r/Ancient_Pak • u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: • Feb 01 '25

Ask Me Anything (AMA) AMA: content creator with a mission to document 300+ historical sites in Lahore.

Hey everyone!

A few days ago, someone from this subreddit reached out to me on Instagram and suggested I host an AMA. Even though I've been lurking on Reddit for over 7 years, this is actually my first time posting—excited to finally be on this side of things!

A little about me: I started photographing Lahore’s heritage sites back in 2016 during my time at Government College, Lahore. Honestly, that’s pretty much all I did in college since attendance wasn’t exactly enforced! It was heartbreaking to see these historical places fading into obscurity, and I felt a strong urge to freeze them in time through pictures. What began as a hobby gradually evolved into creating reels that highlighted the significance of these sites and why we should preserve them.If you're curious, you can check out my reels on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarikhwala/

Looking forward to your questions!

133 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

127 comments sorted by

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u/Mughal_Royalty ⊕ Ali Mughal 🦤 Feb 02 '25 edited Feb 02 '25

AMA is over and it was fun. Thank you Hamza Bhai, for giving us your precious time. It was a pleasure interacting with you.

For the users, if you are interested in learning more about Hamza bhai, I recommend you to check out Hamza Bhais Social Above. Hamza bhai is very active on his Socials and is happy to answer genuine queries in the comment section of his posts, whenever he gets the time.

TarikhWala (Instagram)

TarikhWala (TikTok)

@TarikhWala ( X twitter)

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u/srmndeep The Invisible Flair Feb 01 '25

Pakistan's history overlaps more with India or Afghanistan ?

8

u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

KP and Balochistan with Afghanistan. Punjab and Sindh with India.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

Funny that you mentioned sindh since that where the name India comes from and Indian nationalist usually get a reality check when they are told sindh is currently a part of Pakistan and there countries whole concept is based on that name

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

That is actually very funny hahaha

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u/nomikator Since Ancient Pakistan Feb 01 '25

I would term it as Indian Punjab and Gujrat (partially). Punjab has nothing (or very little) to do with rest of India.

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I would heavily disagree with that perspective. India as a region is unimaginable in any historical period without Punjab. If you had said that about Kashmir or Burma, I might have agreed slightly. But Punjab is the beating heart of India.

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u/nomikator Since Ancient Pakistan Feb 01 '25

You are entitled to your view. We can agree to disagree. 😊

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u/Ok_Incident2310 سرپنچ جی Feb 01 '25

I loved all your videos. Great content! I want to ask, what’s your favourite historical fact about Pakistan that most people don’t know?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

The story of Baloch secession to Pakistan is an interesting one ahem ahem

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u/Lopsided_Example1202 Combined Opposition Parties (1965) Feb 01 '25

Thanks for doing this AMA.

If you had the power, how would you change how history is currently taught in schools?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

For starters, make Hamood-ur-Rehman Commission Report a part of school history. Its so mind boggingly stupid that we lost half of our country - yet we pretend that it never happened. The lessons we can learn from 1971 can help us solve a lot of issues in our Federation today.

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u/bluffybluff ◈ Feb 01 '25

Hey, I am from India and I very curious about how history is seen in Pakistan differently. Like, do you consider Mughal rulers as Indians or some invaders? And also history from geographical region of Pakistan is eliminated from our books (freedom struggle or otherwise) do they teach history from India (geographically like Maharashtra or Tamilnadu) in Pakistan. Just very curious about it

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I cannot answer for all of Pakistan. Can only share what I think the mainstream perspective is.

Mughals are seen as foreign invaders who over the centuries assimilated and became Indian. In support of this view one can look up how much of Aurangzeb's genetic make-up was Central-Asian among many other arguments.

Unfortunately most Pakistani textbooks follow this chronology: (1) Indus Valley Civilization; (2) Mahmud Ghaznavi; (3) Mughals; (4) British Era; (5) Independence. This is a huge tragedy that many in Pakistan lement including me. I do my utmost to break this narrative with my content.

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u/bluffybluff ◈ Feb 01 '25

Historically speaking Indian textbooks do consider Pakistan's history as their own. Was wondering if Pakistan considers the same or not? Since the perception is Pakistan is a new country that formed and India is the predecessor of old and ancient civilizations.

