History of Uttar Pradesh

The territory that constitutes present day Uttar Pradesh was made home by the Aryans in 2000 BC. The ancient kingdom of Kosala of which Rama of Ramayana was king was located in the state of Uttar Pradesh. According to tradition, Krishna, the preacher of Bhagwat Gita, was born in the city of Mathura.

Uttar Pradesh remained part of the most of the great kingdoms of India including the Mauryan (320-200 BC), Kushan (100-250 AD) and Gupta (350-600 AD) empires. After the downfall of the Guptas, Harshavardhana rose into prominence with Kannauj at his capital. After Harshavardhana’s death, his empire fell into pieces. There arose many kingdoms which were ruled mostly by Rajputs.

Uttar Pradesh came under the control of Delhi Sultanate and later the Mughal Empire. Agra and Fatehpur Sikri served as the capital cities of Akbar, the greatest Mughal Emperor of India. After the disintegration of the Mughal Empire, the state was ruled by different rulers. Chief among them were the Nawabs of Oudh who ruled Lucknow in the 18th century.

Uttar Pradesh was the main centre of the Sepoy Mutiny in 1857, also know as India’s First War of Independence.

History of Tripura

Known as Kirat Desh in times of antiquity, Tripura has been referred to in the great epic of Mahabharata as well as ancient Hindu scriptures including the Puranas. That the region was under the control of the 3rd century BC Mauryan Emperor Ashoka is proved by the pillar inscriptions that were erected by the great Maurya in many parts of his expansive kingdom.

Tripura derives its name from the great king of the same name, a contemporary of Yudhishtara of Mahabharata fame, tracing his descent to King Druya and Bhabru. According to other school of thought the region derives its name from the temple of Tripuri Sundari, situated at Radhakrishnapur in the state.

A princely state of great antiquity, Tripura was under the control of Tripuri Kings (Habugra) who ruled the territory for three millennia under the title of Manikya. Udaipur in South Tripura district was seat of government of the Manikyas whose King Krishna Manikya, in the 18th century, transferred the capital form Udaipur to Old Agartala. Agartala became the seat of power in the 19th Century. When India became independent there was clamour for the integration of the princely states into the India union. As a result of Ganamukti Parishad movement, Tripura was integrated with India in 1949. Tripura attained full statehood in 1972.

Taj Mahal, the Symbol of India

The symbol of India, the Taj Mahal at Agra is known the world over. In fact, this is the most resplendent of the Indian sites, one certainly not to miss even in the most perfunctory of tours. Situated 125 miles (200km) south of Delhi, Agra is an essential stop in any tour of India.

Built under the reign of the fifth Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century, this mausoleum of his wife, Arjumand Banu Begum (better known as Mumtaz Mahal), is the very pinnacle of Mughal architecture. It is called the Taj Mahal after the title of the empress. It has been poetically described as “a tender elegy in marble.”

The belief that the Taj owes its design to a Venetian, Gernimo Verrones, is misleading. The Taj is the crowing glory and culmination of the Mughal architecture. It was commenced in 1631 and completed some time around 1653. The monument is rightly regarded as one of the wonders of the world for its beauty and magnificence.

The grandest achievement of the Mughal architecture, the Taj Mahal, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Taj Mahal was the result of the efforts of over 12, 000 workers, over a period of 22 years. The cost incurred on the construction in those times was 50 (5 million) Rupees.

History of Tamil Nadu

The excavations at Adichanallur, 24 km from Tirunelveli in the state of Tamil Nadu, points to settlements of people in the pre-historic times.

The ancient period in Tamil Nadu is marked by the emergence of the four Tamil kingdoms of the Chera, Chola, Pandya and Pallavas. Apart from these dynasties, an obscure power named Kalabhras succeeded in displacing the three Tamil kingdoms between the fourth and the seventh centuries CE. The period is referred to as the Dark Age in the history of Tamil Nadu. The Kalabhras were later expelled by the Pallavas and the Pandyas.

The Pallavas who ruled Tamil Nadu were the contemporaries of the Rashtrakutas. The early history of the Pallavas is shrouded in mystery, but Simhavishnu Avanisimha, who ascended the throne in about 575 AD, is considered to e the real founder of the Pallava dynasty. Mahendravarman I and his son Mamalla Narasimhavarman I were the great rulers of the Pallavas dynasty. Kanchipuram was the capital of the Pallavas whose contribution to the Dravidian architecture was immense. The Shore Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built by Narasimhavarman II.

