Podcasts by The History of India Podcast
A light weekly podcast covering the history of India, from 6th century B.C. Enjoying the podcast? Please consider donating to the Snehal Sidhu Memorial Fund (http://tinyurl.com/prkvwll)
Further podcasts by Kit Patrick
Podcast on the topic Geschichte
All episodes
6.2 Tale of two princes: Dantidurga and Nandivarman from 2023-12-08T20:35
The Pallava Empire is sliding into anarchy. All its hopes are pinned on a twelve year old boy from Cambodia. We follow his winding path to power. Also in this episode: the origin story of a poet-sa...
Listen
6.1 Ascending the peak: Dantidurga and the founding of the Rashtrakuta empire from 2023-12-01T12:00
A young prince rises to found an empire. We tell the story of his rise in three ritual baths. Also in this episode: how running a medieval Indian court is like writing an essay, the most imperial o...
Listen
5.E By the dry heart of empire from 2021-01-13T19:00
What was life like in the heart of the Chaulkiya empire? How did they survive in such a dry environment? How was the city defended? In this episode, we chat with Dr Hemanth Kadambi about stone hors...
Listen
5.D Workers stranded by the lockdown from 2020-05-01T08:10:13
**Special episode on the current crisis** People are stranded all across India. They left to find work. Now the lockdown has come, they are out of work, out of money and out of food. We get to talk...
Listen
5.C Chalukyas by the book from 2020-04-26T10:14:45
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This week we chat to comic book author, novelist and fellow fan of the Chaulkiya period Dr. Shalini Srinivasan about the book she's been writing set in the Chaulkiy...
Listen
5.B By the whim of the master (part 2) from 2020-04-18T05:18:50
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) ***Warning: contains upsetting details.*** The second special episode on slavery. This week, we hear about the lives of female slaves. We meet slaves in Buddhist mona...
Listen
5.A By the whim of the master from 2020-04-11T14:26:34
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) ***Warning: contains upsetting details.*** This week, we learn a little about what life was like for slaves in ancient and early medieval India, from becoming a slave...
Listen
5.23 Overtaken by the bogeyman from 2020-04-04T15:27:27
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This week, we meet some of the bogeymen of ancient India; a group among the most feared of the Barbarians. The mighty Kamboja horsemasters. And yet, these are real ...
Listen
5.22 By the back of the five great kings from 2020-03-26T06:32:05
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This is the week of small kings. The Pratihara empire has ruled for as long as anyone can remember. But a small king from the south will destroy the emperor's army an...
Listen
5.21 By half a metre from 2019-12-14T20:23:40
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This week, Mahendrapala extends his empire downstream, towards the sea. But nothing is what it seems: not the emperor, nor his empire, nor his conquest. All will be...
Listen
5.20 Assault by salt from 2019-12-05T20:04:22
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) A journey through one of emperor Bhoja's lands. With the emperor far away in the Imperial city, we find out what life is like for the merchants and city folk under hi...
Listen
5.19 Drawn by the sun from 2019-10-21T05:15:16
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) In this episode, young king Bhoja will grow into his throne. He will draw together allies and subordinates and wait patiently. When the time is right he will strike a...
Listen
5.18 Drawn by greatness from 2019-10-08T05:29:12
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) For too long the empire of the east has dominated North India. Bhoja, the descendant of the western emperors is determined to bring change. But he starts with almost ...
Listen
5.17 By the tip of the quivering sword from 2019-08-23T12:32:23
( The victorious Palas build their empire. Poets gather in their courts. Kings flee before their armies. All seems well, but an old enemy is regathering strength. Also in this week's episode: relig...
Listen
5.16 By the setting of the eastern sun from 2019-08-10T19:26:38
() This week, the build up to the great battle continues. We join the navy of the East, as it brings infantry and elephants up the river. Then we launch into the battle itself, following the comman...
Listen
5.15 By the light of the western dawn from 2019-08-03T19:52:23
() This week, we witness the build up to a great battle of the age: the Pratihara king has brought his army from the east, thick with warhorses. The Pala king has brought his army from the west, lo...
