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Agra's unknown past

A book that shows there is more to Agra than the Taj Mahal

Here is a book that takes Agra out of the coffee table tomes. A cursory read of "Agra - Rambles and Recollections of Thomas Smith" by Chronicle Books tells how journalism can be engaging and informative at the same time.

Thomas Smith (1910-1995), an eminent journalist, began his career with The Statesman, before representing The Englishman and several other newspapers and agencies, including Reuters and PTI.

There was hardly any aspect concerning Agra that escaped his notice. Take the story of the mosque that killed Sher Shah's camels. It tells the story of how Sher Shah came to Agra. He allowed his camel drivers to stable their camels in the mosque of the saint, Shah Wilayat. The saint could not tolerate this and the mosque sank, killing the camels on the spot. Sher Shah died in an explosion some time later.

Thomas' son, R.V. Smith, who has written the preface, says, "History books can't include all these details. Such stories are often folklore. Even today if you go to the Nai Ki Mandi area in Agra, people will tell you the story of the saint."

The initiation

Smith says, "My father was initiated into journalism by Nawab Mohammed Faiyaz Khan Sherwani, who took a degree in journalism from Harvard in 1921. Now the Nawab could not write beyond a few articles and opinion pieces because of his stature. So he used to guide my father to cover interesting things, which he wanted people to know."

Though his father covered political issues, as well and had the distinction of interviewing the likes of Jawarhal Lal Nehru and Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Smith feels it is his creative writing that brought to focus the little known facts about the city, which was more difficult.

Shailaja Kathuria, who has edited the book, in her introduction says in coffee table books the content is restricted to well-known Mughal buildings. "Thomas Smith's writings not only lend a fresh perspective to all that is familiar but also let us experience an Agra we never knew existed." True, if you want to know about Mubarik Manzil, Kala Mahal, Rumi Haveli and the mausoleum of Diwanji Begum or for that matter the bard of Agra — Surdas — just turn to Thomas Smith's writings.

ANUJ KUMAR

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