Everyone knows the importance of books in an individual’s life. Books are filled with oceans of knowledge. But there are several books which are banned in India. These have sparkled controversies, most of the times due to religious reasons. Let us have a look at these.
- Aaril Oru Pangu
In 1910 this short story was written by Subramania Bharati and published it himself at a price of three ‘anas’. It was the first short story of Tamil Language
- Rangila Rasul
In May 1924, this Urdu booklet was published in Lahore. The booklet purportedly described Prophet Muhammad’s relationship with women. The publisher, Raj Pal was charged under 153A of the Indian Penal Code for hate speech by the Punjab government. The final disposition came in May 1927. The court declared that law does not prohibit satirical writings about the deceased and the publisher was acquitted with a warning. On 6 April 1929, the publisher was murdered. The murderer, a Muslim youth named Ilm-ud-din, was sentenced to death and the sentenced was carried out on 31 October 1929.
- Hindu Heaven
It cannot be brought into India. Max Wylie, the creator The Flying Nun TV show, researched this book while teaching in Lahore. The novel questioned the work of American missionaries in India. It also dealt with the harsh effects of the climate on the missionaries
- Angaray
This collection of stories by Sajjad Zaheer, Ahmed Ali, Rashid Jahan and Mahmud-uz-Zafar was published in 1932. It drew protests from Muslim religious leaders. In 1933, it was banned by the British colonial government
- The Face of Mother India
It cannot be imported into India. This illustrated book was famously called “the report of a drain inspector” by Mahatma Gandhi. It was written by Katherine Mayo
- Old Soldier Sahib
It was written by Frank Richards. The book cannot be imported into India. The book is a memoir of the author’s time in British India as a veteran soldier and was published in 1936.
- The Land of the Lingam
It cannot be imported into India, written by Arthur Miles. The book is about Hinduism, caste and phallicism. It was published in 1937.
- Mysterious India
The book cannot be imported into India which was written by Moki Singh. The book purportedly contained stereotypes and was published in the year 1940.
- The Scented Garden: Anthropology of the Sex Life in the Levant
Bernhard Stern wrote this book which was published in the year 1945 This book cannot be imported into India. This is a book about sexual practices and marriage rites of the people of Middle East. The book was allegedly sexually explicit.
- Pakistan-Pasmanzarwa Peshmanzar
This book, originally in Urdu, cannot be imported into India. It was authored by Hameed Anwar and was published in 1950.
- Cease-Fire
This book, originally in Urdu, cannot be imported into India. It was published in the year1950 and was authored by Agha Baba
- Khak Aur Khoon
Nusseim Hajazi wrote this book and was published in the year 1950. This book, originally in Urdu, cannot be imported into India.
- Chadramohini
This book was published in the year 1952. This book, originally in Urdu, cannot be imported into India.
- Marka-e-Somnath
Maulana Muhammad Sadiq Hussain Sahab Sadiq Siddiqui Sardanvi wrote this book which was published in 1952. This book, originally in Urdu, cannot be imported into India.
- Bhupat Singh
Kaluwank Ravatwank wrote this book which published in the year 1954. This book, originally in Gujarati, cannot be imported into India.
- What has Religion done for Mankind
This book cannot be imported into India. This is a book published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. This book tries to refute Eastern religions. This was published in 1954.
- Rama Retold
Aubrey Menen wrote this book and was published in the year 1955. This book cannot be imported into India. It was a play which was a spoof of the Ramayana. It was one of the first books to be banned in independent India. The American edition was simply called The Ramayana.
- Dark Urge
Robert W. Taylor wrote this and was published in the year 1955 and the book cannot be imported to India.
- Captive Kashmir
Aziz Beg wrote this book and was published in the year 1958 and the book cannot be imported to India.
- The Heart of India
Alexander Campbell wrote this book and was published in the year 1959. This book cannot be imported into India. Alexander Campbell was Time magazine’s New Delhi correspondent. The book is a fictionalized and humorous account of Indian bureaucracy and economic policies.
- The Lotus and the Robot
Arthur Koestler wrote this book on 1960. This book contains the author’s experiences in India and Japan. The book was highly critical of the cultures of both nations. The book was banned for its negative portrayal of Gandhi.
- Nine Hours to Rama
It was written in the year 1962 by. This book cannot be imported into India. The book and the movie based on it, both were banned in India. The book was thought to be justifying the actions of Nathuram Godse who murdered Gandhi. The book also points to the lapse in security.
- Nepal
Toni Hagen wrote this book in the year 1963. This book cannot be imported into India.
- Ayesha
Kurt Frischler wrote this book 1963. This book cannot be imported into India. The original German title was Aischa: Mohammed’s Lieblingfrau(Aischa: Mohammed’s Favorite Wife)
- Unarmed Victory
Bertrand Russell wrote this book on 1963. The book dealt with the Sino-Indian War which India lost.
- An Area of Darkness
- S. Naipaul wrote this book in the year 1964. Banned for its negative portrayal of India and its people.
The Jewel in the Lotus
Allen Edwardes wrote this in the year 1968. This book cannot be imported into India. Allen Edwardes was the pen-name of a scholar who wrote on Middle East and Oriental erotica.
- The Evolution of the British Empire and Commonwealth from the American Revolution
Alfred Le Roy Burt wrote this in the year 1969. This book cannot be imported into India.
- The Satanic Verses
Salman Rushdie wrote this in the year 1988. This book cannot be imported into India. Import ban was imposed after Muslim groups protested that it was blasphemous and hurt their religious sentiments. India was the first country to ban this book
- Soft Target: How the Indian Intelligence Service Penetrated Canada
Zuhair Kashmeri and Brian McAndrew wrote this book in the year 1989. he book claims that the Indian intelligence agencies penetrated the Canadian Sikh community, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in order to discredit the demand for a separate Sikh state.
- Understanding Islam through Hadis
Ram Swarup originally published this book in 1982, was banned for its critique of political Islam.
- The Moor’s Last Sigh
Salman Rushdie wrote this book in the year 1995. The book contained a character resembling Balasaheb Thackeray, the leader of the right-wing party Shiv Sena. The book faced protests from the party. The book also contained a dog named, Jawaharlal, named after India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. Prime Minister P. V. Narasimha Rao unofficially banned the book. In September 1995, the local publishers Rupa & Co were asked to stop selling the book. Rupa & Co. decided to approach the Supreme Court of India in response. The court the declared the ban unconstitutional in February 1996.However, book sellers were reluctant to stock the book in Maharashtra, the home of Shiv Sena, due to the fear of vandalism.
- The True Furqan
Al Saffee, Al Mahdee wrote this book in the year 2005. Banned for purportedly mocking Islam. The book has been allegedly written by a Christian evangelical group to proselytise Muslims. The import of this book is strictly prohibited
- Santsurya Tukaram and Loksakha Dnyaneshwar
Anand Yadav wrote this book in the year 2014. A Pune court ordered the copies of the books to be destroyed in June 2014. The complaint Jaisingh More had claimed that the book was derogatory to Tukaram and Dnyaneshwar. The publishers defended the book. And the author’s daughter stated that they will appeal in a higher court
- 22’s Diary
P, Maîtresse wrote this book in the year 2017. Banned for the humiliation and degradation of the male husbands role. Graphic sexual content of the wife and her lovers brutalizing her husband. The import of this book is strictly prohibited.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_books_banned_in_India
Nishika Ram
