Late at the Library: Mughal Nites
Fri 9 Nov 2012, 19.30 - 22.00, British Library
Price: £7.50 / £5 concessions
Enjoy an extraordinary night of music, performance and spectacle inspired by a party at a Mughal palace. Join DJ Ritu and guests who will be hosting a Kuch Kuch party with British Library Artist in Residence Christopher Green, mehndi artists from Ash Kumar, performance by outdoor specialist Nutkhut, installations, demonstrations and lots more. A bar and Indian street food will also be available.
Presented in association with the South Asian Literature Festival.
Exploring India: The Story of a Nation
Mon 5 Nov 2012, 18.30 - 19.45, British Library
Price: £7.50 / £5 concessions
For non-Indians, the challenge of writing about India is often fraught with the prospect of a critical reception. Yet such writing arguably offers a fresh perspective and new insights. Is India uniquely difficult to write about when you are perceived as an outsider? The event will highlight the intricate challenges in reporting as explorers, with a discussion by a panel of highly regarded speakers: Michael Wood, Patrick French, Roy Moxham, Alex von Tunzelmann and Salil Tripathi (moderator).
Presented in association with the South Asian Literature Festival
Makings of an Empire: The Mark of the Mughals on South Asia
Fri 9 Nov 2012, 18.30 - 20.00, British Library
Price: £7.50 / £5 concessions
Among the most striking examples of Mughal heritage are the many beautiful buildings that were constructed in the Mughal style, where the merging of Persian and Indian cultures created some of the world's best-known monuments. This combination of influences can also be seen in the arts, cuisine, fashion and language, as well in thought, politics, warfare, religious attitudes and lifestyle. Join an esteemed panel of speakers to discuss the large and prominent mark left by the Mughals on the subcontinent.
The Last Mughal in Words and Music
Fri 16 Nov 2012, 18.30 - 22.00, British Library
Price: £7.50 / £5 concessions
Celebrated author William Dalrymple reads from his award-winning book, The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857, accompanied by North Indian vocalist Vidya Shah. This evocative evening celebrates the bygone era of India's last Mughals, bringing to life a world of emperors, poets, courtesans, politics, bayonets, intrigue and love through word, poetry and music.
From the Ruins of Empire
Mon 26 Nov 2012, 18.30 - 20.00, British Library
Price: £7.50 / £5 concessions
The Victorian period, often viewed in the West as a time of self-confident progress, was experienced by many Asians as a catastrophe. As the British gunned down the last heirs to the Mughal Empire, burned down the Summer Palace in Beijing, or humiliated the bankrupt rulers of the Ottoman Empire, it was clear that for Asia to recover, a vast intellectual effort would be required. Michael Wood, broadcaster and historian, and Pankaj Mishra, author of the successful book, Temptations of the West, explores the historical fallout of the end of the Qing, Ottoman and Mughal Empires.
An evening of Sorcery and Seduction
Fri 7 Dec 2012, 18.30 - 20.00, British Library
Price: £7.50 / £5 concessions
Enjoy an enchanting evening as storyteller Seema Anand performs tales from the Mughal epic the Hamzanama, which tells of the exploits of intrepid warrior Amir Hamza. She is joined by award-winning poet Mimi Khavati, whose work is influenced by the ghazel tradition and by renowned vocalist Najma Akhtar, to create an enthralling night of stories, poetry and music.
Further Mughal India events for 2013 will be announced, including half term family activities.
Learning events
Reading for Pleasure – In partnership with The Guardian
Fri 16 November 2012, 9:30-16:00, The Guardian and British Library
Price: £60 (includes lunch, refreshments and exhibition entry)
This full-day conference for secondary school teachers and librarians will explore strategies to engage young people with reading, putting books at the heart of learning. Taking inspiration from the Library's major exhibition, Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire, speakers will include award-winning author Jamila Gavin and Nikita Lalwani, journalist and author of Gifted and The Village. The event will be chaired by The Guardian's Books Editor Claire Armitstead. Find out more
Changing School History – In partnership with Schools History Project
Sat 24 November 2012, 9:30-16:00, British Library
Price: £120 (includes lunch, refreshments and exhibition entry)
Changing School History is a day of professional development for secondary school history teachers linked to our exhibition, Mughal India: Art, Culture and Empire. The conference will focus on planning for the new curriculum and will include keynote presentations from SHP Director Michael Riley, author and history consultant Jamie Byrom and ex-Director of SHP Chris Culpin, as well as workshops and networking opportunities. Find out more
In addition the Learning Team at the Library will be offering free Mughal India exhibition workshops for Primary, Secondary and Further Education students supporting the History and Art curricula.
For further information: www.bl.uk/workshops e: learning@bl.uk t: +44(0) 20 7412 7797