State, Society, And Culture In Indian History

Description: This book explores the complex linkages between state, society, and culture in medieval and modern India. It discusses issues like secularism, composite culture, pluralism, historiography, and the use of sources. Written over the past decade, this collection of essays explores the complex linkages between state, society, and culture in medieval and modern India. It discusses various ideas under the wider rubric of historiography, history writing, and the use of sources. The author examines secularism, composite culture, and pluralism in both medieval and modern India, linking them to politics, society, and the economy. The Mughal policy of subjugation and assimilation, Rathor War, rise of the Marathas, jagirdari crisis, and the Mughal agrarian system have been discussed in detail. The book sheds light on unknown aspects of many historical figures-like Akbar, Jodha Bai, and Rana Pratap-as well as makers of modern India-like Jawaharlal Nehru and Sir Sita Ram. This book will be of considerable interest to scholars and students of medieval and modern Indian history, and cultural studies.

Contents: PREFACE ; ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ; INTRODUCTION ; PART I: SOCIETY AND STATE ; 1. SOCIAL AND ATTITUDINAL CHANGES IN MEDIEVAL INDIA ; 2. STATE AND SOCIETY IN MEDIEVAL INDIA WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO FOURTEENTH-SIXTEENTH CENTURIES: SEEN FROM ABOVE AND BELOW ; 3. STATE AND COMPOSITE CULTURE IN A PLURALISTIC SOCIETY ; 4. THE CONCEPT OF SECULARISM AND ITS EVOLUTION UNDER THE CONGRESS AND NEHRU ; PART II: THE MUGHALS ; 5. AKBAR IN MODERN INDIAN HISTORY ; 6. RANA PRATAP AND MUGHAL POLICY ; 7. JODHA BAI: WHO WAS SHE? ; 8. THE RATHOR WAR AND HUKUMAT-RI-BAHI ; 9. SHIVAJI AND THE MARATHA LANDED ELEMENTS ; 10. THE JAGIRDARI CRISIS: A FRESH LOOK ; 11. REASSESSING AURANGZEB ; 12. AGRARIAN SYSTEM OF THE MUGHALS AND THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY ; PART III: CULTURE ; 13. PORTRAIT OF A LIBERAL CONSERVATIVE: DR (SIR) SITA RAM ; 14. RAJASTHAN VARTA SAHITYA: A HISTORICAL TRADITION ; 15. NITI SHATAKS AS A SOURCE OF STUDY FOR MEDIEVAL INDIA ; INDEX.

Author Biography:
Satish Chandra is Secretary of the Comprehensive History of India Project and Indian Ocean Studies Society, New Delhi. He was Professor of History, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and former Chairman, University Grants Commission.