scorecardresearch
Add as a preferred source on Google
Sunday, January 11, 2026
TopicMedieval India

Topic: Medieval India

Aurangzeb’s redemption is built on a scholarly empire of shaky citations

The considerable weight of claims about Aurangzeb’s religious tolerance rest heavily on one obscure scholar's writings. We know him merely as 'Jnan Chandra, Bombay.'

What a Tamil town tells us about votes, caste, and fraud in medieval India

Nepotism seems to have been a concern in Uttaramerur elections. That's why the drawing of ballots was done by a child and executives' relatives were banned from being elected.

Cholas and Chaulukyas understood tariffs and taxes better than Trump does

In the 11th century, Chola emperor Kulottunga I abolished all commercial tolls. His policies improved the circulation of commodities, leading to a minor boom in manufacturing centres.

Olympics of medieval India were grisly, wacky, & thrilling. Elephant racing, polo, wrestling

Sports in medieval India were primarily conducted for royal entertainment. The prizes were dazzling, but some sports could end in death.

Gyan Chaupar—the spiritual ancestor of Snakes and Ladders

The medieval game was meant to educate players on which traits and practices were morally desirable and what consequences lay in store for negative habits.

Yoga, Sanskrit inspired Sufi epics—Chakras became ‘mystical stations’, gods turned ‘angels’

Maulana Daud’s ‘Chandayan’ originated in a cultural context we can think of as Hindu, above which Sufism had become a major strand of elite devotion.

Chola kings divided people into 2 caste groups—to pit them against each other and exploit

In 'Caste Away', NA Vanamamalai talks about inscriptions from the time of Chola dynasty that reveal caste politics in medieval Tamil Nadu.

Vijayanagara was the Indian Renaissance State. It contains memories of older empires

Just like Europe’s neoclassical monuments, Vijayanagara’s temples reformulated memories of the older Chola and Chalukya empires.

Sanskrit texts show Medieval Indians loved foreign goods, luxury. Not just temples

This flies in the face of all ideas that medieval South Asians were somehow insular or uninterested in the rest of the globe.

There’s more to Assam than Ahoms. Ancient Kamarupa, Bengal challenge assumptions

The Mughal-Ahom wars were really the culmination of 1,000 years of geopolitical rivalry.

On Camera

XUV 7XO shows Mahindra’s engineering prowess. DAVINCI suspension makes a world of difference

The old XUV 700 was an indication that the Indian manufacturer had begun to up their game. But 7XO is world-class in terms of fit, finish, and equipment.

Grounded no more: Andhra govt revives no-frills Dagadarthi airport near Nellore to boost south coast link

As Visakhapatnam readies a mega airport, the Andhra Pradesh government has revived its shelved Dagadarthi project, aiming to boost cargo and connectivity on the south coast.

Oreshnik, ATACMS & Storm Shadow: All about the missiles Russia and Ukraine are firing

Both the Russian and Ukrainian militaries are leaning on drones, but they’re also firing cruise and ballistic missiles, some of them relatively new and experimental.

Thank you Trump, again. India now has reason to shed fear of free trade and spur reform

UK, EFTA already in the bag and EU on the way, many members of RCEP except China signed up, and even restrictions on China being lifted, India has changed its mind on trade.