Internet Indian History Sourcebook

Editor: Paul Halsall





This page is a subset of texts derived from the three major online Sourcebooks listed below, along with added texts and web site indicators. For more contextual information, for instance about Western imperialism, the Islamic world, or the history of a given period, check out these web sites.

Notes: In addition to direct links to documents, links are made to a number of other web resources. 2ND

Link to a secondary article, review or discussion on a given topic. MEGA

Link to one of the megasites which track web resources. WEB

Link to a website focused on a specific issue.. These are not links to every site on a given topic, but to sites of serious educational value.

Contents

Indus Valley Cultures

General

Indus Valley

Image: Harrapan Seals [At Internet Archive, from CCNY]

WEB Harrapa [Website]

The Indus valley culture which had some interaction with Mesopotamia.

Harrapa [Website] The Indus valley culture which had some interaction with Mesopotamia. WEB Harrapa Images [from the Indus Valley][At Then Again]

WEB Early India:

Harappan (3000 - 1500 BC/BCE)/ Aryan (1500 - 600 BC/BCE)

Links and guide to art objects of the period. [At Internet Archive] Harappan (3000 - 1500 BC/BCE)/ Aryan (1500 - 600 BC/BCE)Links and guide to art objects of the period. [At Internet Archive]

2ND S. Kalyanaraman: S. Kalyanaraman: Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization (c. 3000 B.C.) [At U Texas]

2ND Tariq Rahman: Peoples and Languagse in Pre-Islamic Indus Valley [At U Texas]



The Vedic Age

General

WEB Ancient India [At WSU]

A site by Richard Hooker.

Ancient India [At WSU] A site by Richard Hooker. WEB Sanskrit Documents Page

Texts in original languages. Texts in original languages.

Aryans

There is now some significant opposition among some writers to the idea that there was ever an Aryan [i.e. Indo-European] movement into India. This opposition seems to derive, at least in part, from nationalist desires to claim "we were always here". The linguistic arguments for some common group which moved into both India, Iran, and Europe remain compelling.

The Vedas

The Formation of Religious Traditions

General

The Hindu Tradition

Vasnaivism

Shaivism

Devotional Texts

King Bhartrihari: One Law There Is, c. 100 CE [At this Site]

Tantrism

WEB The Tantrik Homepage

Includes links to other Tantric sites, as well as English translation of texts. Includes links to other Tantric sites, as well as English translation of texts.

The Jain Tradition

Buddhism

Medieval India

Greek and Chinese Sources

General

Greek Sources

Chinese Sources

Faxian: Account of the Buddhistic Kingdoms. [At Brooklyn College]

Muslim Era India

General

For Islam in General see Islamic History Sourcebook

The Delhi Sultanate 1206-1526

Mughal India 1526-1761

Culture

Qawalli Music

The Marathas

WEB Shivaji on the Web [At Tripod]

"Shivaji created a Nation. It was he who released forces that changed the political map of India in the eighteenth century. Within 50 years of the death of Aurangzeb, the Marathas had overrun the entire sub-continent of India and taken possession of a greater half of the country. It was only in 1803 that the sovereignity of India had passed to the British."

Sikhism

The Sikhs are an Indian people, defined by their religion, who emerged in India during the centuries of Muslim political power (which accounts for the placement of these texts in the Sourcebook).

The Western Intrusion

General

European Imperialism

British India

Indian Nationalism

General

The Indian National Congress

Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920): Address to the Indian National Congress, 1907 [At this Site]

Gandhi

The Muslim League

WEB [At Internet Archive, from Texas]

Mostly pictures. Jinnah [At Internet Archive, from Texas]Mostly pictures.

Independence

India Since Independence

General

International Issues

India

The Nehru-Gandhi Dynasty

Regionalism

WEB Fort: Panth Khalsa

Modern Sikh nationalist site. Modern Sikh nationalist site.



On Sikh Nationalism. Conor Cruise O'Brien: Holy War Against India , The Atlantic Monthly, August 1998, [At The Atlantic, subscription required]On Sikh Nationalism.

Pakistan Since Independence

General

Pakistan

WEB Mir Murtaza Bhutto (1954-1996)

WEB Yahoo!: Pakistan

There is very little on the history of the country. There is very little on the history of the country.

WEB Faiz Ahmed Faiz

Some works of the great Pakistani poet. Some works of the great Pakistani poet.



