Bridging the gaps

A rare firsthand account from Fanny Parkes reveals the cultural and political dynamics of Mughal India during the early 19th century, particularly focusing on Agra Fort. Her extensive travels across northern India, facilitated by her husband's employment with an ice company, allowed her to observe Hindu festivals in Banaras, Muslim Muharram processions, and elite marriages, providing invaluable primary source material. Parkes also documented British misconduct, including the irreverence toward the Taj Mahal and the sale of Mughal artifacts from Agra Fort, alongside a claimed discovery of a secret grave within the palace. Her observations highlight the decline of the Mughal dynasty under British rule, offering a poignant narrative of cultural erasure and political adversity.

Malik, I. H. (2021). Bridging the gaps. Curating Lived Islam in the Muslim World, 95–113. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003173571-6