History Vignettes from India

Rumi Darwaza of Lucknow as seen by Valentia

The East India Company is an Old Woman and Valentia is her Grandson

4 min read

When Valentia visits Lucknow, the Nawab of Awadh tells him that his people think that the East India Company is an old Woman, Wellesley is her son and Valentia, her grandson

Viscount Valentia: The Unapologetic Exponent of Colonial Slavery

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

George Viscount Valentia was an unapologetic advocate of colonial slavery and celebrated British colonialism

Valentia in Varanasi

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

George Viscount Valentia, an Earl in England embarked on a trip to India in 1802 and published a detailed record of his experiences in three volumes

An Old Brahmin who defied Firuz Shah is bound in chains

The Unsung Brahmin Hero who Defied Firuz Shah Tughlaq

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

This is the story of an old Brahmin who openly performed Puja in Delhi under Firuz Shah Tughlaq's bigoted regime and was burnt to death

The Death of Raghu the Poddar: An Unknown Incident from the East India Company’s Annals

Sandeep Balakrishna

6 min read

Raghu a Poddar or cashier working for the East India Company is accused of misappropriation and tortured by its officials

How the Boiling Loins of Shah Alam II Extinguished the Mughal Empire

Sandeep Balakrishna

5 min read

Shah Alam II's addiction to opium and sexual depravity resulted in the final takeover of the Mughal Empire by the British

Cowardice, Servility, Sleaze and Shamelessness: A Brief Profile of Shah Alam II

Sandeep Balakrishna

6 min read

Shah Alam II, the 11th descendant of Aurangzeb singlehandedly ruined whatever was left of the Mughal Empire. It is a truly deplorable story.

Chhatrapati Shivaji’s Real Treasure

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

An essay listing the entire treasury and earthly possessions of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj

Eksar Viragals: A Forgotten Heritage Swallowed by Urbanisation

Sandeep Balakrishna

7 min read

The Viragals (Hero Stones) at Eksar in Borivali represent a fragment of Bharatavarsha's glorious naval heritage left behind by Bhoja Raja, Kadambas and Shilaharas. They are now in a compound of the po ...

Ghar-Wapsi in the Vijayanagara and Maratha Empire and Gandhi’s Betrayal of Hindus

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

Read these little-known episodes of Ghar-Wapsi in the Vijayanagara and the Maratha Empire, and the Arya Samaj's role in reconverting Hindus

Ghar-Wapsi: Meos, Malkana Rajputs and a Saga of Missed Opportunities

Sandeep Balakrishna

5 min read

Ghar-Wapsi of converted Hindus was a continuous process until it suddenly stopped due to the depleted vigour of the Hindu society

Illustration of a Vrātya-stōma Ceremony

Vrātya-stōma: Schopenhauer, Emerson, Elst and Frawley

Sandeep Balakrishna

4 min read

The Vrātya-stōma was the typical ceremony performed for admitting foreigners into the Sanatana society during the pre-Islamic period. It is still valid for foreigners who formally want to become Hindu ...

Illustration of a Shuddhi Ceremony in the 8th century

Some Gleanings from the Dēvala-Smriti

Sandeep Balakrishna

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.

History Vignettes