Now You See Me' ends on such an exalted note that it seems unparalleled to any Bollywood movie. 

I don't know when this transition happened but now whenever I watch any Hindi web series or a movie I can't help but critically and technically analyse it and always find the lasting flavour lacking, or I discover a bad aftertaste. 

A few names that stand out in my mind among a large number are 'Devil Wears Prada' , 'Shawshank Redemption', 'Finding Forrester', 'Inception', 'Shutter Island', 'Pursuit of Happyness', ' Fault in our Stars', 'Goodwill Hunting ' ... The list could be endless. 

I'm not being cynical in my approach when I say that I had stopped investing money on Punjabi cinema with just a few exceptions like 'Angrez', 'Lahoriye' ( all Kudos to Amberdeep Singh). I find Hindi web series unpalatable. Even if I start watching one I cannot go beyond one or two episodes or cannot make it to the end. I can't help it but that's just me. 

This approach should not be misconstrued as a disgrace for Punjabi or Hindi content. I am a great admirer of meaningful content. 'A Wednesday ' has been unforgettable for me. 'New York' stands out for me even now, after so many years. 'Haider', 'Citylights', ‘Ghazi Attack’, ‘Maachis’, ‘Masaan’, '3 Idiots’ and many many more. 

I have experimented often with Punjabi and Hindi content just to make sure that preferences are not misplaced. Hence my opinion is not biased based on the absence of my exposure to such content. 

I have often been tempted to discuss my critique of the screenplay or the script with the director but that's of course a far fetched idea, hence, I have a brilliant listener in Shubham, who has always been my pillar and our relationship has gone from strength to strength. 

I have recently watched 'Kali Jota' too. Based on the review and the theme, I wanted to give it a try. Even if I praise the director for a different theme, still that doesn’t last long for me given the technical shortcomings that far outnumber the accolades. 

Wamiqa Gabbi and Sahib Singh were the two actors who have been underutilized in the movie. A serious theme was given such a shabby treatment that it fails to touch the chord as a successful movie. 

A film is not a stand alone entity of independent scenes. The scenes in the asylum where Neeru Bajwa is "unrecognisable" as per the fans, is a part of the movie and the not the film as a whole. The screenplay of the movie is full of lots of discrepancies

. 

The movie with a different and serious plot needed a serious treatment of the theme and not just playing with the emotions of the audience by inserting tidbits here and there for striking that emotional chord with the audience. 

But sadly, it's the audience where movies like 'Lal Singh Chadha' fall flat. The film was produced on a hefty budget and filmed over a period of three years. Although the movie flopped in the domestic market, it has become the highest Hindi grosser in the international market. I felt it to be a tragedy that such movies fail to make their space in the domestic market. 

There's a movie entitled 'Coach Carter'. Unlike a majority of other sports movies, this one ends on a note of losing the match. But you can't even imagine what lasting effect and after flavour it leaves behind. That's what defines a movie. The exalted emotions and not just the surface level emotions that some movies trigger in you.

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