Bangladesh

General

The 1971 Conflict

Burma

General

British Government Statement: Policy in Burma, May 1945 [At this Site]

U Nu: Burma Looks Ahead, 1951 [At this Site]

Indian Genders and Sexualities

Women

Homosexuality: General

It has proved to be extraordinarily difficult to find much information about South Asian homosexuality.

Hindu

Trikone April 1996 [At Internet Archive, from U Texas] Ramakrishnan: "Bisexuality: identities, behaviors, and politics" April 1996 [At Internet Archive, from U Texas]

Vatsyayana: Kama Sutra , Part 2. Chap 9, 1883 trans. by Richard Burton. [At Bibliomania.com]

On "Mouth Congress" and "different types of eunuchs".

, Part 2. Chap 9, 1883 trans. by Richard Burton. [At Bibliomania.com] On "Mouth Congress" and "different types of eunuchs". The Vinaya [Buddhist Monastic Precepts]

[Buddhist Monastic Precepts] WEB [At Shivashakti]

Although the sexual relationships of Indian gods often follow heterosexual expectations, the individual God/dess may change form and be incarnate as another. This story could be read as gay, lesbian, or multiply transgendered. Shri Krishna as Kali and Lalita [At Shivashakti]Although the sexual relationships of Indian gods often follow heterosexual expectations, the individual God/dess may change form and be incarnate as another. This story could be read as gay, lesbian, or multiply transgendered.

WEB [At Shivashakti]

Tantricism was the "short path" to Enlightenment in Hinduism and Buddhism. Sexual ecstasy was a particularly important feature, often represented by heterosexual "yab-yum" figures. Tantrik Links [At Shivashakti]Tantricism was the "short path" to Enlightenment in Hinduism and Buddhism. Sexual ecstasy was a particularly important feature, often represented by heterosexual "yab-yum" figures.

Muslim

2ND Richard Burton: Arabian Nights.

Burton' compilation of data on variety of societies was meant to explain some of the stories in The Nights. In doing so, he provided first overview of Islamic homosexuality. Richard Burton: Terminal Essay , from his edition of theBurton' compilation of data on variety of societies was meant to explain some of the stories in. In doing so, he provided first overview of Islamic homosexuality.

Further Resources on Indian History

As in a number of other historical areas, a real problem with much of the online material on South Asian history is that it is presented with manifest nationalist (or other ideological bias). In reviewing many sites for this page, there seem to be a phenomenon of science and engineering graduate students setting up web sites on Indian or Islamic history/culture with virtually no regard for authenticity or historical method. [Imagine if history graduate students began setting up websites on chemical engineering based on their "feelings".] I have tried to indicate which sites are, in my opinion, reliable and which are not.

Other Resources

© This text is copyright. The specific electronic form, and any notes and questions are copyright. Permission is granted to copy the text, and to print out copies for personal and educational use. No permission is granted for commercial use.

If any copyright has been infringed, this was unintentional. The possibility of a site such as this, as with other collections of electronic texts, depends on the large availability of public domain material from texts translated before 1923. [In the US, all texts issued before 1923 are now in the public domain. Texts published before 1964 may be in the public domain if copyright was not renewed after 28 years. This site seeks to abide by US copyright law: the copyright status of texts here outside the US may be different.] Efforts have been made to ascertain the copyright status of all texts here, although, occasionally, this has not been possible where older or non-US publishers seem to have ceased existence. Some of the recently translated texts here are copyright to the translators indicated in each document. These translators have in every case given permission for non-commercial reproduction. No representation is made about the copyright status of texts linked off-site. This site is intended for educational use. Notification of copyright infringement will result in the immediate removal of a text until its status is resolved.

The Indian History Sourcebook is part of the Internet History Sourcebooks Project.

The Internet History Sourcebooks Project is located at the History Department of Fordham University, New York. The Internet Medieval Sourcebook, and other medieval components of the project, are located at the Fordham University Center for Medieval Studies.The IHSP recognizes the contribution of Fordham University, the Fordham University History Department, and the Fordham Center for Medieval Studies in providing web space and server support for the project. The IHSP is a project independent of Fordham University. Although the IHSP seeks to follow all applicable copyright law, Fordham University is not the institutional owner, and is not liable as the result of any legal action.



© Site Concept and Design: Paul Halsall created 26 Jan 1996: latest revision 2 January 2020 [CV]