Women's Struggle : A History of the All India Women's Conference 1927-2016 (Third Edition) /
:
The All India Women's Conference completed ninety years in 2017. The first edition of this book was brought out in 1990 when it had completed sixty years. The volume was widely appreciated as little work had been done on the history of women's organizations and their contribution to women's development. A second edition was published when AIWC celebrated its Platinum Jubilee in 2002-3. These editions were cited in numerous books and articles in journals of women's history in India and abroad. This third edition carries the story of AIWC forward for little over a decade from 2002-3 onwards. Founded in 1927 in Poona, AIWC's main goal initially was promoting women's education. But it soon took up issues of social legislation and social reform. There has been continuity and change in the activities and programmes of AIWC. In the last decade, it has taken up new programmes such as adoption of villages and empowerment of rural women, formation of self help groups, encouraging skill training and vocational courses, starting a legal cell, initiating projects in rural sanitation, clean water, and waste management, herbal gardens, disaster management, etc. It has conducted courses in retail marketing. Its library now has a research centre, an excellent archival collection and holds book discussions. In 2010, AIWC set up three trusts for literacy, health and old age and elderly care for the underprivileged and economically weaker sections. AIWC is also actively involved in the issue of climate change. Old programmes have continued and expanded. The working women's hostel at 6 Bhagwan Dass Road continues as does the Bapnu Ghar which provides shelter and counselling to women in distress. Activities in health and family welfare and nonconventional energy also continue. We hope that this edition, like the earlier ones, will be of interest to scholars of history as well as to students of women's studies.
:
1 online resource (340 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004751644
Hardships and Downfall of Buddhism in India /
:
Buddhism originated as an antinomial system, facing the opposition of both vaidika and theistic Brahmans, who socially identified themselves with the agrarian world. The two models of society generated in early historical India never merged, and Buddhism was gradually and often violently reduced to impotence. It was Gupta rule that first checkmated the antinomial model of the Buddhists. Whereas in the open society traders, landowners and 'tribals' coexisted, from Gupta times onwards pressure on kings and direct Brahmanical rule led to the requisition of land and the imposition of a varna state society. Doctrinal debates, which soon turned into ordeals, were instrumental in the suppression of the Buddhist elite, mainly formed by intellectuals of Brahmanical descent, this being proof of a dramatic rift in the brahmanavarna. The Vajrayana, which was the Buddhist response to this state of affairs, originated and grew under Pala rule and expansionism, and was characterized by a decisive opening towards the outcast and the theorization of violence. This set off a conflict whose scope and significance are still poorly understood. It was eventually the compromise between the orthodox powers and the Muslims that caused the final downfall of Buddhism. The former were obliged to transfer political power to the latter but had a free hand in social repression. The book draws mainly on Brahmanical sources, both literary and iconographic, which are abundant and insufficiently exploited, as well as or archaeological evidence, hardly every resorted.
:
1 online resource (524 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004752740
Jews and India : Mutual Influences over Two Millennia /
:
The entire set of sixteen essays in Jews and India explore a particular interaction and mutual influence between Jews and India over the past two millennia. Collectively, we discover a pattern of uniquely symmetrical relations between Jews and their host culture. Unlike in the Christian and Islamic countries, Jews were always honored and treated in India like respected guests. We all come to know ourselves through our reflections in the eyes of others, and rather than hostility and a condescending attitude, in India, Jews always enjoyed respect, hospitality, and affection. These chapters seek to answer the theoretical question as to what Jews and Judaism looked like when viewed with a 'good eye'. Conversely, we also learn how the world sees Jews who have always enjoyed respect and were made welcome. The first section of the book analyzes Jewish communities in Kochi, especially, but also the Bene Israelis and Baghdadis. Following is a section of stories about individual Jewish lives in India - mystics, merchants, and soldiers. The book concludes with a section about inter-religious dialogues between Jews and Indic faiths like Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Based on two thousand years of cohabitation, these old/new friendships reveal old surprises and new insights.
:
1 online resource (416 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004753709
Drink of Immortality : Essays on Distillation and Alcohol Use in Ancient India /
:
This collection contains ten articles, the first four of them dealing with the antiquity of distillation process in India which is central to the manufacture of alcohol. Written from different points of view they reflect the lack of unanimity among scholars and throw light on an important aspect of technology. The remaining six articles discuss the evidence of alcohol use in ancient India. Drawing on textual evidence from religious and secular literature, they unravel the lesser known aspects of life of ancient Indians and amply demonstrate how alcohol consumption influenced religion and art. They emphasize that neither the ancient Indians nor their gods and goddesses were abstemious teetotalers: evidence is plentiful to indicate that they were more bon vivant than we can imagine or give them credit for.
