South Asia: A Historical Narrative This book highlights, for the first time in South Asian historiography, the physical conditions and geological events that created this subcontinent 50 million years ago. Those events led to the emergence of one of the first human civilizations in the Indus valley. It also explains why, for five thousend years, the South Asians did not invade other lands but were constantly invaded themselves. All of them settled down and made the subcontinent their home except Britain and its merchants who came by sea, remained off shore, siphoned its wealth, and left it in tatters when they departed. The impact of the rise of European sea power on the subcontinent has been highlighted, and, for the first time, it has been strategically explained why the sea-faring colonial powers wanted to establish strong forts on the Afro-Asian coasts and how great empires of India and China remained unable to dismantle those forts that eventually led to the crumbling of those empires. This book reflects two different historical narratives - Hindu and Muslim - and offers a balanced and objective view of one of the longest uninterrupted histories of the world by carefully considering the historical circumstances that created not only differences but also similarities in the experiences of the people of South Asia. Drawing on new evidence and research, it provides a fresh perspective on the politics of historical narrative. |
Contents
Preface | 6 |
The Beginning | 7 |
The Dawn of the Indian Civilization | 24 |
Copyright | |
11 other sections not shown
Common terms and phrases
Afghan Afghanistan Akbar Ala-ud-Din annexed Arab army Aryans Asia Aurangzeb Babur Bahmani Sultanate Balban battle became began Bengal Brahmans Britain British East India British Indian Empire Buddhism Calcutta Central Asian century challenge Chandra Gupta Clive colonial Company's Congress consolidated continued created culture death Deccan defeated Delhi Sultanate dynasty East India Company emperor established European eventually expanding Firuz forces Ganges valley Gupta Empire Gupta period Harappan Hastings Hindu Hinduism History of India Humayun Iltutmish imperial Indian Civilization Indo-Aryans Indus Civilization Indus valley invasions Islam Jahangir Jinnah Kabul Khan king kingdom Mahmud Marathas Mauryan Empire military modern Mughal Empire Muhammad bin Tughluq nobles north-western Nur Jahan Oudh Pakistan Persian political princes Punjab Raja Rajputs region reign religion religious result revenue Rigveda rule rulers Sanskrit Sayyid Shah Jahan Shakas Sikh Sindh Singh subcontinent succeeded territories throne Tipu trade treaty uprising Vedic victory Vijayanagar Wellesley western вс