This issue of Tasavvur is a labor of love from our guest-editor M. Aurangzeb Ahmad
I inherited my love of reading from my father, who was in the book business for half a century. However, my interest in historical fantasy developed much later and I wish that I had asked him about what he thought about all the works of fiction that he had read when he was alive, especially the 100 volume Tilism hoshruba that adorned his library. I grew up reading science fiction classics by Wells, Clarke, Asimov etc. I did not have much interest in fantasy until I read Roger Zelazny’s Lord of Light which to this day, I consider the best speculative fiction novel ever written. It is a genre defying piece of work. Another author who influenced my interest in historical fiction, not necessarily historical fiction, is Richard Powers whose Galatea 2.2 may have even subconsciously influenced my own research is behavioral modeling. We are what we read indeed.
History is supposed to be the chronicle of the past but more often than not it fails to capture the experiences of the dispossessed and the subterranean. Even the voices of the privileged and the powerful are not spared the ravages of times, texts can become lost or even destroyed. For me this is where historical fiction comes into play, to give voice to the voiceless and to animate the past. History may be a record of events but historical fiction, especially speculative fiction, can illuminate truths and revelations which may hide in the nooks and crannies of the past. I was greatly excited when Tehseen approached me about coediting a special issue of Tasuvvur on Historical Fantasy and Alternative History. While the default setting for fantasy is either historical or is inspired by a historical setting, alternative history is a genre which has been scarcely explored in the context of South Asia. Consequently, putting this issue together has been quite pleasurable and I hope that it equally pleasurable for the readers.
The current issue is brimming with fascinating tales: In Sami Shah’s A Study in Satyagraha is a superbly done alternative history where familiar faces from India’s freedom struggle. In Alex Kreis’ Shah Jahan Contemplates The Book of Decrees art, history, and fate collide in an unexpected manner. Arfa Mirza’s The Maneater of Mysore is an unusual twist on the life of eponymous Tipu Sultan. From the Wefts of a Singing Stone by Aditya Sundararajan takes us back to the time of the Indus Valley Civilization and exhorts us to imagine how it may have steered towards its perigee. Ash Arya’s Godbound is a remarkable retelling of Meera Bai where it seamlessly weaves quotes from her poetry. Where the two oceans meet: The Sultanate of Ganesha is an article written like a Wikipedia like entry from an alternate history that imagines the evolution of India from the medieval era to the present day.
Lastly, I would like to thank the Tasavvur team, readers and contributors in keeping the spirit of speculative fiction in South Asia alive. My gratitude to Tehseen Baweja for giving me the opportunity to co-edit this issue. The subcontinent has a marvelous tradition of speculative thinking and one can be it shine in the pages of this issue.
M. Aurangzeb Ahmad