HT Picks; New Reads

The Suppression of the Santal Rebellion in Bengal, 1855 A book on the Santal Hul of 1855, a study of the state of the nation by an eminent intellectual, and a nun’s memoir -- all that on this week’s reading list. 369pp, ₹699; Bloomsbury of 1855 would today be remembered as the most serious uprising that the East India Company ever faced.) If not for the famous Indian mutiny-rebellion of 1857, the Santal “Hul” of 1855 would today be remembered as the most serious uprising that the East India Company ever faced. When India won independence and prepared to become the world’s largest democracy, the people, through their leaders and elected representatives, looked to create a nation built on the ideals of equality, liberty, and fraternity. He addresses debates about the idea, image, and personality of Ram throughout India’s life and history; analyses the fallout of Partition and the concept of Akhand Bharat; and delves into what Mahatma Gandhi stood for and against — all of them issues that are contested in today’s India.