India 3: My perspectives on ancient Indian history (v1.0)
1. What “history” means to me
When I say “history,” I’m referring to the story of states
— how they formed, governed, expanded, interacted, and declined. This includes
key rulers, ministers, and political structures.
Cultural, linguistic, and religious influences are
different: they diffuse, cross borders, and evolve organically. They
matter, but they are not the same as state‑centric political history. For this
essay, I stick to the traditional, state‑based view.
2. My lens: Southern India
My perspective is unapologetically South‑India‑focused.
I was taught almost nothing about southern history in school; what I know, I
learned on my own. My mother is from Tamil Nadu/Kerala, my father from
Karnataka — so naturally, the history of the Deccan and deep south
resonates more with me.
I do not think of “India” as a single unit in ancient times.
The modern nation-state did not exist then.
The dynasties and empires that interest me most include:
- Cholas
(Tamil Nadu)
- Pandyas
(Tamil Nadu)
- Pallavas
(Andhra Pradesh/Tamil Nadu)
- Chalukyas
(Karnataka/Maharashtra)
- Cheras
(Kerala/Sri Lanka)
- Vijayanagara
Empire (Karnataka)
- Deccan
Sultanates (Golconda, Bijapur, Bidar, Ahmadnagar, Berar, Bahmani,
Madurai)
- Mysore
Sultanate under Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan
- Maratha
Empire (Shivaji)
- Wadiyars
of Mysore
- British
and Portuguese in the later period
I would like to learn more about Travancore and Cochin
as well.
3. What I was taught — and what was missing
In my Scottish school, I learned far more European
history than Indian history. The Indian portion focused almost entirely on
the Mughals — Babur, Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb,
Birbal, etc. It was heavily North‑India‑centric.
What was missing?
- The
fact that Muslim rulers in India stopped Genghis Khan and his
successors, preventing the devastation the Mongols inflicted
elsewhere.
- The
Mongols destroyed vast parts of Central Asia, the Middle East, and Eastern
Europe, and killed millions in China.
- This
is a major historical fact that should have been emphasized.
Northern and southern histories were largely separate,
except for Maharashtra and certain invasions.
4. Key northern events that shaped the Deccan
Two northern rulers matter significantly for southern
history:
- Muhammad
bin Tughluq, who moved his capital from Delhi to Devagiri (Daulatabad)
for several years, unintentionally planting the seeds for future Deccan
sultanates.
- Aurangzeb,
whose campaigns in the Deccan reshaped the political landscape and brought
down several sultanates.
The Marathas also fought both the Mughals and the
Deccan sultanates extensively.
5. Insights from the video I watched
A video I recently saw (linked in your original essay)
offered several interesting points:
- The
earliest humans who settled in India came from East Africa.
- Millions
of years ago, the Indian landmass broke off from Africa, drifted, and
collided with Asia — creating the Himalayas.
- Sanskrit
shares roots with European languages like Latin and English; southern
Dravidian languages have a different origin.
- Muslim
rulers were often pragmatic, generally allowing Hindus to worship
freely.
- The Vedas
and Upanishads describe one supreme reality (Brahman) with many
manifestations — like white light refracted into colors.
- Shiva
(creator/destroyer) and Vishnu (preserver) are aspects of Brahman.
- I
was pleased the video captured this correctly.
These were things I did not know earlier.
6. What I’m not particularly drawn to
I am not deeply interested in the history of the Indus
Valley or the Indo‑Gangetic plains. What is clear is that the Khyber
Pass and Gomal Pass provided easy entry points for repeated
invasions and plunder. Babur was the first major invader who came to stay.
7. A closing note
My knowledge of ancient Indian history is limited, and this essay is meant to offer breadcrumbs for anyone who wants to explore further. Google any of the dynasties or events mentioned — there is a vast world to discover.
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