Listen
5.14 By the help of a hundred scholars from 2019-06-20T16:00
() Emperor Dharmapala constructed an education system across his empire, so great it surpassed all that had come before. For half a millennium, it shaped Eastern India. This week, we go inside the ...
Listen
5.13 By a graceful move of the eyebrows from 2019-06-16T13:59:02
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This week, we find out what happened to the great prize of North India: the Imperial city of Kanyakubja. Two dynasties: the Palas (protectors), and the Pratiharas (do...
Listen
5.a Philosophy, by the book from 2019-06-05T01:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) Become a student of the great Jain thinker Haribhadra. His novels have thrilled you. His satires have scanadlised you. His logics have perplexed you. Now listen to hi...
Listen
5.12 Back by the withering sand from 2019-05-30T01:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) We join the great Pratihara king Vatsaraja, at his lowest moment. With the whole of North India in his power, he is defeated and flees across the mountains into the g...
Listen
5.11 On taking two umbrellas from 2019-05-23T18:29:19
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) Everyone wants the imperial city of Kanyakubja lies at the center. The great Partihara king of the west wants to re-establish his family's image. The great Pala king ...
Listen
5.10 On the way out from 2019-04-23T19:43:50
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) The Umayyad armies go beyond al-Sind, trying to establish a new province in al-Hind proper. But their successes won't last. They will be driven back, twice. And short...
Listen
5.9 On the way to Hind from 2019-04-06T20:43:46
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This week, a tale of bridge engineering, bloodthirsty generals, widowed queens, the first mosque in South Asia, and lots and lots of gold. We tell the story of how th...
Listen
5.8 On the door from 2019-03-23T08:29:19
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This week, the Rajputs arrive on the scene with the earliest of Rajput clans, the Pratiharas. But where did they come from? Did they see themselves as Rajputs? What d...
Listen
5.7 How to prevent fish on fish crime from 2019-03-06T18:57:03
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) Bengal's kings are dying daily. The land is in chaos. It's been this way for years. But, according to the legend, a man from the north will come and build a stable ki...
Listen
5.6 Those who live on campaign... from 2019-02-02T19:22:30
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) Lalitaditya had grand plans. He would make Kashmir into an empire, spanning all of India and outside of it too. His armies would walk the deserts of the silk road, sa...
Listen
5.5 On top of the world from 2019-01-26T18:20:53
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) Travel to the top of India, the mountain valley of Kashmir. This is the story of the three brother-kings of Kashmir. The kind brother, the cruel brother, and the conq...
Listen
5.4 Onward, Mauryan empire from 2019-01-19T20:33:46
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in)This week, the last of the Mauryan emperors. He will restore his family's glory, conquering the entire world. Well, more or less. Listen and meet a forgotten legend. W...
Listen
5.3 On the edge of renown from 2019-01-12T07:50:27
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) This week, two kingdoms tie themselves together with marriage. They expand their lands, regain their independence. They do everything to imitate the glorious rise of ...
Listen
5.2 The lake on the hills from 2019-01-03T16:17:32
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in The story of Nepal, from the formation of the Himalayan lands, through it's earliest inscriptions, to the king who refused to be king. This episode, we get up to da...
Listen
5.1 Carry on, Pataliputra from 2018-12-26T21:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) Emperor Harsha is dead. With him, the last great Indian empire of the first millenium collapses into chaos. Or so the story goes. Down in the ruins of Pataliputra, th...
Listen
5.0 Bumbling on bumbling from 2018-12-19T21:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) A brief introduction to series 5: a preview as we plunge into the medieval age. We'll have a quick chat about Islam and whether there even was a medieval age. All wr...
Listen
4.K Joy in ruins from 2018-10-24T04:35:04
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) A time-travellers tour through the heartlands of the Chaulikyan empire. See the new South Indian style of art being invented, stage by stage. Spot the hidden gems, t...
Listen
3.T By sea from 2018-10-05T04:54:22
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, set sail across the ocean with Indian merchants. We follow the Chinese monk Faxian as he crosses Gupta North India. We see the rituals of sea travelers, s...
Listen
3.S Engulfed by Jade from 2018-09-17T07:42:54
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) We spend another week in the Indian-influenced land of the Tarim basin. This week, we spend time in the legendary city of Khotan. We hear stories of its founding, me...
