The History of India Podcast

By Kit Patrick

Society & Culture History Places & Travel

What's The History of India Podcast about?

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)

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The History of India Podcast episodes:

12.08.2023
6.2 Tale of two princes: Dantidurga and Nandivarman
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-saint, some brutal medieval...
12.01.2023
6.1 Ascending the peak: Dantidurga and the founding of the Rashtrakuta empire
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 of all imperial...
01.13.2021
5.E By the dry heart of empire
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 horse hurdles, his youthful...
05.01.2020
5.D Workers stranded by the lockdown
**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 to Anushka...
04.26.2020
5.C Chalukyas by the book
(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 Chaulkiyan empire. She tells us about how comic books get made,...
04.18.2020
5.B By the whim of the master (part 2)
(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 monasteries. And we meet a young woman being sold into slavery. Also in this...
04.11.2020
5.A By the whim of the master
(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 to being free. India might have been the best place in the...
04.04.2020
5.23 Overtaken by the bogeyman
(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 people. In this episode we hear the tales told about...
03.26.2020
5.22 By the back of the five great kings
(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 and send him fleeing. And a small king...
12.14.2019
5.21 By half a metre
(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 revealed only half a meter down. Also in this episode: how...
12.05.2019
5.20 Assault by salt
(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 him. Also in this episode: a practical guide...
10.21.2019
5.19 Drawn by the sun
(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 at his ancestral enemies, defeating them, and achieving what none...
10.08.2019
5.18 Drawn by greatness
(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 nothing, for the once great western empire as been reduced...
08.23.2019
5.17 By the tip of the quivering sword
( 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: religious rivalry told through a hymn about toenails,...
08.10.2019
5.16 By the setting of the eastern sun
() 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 commander's choice of battle...
08.03.2019
5.15 By the light of the western dawn
() 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, loaded with...
06.20.2019
5.14 By the help of a hundred scholars
() 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 system. We follow the great Buddhist teacher...
06.16.2019
5.13 By a graceful move of the eyebrows
(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 (doorkeepers) have been fighting to gain control. In this episode, a new...
06.05.2019
5.a Philosophy, by the book
(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 his lightening fast summary of all the important points of Indian philosophy....
05.30.2019
5.12 Back by the withering sand
(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 great desert. We uncover the stories of the people...
05.23.2019
5.11 On taking two umbrellas
(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 of the west wants to become the first emperor from his...
04.23.2019
5.10 On the way out
(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 shortly after, the entire Umayyad empire will collapse in on itself. This...
04.06.2019
5.9 On the way to Hind
(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 the Ummayid caliphate came to invade Sind.
03.23.2019
5.8 On the door
(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 did they do after they had emerged? The answers might...
03.06.2019
5.7 How to prevent fish on fish crime
(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 kingdom. This time, the legend is true....
02.02.2019
5.6 Those who live on campaign...
(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, sail the seas of the bay of Bengal, and...
01.26.2019
5.5 On top of the world
(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 conqueror. Hear the story of their parents, how their kingdom...
01.19.2019
5.4 Onward, Mauryan empire
(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. WARNING: some gore, blood, descriptions of death.
01.12.2019
5.3 On the edge of renown
(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 empires past. And then... they fade to nothing.
01.03.2019
5.2 The lake on the hills
(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 date with what is going on in the kingdom to...
12.26.2018
5.1 Carry on, Pataliputra
(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, things seem a bit different. The old families ruled before...
12.19.2018
5.0 Bumbling on bumbling
(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 wrapped up with one of my favorite stories.
10.24.2018
4.K Joy in ruins
(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, the out of the way sites, the temples which slowly give up...
10.05.2018
3.T By sea
(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, sample the sights and sounds of the great port of...
09.17.2018
3.S Engulfed by Jade
(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, meet its king, and hear how the children of the...
08.30.2018
3.R Chewed over by the master
(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. It's a city deeply influenced by Indian...
08.15.2018
4.J The smile on the skull
() 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...
08.01.2018
3.Q From dusk till dawn
() 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 the paintings...
07.25.2018
4.I The cheer of twigs
(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 issues including, but not limited to, making fun of historians...
07.11.2018
4.H The sport of drunkards and other stories
(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. In this episode: drunken priests, lusty monks, booze spilling...
07.04.2018
4.G The joy of serpants and other stories
(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 their puzzles. Meet the leading...
06.27.2018
4.F Once they lived in the town in joy and happiness
(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 his generals are left in the silent husk of the...
06.20.2018
4.e The joys of the victory (part 2: the south)
(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 ruled over their people many of whom followed Jainism. By early...
03.30.2018
4 d. The joys of victory (part 1)
(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 did they worship? Where did they fit...
02.20.2018
4.C The laughter of the monks grows silent
(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 the monasteries withdraw from the world and at the same time become...
01.27.2018
4.B Joy in the kingdom of brothers (part B)
(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 kingdom weaves together with the stories of great empires. All of this...
01.13.2018
4.A Joy in the kingdom of brothers (part a)
(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, in a strange kingdom where they pass the throne...
12.30.2017
4.16 The end of mirth
(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.
12.21.2017
4.15 How to regain happiness
(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 empire is plunged into darkness. But an heir will emerge, and...
12.13.2017
4.14 The loss of mirth
(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 dynasty. For in his story, the state...

What's The History of India Podcast about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

The History of India Podcast episodes:

6.2 Tale of two princes: Dantidurga and Nandivarman

6.1 Ascending the peak: Dantidurga and the founding of the Rashtrakuta empire

5.E By the dry heart of empire

5.D Workers stranded by the lockdown

5.C Chalukyas by the book

5.B By the whim of the master (part 2)

5.A By the whim of the master

5.23 Overtaken by the bogeyman

5.22 By the back of the five great kings

5.21 By half a metre

5.20 Assault by salt

5.19 Drawn by the sun

5.18 Drawn by greatness

5.17 By the tip of the quivering sword

5.16 By the setting of the eastern sun

5.15 By the light of the western dawn

5.14 By the help of a hundred scholars

5.13 By a graceful move of the eyebrows

5.a Philosophy, by the book

5.12 Back by the withering sand

5.11 On taking two umbrellas

5.10 On the way out

5.9 On the way to Hind

5.8 On the door

5.7 How to prevent fish on fish crime

5.6 Those who live on campaign...

5.5 On top of the world

5.4 Onward, Mauryan empire

5.3 On the edge of renown

5.2 The lake on the hills

5.1 Carry on, Pataliputra

5.0 Bumbling on bumbling

4.K Joy in ruins

3.T By sea

3.S Engulfed by Jade

3.R Chewed over by the master

4.J The smile on the skull

3.Q From dusk till dawn

4.I The cheer of twigs

4.H The sport of drunkards and other stories

4.G The joy of serpants and other stories

4.F Once they lived in the town in joy and happiness

4.e The joys of the victory (part 2: the south)

4 d. The joys of victory (part 1)

4.C The laughter of the monks grows silent

4.B Joy in the kingdom of brothers (part B)

4.A Joy in the kingdom of brothers (part a)

4.16 The end of mirth

4.15 How to regain happiness

4.14 The loss of mirth