history

Golden Rule

Ninad D. Sheth

The story of Ranjit Singh, whose military genius and legendary reign makes you reflect on the many what-ifs of Indian history.

Striking Back at the Empire

Hartosh Singh Bal

Pavan Varma believes the liberation of our colonised mind requires us to learn from our ancient past. But did the past he envisages ever exist?

Still Moving Histories

Venkata Vemuri

An exhibition in London looks at 150 years of photography in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Lethal Language

Fatima Alam

In Madhulika Liddle’s ‘historical’ crime novel set in Shahjahanabad, the most brutal murder is that of the Urdu language.

The Emperor’s New Portrait

Ninad D Sheth

A BBC journalist wades into Mughal history to paint a picture of the fifth emperor in miniature detail, up close and thrilling

A Brief History

Kabeer Sharma

From the humble langot to G strings, funky trunks, boxers with Superman prints... male underwear in India has come a long way.

Murder Most Foul

Shivam Vij

Was the gruesome killing of historian Papiya Ghosh linked to the book she was working on? We may never know, but we can now at least read her book

No Freedom from Shivaji

Haima Deshpande

The thirteenth direct descendant of Chhatrapati Shivaji leads a quaint life of forced elegance while what he really wants to do is race down the highways and party with friends

Half Way Indians

Kamla Bhatt

On the Caribbean islands, the immigrant Indian story is laced with shame and bitterness. They are neither Indian enough nor Caribbean enough to be accepted by either community

‘My Reputation Can Take Mudslinging’

Open

Ramachandra Guha in conversation with Rahul Jayaram on the turf war over the Nehru Memorial Museum and Library in Delhi, which he believes is going down the drain