Pallavas were followed by the Pandyas in the 8th century. With their capital Madurai, Pandyas were referred to as the richest kingdom by the famous traveller Marco Polo. The greatness of the Cholas as described by Asoka was restored by Vijayalaya, who began his rule in 850 AD. The greatest kings of the Chola Empire were Rajaraja Chola and his son Rajendra Chola. Mahipala, the pala king of Bengal was defeated by Rajendra Chola. To commemorate this victory he founded a new capital and called it Gangaikonda Cholapuram, identified with modern Gangakundapuram in Tiruchirapalli district of Tamil Nadu.

The Vijayanagara Empire which ruled over the entire Tamil Nadu was founded in 1336 by Harihara I and Bukka. This empire ruled for two centuries with the defeat of Vijayanagara forces in the Battle of Talikota against the Muslim forces of Deccan in 1565.

In 1968, Madras State became the state of Tamil Nadu.

Bharukachcha: An important port of ancient India

Located on the banks of the Narmada, Bharukachcha, the modern Broach in Gujarat, was the most famous port and commercial centre of Gujarat in ancient India. It was one of the chief ports of ancient India. It has been frequently mentioned in several Buddhist and Sanskrit works. From the early centuries of the Christian era till the close of the thirteenth century, Bharukachcha, remained a prosperous town and a thriving port under the successive dynasties which ruled Gujarat.

Sir Alexander Cunningham: Father of Indian Archeology

Alexander Cunningham was one of the colleagues of James Prinsep. He assisted the later in the decipherment of the Brahmi script. The decipherment of the Brahmi script led to the reading of the Asokan edicts. Thus the world came to know about the great emperor.

Alexander Cunningham was an officer of the Royal engineers. He came to India in 1831. Since his arrival in the country, he devoted his time to the study of the ancient remains of Indian history. Alexander Cunningham recorded the existence of a series of mounds after visiting Harappan site. He is credited to have conducted a limited excavation of the Harappan site. He published a few Objects (such as seals) as well as the site-plan. He was appointed Archeological Surveyor in 1862.

Indian Indology owes a lot to Sir Alexander Cunningham. He is rightly called father of Indian archeology.

History of Himachal Pradesh

After coming into the control of many dynasties including those of Gupats and Harshavardhana, the territory of Himachal Pradesh was divided into small principalities headed by chieftains. Some of these small kingdoms were ruled by Rajput chieftains.

These principalities were invaded by the Muslim armies at regular intervals. At the beginning of the 10th century, Mahmud Ghaznavi launched a military campaign against Kangra and captured it.

Timur and Sikander Lodi also made similar raids. Many of the hill kingdoms became vassals of the Mughal empire. 

During India’s struggle for freedom, most of the princely states of Himachal Pradesh either remained indifferent or supported the cause of the British. After becoming a Union Territory on 1 November 1956, Himachal Pradesh became the eighteenth state of the Indian Union on 18 December 1970 thanks to the enactment of the State of Himachal Pradesh Act by the Indian Parliament

History of Maharashtra

The area that constitutes the present day state of Maharashtra was the scene of the flourishing of many dynasties. After coming into the control of the Mauryan Empire, Satavahana kingdom held its sway over the territory. Junnar, thirty miles north of Pune, was the capital of the Satavahanas at one point of time.

During the Satavahana period, Maharashtra became a great centre of culture and learning. The official language of Satavahana was Maharashtri, which later developed into Marathi. The greatest ruler of the Satavahana dynasty was Gautamiputra Satkarni, who took pride in calling himself the destroyer of the Sakas (Scythians), Yavanas (Greeks) and Pahlavas (Parthians). He is credited to have started the Shalivahana era, a new calendar, still used by the Maharashtrians. Sri Yajna Satkarni was the last great king of the Satavahana kingdom. According to some Puranas, 19 kings of this dynasty ruled for 300 years, while according to others, 30 kings ruled for 465 years. The dynasty came to an end about the middle of the third century A.D.

After the fall of the Satavahana dynasty, the eastern part of Maharashtra came under the control of Vakatakas. Among other dynasties that ruled over the territory the Rashtrakutas, and the Yadavas of Deogiri find special mention.