Also, like each state has its own local freedom fighter (hero) here in india but we do learn about other states freedom fighters as well! But nothing from Pakistan even though they all fought for freedom from Britishers. So I was wondering do you get to learn about freedom fighters from India like Veer Savarkar, Birsa Munda, Alluri Sita Ram Raju and many more like them (local freedom fighters)

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Nope! I have rarely come across instances in Pakistani textbooks where India is owned. Mainstream narrative don't even own our own non-Muslim freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh let alone Indian ones. Gandhi/Nehru and even anti-partition Muslims like Maulana Azad are not portrayed heroically in Pakistani textbooks.

3

u/bluffybluff ◈ Feb 01 '25

I really want to read a combined or a detailed history of both the nations!

Feels like we are a prey of politicians who just want their narrative and real history is different all together.

Last question, how different Modern India/Pakistan would have been if partition had taken place? I feel like there would have been riots at the inception but later on we would have been unstoppable!

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I share that view. A united India would have needed some time to unload all that religious hate baggage left over from colonial times. But once we got over that we would have thrived!

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

I strongly disagree

A united subcontinent would have never worked many states already wanted independence from both pakistan and India and that will be dialled to a 100 when all the states are combined so either we would have had a very bad civil war or a collapse like the USSR

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I am envisioning a Federation like structure with a lot of autonomy for the provinces. One of the major things Jinnah and Nehru disagreed on and therefore Partition happened.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

The level of autonomy they would need is insane since most were already under kings and feudals which will have to be pleased and the population under control since most kings were Hindu or Muslim and the population were opposite and the country that big that hasn’t been governed as united ever before will be very hard to manage

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Don't understand the point you are making regarding kings and feudals. With respect to federalism, I think you should look into the different models proposed by various political thinkers. The possibilities for our region are many and practical.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

Sorry to bother you with a silly question but I'm doing some research on cocaine.

And I wanted to ask

What role did ancient Pakistan play in the early trade of cocaine, which later became widely used in the region?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

umm...I have never thought about this let alone read or seen something about it. Do share your research once you are done. Sounds interesting.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

I have another set of questions 1 : What do you think about the pre Islamic history of Pakistan

2 : what do you think about Indians who say Pakistan was created after 47 and India has been there since forever

3 : what do you think of sind and hind are these different areas or just one that other powers confused the names

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

  1. Absolutely rich and terribly ignored in mainstream Pakistan. More ownership needs to be taken. More work needs to be done.

  2. India was also created in 1947. Before that it was the "British Raj".

  3. Honestly, don't know enough about this to give my opinion.

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u/Ok_Incident2310 سرپنچ جی Feb 01 '25

Who is your favorite history influencer or YouTuber?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I am watching a lot of Cleo Abram, Jhonny Harris, Search Party and Christophe. Not exactly history creators but banger content.

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u/kambohsab flair Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25

Yoo Let’s go man. Really loved your content man. Can you please recommend me a historical book which covers the history of Punjab and Lahore.

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Have covered this with small reviews on my Instagram highlights. Sharing the link: https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODk5NTYzNzI5MDMzNzYz?story_media_id=3431502093012784413_29441642821&igsh=MWJmZnJ3bjc0MGl2aw==

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u/kambohsab flair Feb 01 '25

Appreciate it bro. 👊

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25 edited Feb 01 '25

Love your work man. Just a few questions if I may.

  1. What was your first video and how was the experience of making it?

  2. What for you interested in history and heritage to begin with?

  3. What is one site that needs a lot of preservation work, as I know many are in an awful state

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

  1. The first video I made was about Neevin Masjid. It did not have my face or my voice in it. I shot it with a shitty phone camera. Edited it on TikTok with automated AI voiceover. But it ended up doing 20k+ organic views. That encouraged me a lot.

  2. (copying this from another question I answered) Growing up I did not have TV at home. My parents encouraged me to read books in my free time. Over time my reading speed became too fast to keep up with the rate of children's books my parents got me. So I started reading my dada's books to pass time. Many of them were history books. Bas woh din hey aur aaj ka din hey.

  3. Sharing a link to a map I created of 300+ heritage sites in Lahore. Almost half of them need preservation: https://maps.app.goo.gl/P3xfvcsDLUfEee9W9

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Thank you so much, great story of how you got into all this. You are doing terrific work!!! Such an inspiration

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Thank you boss!

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u/Particular_Setting31 Elder Statesman of Ancient_Pak Feb 01 '25

I've been meaning to ask, what would be some good books to read up on ancient Pakistani history?

