The Past Before Us by Romila Thapar
Hindu History and the Idea of India
A lucid, critical examination of how early North Indian societies created and remembered their past, this work evaluates literary and material sources — epics, Puranic accounts, inscriptions, coins and archaeological evidence — and shows how each frames chronologies, social institutions and political ideologies. It argues for a cautious, interdisciplinary historiography that distinguishes mythic or literary constructions from material processes, highlights problems of dating and anachronistic readings, and critiques nationalist or communal appropriations of historical narratives. The book offers methodological principles for reconstructing ancient Indian history while underscoring the contingent, contested nature of the past.
- Published
- 2013
- Nationality
- Indian
- Length
- Unknown
- Pages
- Unknown
- Original Language
- English
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