Listen
3.R Chewed over by the master from 2018-08-30T13:46:27
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, we travel over the Himalayas, and climb down the other side into the great desert basin. We spend time in a city on the northern ring of the desert, Kucha...
Listen
4.J The smile on the skull from 2018-08-15T18:12:12
() This is the tale of the land of the red river, North East India. Come on a journey along the banks, and hear the stories of this place: the tales of its legendary founder, a man named after hell...
Listen
3.Q From dusk till dawn from 2018-08-01T09:46
() This week, we return to the caves of Ajanta. But we have good company: an artist and college lecturer has come to tell us about her memories of visiting, what she saw, and the special place of t...
Listen
4.I The cheer of twigs from 2018-07-25T12:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, we see how the landscape of the Pallavas was shaped. We follow it from before history began, through the years as irrigation is built. Warning: some sound...
Listen
4.H The sport of drunkards and other stories from 2018-07-11T21:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) We meet one of the great characters of the age: Mahendravarman, king of the Pallavas. We get to know his wicked humour, and listen to one of his sharp-tongued plays....
Listen
4.G The joy of serpants and other stories from 2018-07-04T18:59:40
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com)All you ever needed to know about become an author in the court of Harsha, emperor of India. Find out a day in the life of an author. Try your hand at solving some of...
Listen
4.F Once they lived in the town in joy and happiness from 2018-06-27T15:30:50
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, the cities of North India empty. The traders lock down their stalls and move off with their baggage. The craftsmen's tools fall silent. And the king and h...
Listen
4.e The joys of the victory (part 2: the south) from 2018-06-20T15:35:52
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) Jainism once dominated life and culture in South India: Jain kings ruled with Jain monk advisors, and at court they listened to epic tales written by Jains, and rule...
Listen
4 d. The joys of victory (part 1) from 2018-03-30T18:50:18
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) Jainism has shaped Indian thought over the millenia, and continues to do so today. This week, we find out what life was like as a Jain in the time of Harsha. How d...
Listen
4.C The laughter of the monks grows silent from 2018-02-20T08:41:59
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) In the marketplaces and fields of ancient India, would you notice that Buddhism was gradually disappearing? Many ancient Indians did. And we take a layman's view as ...
Listen
4.B Joy in the kingdom of brothers (part B) from 2018-01-27T10:47:36
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) Second of the special episodes on ancient Gujurat. This week, we visit the internationally famous university of Vallabhi, and we hear how the story of the local king...
Listen
4.A Joy in the kingdom of brothers (part a) from 2018-01-13T19:33:32
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) We kick off our special episodes for the series with a tour of the smaller kingdoms and regions emerging around India. This week, we are in the peninsular of Gujurat...
Listen
4.16 The end of mirth from 2017-12-30T18:02:26
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The great emperor Harsha's death and the destruction of his empire. Told through the eyes of the Chinese emissaries Harsha loved.
Listen
4.15 How to regain happiness from 2017-12-21T11:31:17
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) When a great emperor suddenly falls, what happens to his empire? This week, we continue the story of Polekeshin II to his sudden disappearance. For 13 years, his emp...
Listen
4.14 The loss of mirth from 2017-12-13T19:04:12
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) A young prince flees his capital city. The prince will go on to beat the great emperor Harsha, and establish his own empire. But his is not just the story of a dynas...
Listen
4.13 The mirth of the monk from 2017-11-16T07:08:08
() This week, emperor Harsha tracks down a famous chinese monk. When the emperor and monk eventually meet, there is a great meeting of minds. Along the way, towers will burn down, the treasury will...
Listen
4.12 The mirth of the moon from 2017-11-10T20:35:29
() We continue the story of Harsha, last emperor of ancient India. The thirty years of bloodshed has begun, when Harsha will send his armies around India, forging his empire. We watch Harsha's army...
Listen
4.11 The clash of mirth from 2017-11-01T00:30
() Harsha prepares for battle. We follow him through the battle day, from before he wakes up, through the inspection of his army, the preparation of his battle-line, into the battle itself. Hear th...