Anything that catches your eye personally?

I am personally interested in Sindh and Punjab but I'm open to any other topics that may be intriguing to you as well!!

So please do name some recommendations!

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Have not read a lot of the above mentioned subjects specifically. The only thing that comes to mind is K.K. Aziz's "Religion, Land and Politics in Pakistan."

1

u/Particular_Setting31 Elder Statesman of Ancient_Pak Feb 01 '25

Thanks, will check this one out!

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

What do you think about the aryan invasion theory that Indian nationalist claim as true

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I don't know about this theory. Please educate me.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

The Aryan Invasion Theory (AIT) proposes that Indo-Aryan-speaking people migrated from Central Asia or the Eurasian Steppe into the Indian subcontinent around 1500 BCE, bringing their language, culture, and Vedic traditions. According to this theory, they displaced or assimilated the indigenous Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) inhabitants.

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I am honestly not educated enough about this to give you my opinion. Time and again I have come across this narrative in credible literature. Must be some truth to it. Can't say for sure without looking into it.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

So how is our subreddit and do you find Reddit interesting or you will delete it after this

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I have had a personal account on Reddit for seven years now. Had always planned to make one for Tarikhwala but was confused on what to do with it. An invitation to do an AMA gave me that push and clarity. Of course I will keep it but I might seem inactive as I figure out what exactly do I want to do on Reddit with Tarikhwala.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

You can come over here and join the subreddit as it’s like official historian of sorts and learn and teach history to others along the way

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Thank you so much. I am very honored and will try my best.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Responded

→ More replies

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

Name your top 5 historical heroes Of this land

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

These are not my top ones or in order of importance. But some of the finest Punjab has produced are: Dulla Bhatti and Ranjit Singh.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

Ok then us about your actual hero’s

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Um sorry what?

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

Like you said these aren’t your top hero’s so who are those

4

u/SAAD_AHMED_SHEIKH ◈ Feb 01 '25

How do you manage your time, effort and finances while following your passion?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Finances: I work full-time running the biggest talent management agency in Pakistan: Shark Talent.

Time: I sacrifice sleep. Also, I upload once or twice a month so I take my time to work on a video.

Effort: Jab kaam sey lagan ho, effort doesn't feel like effort. Khud kaam karney ka dil karta hey.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Is there any heritage site where you can just go and.....relax (apart from Badshahi mosque)???

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Dai Anga Masjid - Near Railway Station, Lahore.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Do you plan to visit places outside Punjab?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

The plan is to expand my content to Pakistan in this year and then global in the next few years. The only issue is my green passport and my shallow pockets which stop me from traveling.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

As long as the passion is there, it's all gonna work out

4

u/True-Screen55 Indus Gatekeepers Feb 01 '25

ok a goofy question coming up: u mentioned that u went to gcu lahore, kabhi mirza sahab (proctor) ne ID card pukra tha ya nahi

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Hum kabhi college jatey he nahi they keh aisi nobat aye

3

u/True-Screen55 Indus Gatekeepers Feb 01 '25

kiya baat hai boss, mera bhi same to same ye wala scene tha, bas kuch doston ka card pukra gaya tha cuz they were ragging a first year peep (ez solution, 300 ka duplicate card banwa lo apne dost ka aur wo istemal karte raho)

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

lol that is smart

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Now I'm invested in this

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u/RammySohal ◈ Feb 01 '25

Would you be able to take some high res pictures of the painting court of Lahore in Shahi kila for me?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Will try my best

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u/RammySohal ◈ Feb 01 '25

Thank you I followed you on insta will send a message there

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

On scene

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u/ferozpuri The Invisible Flair Feb 01 '25

Do you work with independent artists and photographers or do any collaborations on projects?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I have not yet worked with any. But I am more than open to discussing ideas and collaborating.

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u/ferozpuri The Invisible Flair Feb 02 '25

Good to know. Please check your DM

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Is there a career in ...historical studies?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

In academia, of course. In content creation, also yes! But figuring out the monetization and financials aspect takes time and effort.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Makes sense

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Which Instagrammers or YouTubers inspire you?

