Canberra, 9 September 2016 Prologue Muhammad of Ghur died without siring any sons and not leaving a clearly nominated successor to the empire that he had forged. At the time of his death the Ghur domains were divided into three principalities and administered by three chief nobles who immediately declared their independence—Taj al-Din Yildiz in […]
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Tag Archives: Indian History
Indian History Part 53 Genghis Khan marches through the Khyber Pass
July 26, 2016 
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Canberra, 26 July 2016 Of all the armies that have passed through the Khyber Pass over the centuries, none was imbibed with as much hurried determination as the great, all-conquering Mongol army of Genghis Khan. The presence of the Mongols in this region raises two interesting questions. What made Genghis Khan’s command so powerful that […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 52 The Medieval Indian (Hindu) Military System: An Appreciation
July 11, 2016 0 Comments
Canberra, 11 July 2016 The period 600 – 1200 A.D. can be considered the most critical in the long history of the Indian sub-continent. It saw the beginning of the Islamic onslaught on the Indian polity as well as the crescendo of the invasion when the northern Indian Hindu kingdoms were decisively defeated in battle. […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 47 KASHMIR: A KINGDOM APART Section I: The Karkota Dynasty
January 8, 2016 0 Comments
Canberra, 8 January 2016 The history of Kashmir is almost inextricably intertwined with the greater history of the broader region of which it forms a part—Central Asia, Afghanistan, China and Tibet—as much as it does of the Indian sub-continent. Kashmir by itself covers a large territory, which is mountainous, rugged and in places completely […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 36: THE PALLAVA DYNASTY
January 7, 2015 1 Comment
Canberra, 7 Januray 2014 Introduction The Pallava dynasty originally ruled the Tondainadu dominions near Madras (Chennai) and were constantly on the lookout to increase their territorial holdings, at all times attempting to hold as much land as possible. This ambition clearly distinguishes the Pallavas from the three traditional dynasties of the Deep South—the Cholas, Pandyas […]
Continue readingIndian History: Part 25 THE GOLDEN GUPTAS Section I: An Empire is Establsihed
January 14, 2014 0 Comments
Canberra, 14 January 2014 The decline and passage into oblivion of the Kushan dynasty marked the beginning of yet another period in Indian history about which little or no verifiable knowledge is available, and even the limited information is often incoherent. There is no fully verifiable information even today regarding the events that took place […]
Continue readingIndian History Part 24: INDIAN CULTURAL INFLUENCE BEYOND THE BORDERS
January 6, 2014 0 Comments
Canberra, 6 January 2014 For medieval Indian kingdoms the sea provided the opportunity for trade, especially in the peninsular kingdoms that were essentially sea-faring nations and straddled the trade route between West Asia and China. Through the ages it is seen as an unbroken tradition that trade invariably led to political and cultural influence, normally […]
Continue readingFROM INDUS TO INDEPENDENCE: A TREK THROUGH INDIAN HISTORY: Part 19
November 18, 2013 0 Comments
Kolkatta, 18 November 2013 THROUGH THE AGE OF SANGAM Section II The Society and Government The Sangam literature provides a very accurate, complete and detailed picture of the prevalent society of the time. It is all the more surprising therefore that the same authors have not considered the chronology of the period and the dates […]
Continue readingFROM INDUS TO INDEPENDENCE: A TREK THROUGH INDIAN HISTORY: Part 18
October 24, 2013 0 Comments
Canberra, 24 October 2013 DECCAN AND PENINSULAR INDIA THE SUCCESSOR DYNASTIES The fall of the Satavahana dynasty after over four centuries of rule—sometimes glorious and at others indifferent—led to the division of the empire, breaking the political unity of the Deccan that had lasted unbroken for over five centuries since the time of the Mauryas. […]
Continue readingFROM INDUS TO INDEPENDENCE: A TREK THROUGH INDIAN HISTORY: Part 15
August 18, 2013 0 Comments
Canberra, 18 August 2013 A MAURYAN INTERLUDE IN THE PENINSULA In 4th century B.C. the Nandas of Pataliputra expanded the borders of their Magadhan kingdom towards the south, although the exact limit of their move south is not known. It is certain that Kalinga was conquered, confirmed by the famous Hathigumpha inscriptions of Kharavela who […]
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