Listen
4.10 The hero of mirth from 2017-10-25T19:40:19
() We follow an ancient Indian king as he prepares for war. Should he fight openly and honourably? Should he use sneaky tricks? Or should he find a third way? We consider his decisions as he plans ...
Listen
4.9 The rescue of mirth from 2017-10-18T22:18:18
() We continue with the story of the great emperor Harsha. He is alone. His family have almost all passed away. Only one remains: his sister, last heard of locked away in an enemy jail. We follow H...
Listen
4.8 The march of mirth from 2017-10-12T16:57:14
() The story of the great emperor Harsha continues as he finally sits on the throne. But there is much for the young king to learn. The ministers form factions and compete for his attention. The pe...
Listen
4.7 The trials of mirth (reuploaded) from 2017-10-09T07:57:58
***reuploaded due to itunes trouble***() The story of the great emperor Harsha continues with the bleakest of episodes. Harsha's family and friends will die around him. And modern historians have a...
Listen
4.7 The trials of mirth from 2017-10-04T12:26:19
() The story of the great emperor Harsha continues with the bleakest of episodes. Harsha's family and friends will die around him. And modern historians have accused him of killing his brother. Was...
Listen
4.6 The youth of mirth from 2017-09-28T09:38:25
() The story of the great emperor Harsha continues. This week, the man himself finally enters the world. We hear about his birth, his childhood gang of friends. And we watch as, one by one, the chi...
Listen
4.5 The beginning of mirth from 2017-09-21T14:44:29
() The great Emperor Harsha's family: from its beginnings in black magic and legend, through the long hard years serving greater kings, to the emerging of the family once again into the eye of hist...
Listen
4.4 The bard of mirth from 2017-09-15T13:15:32
() This week the history of India podcast gets personal. We get to know the great writer, Bana. We hear about his tragic childhood. His wild, party driven youth. We hang out in his village, meet hi...
Listen
4.3 The cruel pleasures of the moon from 2017-08-23T12:00
() The great city Pataliputra is at peace. But the good times cannot last. Soon, its start to squabble amongst themselves. A new power emerges to take advantage: the moon king will gain a tight gri...
Listen
4.2 The end of excitement from 2017-08-10T05:03
() This week, two kingdoms wage war up and down the banks of the Ganges. In the great city of Pataliputra, the kings are fighting desperately to avoid the fate of fallen empires. They will win vic...
Listen
4.1 Excitement at the end of empire from 2017-07-26T12:00
() The Gupta empire is crumbling. A time of great uncertainty and fear for some, and a time of excitement for others. This week, we meet two kings working for the Guptas. But, before long, they wil...
Listen
4.0 Happily bumbling into even more mishaps from 2017-07-12T12:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) A brief introduction to series 4, apology for all the errors, with an ancient Indian story to compensate.
Listen
3.P You will now be seen by the doctor from 2017-06-29T23:57:27
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) Doctors. Ancient Indians looked down on them. But this week, we'll be finding out what it would be like when an ancient Indian patient needed them. We look for cures...
Listen
3.O zero by 7922851426433759354390336 from 2017-06-21T00:02:59
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The story of ancient Indian mathematics from its earliest days stacking bricks to build altars, to infinity and beyond. We meet the work of the great Gupta-era mathe...
Listen
3.N By the bower of the heavenly tree from 2017-06-13T23:04:57
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, we get to know the greatest poet and playwright of ancient India: Kalidasa. We hear the legend of how he found his talent through the strained relationshi...
Listen
3.M Infatuated by the empire from 2017-06-06T16:08:27
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, get a job in the ancient Gupta empire. We look at the life of a soldier, a policeman, and a civil servant. But getting a place in the empire won't be as e...
Listen
3.L Soaked by gold from 2017-05-24T04:30
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) According to legend, if you travel by sea east from India and eventually you will reach the land of gold. But only the bravest adventurers dare make the journey. We ...
Listen
3.K A farm by the hills from 2017-05-18T23:49:56
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) Ancient North East India. We take a podcasty walk from an ancient farm in the valleys up into the hills where the Kiratas live, walking through the landscape rich wi...
