Canberra, 23 February 2021 On 8th September 1681 Aurangzeb, 63 years old and having been on the throne for 23 years, made a hasty peace with Mewar and set out from Ajmer for the Deccan, reaching Burhanpur on 13th November 1681. This was the culmination of a sequence of events in Rajputana, most of which […]
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Tag Archives: Golconda
Indian History Part 84 Aurangzeb Section IV: Emergence of the Marathas
February 6, 2021 
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Canberra, 6 February 2021 Geography and nature had never intended the Deccan Plateau to be an integral part of the greater Indian sub-continent. The Vindhya and Satpura Mountain Ranges and the River Narmada form a triple barricade that divides the high tableland of Central India from the Gangetic Plains. These formidable geographical barriers should have […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 83 Shah Jahan Section III: The Deccan Campaign
November 30, 2020 0 Comments
Canberra, 30 November 2020 Prior to Shah Jahan’s accession, Mughal interest in the Deccan had waxed and waned in direct proportion to the stability and turmoil in North India. Akbar had started a concerted effort to bring the Deccan under the Mughal flag and in 1569 had conquered Khandesh. By 1600, parts of Berar had […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 81 Akbar Sect IV The Conquering Emperor 6. The North-West and the Deccan
August 22, 2020 0 Comments
Canberra, 22 August 2020 Even when the rebellion in Bengal was raging without an end in sight, and it was thought that the East would be lost to the Empire, Akbar did not march to Bengal. Though all his military instincts—which were highly developed—prompted him to rush to the East, he held back, for the […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 77 The Aravidu Dynasty Section VI Venkata Deva Raya III:Racing Towards Oblivion
January 18, 2020 0 Comments
Canberra, 18 January 2020 Rama Deva’s death was immediately followed by open rebellion in Karnataka and for a period of time no one could be identified as being in control. Only Pedda Venkata was able to muster some support, mostly from nobles and minor chiefs who were related to him. In what could only be […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 77 The Aravidu Dynasty Section III: Venkata Deva Raya II
December 26, 2019 0 Comments
Canberra, 26 December 2019 Sri Ranga Deva’s younger brother, Rama Raja, had predeceased him, leaving behind two sons. However, at the time of Sri Ranga’s death, both these princes were minors. Therefore, the ‘people’, meaning the nobles, Brahmins and warriors, chose Venkata the youngest brother of Sri Ranga, to succeed to the throne. This move […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 76 Collapse of an Empire Section II: The Aftermath
November 27, 2019 0 Comments
Canberra, 27 November 2019 The four Shahi kings moved from the battlefield towards Vijayanagara and halted at Anegundi. They send out advance parties of soldiers to prepare the capital for a great triumphal entry of the victors. After a few days they entered the capital in a state procession with the four kings at the […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 76 Collapse of an Empire Section I: The Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi (Talikota)
November 23, 2019 2 Comments
Canberra, 23 November 2019 The Battle of Rakshasa-Tangadi is better known in historical narratives and discussions as the Battle of Talikota, so much so that the name of the twin villages Rakshasa-Tangadi remains in relative obscurity even today. The fact, however, remains that the battle was not fought at, or even close to, the town […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 75 The Tuluva Dynasty Section VII: The De Facto Reign of Rama Raya
October 23, 2019 0 Comments
Singapore, SilverKris Lounge, 23 October 2019 Sadasiva was very young when he was declared king. There is some confusion regarding his parentage with some sources claiming that he was Krishna Deva Raya’s son and others stating that he was Achyuta Raya’s son. These claims were made by historians before several inscriptions were unearthed at a […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 69 The Deccan Shahis – Other Aspects Section II: The Cultural Front
January 6, 2019 0 Comments
Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand 6 January 2019 The Deccan Shahi kings were generally great patrons of art and literature and some of the kings were poets and litterateurs of some repute. This patronage was particularly demonstrated in Golconda under the Qutb Shahis who assiduously cultivated the arts. Languages Medieval Deccan saw the development of a […]
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