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Wednesday, November 26, 2025
TopicThinking Medieval

Topic: Thinking Medieval

The history of Indian caste censuses is the history of Indian statecraft

By the 18th century, Maratha dominions and other Indian states had developed fairly detailed caste enumerations, used to regulate hierarchies and impose differential taxation and privileges.

Dogs were adored in medieval India. They saved cows from asuras, fought boars & tigers

When Alexander arrived in the Indus Valley in 326 BCE, a local Indian tribe entertained him by setting their mastiffs loose on lions.

Which is the oldest Dravidian language—Kannada or Tamil? Listen to scientists, not celebrities

Multiple lines of evidence show Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic and Indo-Aryan speakers migrated at various points all across the subcontinent. Prehistoric Indian languages were as diverse as today’s.

Sanskrit didn’t always drive innovation in ancient India. There are two reasons

Sanskrit was seen as the language of divinity, thus the main current of Sanskrit knowledge tended to be conservative, resistant to new developments.

Who is the real Vikramaditya? Behind myth & legend is the story of a successful Gupta king

Buddhist legends, Jain stories, Shaivite rituals—everyone wanted a piece of the mythical king Vikramaditya.

Medieval Kashmir was confidently multicultural. And dazzled the world with art and ideas

Kashmiri art once outshone China, and its poets were sought after as far south as the Deccan — to say nothing of the vast reach of its textiles.

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.

What you don’t know about Aurangzeb’s tomb. Shahuji’s visit, Sufi love for Ellora Temples

We also know of generations of Deccan Muslim teachers, scholars, and rulers who were buried at Khuldabad before and after Aurangzeb. They had nothing to do with his wars, intolerance.

Holi wasn’t always about Holika burning. Medieval India called it festival of Kama

The ‘eastern’ tradition of Holika-burning moved deeper into the Gangetic Plains. Gaudiya Vaishnavism, from Bengal, took root in Mughal-ruled Vrindavan, attracting patronage from elite Rajputs.

Vedas don’t mention Hindu pilgrimages. When did they become mainstream?

Hinduism is, above all, a religion in motion. More importantly, the loud online proclamations of what Hinduism 'really' is is part of the religion’s endless flexibility.

On Camera

Rajnath Singh is discovering India-Pakistan civilisational ties

Even as India, Pakistan have seemed on the edge of war, their intelligence services have often sought to find space to de-escalate tensions and reduce risks for the two countries.

Chhattisgarh pitches state as hub for ‘specialty steel’, nets investment plans of Rs 6,321 crore

Speaking at 2nd Investor Connect, CM Vishnu Deo Sai says 'we have been able to attract a lot of investors.' The focus of the event was the steel sector. 

General secrets from frozen peaks: A Kargil veteran reveals what politically correct writers left out

At the Jindal Literature Festival, Maj Gen (Retd) Lakhwinder Singh reveals secrets from 25 years ago, speaking about the decision that outwitted Musharraf and changed the course of the war. 

A tribute to Tejas. India’s delay culture is the real enemy in the skies

It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.