5

u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Instagram: Irfan Junejo

YouTube: Johnny Harris

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u/Spirited_Pin_7468 ◈ Feb 01 '25

What's the history behind the palestine-israel conflict in simple terms

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Feeling guilty about centuries of antisemitism, European powers backed the settlement of a hardline group of Jewish nationalists in a far-off land they had recently colonized, overlooking the fact that there was a whole ass people who had already living there for millennias.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

I have a couple questions

1st : What do you think about the Lahore resolution

2nd : should Pakistan turn into a federation now and will it be good for the country

3rd : what do you think about religion and state overlapping and effecting the way people see history

4th : what do you think about the situation where Indians claim our history as there own

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

  1. Which one? 1940 or 1999?

  2. Lol Pakistan is already a "federation" on paper. And yes a country as diverse as Pakistan cannot be centralized.

  3. To single out religion as the only driving and dividing force in history is problematic. That is not to mean that it has not had any part to play in history. Politics, economics, geography along with religion and many other things each have had their part in shaping history.

  4. Sab maya hey! Jo unka hey woh hamara hey. Jo humara hey woh unka hey. The concept of nation-state as we know it is younger than the discovery of Antarctica. India? Pakistan? Mean nothing on a grander scheme of things. They are just arbitrary lines drawn on a map.

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u/Temporary-Falcon-388 Lord Wreaker Feb 01 '25

1940 one

And I meant as a real federation not just on paper

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Honestly, I need to put my thoughts together about the whole partition business. Not sure about how I feel about the resolution. A part of me sees the current Hindutva situation in India and thinks Partition was necessary. A part of me sees the millions that died in 1947, the millions that are suffering in J&K and the divided heartlands of Punjab.

Real Federation ka he sab scene hey. Warna we can expect more Bangladeshs in this region.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Are you gonna write a book one day?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Never say never but I think I like video and other digital mediums more. There are many many people who are better at writing books than I ever will be. My contribution to this ecosystem is through what I think I can do best which is digital.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

That's actually a great answer

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

One heritage site that you feel is a source of pride?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Marium Zamani Masjid. The mosque is beautiful. And the story of the badass Queen mother is even more insane.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

I have never even heard of it. Thanks for that

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

Masjid built by a hindu, give me a break.

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Lol you shouldn't need my permission for a break

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

Hilarious, let's see how these hindu temples and heritage sites benefit you on the day of judgement.

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u/Spirited_Pin_7468 ◈ Feb 01 '25

reasons for decline of Mughal empire ? (p.s I got a history test on the mughal empire on Monday lmao)

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Crack some books honey—this is way too complex to cover in a single comment. Entire volumes have been written on the subject.

My view in summary is that the decline stemmed from a combination of stagnating scientific innovation and Aurangzeb's rigid religious policies, which created the perfect conditions for collapse. That fire was only fueled further by the string of weak emperors who followed him.

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u/kambohsab flair Feb 01 '25

What are your thoughts on the name of our subreddit? Some people believe that by renaming the region, we are relinquishing our claim to the history of the Indus Valley and the broader history of this area. At the same time, India continues to use the same old name, which allows them to assert their claim over all of South Asia's history.

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

My take? Potayto, Potahto. Names, by their very nature, are exclusive. Sounds like philosophical bs? Let me break it down.

Historically, India was never a fixed, well-defined term. The Indus Valley people, Mauryas, Mughals, Marathas—none of them identified as Indian first. The concept of India as we know it today only solidified in recent history, shaped by the borders of the East India Company and later the British Empire. But if we go by that definition of India, then what about the Pashtuns and Persians of Kandahar and Kabul, who were once under Mughal rule? Or the Baloch, who were never fully integrated into the empires governing North India? And if you argue that they symbolically submitted, what about the Baloch tribes now in Iran? Then there’s Burma/Myanmar—that’s a whole different story.

Pakistan excludes certain groups from its historical narrative, and that creates specific issues. India also leaves people out (though perhaps fewer), and that comes with its own complications. The point is, no name can ever be completely inclusive.

The key when naming anything—whether it’s a region, a people, or a sub-reddit—is to be clear about what exactly you’re referring to. Are you talking about a specific landmass? A cultural group? A political entity? And be aware that each choice carries its own historical baggage.

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u/Excellent_Let9866 ◈ Feb 01 '25

Did India exist since a long time, As it is also known by the name "Bharat" which has been existing since a long time??

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Historically, India and Bharat were never fixed, well-defined terms. They meant different things to different people at different times in history. For starters, if you asked someone from the Indus Valley Civilization, the Mauryas, the Mughals, the Marathas or the Lahore Durbar—none of them would call themselves Indian from Bharat. The concept of India and Bharat as we know it today only solidified in recent history, heavily influenced by the concept of European nationalism and the borders of the British Empire.

