Calm Amid Choas: The Role of Shah Ghulam 'Ali in the Revival of Sufi Traditions in the 19Th-Century India and Beyond

Byline: Tanvir Anjum The nineteenth century is considered to be one of the most eventful times in the history of the Indian Sub-continent. The latter half of the eighteenth and the first half of the nineteenth century was the period that witnessed the process of transition from the centuries-old Mughal rule to the colonial domination of the British, extending over a period of almost a century. Marked by a gradual but cataclysmic shift in the political arrangements, the era holds historical significance since the political transformation taking place at the centre and elsewhere was heralding changes in varied spheres of society as well. However, the gradual erosion of the political power of the Mughals was not accompanied by a complete decline in the social, cultural and religious spheres of the polity. Historical evidence bears ample testimony to the fact that despite political chaos and decay, there were certain strikingly observable signs of growth and vitality in varied spheres of the Indian society.