Listen
3.J Bounded by the hills from 2017-05-10T22:58:12
() Ancient North East India. Cut off from the world by a ring of mountains; it's people living uneventful and simple lives. Well...not quite. This week we pay our first visit to the region; hear th...
Listen
3.i Don't buy the pyg in the poke from 2017-04-09T02:13:19
() Everything you ever needed to know about buying and running a farm in ancient India. Learn how to navigate the paper work required to buy a farm. Get advice on what to grow, and how. Hear how to...
Listen
3.H Side by side (bonus material) from 2017-04-08T14:41:59
() How best to get inside the shoes of ancient Indians? Through the stomach! This episode, some friends cook some ancient Indian meals and give them a tasting. Will we adopt an ancient Indian diet?...
Listen
3.G Side by side from 2017-04-01T09:13:08
() We cook a meal for some ancient Indians. From buying ingredients down the market, to working in the Kitchen, to the meal itself. We might also indulge in a bit of smoking and drinking afterwards.
Listen
3.F Study by the stupa from 2017-03-22T04:30
() Students from around the known world set out with their books. They are heading for one location. The great monastery in Northern India: Nalanda. We join them on their journey into the complex, ...
Listen
3.E Chased by the dusk from 2017-03-18T12:27:53
() We return to the Ajanta Caves for a second special episode. In this episode, the emperor is building his own cave, grander than all the others. The story of the cave is the story of the empire: ...
Listen
3.D Captured by the dawn (part 1) from 2017-03-08T05:30
() The Ajanta Caves. A world famous collection of caves where Buddhists worshipped for years.... well, not exactly. The caves were abandoned half way through construction. They tell the story of th...
Listen
3.13 Goodbye to empire from 2017-02-23T00:40:58
() This week, two empires will fall. As the grand Gupta empire retreats to the east and falls apart, we see its inner workings exposed. And we watch the small states squabble and fight over its leg...
Listen
3.12 Protected by the lion man from 2017-02-15T01:09:28
() Two rulers fight over Northern India. The emperor of the Guptas, a gentle man devoted to Buddhism. The king of the Huns, a self-made man devoted to conquest. This week, the war between these two...
Listen
3.11 Ruled by rebels from 2017-02-08T02:11:09
() It's festival time, and the streets of Pataliputra are busy with the sound of celebration. But the celebrations won't last. Emperors will fall like flies. The empire will be filled with rebellio...
Listen
3.i The path between two rivers from 2017-02-01T05:30
() Ever strolled through a museum absent mindedly, when all the exhibits seem to blur into one. What would happen if you took just one exhibit found out everything you could about it: where it was ...
Listen
2.i The abduction of queen Kakati from 2017-01-18T05:30
() A sculpture from an ancient Indian monastery carries us away on the wings of a bird of legend. Link to image: http://bit.ly/2jHcZbr
Listen
1.ii The Fly Whisker from 2017-01-11T05:33
(). The Didarganj Yakshi, a beautiful life-size statue of a woman. We hear how she was discovered, and became an international agent, and her place in ancient Pataliputra. Link to image: http://bit...
Listen
1.i The artefacts bumble from 2017-01-11T05:30
() Quick introduction to the mini-episodes on artworks and artefacts. Short ancient Indian story by way of compensation.
Listen
3.10 Protected by destruction (part 2) from 2017-01-04T05:30
() The fortunes of the Gupta family are ruined. The empire has splintered into a dozen warring factions. The huns are already inside India, and at the gates of the empire. This is the tale of how e...
Listen
3.9 Protected by destruction (part 1) from 2016-12-28T00:07:55
() This week, the huns are coming!
Listen
3.8 Protected by the prince from 2016-12-21T19:43:46
() The Gupta empire enjoys a peaceful slumber, as its golden age draws on. Its borders are and provinces are run by a closely-knit, competent and loyal family. But, in this episode, a family disagr...
Listen
3.7 Sculpted by iron from 2016-12-14T05:30
() The tale of the famous Iron Pillar of Delhi and emperor Chandragupta II, from the construction of the pillar to the inscription of the emperor's tale.
