Indians: a brief history of civilization
by Namit Arora
- 1st Ed.
- Haryana: Penguing Random House, 2021.
- 296p. Coloured pictures
Namit takes us on a fantastic package tour of Indian history covering a wide swathe of time - Harappa civilization through modern Varanasi. The presentation is novel in that the chapters alternate between a deep dive into a historical significant landmark and the writings and observations of foreign travelers to India during specific time periods. It is brilliantly researched. Namit’s scholarship is evident in the astute and insightful observations he makes in synthesizing the vast amount of material and historical scope. He is not shy about voicing his opinions within the context of the topic he is exploring at any instant. His writing is beautiful with vivid and evocative descriptions of the various stops in his time travel. Even though the subject matters is serious, Namit manages to infuse it with occasional humor and wit that makes this tour even more enjoyable. If you are Indian and want to know more about where you come from or just plain interested in Indian history, pick up this gem.
The Lost Worlds of India The Mysteries of Dholavira 26001900 BCE Megastheness India c 300 BCE The Void of Nagarjunakonda c 220c 320 CE Faxian Xuanzang and Yijing in India 400700 CE The Vision of Nalanda c 425c 1350 CE Alberunis India 101730 CE The Enigma of Khajuraho c 950c 1250 CE Marco Polos India 1292 CE The Innovations of Vijayanagar at Hampi c 13361565 CE François Berniers India 165869 CE The Faiths of Varanasi 800 BCE Notes Acknowledgements