Rethinking Early Medieval India—A Reader

This reader presents a new understanding of the early medieval period of Indian history (c. 600-1300 CE), highlighting the complex and multilinear nature of its historical processes. The book examines the major historiographical debates and also moves beyond them, throwing light on many important aspects of the social, economic, political, and cultural history of the pre-Sultanate and non-Sultanate early medieval. The volume brings together a careful selection of readings, including seminal essays as well as recent writing. Comprehensive and thought-provoking, it discusses: theoretical frameworks, namely the feudalism, segmentary state, and integrative/processual models; political processes, including the interaction between states and forest tribes; village and city life, with a focus on agrarian structure, urban patterns, trade, varn?a, j?ti, and gender; religion, art, and culture, within and beyond regional frameworks; histories of language, literature, ideas, attitudes, and emotions. The introduction provides presents a critical and incisive overview and analysis of debates and writings related to a wide range of historical issues. In doing so, it raises new questions, suggests new approaches, and opens up possibilities for future research.
This book will interest students and teachers of ancient and medieval Indian history.

Upinder Singh is Professor at the Department of History in the University of Delhi.