Listen
3.6 Soaked by gold from 2016-12-07T21:36:09
() The golden age of the Guptas is about to begin. A new emperor takes the throne in a wave of scandel: Chandragupta II. Despite his shaky start, he will soon be revealed as a talented ruler, a vic...
Listen
3.c Colored by sound (part 2) from 2016-11-30T05:30
() What music did ancient Indians hear? What songs did they sing? We track down the folk tune and ritual chants of ancient Indians. Along the way, we pass through a lovesick country addicted to the...
Listen
3.b Colored by sound (part 1) from 2016-11-24T02:05:03
() This week, we go hear the notes and beats of ancient Indian music, and hear some of the instruments. (2nd of 3 specials about Gupta performance art.)
Listen
3.a Sacrifice by sight from 2016-11-16T05:30
() This week, we go to see an ancient Indian play. (1st of 3 specials about Gupta performance art.)
Listen
3.5 Killed by cowardice from 2016-11-09T05:30
() Historians uncovered an ancient play about an unknown emperor, killed by his brother and the woman they both loved. The play turned out to have more truth than anyone suspected. It may have even...
Listen
3.4 South by southwest from 2016-11-02T00:36:03
() The great conqueror of ancient India turns his attention south. We follow him through forests, along sandy rivers, down the coast and into South India. And we hear how he shaped the world outsid...
Listen
3.3 Protected by the sea from 2016-10-26T21:37:09
() The story of the great conqueror of ancient India. We follow him through his first campaign, the snake wars. And we see if he really earns his title: the Napoleon of India.
Listen
3.2 Hidden by the moon from 2016-10-18T21:20:07
() The founding of the Gupta empire, built by alliance and war. In this episode, it emerges from the patchwork of small states and dominates the valley of the Ganges. But the first emperor's plan t...
Listen
3.1 Surrounded by small kings from 2016-10-11T23:23:38
() It's the late 3rd century, and the world is changing. Empires which dominated India have crumbled, leaving a patchwork of small states. We see what this new world looked like from the great city...
Listen
3.0 More mishaps by the bumbling historian from 2016-10-06T17:23:22
() A brief introduction to the series and a story from perhaps the greatest Sanskrit writer of them all.
Listen
2 J Poets and archers (part 2 of 2) from 2016-09-15T00:43:42
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The Cheras: crowned kings of South India. They ruled ancient Kerala and beyond as a family estate. This episode, we hear about the Chera kings from outsiders, throug...
Listen
2 I Poets and archers (part 1 of 2) from 2016-09-14T23:14:53
() The Cheras: crowned kings of South India. They ruled ancient Kerala and beyond as a family estate. This episode, we cover the first dynasty of the Cheras as told by their court poets. Third of t...
Listen
2 H The civilized and the barbarian from 2016-09-07T04:30
() This week, we meet the barbarians. Outsiders from tribes in the hills to kings from foreign lands. What was it like to live as an outsider? What was it like to live alongside them? Listen, and f...
Listen
2 G Women, law and life from 2016-08-24T04:30
() If you were an ancient Indian woman, would you choose to be a nun or a wife? This episode has all you need to decide this thorny question, from the legal facts to words of wisdom from ancient In...
Listen
2 F Poets and Fish from 2016-08-10T04:30
() The Pandiyas: crowned kings of South India, famous for hosting the legendary 'Sangam' academies of poets. We dig into those legends of the patrons and their poets, and unearth the truth within. ...
Listen
2 E Poets and tigers from 2016-07-27T01:11:19
() The Cholas: crowned kings of South India, people of the sun, their tiger flags leading their armies into battle. We meet their kings and poets and hear about their generous spirit, their homelan...
Listen
2 D Stupas and stupefaction from 2016-07-13T05:00
() In this special episode we take a virtual tour around the famous Buddhist monuments at Sanchi. We find a hidden stupa, search for the stories in the carvings, see through the invisible Buddha fi...
Listen
2 C India, Rome, and the Red Sea from 2016-06-28T23:41:48
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) We continue our business trip from ancient India to Rome. We stop at Islands populated by Indian sailors, cross the great desert to the Nile, and finally making our ...