:
1 online resource (280 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004753785
Somarasa : Spirituous Drinks in Ancient India /
:
Indians have been drinking some form of wine for the past four thousand years. In spite of it, a kind of pretence pervades the society against drinking of wine. In the Vedic times, Somarasa and Surā were much in common use. Indra, the Vedic deity of war, greatly relished it, and not unoften got inebriated. Interestingly, the ninth book of the Rgveda is fully devoted to Soma, its preparation and use. Similarly, later works like Astādhyāyi, Rāmāya]na, Mahābhārata, Arthaśāstra, Raghuvamśa, Harsacarita, etc. also refer to the popularity of wine among all sections of the society. Dharmaśāstras, however, occasionally speak against the use of wine by the Brāhmanas. Perhaps, the book may help in correcting our hypocritic attitude against wine though abstinence from alcoholic drinks is always beneficial.
:
1 online resource (176 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004752900
Interrogating Political Systems : Integrative Processes and States in Pre-modern India /
:
This work more than fulfills the requirement of a comprehensive volume on political processes and the structure of polities in pre-colonial India. It cuts across time and space, and provides the reader with an anthology of seminal contributions on the varied regions and different stages of Indian history. The Introduction incorporates the recent concerns of historians in the field, and engages with the related themes and debates; including their overall implications. It argues that pre-modern states were dynamic insofar as they were continuously changing, adapting and incorporating ideas, spaces and peoples. To understand the dynamics of state systems, the volume focuses on several strands: from conceiving processes and structures to situating early historical states; from the making of translocal early kingdoms to the structure of later regional polities; and the constitution of authority across varying states. This book will interest students and scholars of ancient and medieval India, those interested in the study of the regions, as well as informed general readers.
:
1 online resource (556 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004753112
Roots of Zoroastrianism in Iran and India /
:
Thirteen centuries have passed since Zoroastrian Iranians first landed in India and began their life anew. In their adopted homeland, they proved to be the true bearers of the name and fame of their illustrious ancestors. Pages of history are still alive with the noble deeds of ancient Iranians and their descendants, reflecting their past glory in the mirror of their small community. Their Zoroastrian virtues have made modern Parsis proud. The community has secured a respectable place in the social, intellectual, and economic life of the teeming millions of India. They have amassed vast fortunes and have given away equally vast sums for philanthropic purposes without distinguishing between caste, colour, or creed. This book, goes deep into the early history of Zoroastrianism in Iran and moves on to analyze the chequered history of long-standing Iranian and Zoroastrian connections, as well as cultural norms associated with Parsis in India, for close to a millennium, c. 700-1700 CE.
:
1 online resource (228 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004753105
Hospitals in Iran and India, 1500-1950s /
:
This volume looks at hospitals in the post-medieval Indo-Iranian world from various perspectives. During the Safavid-Mughal periods hospitals were still tied to Avicennian medicine. However, in Qajar Iran and British India hospitals became important instruments for the spread of modern Western medicine. The papers in this volume present a significant panorama on the history of medicine and medical institutions in Iran and India during the early modern and the modern periods. The portrait that emerges is not homogeneous, but instead shows ambivalent and contrasting images. Hospitals can be seen as powerful symbols of the Muslim scientific civilization and then of modern medicine, nevertheless, they remained institutions relegated to the fringes of society - regarded with suspicion and usually reserved for the poor. Contributors include: Cristiana Bastos, Willem Floor, Claudia Preckel, Omid Rezai, Fabrizio Speziale, Hasan Tadjbakhsh, Anna Vanzan This book is copublished with the Institut Français de Recherche en Iran (IFRI) as numbers 74 in the Bibliothéque Iranienne series. Le présent ouvrage propose un panorama significatif d'études portant sur l'histoire et le rôle des hôpitaux dans le monde irano-indien au cours de la première modernité et de l'époque moderne. Les contributions rassemblées dans ce volume étudient l'hôpital depuis plusieurs perspectives, examinant cet établissement tantôt comme une institution scientifique, tantôt en fonction de son utilité sociale. Ce qui émerge de ces travaux ne constitue pas un portrait homogène, mais plutôt une image ambivalente et contrastée de ces établissements. Les hôpitaux peuvent être vus comme des symboles puissants de la piété des souverains musulmans, ou de la civilisation scientifique musulmane, puis du triomphe de la science occidentale moderne. Cependant, pour une très longue période, l'hôpital demeure une institution reléguée à la marge de la société, regardée avec suspicion et en particulier réservée aux indigents. Ce livre est une coédition avec l'Institut Français de Recherche en Iran (IFRI) comme n◦ 74 dans la série Bibliothèque Iranienne
:
1 online resource (254 pages) :
9789004229198 :
Available to subscribing member institutions only.
Studies in the History of the Exact Sciences in Honour of David Pingree /
:
This collection of essays reflects the wide range of David Pingree's expertise in the scientific texts (above all, concerning astronomy and astrology) of Ancient Mesopotamia, Greece, India, Persia, and the medieval Arabic, Hebrew and Latin traditions. Both theoretical aspects and the practical applications of the exact sciences-in time keeping, prediction of the future, and the operation of magic-are dealt with. The book includes several critical editions and translations of hitherto unknown or understudied texts, and a particular emphasis is on the diffusion of scientific learning from one culture to another, and through time. Above all, the essays show the variety and sophistication of the exact sciences in non-Western societies in pre-modern times.