The invading armies of the Delhi Sultanate rulers Ala-ud-din Khalji, and later Muhammad bin Tughluq took control of the territory of Maharashtra. After the collapse of the Delhi Sultanate, the area became part of the Bahmani Sultanate.

The greatest name in the history of Maharashtra was that of Shivaji who by dint of his hard work and sheer tenacity succeeded in creating a kingdom covering most of Maharashtra and nearly half of India in a short span of his life. He was the nemesis of Aurangzeb, the sixth Mughal emperor. Shivaji was born in the fort of Shivaner in 1627 and deied on April, 1680.

Shivaji's death was followed by internal dissensions in the newly created Maratha Kingdom. There was a dispute about succession between the two sons of Shivaji. Finally Sambhaji ascended the throne in 1680. He was captured, and after cruel torture for more than three weeks, he was brutally put to death by Aurangzeb.

Rajaram's nephew & Sambhaji's son, Shahu Bhosale (born May 18, 1682) who had been in Mughal captivity since November 3, 1689, was liberated on May 8, 1707. He was recognized as the king of the Marathas. This was resented by Rajaram’s wife Tara Bai. However, Shahu ultimately came out victorious, manly with the help and advice of a Chitpavan Brahmana from Konkan, named Balaji Viswanath.

Balaji’s character and capacity and the peculiar circumstances of the country favoured the rise of the Peshwas to power and renown. He has been rightly called the second founder of the Maratha state.

After the death of Balaji Viswanath, his eldest son Bajiroa, a young man of hardly twenty, was appointed the Peshwa by Sahu. Under him the Maratha power reached its zenith.

Maharashtra played an important role in India’s freedom struggle. Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Mahadev Govind Ranade, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Pherozeshah Mehta and Dadabhai Naoroji were some of the prominent leaders of the freedom struggle.

Maharashtra became a full fledged state on May 1, 1960, when Bombay Presidency State was bifurcated into the new linguistic states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

History of Madhya Pradesh

Various dynasties held their sway over the territory that constitutes the present day state of Madhya Pradesh. Many places in the state find mention in the ancient scriptures such as Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Khajuraho

The city of Ujjain, earlier known as Avanti, made its mark as a major center of power and learning in the sixth century BC. The whole area came under the control of the Maurya Empire (321 to 185 BCE). After the downfall of the Mauryan Empire, the territory was ruled by various dynasties including the Satavahana and the Sakas.

The Gupta dynasty which ruled over the state is considered to be golden period of the Indian history. The medieval period witnessed the emergence of several dynasties including the Paramaras of Malwa and the Chandelas of Bundelkhand. The world heritage site of Khajuraho temples were built by the Chandelas of Bundelkhand.

The territory came under the control of the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire. The present day Madhya Pradesh came into being on 1 November 2000, following its bifurcation to create a new state of Chhattisgarh.

History of Dadra and Nagar Haveli

One of the few Portuguese colonies, Dadra and Nagar Haveli is currently a Union Territory in western India. The territory came under the rule of the Portuguese dominion in India in 1779 and remained under their control till 1954.

India’s independence in 1947 instilled a sense of patriotism and confidence in the residents of Dadra and Nagar Haveli who were now filled with the desire of throwing of the yoke of foreign rule. As a result, a movement was started under the aegis of the United Front of Goans (UFG) and the National Movement Liberation Organisation (NMLO) resulting in the independence of Dadra and Nagar Haveli from the Portuguese rule. The movement was ably supported by the Azad Gomantak Dal and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Dadra and Nagar Haveli, thus, became a free nation. The residents of the territory sought help from the Government of India. From 1954 to 1961 Dadra and Nagar Haveli was administered by a body called the Varishta Panchayat of Free Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

In 1961, when Goa, Daman, and Diu were annexed into India, Dadra and Nagar Haveli formally joined the Republic of India.

Lord Mountbatten: The Last Viceroy of India

Lord Mountbatten, a member of the British Royal family, assumed office as Viceroy on March 24, 1947 and was the last Viceroy of India. His administration in India witnessed the creation of the independent states of India and Pakistan, Mountbatten , after meeting various warring groups, came to the conclusion that only solution to the constitutional impasse was partition of the country and he won over the congress leaders to that viewpoint.