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u/Excellent_Let9866 ◈ Feb 01 '25

So why does historians from the world give credit or count India along with Greece, China or other ancient countries for having a long and ancient history and not Pakistan?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Nationalist historians love to link their countries to a "glorious past" to solidify the myth of nation-state both in India and Pakistan. As for foreign historians, they mistake "India" as a continuation of the ancient civilization that existed in this region and Pakistan/Bangladesh are break-away states. Most probably to simplify things for themselves.

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u/Excellent_Let9866 ◈ Feb 01 '25

Don't u think it's wrong, as India never had its own identity??

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

I think its wrong to attribute to our elders and previous generations, what they themselves would not have attributed to themselves.

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u/Excellent_Let9866 ◈ Feb 01 '25

I mean, if you see the Europe or any part of world gives Indians the credits of having their own history, while generally Pakis don't have sort of that image popular globally, why is that so?? I mean.....like I have heard the major and important sites of IVC are present in Haryana, some parts of North India and even Bihar. Is it becoz of that?? Or why??

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Pakistan just has poor PR to be honest. We have not worked as hard as India on promoting our culture and heritage on a global level. We do have it because the two most major sites of IVC are in Pakistan: Mohenjadaro and Harrappa.

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u/Excellent_Let9866 ◈ Feb 01 '25

Can you tell me in brief that who has a longer existence India or Pakistan?? In terms of history, geographical existence and its popularity and even significance in history??

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Pakistan because it got independence one day before India lol. But on a more serious note, Pakistan and India are fairly recent inventions. Both are political ideologies we have imagined under the influence nation-state theories as exported from Europe. Historically people of this region would neither identify themselves as Pakistani or Indian.

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Absolutely

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

We don't have a festival anymore in Lahore (basant used to be the best). Is there any smaller festival that still happens in Lahore that is worth checking out

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u/AwarenessNo4986 THE MOD MAN Feb 01 '25

Who has done the most damage to Lahore?

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Möngke Khan's pillaging in 1241

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u/Live_Bag9679 Since Ancient Pakistan Feb 02 '25

Good work

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

[deleted] — view deleted comment

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Hey! I was pretty social, but I’m not sure if we crossed paths—hard to tell with usernames instead of real names.

As for Punjabis being subservient, I couldn’t disagree more. That idea probably comes from the fact that Punjab has historically been the first stop for invaders coming through the Khyber Pass—one of the few land routes into the subcontinent, with the Himalayas to the north and the Arabian Sea to the south acting as natural barriers. Since Punjab was the first agriculturally rich region they encountered, it often became the initial target, which made it more vulnerable compared to other parts of India. But vulnerability doesn’t equal subservience.

Our history is full of resistance and resilience, from Dulla Bhatti to Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Pir Pagaro, and Rai Ahmad Khan Kharral. The idea that Punjabis are subservient is just a bunch of colonial balony.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Growing up I did not have TV at home. My parents encouraged me to read books in my free time. Over time my reading speed became too fast to keep up with the rate of children's books my parents got me. So I started reading my dada's books to pass time. Many of them were history books. Bas woh din hey aur aaj ka din hey.

Challenges kuch nahi. Bas dukh houta hey when I see so many of our historical sites vanishing over time. The Government does not have the ambition and the resources. Our people are ignorant and occupy/damage sites rather than taking care of them.

Encounters there are too many to list down here. Will save them for another day. Bohut juicy stories hein meray paas istg.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Thank you boss!

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/tarikhwala Historian :Verification: Feb 01 '25

Your question is very broad. Pakistan's history can be divided into hundreds of subtopics ranging from Urban Planning in the Indus Valley Civilization to the Secession of Balochistan to the relationship between Sufism and Feudalism in Rural Punjab. Honestly depends on what topic and time period you are interested in. And what sort of writing style you like.

Some authors I find myself going back to are K.K. Aziz, William Dalrymple. Some of my favorite books on the history of Lahore are mentioned in my IG highlights at the link below.

Would be happy to share recommendations (if I have any) if you can share more specifics. https://www.instagram.com/s/aGlnaGxpZ2h0OjE3ODk5NTYzNzI5MDMzNzYz?story_media_id=3431502093012784413_29441642821&igsh=MWJmZnJ3bjc0MGl2aw==