History

Course Content

Themes in Indian History Part-I

    The Story of the First Cities: Harappan Archaeology.
  1. Broad overview: Early urban centres.
  2. Story of discovery: Harappan civilization
  3. Excerpt: Archaeological report on a major site.
  4. Discussion: How it has been utilized by archaeologists/ historians.
    5. Political and Economic History: How Inscriptions tell a story
  5. Broad overview: Political and economic history from the Mauryan to the Gupta period.
  6. Story of discovery: Inscriptions and the decipherment of the script. Shifts in the understanding of political and economic history.
  7. Excerpt: Asokan inscription and Gupta period land grant.
  8. Discussion: Interpretation of inscriptions by historians.
    9. Social Histories: Using the Mahabharata
  9. Broad overview: Issues in social history, including caste, class, kinship and gender.
  10. Story of discovery: Transmission and publications of the Mahabharata.
  11. Excerpt: from the Mahabharata, illustrating how it has been used by historians.
  12. Discussion: Other sources for reconstructing social history.
    13. A History of Buddhism: Sanchi Stupa
  13. Broad overview:
    * A brief review of religious histories of Vedic religion, Jainism, Vaisnavism, Saivism.
    * Focus on Buddhism.
  14. Story of discovery: Sanchi stupa
  15. Excerpt: Reproduction of sculptures from Sanchi.
  16. Discussion: Ways in which sculpture has been interpreted by historians, other sources for reconstructing the history of Buddhism.

    17. Themes in Indian History Part-II

    Agrarian Relations: The Ain-i- Akbari
  17. Broad overview:
    (a) Structure of agrarian relations in the 16th and 17th centuries.
    (b) Patterns of change over the period.
  18. Story of Discovery: Account of the compilation and translation of Ain-i-Akbari.
  19. Excerpt: from the Ain-i-Akbari
  20. Discussion: Ways in which historians have used the text to reconstruct history.
    21. The Mughal Court: Reconstructing Histories through Chronicles
  21. Broad overview:
    (a) Outline of political history 15th-17th centuries.
    (b) Discussion of the Mughal court and politics.
  22. Story of Discovery: Account of the production of court chronicles, and their subsequent translation and transmission.
  23. Excerpts: from the Akbarnama and Padshahnama.
  24. Discussion: Ways in which historians have used the texts to reconstruct political histories.
    25. New Architecture: Hampi
  25. Broad overview:
    (a) Outline of new buildings during Vijayanagar period-temples, forts, irrigation facilities.
    (b) Relationship between architecture and the political system
  26. Story of Discovery: Account of how Hampi was found.
  27. Excerpt: Visuals of buildings at Hampi
  28. Discussion: Ways in which historians have analyzed and interpreted these structures.
    29. Religious Histories: The Bhakti-Sufi Tradition
  29. Broad overview:
    (a) Outline of religious developments during this period.
    (b) Ideas and practices of the Bhakti-Sufi saints.
  30. Story of Transmission: How Bhakti-Sufi
  31. Excerpt: Extracts from selected Bhakti-Sufi works.
  32. Discussion: Ways in which these have been interpreted by historians.
    33. Medieval Society through Travelers' Accounts
  33. Broad overview:
  34. Outline of social and cultural life as they appear in travelers' accounts.
  35. Story of their writings: A discussion of where they
  36. Excerpts: from Alberuni, Ibn Batuta, Bernier.
  37. Discussion: What these travel accounts can tell us and how they have been interpreted by historians.
    38. travelled, why they travelled, what they wrote, and for whom they wrote.
  38. Excerpts: from Alberuni, Ibn Batuta, Bernier.
  39. Discussion: What these travel accounts can tell us and how they have been interpreted by historians.

    40. Themes in Indian History Part-III

    Colonialism and Rural Society: Evidence from Official Reports
  40. Broad overview:
    * Life of zamindars, peasants and artisans in the late 18th century
    * East India Company, revenue settlements and surveys.
    *Changes over the nineteenth century.
  41. Story of official records: An account of why official investigations into rural societies were undertaken and the types of records and reports produced.
  42. Excerpts: From Firminger's Fifth Report, Accounts of Frances Buchanan-Hamilton, and Deccan Riots Report.
  43. Discussion: What the official records tell and do not tell, and how they have been used by historians.
    44. Representations of 1857
  44. Broad overview:
    * The events of 1857-58.
    * How these events were recorded and narrated.
  45. Focus: Lucknow.
  46. Excerpts: Pictures of 1857. Extracts from contemporary accounts.
  47. Discussion: How the pictures of 1857 shaped British opinion of what had happened.
    48. Colonialism and Indian Towns: Town Plans and Municipal Reports
  48. Broad overview: The growth of Mumbai, Chennai, hill stations and cantonments in the 18th and 19th centuries.
  49. Excerpts: Photographs and paintings. Plans of cities. Extract from town plan reports. Focus on Kolkata town planning.
  50. Discussion: How the above sources can be used to reconstruct the history of towns. What these sources do not reveal.
    51. Mahatma Gandhi through Contemporary Eyes
  51. Broad overview:
    * The Nationalist Movement 1918 - 48.
    * The nature of Gandhian politics and leadership.
  52. Focus: Mahatma Gandhi in 1931.
  53. Excerpts: Reports from English and Indian language newspapers and other contemporary writings.
  54. Discussion: How newspapers can be a source of history.
    55. Partition through Oral Sources
  55. Broad overview:
    *The history of the 1940s
    *Nationalism, Communalism and Partition. Focus: Punjab and Bengal.
  56. Excerpts: Oral testimonies of those who experienced partition.
  57. Discussion: Ways in which these have been analyzed to reconstruct the history of the event.
    58. The Making of the Constitution
  58. Broad overview:
    * Independence and the new nation state
    * The making of the Constitution.
  59. Focus: The Constitutional Assembly debates.
  60. Excerpts: from the debates.
  61. Discussion: What such debates reveal and how they can be analyzed.
    62. Map Work on Units 1-15
    Project Work
  62. To develop skill to gather data from a variety of sources, investigate diverse viewpoints and arrive at logical deductions.
  63. To develop skill to comprehend, analyze, interpret, evaluate historical evidence and understand the limitation of historical evidence.
  64. To develop 21st century managerial skills of co-ordination, self-direction and time management.
  65. To learn to work on diverse cultures, races, religions and lifestyles.
  66. To learn through constructivism-a theory based on observation and scientific study.
  67. To inculcate a spirit of inquiry and research.
  68. To communicate data in the most appropriate form using a variety of techniques.
  69. To provide greater opportunity for interaction and exploration.
  70. To understand contemporary issues in context to our past.
  71. To develop a global perspective and an international outlook.
  72. To grow into caring, sensitive individuals capable of making informed, intelligent and independent choices.
  73. To develop lasting interest in history discipline.
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