Why Hindu Nationalists Desperately Claim Harappa As Aryan
Harappa was an urban civilisation, while the Vedic was rural. The Vedic-Aryan culture was intrinsically linked to horses, but the Harappan findings had no trace of any horses.
Archaeology As Evidence: A Troubling Track Record
On the legal turf, the battle is between findings of the ASI vs creative inferences that creep in depending on the politics of the day
Linking Indus Valley And Vedic Civilisations: A Hindu Nationalist Project
New genetic research on skeletal remains from Rakhigarhi site is being used to negate Aryan migration theory and prove that Harappans were indigenous to the subcontinent
Rakhigarhi: Secrets From A Millenia-Old Civilisation
While the Harappan remains at Rakhigarhi await their much-deserved preservation, the elusive truth of this millennia-old civilisation continues to be shrouded in mystery
The Politics Of Piecing Together The Past
Archaeological evidence is essential for reconstructing history but history and truth are not static
Pattanam: A Dig Too Deep For The Sangh
Though the controversies surrounding Pattanam have put an end to excavation work at the archaeological village in Kerala, the site is still cloaked in secrecy thanks to ASI
How Much Control Does Archaeological Survey Of India Actually Have?
Increasingly, the potential of archaeology is tragically getting lost as attempts are made to misuse it to address political issues
The Trouble With The Quest For A Vedic Civilisation
The quest for Vedic civilisation is a dream project of the caste-Hindus in India directed by the syndrome of Brahmanical cultural nationalism and the homogeneity of tradition.
Maa Dewri: Sarna, Sanatan Clash Over A Revered Deity
Adivasis and Brahmins stake claim over a deity who was worshipped by tribals as a stone for centuries before the stone became a multi-armed idol of a goddess all Hindus revere
ASI: An Archaic Archaeological Bureaucracy
The Archaeological Survey of India is weighed down by an orthodox and corrupt bureaucracy
Al Aqsa To Hagia Sophia: Historical Sites At Religious And Cultural Fault Lines
In a divided world, sacred spaces like Al Aqsa and Babri Masjid, which have raised nationalistic fervour, should have endured as symbols of hope, reminding us that while walls and domes may separate, they also unite
Hastily Recasting U.S. In The Right-Wing Mould
Trump is in a hurry to build a new protectionist America where social norms reflect White Christian values.
Mahakumbh And The Modern Hindu
The modern Hindu, whether he takes a dip at the Mahakumbh or not, prefers to go along with Sahir Ludhianvi’s famous formulation—ye paap hai kya, ye punya hai kya, reeto par dharm ki mohre hai
Delhi Election 2025: AAP’s Toughest Contest Yet
As the race for the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections heats up, voters and political analysts agree that this will be AAP’s toughest contest yet
A Family Steeped In The Indian Railways
Indian Railways was our default setting for travel. My most vivid memories are of train travel as a family.
'The End Of The World As We Knew It' | In Conversation With Amitav Ghosh
Amitav Ghosh's recently released collection, Wild Fictions, features essays written over the last 25 years, in which he bears witness to a crucial rupture of time. Ghosh continues to 'imagine the unthinkable' in his writing, preparing us to deal with a future that is deeply disrupted by climate change.
Dancing To The Revolution | A Comrade’s Diary
Tarun Bhartiya sold his young and adult life to a form of revolution many people cannot relate to.