Reading Archive

When speaking about India’s complex debates on religion, free speech, and communal harmony, one cannot overlook the controversial yet thought-provoking book Calcutta Quran Petition written by the noted historian and polemicist Sita Ram Goel. Goel, a staunch defender of Hindu thought, was known for his meticulous documentation and fearless commentary on sensitive subjects. His writings often examined the intersection of politics, religion, and society in India, and this particular book stirred deep debate by questioning whether certain verses of the Quran could be considered a source of communal discord.

In The Story of Islamic Imperialism in India, Sita Ram Goel presents a sharp and controversial critique of the historical narrative surrounding the Islamic invasions of India. His central argument is not merely against individuals or sects, but against the whitewashing of Islamic history by what he calls the “Aligarh apologists.” According to Goel, these scholars try to shift the blame for the brutal invasions to ethnic groups like the Turks, while sparing Islam itself.

The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in its guidelines for school-level history textbooks emphasizes that the role of religion in political conflicts should not be overstated. Setting aside the directives of the state about permissible content in history textbooks for a moment, it's crucial first to examine the historical facts as recorded by medieval historians and to consider the various interpretations of these facts.

Indian historical tradition reckons the chronology from Svayambhuva Manu to the Mahabharata era in terms of the elapsed number of Manvantaras and Mahayugas (Chaturyugas). It is recorded that six Manvantaras and the Dvapara Yuga of the 28th Mahayuga of the seventh Manvantara had elapsed during the Mahabharata era.

In the heart of Bharat, a mystery unravels. While many are familiar with the 8,000-strong Terracotta Army that guards the tomb of China's First Emperor, far fewer have heard whispers of the enigmatic Horsemen of the Pir Panjal.

History often unravels tales and legends that spark debate among scholars. One such contentious issue revolves around the historicity of King Vikramāditya and the contemporaneity of his famed Navaratnas or nine gems. Many renowned historians have been skeptical, if not outright dismissive, about both these historical entities.

WhenThe Professors was first published in February 2006, it was greeted by cries of outrage from the academic Left. The author was denounced as a reincarnation of Joseph McCarthy and his book as a “blacklist,” although no evidence existed to support either claim and both were the opposite of the truth.

WhenThe Professors was first published in February 2006, it was greeted by cries of outrage from the academic Left. The author was denounced as a reincarnation of Joseph McCarthy and his book as a “blacklist,” although no evidence existed to support either claim and both were the opposite of the truth.

"You tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed": 'The Beautiful Tree' by Dharampal establishes that Britishers learned about establishing schools from India, Collector AD Campbell copied gurukul for mass education in Europe

Ancient India was celebrated for its learning all over civilized Asia and Europe. Metatheses (ca. 302 BC) was struck by the depth of this learning during his mission to the court of Chandragupta. Fa-hien, the famous Chinese traveler (399-413 D) spent some years at the Paliputra and Tamralipti monasteries. He also spent two years in Ceylon which too had its monasteries after the Indian fashion.

When The Professors was first published in February 2006, it was greeted by cries of outrage from the academic Left. The author was denounced as a reincarnation of Joseph McCarthy and his book as a “blacklist,” although no evidence existed to support either claim and both were the opposite of the truth.