Thread : Dialogue between Heer and Qazi before marriage (excerpt from Heer -Waris shah)

It is a technique of Waris shah's narrative that he employs a dialogue between a protagonist and an institution re-presenter (Qazi here). Here Waris Shah depicts Heer as a very strong personality. Let me show how.
But first let me put things in perspective.
Heer debate with Qazi is equivalent in modern times to small time accused arguing with high court judge and outwitting him/her in field of jurisprudence.

Life lesson from Heer (Waris shah)

One of the disliked character in story of Heer-Ranjha is that of kaddon. But contrary to that on reading Waris Shah, I developed a touch of sympathy for him.

Let me explain how. ✓ First of all this must be understood that Kaddon is crippled man (one legged). That type of individual in agriculture/ pastoral society is not fit for production & so is always undervalued. These individuals always bargain their value from trading information here and there.

Crossover Tales : In this thread I will explore couple of folk tales which depicts the cross over of old India to islamic faith. The readers are requested not to reduce the process to simple binary debate. There are enough complexities. Please avoid easy conclusions here.. While reading I came across a curious term Hussaini Brahmins. This looks to me as an oxymoron. I decided to do some quick research on it. I fund that these were some sects of Brahmins of Lahore city in undivided Punjab before 1947.

Thread : Partition of Punjab- Timeline 1947

Partition of Punjab in 1947 was the subset of partition of India. But it has certain peculiar features. The most obvious was the presence of a third community- Sikhs- which was not the case in any of the province of undivided India. In Punjab there was Unionist party- different from both Congress and Muslim league — claiming itself to be a party of farmers and also ruled Punjab between 1937-42.

In the work below we will try to put a spot light on six months before August 47 leading to the tragic partition.

Thread:

This thread tries to capture what pressure or tussle was happening in militant side during and before the pressure operation Blue Star in 1984 and how it played out even latter. After becoming a head of damdami taksal Bindranwala soon went into clash with Nirankari. Give a fiery speech against them.

The thread on #Nihangs.

The act of chopping off the  hands of police personnel by one of  #Nihangs is talk of social media. The act itself smacks of barbaric cruelty & deserves maximum condemnation. But the response to act in Social media- ranging from rise of Khalistan movement to anti-hindu nature of #Nihangs -   betrays poor social understanding.
In this thread I will try refute both the misconception & built a case why we should do more to  adjust #Nihangs in new world.

Superb thread by  @shrikanth_krish (as expected ) . He touches a delicate theme and did fine analysis. In sprit of intellectual engagement (and not in disagreement), there are points where my own understanding is different.
These are as follows..

https://twitter.com/shrikanth_krish/status/1153826550720139264

First of all the conquest of sindh in 8th cen was done mainly in spirit of plunder and loot. The spirit prevailed for good 300 -400 years. Many intrusions was made from middle East - Gauri & Ghaznvi are 2 well known names.

Comparison of 2 societies : #Iran & indian Punjab for decades of 70-80's

✓ Both societies were highly religious. Iran almost all in Shia Islam but Punjab majorly in Sikhs and Hindu faith. ✓ 70's saw both societies in some form of richness. Punjab in post green revolution and Iran in post oil boom richness.

✓ Both societies were struggling with modernity. Among other currents both have pockets of traction for communist movement.