On June 3, 1947 (June 3rd Plan) the plan to partition India was announced. On July 4, 1947, the Indian independence act was introduced in the House of Commons by British Prime Minister Clement Attlee. Two boundary commissions were set up- one for the partition of Bengal and other for the partition of Punjab. Sir Cyril Radcliffe was appointed the chairman of both commissions. On August 7 Jinnah left India for Karachi and the constituent assembly of Pakistan elected him as its president.

The constituent assembly of the Indian union met in Delhi on the night of August 14. In an atmosphere charged with excitement, Nehru addressed the members. The events of the partition ad its aftermath led to the largest migration of population in the world history.

Lord Mountbatten was killed by IRA guerillas while on holiday in the Irish republic.

Bilhana: the Great Kashmiri Poet

A famous 11th-century Kashmiri poet, Bilhana ‘s claim to fame is his love poem, Caurapancasika (Fifty Stanzas of the Thief’). In a class of its own, Caurapancasika describes the secret love of a bold housebreaker and a princess and is full of intense emotion. Born in Kashmir, Bilhana left his native place to seek employment in the court of Later Chalukyas.

Bilhana is known for composing a eulogy of the great Western Chalukyan ruler Vikramaditya VI titled Vikramankadevacharita (“Deeds of Vikramaditya). It is stated in Vikramankadevacharita that Vikramaditya VI was asked by Shiva to replace his elder brother who was the reigning Chalukya monarch.

Sharqi Dynasty of Jaunpur

The efforts of rulers of the Delhi Sultanate to assert their rule over the conquered territories became unsuccessful. As a result several provincial dynasties came into being and wielded substantial sovereign power and contributed to the growth of art, architecture and literature. 

One such dynasty was the Sharqi dynasty of Jaunpur, north of Varanasi in the present Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Sharqi dynasty of Jaunpur was founded by Malik Sarwar, a eunuch belonging to Sultan Firuz Tughluq. Malik Sarwar’s astonishingly fast rise to power can be attributed to the chaos that ruled supreme after the death of Firuz in 1388. He was made wazir of the Delhi sultanate by Firuz’s younger son, Muhammad Shah (1390-93) who conferred on him the title of Sultanush-Sharq (Ruler of the Eastern Kingdom). 

Malik Sarwar’s rise continued and in 1394 was appointed governor of Jaunpur, where he successfully repulsed the uprisings by the Hindu chiefs of Bihar and Avadh. The chiefs of Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Champaran and Tirhut were forced to accept his suzerainty. When Timur, the terrible Mongol leader of Central Asia, left Delhi in 1399 after his invasion of India, Sarwar proclaimed himself the independent ruler of Jaunpur. At the time of his death in 1399, his kingdom extended to Kol (modern Aligarh), Rapri (Mainpuri district) and Sambhal (Muradabad). The eastern boundaries of Sharqi kingdom ran along Tirhut and Bihar. 

Malik Sarwar was succeeded to the throne by his adopted son Malik Mubarak Qaranfal (1399-1401). His reign was not eventful. After him, Ibrahim Shah Sharqi (1401-40), the younger brother of Malik Sarwar, became the ruler of Jaunpur and was the greatest of the Sharqi rulers. He entered into an alliance with Kirti Singh of Tirhut. He sent his forces to help the ruler of Tirhut when the latter was invaded by a Muslim army. Another military expedition of Ibrahim Shah Sharqi was the invasion of Bengal to remove the Hindu ruler Ganesha from the throne. The small independent sultanate of Kalpi was also annexed to his kingdom. His military ambition did not stop. He invaded the Delhi sultanate which was being ruled by the Saiyid ruler Muhammad Shah (1435-46). The Saiyid ruler was forced to make an alliance which was sealed with a marriage between Ibrahim’s son and the Sultan’s daughter. 

Ibrahim was succeeded by his son, Muhmud Shah Sharqi (1440-57), who was also an ambitious ruler. After Mahmud’s death, Muhmmad became the next Sharqi ruler, who was deposed after a few months because of his excessive cruelty. Muhmmad was succeeded by Husain Shah Sharqi, who concluded peace with Bahlul Lodi, the founder of the Lodi dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. He is credited to have strengthening his army, and compelled Gwalior and Orissa to submit to his rule. The Lodi rulers of Delhi Sultanate were keen to extend their rule and as result invaded the Sharqi kingdom of Jaunpur. In 1494, Husain Shah Sharqi suffered another crushing defeat at the hands of Bahlul's successor, Sultan Sikandar Lodi, and was unable to withstand the forces of Delhi Sultanate and as a result the Sharqi kingdom of Jaunpur was annexed into the Delhi Sultanate. 

