Rishad Choudhury presents a new history of imperial connections across the Indian Ocean from 1739 to 1857, exploring the transformative role of the hajj pilgrimage in Muslim political culture. The podcast discusses the challenges of researching diverse sources and highlights the relationship between Muslim groups, the declining Mughal Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. It also explores the influence of religious scholars during the empire's decline, the significance of Sufi lodges in the Ottoman Empire, and the role of East Pakistan in Muslim nationalism. The podcast concludes by discussing Choudhury's book and another book on Persian language and literature.