Listen
2 B India, Rome, and the High Seas from 2016-06-16T02:00:54
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) A business trip from Ancient India to Rome, stopping along the way to peer into spice carts heading for the coast, Indian ships, and the curious story of the Romans ...
Listen
2 A The householder, the slave, and the wardrobe from 2016-06-02T23:11:30
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) In this special episode, we live a morning in the life of a rich householder in Kushana India. Where did they wake up? What did they wear? And much more besides. Alo...
Listen
2.14 The Kushans and the menace from the West from 2016-05-05T02:10:58
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, the end of the Kushan empire. The old order is crumbling. Roman emperors are slaughtered, China splinters, and the Kushan empire is beaten by a new menace...
Listen
2.13 Kanishka and the wonder of the world from 2016-04-27T22:54:27
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The Kanishka stupa deserves its place amongst the wonders of the world. But its splendor has been long forgotten, and the stupa itself has been wiped out. This week,...
Listen
2.12 Kanishka and friends from 2016-04-20T19:16:41
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) Kanishka the Great has conquered India. This week, we get to know him intimately, by getting to know his friends: the doctor, the minister and the poet-monk. We hear...
Listen
2.11 Kanishka and the city of flowers from 2016-04-13T06:16:10
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The great city of Pataliputra had been destroyed. In this episode, the city will be rebuilt. But as soon as it reappears on the world stage, it will attract the atte...
Listen
2.10 India and the edge of the world from 2016-03-29T05:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The story of the Kushans. An empire caught between two continents: its body is in India, but it left its heart back in central Asia. So all its central Asian customs...
Listen
2.9 Out of the steppe and into the city from 2016-03-17T03:15:58
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) We travel with a tribe of nomads from China across the vast grasslands to central Asia. There, they finally settle down into the cities on India's doorstep. They uni...
Listen
2.8 Kings and calendars from 2016-03-10T00:38:27
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) Old tales tell of a king who threw out the invaders, full of cleverness and wisdom, a man so generous that he was always willing to sacrifice his own life to help on...
Listen
2.7 The conqueror and his mother from 2016-03-02T05:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The Indian empires strike back. For too long, the Shaka invaders have dominated the land, and plundered its riches. This week, a new Indian king will take the throne...
Listen
2.6 Poet-kings and politicians from 2016-02-24T17:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) India is being invaded by outsiders. But the rulers of its last empire are distracted by more sensual matters. As the invaders close in, we listen to the rulers and ...
Listen
2.5 India and the Great Wall of China from 2016-02-17T11:10:52
() India is under attack. Tribes fleeing from the great wall of China pour into India. We watch the first invasions sweep in from the North West. How far did these alien people get? How alien were ...
Listen
2.4 Chess and the emptiness of Pataliputra from 2016-02-11T23:06:48
() The once grand Imperial capital has lost its lustre. Its people watch as the great and good leave their city. Those that remain face repeated invasion from west, south and north. In this episode...
Listen
2.3 The Prince and the Greek from 2016-02-04T10:15:07
() An ancient Indian love poem leads us to the pinnacle of two great houses: the Shungas who inherited an Indian empire, and the Indo-Greeks. After their fateful meeting, we watch as both houses be...
Listen
2.2 The Greeks and the Indian homeland from 2016-01-27T23:09:35
() Ancient Afghanistan: rich and fertile. Its Greek kings are powerful and ambitious enough to try to carve a new empire in India, cutting through the ruins of the old empire all the way to the wal...
Listen
2.1 The kingslayer and his horses from 2016-01-20T11:07:42
() The story of the general who ended an empire. To consolidate his power, the general became a passionate supporter of the old-time religion. We look at the accusation that he persecuted the rival...
Listen
2.0 The bumbling historian and his mad plan from 2016-01-20T10:39:08
() An introduction and apology for the series. What we'll be talking about, how I'll screw it up, and how a mysterious red liquor almost ruined ancient India.
Listen
1.G The sayings of seers (part 2) from 2015-12-22T16:47:14
() We look at the lost religion of ancient India. We see its doctrines and seemingly harsh practices through the eyes of rival sects. And we ask how the apparent hostility between these sects chang...
