scorecardresearch
Monday, July 28, 2025
TopicThinking Medieval

Topic: Thinking Medieval

What Arthashastra tells us about strongmen rulers and autocracies in ancient India

Americans might be puzzled as to why an autocratic strongman holds such appeal with voters. But it’s a story India has seen a thousand times in our ancient politics.

How did Durga’s popularity survive Mughal & colonial rule? Bengali zamindars made it happen

Since Durga could no longer be the premier royal war-goddess in a Sultanate-dominated world, Sanskrit texts from the 15th century stopped asking her for military success.

Port Blair’s new name ‘Sri Vijaya Puram’ isn’t historical or decolonial. It’s politics

Srivijaya today is one of Southeast Asia’s most puzzling polities. It made temple gifts from Thailand to Bengal and Tamil Nadu. And many of its remains have disappeared into private collections.

Tirupati god was originally offered pongal. North Indian pilgrims brought laddus

Tirumala was once a minor shrine with only local devotees. It grew as an investment destination for Vijayanagara elites in the 16th century.

Torture, death, fines — how Arthashastra guided ancient kings on addressing crime & dissent

Ancient and medieval Indian theorists had a grim view of justice. Arthashastra insisted on harsh punishments—but also restrained state power in surprisingly moral ways.

Medieval Indian rulers prided themselves on trafficking women. Even queens weren’t safe

Even as Indian women were sold off, Central Asian, Turkic, and Caucasian women were purchased. Many medieval kings had foreign ladies in their palaces as palanquin-bearers and bodyguards.

How did East Bengal become Muslim-majority? Changing Ganga, Sufi entrepreneurs

Before and after 1947, Bengal experienced many episodes of religious violence, often driven more by 20th-century nationalism than by the region’s rich Islamic history.

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.

How did taxes work in medieval India? Chola, Mughal subjects struggled like today’s middle-class

In Tamil Nadu, we have an extraordinary archive of over 13,000 stone inscriptions on temple walls, recording the taxation, sale, and cultivation of land.

Bengaluru doesn’t belong only to Kannadigas. Its history is shaped by 1,000 years of migration

For over a millennia, the Bengaluru region has been the meeting-point of the Kannada, Telugu, and Tamil cultural zones.

On Camera

Dhankhar’s resignation: How Modi-Shah’s ‘capable’ BJP has served another strong message to RSS

One has to be incredibly credulous to buy BJP spin masters’ argument that the government got rid of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar for harmonious relationship with the judiciary.

India-US set to ink mini trade deal soon, reach understanding on agricultural & dairy products

Mini deal will likely see no cut in 10% baseline tariff on Indian exports announced by Trump on 2 April, it is learnt, but additional 26% tariffs are set to be reduced.

DRDO successfully tests latest version of UAV-launched precision missile, ULPGM-V3

Capable of being fired in plain and high-altitude areas, it has day-and-night capability and two-way data link to support post-launch target, aim-point update.

Modi’s Bharat vs Indira’s India: 11-yr report card of politics, diplomacy, economy, nationalism

As Narendra Modi becomes India’s second-longest consecutively serving Prime Minister, we look at how he compares with Indira Gandhi across four key dimensions.