The book covers pivotal battles from the days of Chhatrapati Shivaji to the last Peshwa, Bajirao II. Pratapgad, Salher, Palkhed, Bhopal, Vasai, Rakshasbhuvan, Wadgaon, Delhi, Laswari and more...
Hinduism faced a calamity due to Khilji invasion. Temples were broken, pilgrimage centres rendered desolate. The Bhakti movement, with its focus on simplicity kept people within the Hindu fold.
Swami Vivekanand sailed on this ship - The S.S Empress of India for his famous 11th September Chicago speech.
It continued to ply the far East - Canada route till 1914.
That year, it was purchased by the Maharaja of Gwalior and converted into a hospital ship for the war.
It was renamed S.S Loyalty.
The refitting and renaming was done by Jan 1915.
My own great grandfather was probably associated with this Hospital ship Loyalty. He was Civil Surgeon Gwalior and also an Officer in the Medical Corps (3rd Gwalior Imperial Service Infantry)
There is a history written in the books, on letters on stones etc..
There is another, of tales and fables. It won't stand empirical scrutiny, but that is not the point.
These tales tell us more about why a person is adulated than any number of letters can.
" Maharana Pratap killed tigers with bare hands"
Mostly improbable. But what we need to understand is why Maharana was associated with such superhuman power. Any random person isn't spoken about in the same terms.
So what created this respect in the PEOPLE'S mind ?