What do Ottoman Cairo, Istanbul, Edirne, Mughal Delhi and Qutub Shahi Hyderabad have in common? In the 1600s, they were all home to some of the best hospitals in the world. Remarkably, Hyderabad’s Dar-ul-Shifa still stands today, though in a fairly neglected state. On a bright Sunday morning earlier this year, I joined a heritage walk through the Dar-ul-Shifa locality, the area which takes its name from this very building.
In the early 16th century the mere rumor of spotting Ottoman ships off the coast of an enemy city would send shivers down other empires. During this time and at several other points in history, the Ottoman Empire was arguably the world’s most powerful empire, distinguished by its vast territorial extent, military might, economic strength, and extraordinary cultural achievement. One person most responsible for this was Sultan Selim who ruled from 1512 to 1520. This book traces his life, his conquests, the prevailing conditions in Europe and the New World before and during his reign and how the equations between Muslims and Christians played out from the world-changing events of the 1490s.
The longest river in the world travels a distance of around 7000s kms in north east Africa before it empties into the Mediterranean Sea. 95% of Egypt’s population lives within just a few kilometers of the this river and its delta. The ancient Egyptians considered it divine, a gift from the gods. This is Nile, River of the Gods. For the longest time nobody knew where this massive river originated from. This book traces the journeys of explorers who finally uncovered this mystery in the 1850s.
One of my main reasons for visiting Tofino was to indulge in an activity called ‘Storm Watching’, which is when you go to a beach during a storm and watch the rough seas with huge waves. Some do it from the safety of a hotel near the beach and some from the beach itself. I was interested in the latter as it’s more adventurous as well as more affordable.
Few characters receive immediate and warm praise from Holmes as Dr. Mortimer does in The Hound of the Baskervilles. Of the four novels, The Hound of the Baskervilles remains my top favorite and this opening scene with Dr. Mortimer is a big reason why. In this post I will be briefly sharing my thoughts on the four novels featuring Sherlock Holmes.
Mohammed Iqbal, a famous Urdu philosopher-poet, wrote, in one of most famous poems, the following lines
Sitaro se aagey jahan aur bhi hai
Abhi Ishq ke imtihaan aur bhi hai
Meaning, there are more worlds beyond the stars, more battles awaiting you in life.
One lazy Sunday afternoon in February this year our friend group decided to meetup at a restaurant in Port Moody. I thought this was a good opportunity to check out any local attractions and the PoMo Museum seemed to be the best bet.
2025 was not a good year for me. The year started off brightly but ended up on a disappointing note. Life took a very unexpected …
A roundup of the books that broadened my understanding and fueled my curiosity this year.
