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Tuesday, March 31, 2026
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ThePrint Purana

Ancient Indian medical system had an image crisis. A new name fixed it

Ayurvedic texts have evidence that the leaders of the medical profession were trying to clean up their image and get rid of the charlatans among them.

Kautilya’s ‘Arthashastra’, Manu’s laws—Ancient India had rich literature on jurisprudence

Today, the plaintiff is expected to provide evidence in court. Jurists in ancient India saw the issue as more complex—the burden of proof was determined after both parties had spoken.

Maitreyi from Upanishads broke wife-mother mould in ancient India

Maitreyi chooses the knowledge that leads to immortality over her husband’s offer of money. Her philosophical ambition reveals the roots of women-led institutions in Buddhism and Jainism.

Actors of ancient India performed with ‘weapons, fire & poison’. Kautilya wasn’t a fan

Travelling troupes of actors and singers were prime opportunities to sneak in spies and infiltrate enemy kingdoms. Knowing this, Kautilya imposed several rules on their performance.

Panchatantra had Hebrew, Spanish, Latin versions. Different cultures made it their own

Early in the 20th century, Professor Johannes Hertel, a pioneer in Panchatantra research, recorded over 200 versions of the book in more than 50 languages.

Rome to Kabul, ancient India was a global player in trade. Kautilya’s Arthshastra tells all

Ancient Indians carried out a thriving global trade in a dazzling array of goods, from pearls, corals, and silk to wine, warhorses, and elephants.

Ancient India’s battle of ideas: Yudhisthira & Arjuna are ideal kings. Don’t be like Ashoka

The literary creation of the figures of Yudhisthira and Arjuna in the Mahabharata was likely a response to the historical example of Ashoka’s crisis of conscience.

When did large Hindu temples come into being? Not before 500 AD

Dharmashastras opposed temple-based religious and ritual activities. Vishnu Smriti says that Vedic recitation shouldn't be conducted 'in a temple, in a cemetery, at a crossroads, or on a road.'

Gargi Vachaknavi – India’s first woman philosopher who ‘shut up’ men in King Janaka’s court

King Janaka, better known to Indians as the father of Sita, once invited learned Brahmins to celebrate a lavish ritual. Videha, the kingdom over which...

On Camera

How West Asia crisis can play out for PM Modi and BJP in Assembly polls

While the Russia-Ukraine war saw the BJP projecting PM Modi as a ‘vishwaguru’ who could end international conflicts, the party has made a nuanced shift in its electoral strategy vis-à-vis the West Asia war.

Foreign investors dump record $12 bn India stocks in March on war

Soaring energy costs have hurt oil-importing Asian peers, but the scale of outflows from India points to already bearish global sentiment.

India developing lethal autonomous weapon systems, database of citizens’ crime risk—House Panel report

Report on impact of AI emergence—drawing upon depositions from several ministries—confirms that the developments come in the absence of AI laws or considerations over them.

Gulf war exposed India’s fragilities. It’s time for navel-gazing, in the national interest

It’s easy to understand why the government can’t speak the hard truth. When this war ends, as all wars do, India’s interests will lie with both the winner and the loser.