History

What a 4,500-Year-Old Skeleton Reveals About Indian Ancestry

At Rakhigarhi in Haryana, archaeologists uncovered the 4500-year-old skeleton of a middle-aged woman from the Harappan period. Scientists recovered ancient DNA from her remains;

Culture, History, People, Places, Religions

The Story of the Heliodorus Pillar at Vidisha

An ancient pillar that has been worshipped for centuries. And a Greek ambassador who declared himself a devotee of Vasudeva. Around the 2nd century

Culture, History, Mythology, Places, Religions

The Udayagiri Ganesha: Why Historians Consider It Among the Earliest Ganesha Images

In the rock-cut shrines of the Udayagiri Caves in Madhya Pradesh sits a sculpture often described as the earliest datable image of Ganesha in

Culture, History, Mythology, Places, Religions

The Lalitgiri Relic Discovery: What were These 2000-Year-Old Caskets Protecting?

A casket within a casket… within another. Buried beneath centuries of earth at Lalitgiri, archaeologists uncovered a remarkable series of nested caskets in 1985.

Culture, History, Places

Lakshmi Vilas Palace

He pioneered the Indo-Saracenic style or architecture and built grand landmarks across India. And yet, he did not trust his own designs and never

Culture, History, Places, Religions

What Do Japan’s Torii, China’s Paifang & Korea’s Hongsalmun Have in Common?

What’s common to the Torii of Japan, China’s Paifang and Korea’s Honsalmun? All these ceremonial gates have a shared inspiration – the toranas of

Culture, History, People

The Jaipur jars that helped a maharaja cross the oceans

What connects a pair of gigantic silver jars in the Jaipur city palace to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman? Surprisingly, a long-held Indian taboo called Kalapani that prevented Indians from traveling overseas. This is the story of a clever workaround that the British used, to move Indian soldiers across the world during World War I.

History, People

The curse of the Koh-i-noor | Red Fort, Delhi

The Koh-i-noor diamond once adorned the magnificent Peacock throne at the Red Fort in Delhi. Today, it sits pretty on the British Queen’s crown in London. In its 700 years of documented history, the Koh-i-noor was coveted by the most powerful kings, has changed hands many times and has travelled half-way across the globe. And wherever it went, it toppled kingdoms, ended dynasties and left a trail of destruction in its wake. Is it any surprise that it acquired a reputation of being a cursed stone?

History, People, Places

Humayun and Hamida: Love in Time of War

The love story of Mughal Emperor Humayun and Hamida Banu Begum, the mother of the future emperor Akbar is as intriguing as it was eventful. It was while he was living as a refugee in Sindh that they first met. But Humayun never hesitated in pursuing her and his steadfastness finally won her over.

History, People

Camels, Elephants, Village Goddesses and the End of an Epidemic

India in 2022 is still dealing with the Corona epidemic as it enters the third year. But this isn’t the first epidemic the world is facing, and it is certainly not the deadliest. The 1950s smallpox epidemic was worse. India's massive vaccination campaigns kept us relatively safe, but there were challenges.

History, People

The Woman Who Transcended Infinity

Great men often had selfless partners resolutely supporting them in pursuit of their dreams. This is the story of one such woman, Janaki Ammal, wife of the celebrated mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan.

History, Places

Marking History Through British Buildings

India is dotted with many old British buildings - some grand and iconic and some odd and quirky. Each of these buildings that the British left behind tells us something about their colonial journey in India.

Culture, History, Places

Tales That Pots Tell: Keeladi Excavations

In 2015, on the banks of the river Vaigai, near Madurai in Tamil Nadu, archaeologists unearthed several artefacts dating back to the 6th century BCE. They offered many clues to the archaeologists about that civilisation: it told them about the language and literacy levels, the social hierarchy, and the age of the civilisation. What are now known as the ‘Keeladi excavations’ point to the existence of a literate society in parts of South India nearly 2,500 years ago!

History, Places

Why Does the Dome of the Rashtrapati Bhavan Look Like the Sanchi Stupa?

The distinctive architecture of Rashtrapati Bhavan combines many elements of Mughal and Sultanate architecture. But it is the Sanchi Stupa, an icon of ancient India, that leaves the most visible stamp on Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Culture, History, Places

The myths and mysteries of the Big Temple, Thanjavur | Episode 2

The mighty Brihadeeswara temple in Thanjavur is a 1000 year-old engineering marvel and one of the tallest structures of its time. It is considered Rajaraja Chola’s magnum opus. Join us on this podcast by Storytrails, as we explore the rich history and the many myths that surround this famous temple.

History

Most Popular