Readings in Early Indian History

Description

Culled from the writings of Romila Thapar, this ion of essays provides a fascinating account of the history of the subcontinent through a sensitive, thoughtful, and critical reading of the past. Uncovering the diverse influences on the shaping of Indian civilization through many centuries, the author brings various aspects of society, economy, religion, political formations, philosophy, and narratives into historical context. Spanning the last half century, the essays reflect on the changes in the writing of early Indian history both due to the discovery of new evidence and from asking new questions about existing data. Can the post-Harappan phase of Indian society be reconstructed in terms of the emergence of a dominant culture in a multi-cultural situation? What are the linkages between state formation and the adoption of new technologies in the Ganges plain in the mid-first millennium bc? How did a visitor to the Mauryan Empire perceive its society and was this perception linked to caste? How has historical change affected the retelling of the story of Sakuntala? What was the aftermath of the raid on the Somanatha temple? By exploring answers to fresh questions such as these, the book provides a rich and elegant telling of the story of India.