Oitihasik Anoitihasik by Shripantha [Hardcover]

It was an unbelievable era. The vast land of India was then under British control, or more precisely, it was subjugated to foreign rulers. Amidst this, there were sporadic appearances of white colonial kings here and there. In their kingdom, they were the ultimate rulers, creating their own currency. These were not just "kings," but many of these white rulers lived with extravagance and indulgence much like our nawabs. They were the "white nawabs". They maintained harems, and Indian courtesans were perhaps kept to entertain them, becoming the "royal dancers". Their favorite dish? The Indian curry. During these mingling days, the divisions of king and subjects, of black and white, seemed to fade. Thus, a new community emerged within India's multi-colored society—the Anglo-Indians. Not only that, but an English woman, if she was in India, would often be referred to as a "yellow Brahmin", and a love-struck white man might call himself a "white Brahmin" in his own words. A beautiful young woman, who had fallen in love with India, was poetically transformed in the poems of the day. She seemed to embody Rati, the goddess of love. The influence of the English on India was not just in politics, but it also stirred the Indian mind. English education, steam engines, callous ships, cars, telegraphs—a world of modernity and excitement brought by foreign invaders. The new addiction was the fascination with the British, and the desire to learn English and dress in English clothes became the new fashion. Some even dreamed of becoming a "Sahib" themselves, singing in Ramprasad’s style, "Now, I'll become a Sahib". All of this is now history. Historical events, not fabricated tales. Yet, it is non-historical, as these incidents often escaped the notice of the official historians. These events, lying in the corners of history, have been gathered and presented by Sriapanth in this unique, colorful historical narrative. He proves that footnotes cannot be ignored, and sometimes even the rubbish of history is worth exploring.