THE LOST MARY By James D Tabor

JAMES D. TABOR is a retired professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he served as department chair for a decade. His previous ten books include the international bestseller The Jesus Dynasty, The Jesus Discovery, and Paul and Jesus. Over the past three decades Tabor has combined his study of ancient texts with field work in archaeology, and since 2008 he has been co-director of the acclaimed Mt. Zion excavation in Jerusalem. Tabor’s work has been featured in dozens of major magazines and TV documentaries, including on PBS Frontline, BBC, Discovery Channel, Nightline, 20/ 20, and the History Channel. He lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

STORYLINE: Its one of the best books that every Christian should read to learn about how Christianity was born and evolved over two centuries. The book is full of interesting facts and illustrations about Mary, the biological mother of Jesus and her re-discovery from the lost status in Bible. Equally astonishing are the facts about how she and her surviving family of Jesus have been effaced from the Bible tactically to start an entirely different ideology. Though the book might be appearing highly controversial by followers of Jesus Christ as God, the author produced enough archaeological evidences about Jesus’s birth and life as on ordinary man who inherits the genes of King David. All facts presented in this book point out to the reality that he was a Messiah of God along with John, the Baptist (his elder cousin) but not God himself. The book turns even more interesting when the evidences of Mary’s royal lineage are illustrated and how she is portrayed as a “Virgin” having been the vessel to bring in the Messiah of God into the world. It is also proved that she has six more biological children (four sons and two daughters) after Jesus’s birth. The author mainly concentrated on establishing Mary as the torch bearer of starting and taking forward the Jesus movement after the crucifixion and death of Jesus through his brother James. But her efforts have been diluted in the New Testament by strategically masking her involvement in the birth of Christianity. Instead, Paul, one of the later apostles who haven’t even met Jesus ever, wrote the New Testament of the Bible under the influence of his allegiance to Roman kings.  The main reason behind this cited to be as to present Jesus as a God and not just Jewish Messiah of God for which he needs to be born of divine intervention but not through regular biological methods. This tactical move of Paul silenced the original seeds of Christianity started by Mary and her family, through his original preachings as a Messiah. The author put all his efforts to bring back Mary to lime light whom he considers as the one who bore the brunt of all sufferings during the reign of King Herod the Great to give birth to Jesus and also raising him through the ruthless barbaric killing of thousands of Jews by means of crucifixions in Jerusalem. He considers her as the most important of the greatest women of the world who needs to be given the credit of bringing Jesus, the son of God to the mortal world and also raising him to become the future leader of the deprived and needy, during the most tumultuous periods of Jewish sufferings.

Pros : The wonderful archaeological evidences with graphic, Biblical citations and original illustrations of the proofs of every aspect of Mary’s birth, her life before the birth of Jesus and her being silenced after that is worth reading. The author’s deep inquisitive knowledge about the geographical area of Nazareth, Jerusalem and its surrounding places gives even more strength to his evidences proving every aspect about Mary’s family history. Truly wonderful.

Cons : Though there is quite a believable historic evidence put forward, some to be just imaginations of the author that a particular event might have taken place at that time. Such were again mostly based purely on Biblical citations of New Testament which according to him was a deviation from originality of Christianity.

My rating : 4 out of 5

 

A HISTORY OF KASHMIR By Parvez Dewan

Parvez Dewan was born on 13 October 1954 in Srinagar. Dewan was educated at St Joseph’s, Allahabad; St George’s Grammar, Hyderabad; Stanes, Coimbatore; The Air Force Central School, Subroto Park, New Delhi and St Stephen’s College in Delhi. He did his higher education from the University of Cambridge in 1987 (Wolfson College). Dewan joined the IAS and was allotted the Jammu and Kashmir cadre and he was first posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Basohli where he revived its school of miniature painting. Dewan was the Tourism Secretary of India (2012-14). Dewan asked for and was granted voluntary, premature retirement, in order to concentrate on his career as a writer, especially to work on his South Asian encyclopedia, Indpaedia.com. He has authored a series of books on Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.

StoryLine:

The author has great knowledge about the historical tradition of the land of Kashmir since 6th Century AD. The book consists of 11 Chapters that takes the reader right from the pre-history of Kashmir, starting AD 1200. Right from the legends of origin of the name of the land from Rishi Kashyap to the various dynasties that ruled the land and its elaborate linkage to other parts of the country and the world has been stitched in a very interesting manner. One who is interested in mythology clubbed with historical facts, would be delighted to go through the pages voraciously. The reader will be awestruck to learn how Jesus Christ and Jews are said to have reached Kashmir and made an impact of Christianity also in the Valley, though it cannot be taken seriously. The rise of Islam in Kashmir through various Muslim invasions of the country and the subsequent conversions of the resident original Hindus of the land to Muslims, and how various Muslim sects have influenced the lives of locals, is well explained without much of ambiguity. The impact of Sikhism on Kashmir through Sikh Gurus and their subsequent rulers along with the popular reforms that brought about major changes in the social fabric of the entire population is well elicited. Post 1947, the political changes brought about by politicians of Delhi in making Jammu & Kashmir a part of India with Pakistan constantly trying all its means to occupy the Valley through its religious and extremist provoking of the population, with the secret support of the evil out-going British diplomats, is one of the most transparent material that I have come across. The link between Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and other neighbouring Islamic countries with Kashmir has been clearly established through their influx and settlements after constant invasions. Finally, the regional histories of each and every part of Jammu and Kashmir along with their nomenclature is the best that I loved to read. The author’s extensive research and knowledge about each and every part of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is the biggest treasure that the reader can garner from reading this book.

Pros : One thing that the reader would have clarity after reading this beautiful book is that the actual problem of Kashmir is not the religious conflict between the original inhabitants, Hindus and later converted, Muslims, but it is only between the local Kashmiris and non-Kashmiris. One of the main reasons why Raja Hari Singh accepted Accession of the State to India instead of Pakistan and Article 370 was accepted by both the public and local Muslim majority politicians. Also, the reader is well informed about some of the pro-poor reforms that Muslim rulers of the State have brought about compared to their Hindu predecessors. A detailed chronological shift of a peaceful territory to the land of mass murders and terrorist activities through proxy tribesmen by Pakistan is the best to learn towards the end of this writing. The transition of the land from a predominantly Hindu majority to a Muslim majority has been well explained with chronological proofs.

Cons: Though the author seemed not to have any bias towards any religion, there appeared to be a slight mockery of Hindu mythology and legends while portraying the facts about origin of the names of some places. I didn’t understand why Mirza Haider Dughlat (1499-1551) from Central Asia, has been chosen as the prime ruler who actually shaped present day Kashmir’s society. A separate chapter allocated to him.

My Rating : 3.75 out of 5