Listen
1.F The Merchants of Magadha from 2015-12-02T02:16:59
() The guilds of ancient India. Trusted by townsfolk, feared by kings. This week, we find out how to join an ancient guild, and what to expect once you're a member. Then we take a voyage across Mau...
Listen
1.E The Sayings of Seers from 2015-11-18T07:27:40
() In this episode, we look at how religion affected the life of the average ancient Indian.What rituals and sacrifices did an ancient Indian householder perform? What different religious views and...
Listen
1.D The carving of society - a conversation from 2015-11-04T05:30
() We're joined by Prakhar Manas for a discussion of caste in ancient history, and it's effect on modern India.
Listen
1.D The carvings of society from 2015-11-04T05:00
() This week, we tackle the thorny issue of caste, and how important it was to day-to-day life in ancient India.
Listen
1.C The three crowned kings of Tamilakam from 2015-10-21T06:39:24
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week we travel down to the three great kingdoms of South India: the Cholas, the Pandyas and the Cheras. Sources are hard to find. We read them all and discover ...
Listen
1.11 The end of an empire from 2015-10-07T04:42:18
() A generation after Ashoka's death his empire had vanished. This week, we meet some of the emperors desperately hanging on as their world decays around them. And we test the accusation that Ashok...
Listen
1.10 Kingdom without sorrow from 2015-09-30T10:44:29
() Sovereignty is only possible with assistance; a single wheel cannot move alone. Ashoka the Great took this maxim to heart, and built a huge government machine to assist him. This week, Ashoka mu...
Listen
1.9 Virtue without sorrow from 2015-09-23T07:03:21
(). On the battlefield at Kalinga the victorious emperor Ashoka decided to follow his conscience, no matter what. This week we find out where Ashoka's conscience lead him. We about hear his message...
Listen
1.8 Conscience without sorrow from 2015-09-16T14:38:14
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The first of three podcasts on the great emperor Ashoka. We meet his wives, and hear of his path to power over the bodies of his brothers. We go right up until the d...
Listen
1.7: The honesty of ambassadors from 2015-09-08T23:00:01
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week we look at the tall tales about India told by three Greek ambassadors to the courts of Mauryan emperors.
Listen
1.6 The removal of thorns from 2015-09-01T23:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, we look at the cunning statesman Kautilya. He wrote a book crammed full with cunning ideas on how to rule a kingdom. And he had personal experience backin...
Listen
1.5 The throne of the peacock from 2015-08-25T23:00:01
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week, we witness the founding of the great Mauryan empire. It will become unmatched in its size and power until the modern era. But it all starts with a young m...
Listen
1.A The legacy of foreign emperors from 2015-08-18T15:00:02
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The first special episode on matters away from the main storyline. In this episode we look at the Persian empire in India. Health warning: the second part of this ep...
Listen
1.B The ignorance of foreign kings from 2015-08-18T15:00
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) A bonus special episode on Alexander the Great's stampede through North-West India. How he was ushered into India a conquering hero without a fight, and how his army...
Listen
1.4 The treasure of low-born kings from 2015-08-11T22:01:17
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) This week we breeze through three dynasties of kings in one jam-packed episode. None of them end well. The dynasty of Bimbisara comes to an end in bloody infamy. The...
Listen
1.3 The Envy of Princes from 2015-08-03T23:00:01
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The downfall of Bimbisara king of Magadha. The rise of his son Ajatashatru to the throne, and two of his wars.
Listen
1.2 The Shrewdness of King Bimbisara from 2015-07-28T23:00:01
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) The story of Bimbisara, ancient king of Magadha. He was a contemporary of the Buddha and Mahavira, and by cunning marriages and warfare doubled the size of Magadha a...
Listen
1.1 The 16 great houses of ancient India from 2015-07-25T11:49:08
(www.historyofindiapodcast.com) A wander through the mahajanapadas who dominated northern India during the 6th cenutury b.c. This is the world of Buddha and Mahavira.
Listen
1.0 The apology of a bumbling historian from 2015-07-25T10:43:15
(www.historyofindiapodcast.in) Introduction to the podcast. What we will be talking about, where, and how I'll screw it up. Includes a favourite Indian story as part compensation. Updated Feb 2018.
Listen