The Depiction of Declining Indo-Muslim Civilization in the Novel "Ghalib"

Abstract

This research paper analyzes the decline of Indo-Muslim civilization as depicted in Qazi Abdus Sattar’s historical novel "Ghalib". By blending literary narrative with historical evidence, the study explores the tragic collapse of the Mughal Empire during the 1857 War of Independence. It identifies the primary causes of this downfall as the political helplessness of the King, the rise of incompetent officials, and the devastating role of internal spies who betrayed the state for personal gain. Furthermore, the paper examines how economic crisis, famine, and social fragmentation accelerated the ruin of Delhi’s shared culture. The research concludes that the fall of this civilization was not just a military defeat but a profound moral and administrative failure, leaving behind a cultural loss that still resonates in the history and literature of the subcontinent.