Husain Shah died in 1505. Husayn Shah Sharqi was a musical expert and creator of many ragas. He is credited with making improvements to Khayal, a genre of Hindustani classical music. 

Gopal Ganesh Agarkar

One of the pioneers of social reforms in British India, Gopal Ganesh Agarkar (1856-1895) was born at Tembhu in Satara district of Maharashtra. He was one of the founders of the Deccan Education Society in 1884, with Lokmanya Tilak, Vishnushastri Chipalunkar and Madhavrao Namjoshi being the other members. Agarkar was also one of the founder members of the Fergusson College in Pune in 1885. In 1891 he became the Principal of the Fergusson College in 1892 and held that office till his unexpected death in 1895.

Agarkar was the first editor of Marathi weekly the Kesari and English weekly the Mahratta started by Lokmanya Tilak. Following his differences with Tilak, he started his own weekly the Sudharak In 1888. Gopal Krishna Gokhale used to contribute to this weekly.

Throughout his life, Agarkar fought to raise the age of marriage for boys and girls.

Samudragupta: The Greatest Gupta Emperor

Samudragupta, was greatest ruler of the Gupta dynasty. He was son and successor of Chadragupta I. He succeeded to the throne in c. 350 AD. He ruled for about 25 years. A skillful military leader and administrator as well as a patron of learning, Samudragupta is called Indian Napolean.

His court poet Harishena composed an eloquent eulogy of him which is contained in the Allahabad pillar inscription (API).

Samudragupta is credited to have uprooted Nagasena, Achyuta and Ganapatinaga, (identified with the rulers of Padmavati, Ahichchhatra and Mathura respectively). He is said to have captured the prince of the Kota family (Bulandshahr region) and besieged the city of ‘Pushpa’(probably Kanyakubja).

Apart from these conquests, Samudragupta brought under his control a large number of kings and vassals. According to eminent historian K. P. Jaiswal, Samudragupta forced Rudrasena I of the Vakatava dynasty to cede his North Indian possession to the Gupta Empire. To commemorate this victory the Gupta emperor built a temple dedicated to Vishnu at Eran (an ancient Indian historical city in Sagar district in Madhya Pradesh).

A Chinese text mentions that the Sri Lanka ruler Shrimeghavarna sent an embassy to Samudraguta requesting him to allow for the erection of a monastery for the Simhalese pilgrims at Bodha-Gaya (in the state of Bihar.)

Samudragupta was a great promoter of art and learning. He himself has authored a poetical work called the Krishan Charitam. On one of his gold coins, he has been represented as seated on a high-backed couch playing in a vina (lyre or lute) which lies on his knees. All these show that he has rightly earned the title of Kaviraja.

Origin of the word ‘Sufi’

In medieval India, Sufism was an important aspect of Islam. Various authorities have offered different explanations regarding the origin of the word “Sufi”. According to one school of thought, the term Sufi has been derived from ‘suf’ or garments of coarse wool that were worn by the Sufi saints as a badge of poverty. Abu Nasral Sarraj, the author of an Arabic treatise on Sufism, traces the origin of term by the word suf (wool).

Generally, authorizes are of the opinion that virtuous people were called safa. Hence the nomenclature Sufi. According to another school of though, the term has been derived from the Greek word Sophia meaning wisdom or knowledge.

Jahiz of Basra was the first writer to use the word Sufi in 869 A.D. Jami mentions that sufi was first applied to Abu Hashim of Kufa in the 8th century while Aul-Kusheri opines that this term was introduced in A.D.811.

Famous Quotes from Mahatma Gandhi

“A coward is incapable of exhibiting love; it is the prerogative of the brave.”

“A weak man is just by accident. A strong but non-violent man is unjust by accident.”

“An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”

“Anger is the enemy of non-violence and pride is a monster that swallows it up.”

“But for my faith in God, I should have been a raving maniac.”

“I am prepared to die, but there is no cause for which I am prepared to kill.”

“I believe in the fundamental truth of all great religions of the world.”

