Indian History

Before his death in 1287, Balban had nominated his grandson Kai Khusrav as his successor after his son Bughra Khan declined the offer. Kai Khusrav was the son of Muhammad (another son of Balban), who was killed in the fight with Mongols in 1285. But disregarding Balban’s wish, the nobles of the Slave dynasty placed Kaiqubad (Qaiqabad), son of Bughra Khan, on the throne. Kaiqubad, brought up under the watchful eyes of Balban, himself a strict disciplinarian, was seventeen when he became Sultan. He soon plunged himself into debauchery. Real power of the kingdom came into the hands of Nizam-ud-din, son-in-law of Fakhr-ud-din, the Kotwal of Delhi. Confusion and chaos reigned supreme. Nizam-ud-din was poisoned by Kaiqubad when the former hesitated to obey the latter's diktat to transfer Nizam-ud-din to Multan. Matters were made worse by the struggle for supremacy between the nobles of the Turkish party and those belonging to the Khalji party. Excess of wine and pleasure m...

Balban's Tomb at Mehrauli Archaeological Park After the death of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud of the Slave dynasty of Delhi Sultanate in 1266, the line of the rulers from the family of Iltutmish came to end. He was succeeded by his deputy Ghiasuddin Balban in whose hands the real power of the state resided even during his lifetime.  Balban who was also father-in-law of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud , probably murdered him to become the sultan. Slave dynasty was fortunate enough to have Balban’s accession at the time. This is because during the thirty years after the death of Iltutmish no worthy ruler, except Razia , and that too for a brief period, ascended the throne of Delhi sultanate. The rulers during the period were murdered by the frivolous slaves. This dealt a body-blow to the slave dynasty. The condition of the sultanate was such that a strong and stern ruler was the need of the hour. And he fit the bill well.   Since internal rebellions had to suppressed Balban took s...

As was only to be hoped that being a British colony India was slowly gearing to the adoption of English as the national language during the pre-Independent era. Even after the attainment of freedom by India in 1947, Hindi has having a tough time in achieving its due place in the country. Against this backdrop, Purushottam Das Tandon, also known as Rajarshi, is remembered for his yeomen’s service in the achievement by Hindi its due place as the National Language. Sometimes his enthusiasm for Hindi was resented by some who accused him being communal and chauvinistic. It was by his efforts that Hindi began to be written in Devanagari script.    One of the foremost leaders during India’s struggle for independence, Purushottam Das Tandon was also a journalist, orator and social worker. He was born on 2 nd August, 1882, at Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh. After receiving his primary education in the local City Anglo Vernacular School, he got a degree in law and started ...

Ashvamedha, or horse sacrifice, was one of the main royal sacrifices in ancient India, performed to enhance the power and glory of the king. Naturally, it was the ambition of every king to conduct this sacrifice, though it can be performed only by the mighty monarchs. Apart from glorifying the king, the rite also was instrumental in bringing the prosperity and fertility to the kingdom. As the name suggests, a stallion marked with king's name was set free to wander at will for a year. The rulers and the chieftains of the territories on which the horse, followed by a chosen bans of warriors, roamed had to either accept the suzerainty of the king or defeat the accompanying warriors in the battle. When after a period of one year the horse returned to the kingdom accompanied by the kings of the territories where it entered, it was sacrificed. Sometimes scores of other animals were sacrificed with the horse. This elaborate sacrificial ritual, participated in by the priest, the king...

Ashvins (horsemen) were the twin gods in the Vedic period. Also known as Nasatyas, they are described as driving across the sky in their three-wheeled golden chariot drawn by horses. The chariot was sometimes drawn by birds, buffaloes, deer, birds, or a single ass. The state of Ashvins being twins connects them with the Greek Dioscuri and twin gods of pre-Christian Baltic mythology. Ashvins are shown as helpers of men in distress. Apart from providing artificial legs for the maimed, they had rescued shipwrecked mariners and found spouses for the old maids. Ashvins were married to Surya, who was the sun-god’s daughter.

The founder of the Sunga dynasty was Pushyamitra, a Brahman general of Brihadratha, the last Mauryan emperor. The ease with which he overthrew Brihadratha by way of a palace revolution in about 183 BC is testimony to the weakness and inefficiency of the later Mauryas who were unable to repulse the foreign invasion. According to the Puranas, religious texts dating from the Gupta period onwards, the event took place in 187 BC. Being a Brahman, Pushyamitra is credited with the restoration of the orthodox Hinduism and performed horse-sacrifice. He has been portrayed as a persecutor of the Buddhism which saw its hey-day during the Mauryan rule. However, the remains of the large Buddhist stupa at Bharhut built in the second century BC belie this. During his reign apart from Patliputra, Vidisa emerged as another centre of power where the crown prince Agnimitra, hero of Kalidasa’s famous drama Malavikagnimitra, held his court. Pushyamitra, who did not take regal titles, ruled for thirty-six ye...

Today, Indian cooking offers a wide array of foods.   The incredible richness of the Indian foods is the result of thousands of years of cooking, and eating. Foods of ancient India are as popular today but many of them as eaten today and widespread in modern Indian cooking were imported from Americas. Chili, or red pepper, so important part of South Indian cookery arrived in India only by the Portuguese from Americas after the latter’s discovery in the 15th century. Same is the case with the brinjal, potatoes, sweet corn or maize. Fruits and sweetmeats of ancient India were similar to those of the present day but did not include some that have become widespread as Indian sweets such as the jalebi, which was imported by the Muslims.  According to early fifth century Chinese traveler Fa-hsein, only people of low castes ate meat. This may not be wholly true but by the time of his visit vegetarianism was the norm for the Hindus of the higher classes. The non- ve...