The Sun-Dried Tears of Gandikota
The first episode of a series narrating the brief civilisational history of Gandikota, fabled as the Grand Canyon of India.
When Tirumala Venkateshwara Swami Himself Garlanded His Beloved Devotee
An extraordinary anecdote from the era of Srikrishnadevaraya opens up several profound vistas into the convictions, values and lifestyle of our ancestors. These are stories that must be included in our textbooks if we are to preserve our cultural continuity.
When a Washerman's Verse Inspired Sri Krishnadevaraya's Conquest of Kalinga
A charming story of how a washerman's simple poem inspired Sri Krishnadevaraya's brilliant conquest of Kalinga.
Kautilya's Arthasastra as a Manual of Empire-Building
In the third part, we discuss how Kautilya's Arthasastra was a manual of empire-building and how its influence played a big role in the great Hindu Empires of India, spread over many centuries.
From Kautilya to Congress: Downfall of Public Opinion in Indian Public Life
The era of Hindu monarchies was one where the rulers genuinely feared and respected public opinion and conducted themselves in tune with it. In democracy, public opinion has degenerated into the sham of perception-management. We trace this downfall with concrete examples from history.
The Raja Dharma of Sri Krishnadevaraya is an Eternal Model for Hindus to Emulate
The first part of a series expounding on the Raja Dharma that Sri Krishnadevaraya laid down as state policy and practiced.
The Glory of the Ummaturu Temple Heritage Eclipsed by Official Neglect in Independent India
The concluding part of our series on the grand temple heritage of Ummatturu describes how the centuries of glory today lies in utter ruin thanks to decades of Government apathy and neglect.
The Grand Universe of Ummatturu Temples: Where Sri Krishnadevarya Began his Digvijaya
The first part of a series exploring the forgotten grand heritage of Ummatturu Temples. For centuries, Ummatturu was a preeminent Sanatana cultural hub crisscrossing Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Sri Krishnadevaraya’s Empire of Fragrance and Food
Exploring some facets of the opulence of Sri Krishnadevaraya's Empire. He had a separate ministry for fragrance!
Sri Krishnadevaraya Reduced to a Footnote: It’s Time to Bury Such Politics of History
An unfortunate outcome of the contemporary fashion of thinking and the resultant public discourse is the fact that with each successive decade since Independence, the Indian (more importantly, Hindu) society has been eroded of its capacity of our society to produce heroes. In a line, this thinking is shaped by