Best Books about Indian History | #AskAbhijit

Summary

This video offers a thoughtful reading list for anyone curious about Indian history, starting with a frank disclaimer: no single book is perfect and many contain colonial or Aryan-invasion biases. The speaker recommends foundational titles—Al-Basham’s The Wonder That Was India; works on ancient and early medieval India; B.B. Lal’s Rig Vedic People; The Lost River (Sarasvati); Genetics and the Aryan Debate; Still No Trace of an Oral Invasion; Ancient Central Asian Tracks; The Theft of India; The Goa Inquisition; South African Gandhi; the Arthashastra; and Radhakrishnan’s Principal Upanishads. Each pick is praised for depth, evidence, or perspective, with a final reminder to read critically and question inherited narratives.

Takeaways

• ⚠️ The speaker issues a strong disclaimer: there is no single perfect book that covers the whole of Indian history — all books can carry biases (colonial narratives, assumptions about Aryan migration/invasion, whitewashing of atrocities).
• 🧠 Read critically — the speaker repeatedly urges readers to use their intelligence to spot and reject biased or deficient claims in history books.
• 📚 Recommendation — **Al-Basham, _The Wonder That Was India_**: an older (1950s) classic that remains useful, though it contains some now-contested assumptions.
• 🏺 Recommendation — **_A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India_** (author as referenced): a detailed, illustrated survey that covers Indian history up to roughly 1200 CE (pre- and early-medieval periods).
• 🗺️ Recommendation — **_The Rig Vedic People_** by Professor B.B. Lal: argued as an important archaeological work demonstrating long cultural continuity from Harappan times to later India, with maps and figures.
• 🌊 Recommendation — **_The Lost River_** (Michel Danino as referenced): a detailed, data-driven book about the Sarasvati river that the speaker says debunks claims that the river is purely mythical.
• 🧬 Recommendation — **_Genetics and the Aryan Debate_** (Shreekant, as referenced): described as a scholarly, dense book that challenges linguistic/genetic claims used to support the Aryan-invasion/migration narrative.
• ✍️ Recommendation — **_Still No Trace of an Aryan Invasion_** (Conrad, as referenced): a collected set of essays focused on debunking the Aryan-invasion theory and related myths.
• 🌏 Recommendation — **_On Ancient Central Asian Tracks_** (Aurel Stein, as referenced): documents India’s cultural presence in historic Central Asia — rare, richly illustrated material from exploratory scholarship.
• ⚔️ Recommendation — **_The Theft of India_** (Roy/Maxim, as referenced): an accessible account of European competition in India and how the British established dominance.
• ⛪ Recommendation — **_The Goa Inquisition_** (A. as referenced): a meticulously researched account of Portuguese/Jesuit atrocities in Goa and forced conversions.
• 👣 Recommendation — **_South African Gandhi_** (Ashwin Desai & Ghulam Muhammad, as referenced): a compilation of Gandhi’s South African writings showing his formative political views and his complex relationship with the British Empire.
• 📜 Recommendation — **_Arthashastra_** (Vishnugupt/Chanakya): classic ancient treatise on statecraft, strategy, economics, taxation and governance — dense but indispensable for institutional history.
• 🕉️ Recommendation — **_The Principal Upanishads_** (Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, as referenced): presented as a deep, foundational work for understanding Indian philosophy beyond Western frameworks.
• ✅ Closing point — the speaker wraps up by stressing the value of these varied resources while repeating the initial caution: read widely, compare sources, and remain alert to bias.

Q & A

What is the main disclaimer in the speaker's recommendations?

The speaker warns that no single book can provide a complete understanding of Indian history and cautions that many books, even the good ones, carry biases such as colonial narratives or the Aryan Invasion Theory.

Which book does the speaker recommend for understanding ancient Indian civilization?

The speaker recommends *The Wonder that Was India* by A.L. Basham as an insightful book for learning about ancient Indian civilization, despite its inclusion of the Aryan Invasion Theory.

Why does the speaker suggest *A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India* by Dr. Upinder Singh?

The speaker suggests Dr. Upinder Singh's book for its detailed coverage of India's history from its ancient roots to the early medieval period, including its original culture and civilization up until around 1200 AD.

What is the significance of *The Rig Vedic People* by Professor BB Lal?

The book is praised for demonstrating the cultural continuity of Indian civilization from the Harappan era to the present, making it a valuable resource for understanding India's long-term cultural evolution.

How does *The Lost River* by Michel Danino challenge mainstream historical narratives?

Michel Danino’s *The Lost River* debunks the myth of the Sarasvati River being a myth, presenting historical, geological, and archaeological evidence to show that it was a real and significant river in ancient India.

What does *Genetics and the Aryan Debate* by Shreekant Alagiri focus on?

This book examines the genetic evidence related to the Aryan Invasion Theory, debunking false claims made by proponents of the theory, especially those relying on linguistic evidence.

What is the contribution of *Still No Trace of an Aryan Invasion* by Conrad Elst?

Conrad Elst’s book is a collection of essays that continues his work on debunking the Aryan Invasion Theory, offering scholarly insights and evidence against the theory.

Why is *On Ancient Central Asian Tracks* by Aurel Stein significant for Indian history?

Aurel Stein's book highlights India's cultural influence in ancient Central Asia, particularly its presence in regions before the Mongol and Turkic invasions. It provides valuable insights into India's historical footprint in Central Asia.

What does *The Theft of India* by Roy Maxim address?

This book covers the European conquests of India, focusing on the competition among European powers and their eventual dominance, especially by the British. It provides a detailed account of India's colonial history.

What is the focus of *The Goa Inquisition* by Capriold Caro?

This book meticulously documents the atrocities committed by the Portuguese during the Inquisition in Goa, focusing on the forced conversions and reengineering of Goa’s social structure under Portuguese rule.