History Vignettes from India

Illustration of a Shuddhi Ceremony in the 8th century

Some Gleanings from the Dēvala-Smriti

6 min read

The Dēvala-Smriti is an exemplar of the practical application of Āpad'dharma — the Dharma of Exigency. It is particularly noteworthy for its humane and compassionate treatment of welcoming forcibly co ...

The Devala-Smriti: A Brief Introduction

Sandeep Balakrishna

5 min read

A brief introduction to the Devala-Smriti, a very ancient Dharmasastra treatise. In the 10th century, a chapter titled Mlēccita-Śud'dhih was added to it, dealing with the reconversion of Hindus back t ...

The Origins of Parāvartana or Ghar-Wapsi

Sandeep Balakrishna

5 min read

The original term of Ghar-Wapsi is Paravartana. It dates back to the tenth century, before Mahmud of Ghazni's invasion of India.

Hindu Cultural Conquest of Alien Lands: The Story of Jvalaji Temple in Baku

Sandeep Balakrishna

5 min read

The Ateshgah Fire Temple in Baku, Azerbaijan, was originally the Hindu temple named Jvalaji built in 1745

Reclaiming Sanatana Spaces: A Profound Lesson from the Mandsaur Silk-Weavers Guild

Sandeep Balakrishna

7 min read

This is the story of a silk-weavers guild from Mandsaur who restored a magnificent Surya Mandir in 473 CE

The Splendid Lineage of Inscription-Writers and Engravers

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

This episode lists and narrates the story of several lineages of inscription-writers and engravers and the immortal service they have rendered to our history

Illustration of an engraver of Inscription

The Little-Known History of Inscription-Writers and Engravers

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

An understudied chapter of our history is the role of and function played by inscription-writers and engravers

Terror and the Normalising of Bad News: How M.N. Roy Founded the Communist Party of India

Team Dharma Dispatch

4 min read

From 1924 - 26, M.N. Roy used a variety of terror tactics and propaganda as the forerunners to establishing the Communist Party of India (CPI)

The Dark Dossier of M.N. Roy: India’s First Political Terrorist

Team Dharma Dispatch

4 min read

In 1933, the Home Department of the colonial British Government brought out a brief dossier on M.N. Roy, India's first Communist terrorist

An Ancient Greek Artist Engraves Bharata-Mata on a Silver Dish in Lampsacos

Sandeep Balakrishna

6 min read

A thrilling story narrating the little-known history of how a Greek artist of the 2nd Century CE had engraved an image of Bharata Mata on a silver dish in Lampsacos, Turkey

A Wedding that was Finalised in a Pot of Boiling Ghee

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

An inscription dated 1580 CE narrates a rather delightful, real-life story of how a potter's wedding was finalised in a pot of boiling ghee

Illustration of a Qazi executing a Hindu in Murshid Quli Khan's regime

The Horrific Finale: Glimpses of Hindu Persecution by Murshid Quli Khan

Sandeep Balakrishna

7 min read

The final episode of our series on Murshid Quli Khan narrates some horrific stories of Hindu persecution in Bengal under his regime.

Illustration of Murshid Quli Khan reading the Quran

The Bigotry of Murshid Quli Khan and the Farman that Founded Kolkata

Sandeep Balakrishna

5 min read

Murshid Quli Khan was a fanatical Shia who ran his administration strictly according to the diktats of the Quran

Illustration of the Last Battle of Sitaram Ray

The Tragic Tale of Sitaram Ray, the Last Hindu King of Bengal

Sandeep Balakrishna

7 min read

Raja Sitaram Ray was a self-made Hindu king who built a small empire by the dint of his talent, bravery and leadership. He was also the last Hindu king of Bengal, executed by Murshid Quli Khan.

Illustration of a Court in Ancient India

Bureaucracy as Dharma: Glimpses from Ancient India

Sandeep Balakrishna

5 min read

In its most profound conception and in enlightened practice, Dharma was the foundation of bureaucracy in Ancient India

History Vignettes