“I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and Non-violence are as old as the hills. All I have done is to try experiments in both on as vast a scale as I could.”

“I reject any religious doctrine that does not appeal to reason and is in conflict with morality.”

Tukaram: 17th century Marathi and Saint

Tukaram was born in the family of a farmer at Dehu, a town near the city of Pune . He inheritred some landed property and cattle, but lost them all in a great famine. He also lost his parents, one of his two wives, and a son in the famine. Left with nothing to fend for, he lost interest in life. Added to this, constant nagging of his other wife, who was a shrew, troubled Tukaram very much. Fed up with the turn of events, Tukaram took to the study of the works of Jnaneswar, Ekanatha and Namdeva he retreated to the hills of Bhamhanatha and Bhandara and practised mediation.

Tukaram is credited to have written several abhangas, which are highly popular in Maharshtra. These abhangas embody his teachings. Some of these abhangas were translated into Bengali by Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. A contemporary of great Maratha ruler Shivaji, Tukaram declined to accept the offer of rich presents made by him.

Keshab Chandra Sen: The doyen of Social Reforms in Pre-independent India

Born to a respectable family in Calcutta on 19 November 1838, Keshab Chandra Sen was one of the most famous social reformers of India and took the leadership of the Brahmo Samaj during the absence of Debendranath Tagore. A strong votary of widow remarriage, Keshab Chandra Sen started Bamabodhini Patrika, a journal for women.

Keshab Chandra Sen launched several radical reforms, such as giving up of caste names, advocating inter caste marriage and launched movement against the social vices prevailing at that time like child marriage. These radical reforms resulted in the first schism in the Brahmo Samaj. The original Brahmo Samaj, founded by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, came to be known as Adi Brahmo Samaj and the other, the Brahmo Samaj of India was established by Keshab Chandra Sen in 1867.

In 1870 Keshab Chandra Sen founded the India Reform Association which succeeded in persuading the British Government to enact the Native Marriage Act of 1972 (popularly known as Civil Marriage Act) legalizing the Brahmo marriages and fixing the minimum marriageable age for boys and girls.

It was under the advice of Keshab Chandra Sen that the reformist Dayanand Saraswati began to use Hindi for his writings and teachings.  

Avalokitesvar: The Lord who looks down

There are numerous Bodhisattvas in the universe of the Mahayana Buddhism. Chief among them is Avalokiteśvara (the "Lord who looks down"), also called Padmapani (the Lotus Beraer). He is an embodiment of compassion and his helping hand reaches even to Avici, the deepest and most unpleasant of the Buddhist purgatories.

Karanda-vyuha is an important Mahayana text that glorifies the compassionate qualities of Avalokiteshvara and his different forms and manifestations.

History of Christianity in India

Christianity has quite a good presence in India. Ever since its early years, Christianity has had its roots in India. If we are to rely on a tradition, India come in contact with Christianity very early. In fact tradition credits the Disciple Thomas himself with evangelizing India. The legend has it that Gondophares, one of the Pahalva rulers, was converted by St. Thomas himself. According to Roman Catholics, tomb of St. Thomas was buried in the cathedral at Mailapur or Mylapore in the southern part of Chennai.

If we have to put aside the legend, the first definite historical evidence to the Christian activity can be found in the Topografia Christiana (Christian Topography) of Cosmas Indicopleustes, an adventurous Alexendrian monk of the 6th century AD. Cosmas Indicopleustes, literally meaning who sailed to India, left a voluminous account of his travels. Indicopleustes saw churched in Kerala and according to him these churches were in the hands of Persian priests. This amounts to the explanation that Christians in India had embraced the Nestorian heresy, then widespread in Persia. When Christianity was stamped out in Persia, the Christians in India benign to be guided by the patriarch of Syria and continues to be so even today.

At the end of the 15th century Italian traveler Marco Polo referred to the tomb of St. Thomas and dwelt on its popularity as a sacred place.

According to The Anglo Saxon Chronicle in 884 AD, King Alfred sent an envoy to India to with rich present for the tomb of St Thomas. The envoy named Sithelm returned home with rich gifts given to him by the Chola king Aditya I.

There are several Christian communities in India, who on a whole constitute approx2.34% of the Indian population with Roman Catholics forming the majority of Indian Christians. Today Christians mostly live in the northeast states of India as well as in the southwestern states of Kerala and Goa.