:
1 online resource. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789047412441
9789004132023
Warfare in Ancient India : Organisational and Operational Dimensions /
:
The military history of ancient India has not attracted the attention of scholars in sufficient measure. Naturally, not many good books are available on the subject. Consequently, Indians know little about the military system followed by their ancestors. A serious effort is, therefore, needed to analyse and interpret the source material which lies scattered in ancient Indian literature, including scriptures and archaeological remains including inscriptions and coins, to produce a tangible thesis on the subject. This book is an humble effort in that direction. The book tries to present a complete picture of Indian military system from the earliest times. The topics covered include military organization, conduct of war, strategical and tactical concepts, weapons and armour, fortification, education and training and ceremonials. Some ancillary aspects related to war such as defence production, logistics, intelligence, medical services, engineering, signals, etc., have also been covered. The study is based on historical data. The myths and legends if not supported by historical evidence has been ignored. Each chapter is a complete study and is intended to generate a new thinking on the subject among lay readers and scholars alike.
:
1 online resource (432 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004752894
Absent in Politics and Power : Political Exclusion of Indian Muslims /
:
Muslims face acute political deprivation at all levels in spite of their immense contribution towards the survival of democracy in India. The volume attempts to gauge and analyze the political underrepresentation of Muslims in the Parliament and state assemblies as well as their nomination by the mainstream national and regional parties. The book analyzes the reasons responsible for their absence in politics and power, including their under-nomination in secular parties, denial of SC status to them, Muslim-majority seats being reserved for SCs, etc. The book also discusses the rise of the BJP and, its exclusionary attitude, communalization of political space and its fall out on the attitude of the secular parties, which thrive on Muslim votes. It also focuses on the internal factors within Muslims, such as presence of many Muslim candidates in Muslim-dominated seats, division of secular votes, lack of leadership, and their inability to forge a viable political alliance with other deprived groups. The volume also attempts to analyze the rise of upper caste Hindus in politics, political deprivation of Hindu OBCs, and necessity of due share of Pasmanda Muslims in politics for secularization of political space. The author delves closely into what strategies Muslims must adopt to have at least proportional share and introspection on how to create an effective political space. The volume advocates a forceful change of attitude, thinking and action on the part of various factors involved: government, political parties, media, academic circles, the community itself and other deprived sections. Finally, the book advocates for inclusive democracy and social democracy, as advocated by Dr. Ambedkar to eradicate inequality in politics and to have an all-representative government.
:
1 online resource (360 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004753297
The Weights of Mughal India /
:
Amid the glorious and rich history of Indian culture, the artifacts that have most affected the majority of people, and their everyday lives have been largely overlooked. Weights, so significant in agriculture, markets, trade, jewellery, medicine, and industry, commonly get relegated to the scrapyard once their use has finished. Weights first became widely used in India in the sixteenth century, with the reforms and growing influence of the Mughal Era, a period which lasted for about 300 years. Many of the weights produced during this time are remarkable for their distinct geometric and organic forms, many of which rival the individuality and grace of the highly celebrated weights of Burma. However, by the mid-nineteenth century, the influence of European colonialism transported industrialism and its ordinarity to India, and the era of cast iron weights began. This book endeavours to tackle a subject, which so far has defied treatment, and indeed, the Indian museums are largely devoid of Mughal weights in their collections. Given the almost complete absence of recorded material on the subject of Indian weights as artifacts, the author has attempted to assemble a body of knowledge and pictorial records, based on surviving examples of the fascinating Mughal and related weights.
:
1 online resource (292 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004752719
The Legacy of Nehru : Appraisal and Analysis /
:
Even after 127 years, Jawaharlal Nehru remains a beacon for India. He was a titan who provided the architecture of contemporary India. The credit for much of India's progress in myriad fields goes to him. This volume, however, is not a eulogy to that great visionary. It provides rather a critical examination of his legacy in various fields, such as his promotion of India as the Union of federating states, building up of the structure of democratic institutions, enunciation of viable foreign policy, laying the path of economic development on the foundations of equality and cultivating secular ethos. The primary objective of the book is to assess the imprint that Nehru has left behind, and the impact that his thoughts and actions produced on the people of the present and succeeding generations. The volume deliberates on the question whether Nehru had a well-defined economic ideology or foreign policy which could be given a recognized label. It also focuses on how Nehru handled the various sectors and institutions of society. While this volume praises Nehru for providing a durable basis for India's democratic institutions and for endowing them with much legitimacy, it also evaluates many of his negative legacies, such as license raj, the border problems with China and Pakistan, divisive domestic electoral politics, politicization of minorities as vote banks, the Kashmir problem, and corruption in public life.
:
1 online resource (212 pages) : illustrations. :
Includes bibliographical references and index. :
9789004753570