Lakshadweep, A Group Of Coral Islands In The Arabian Sea Off The Malabar Coast, Is A Centrally Administered Territory Consisting Of Three Distinct Units -- Laccadive, Minicoy, And Amindivi. Amini Is The Largest Island Of The Amindivi Unit. The Islanders Have Three Caste-Like Groups- The Aristocratic Koya, The Sea – Faring Malmi, And The Praedial Slaves Melacheri – Consisting Of The Descendants Of Migrants From The Mainland. This Island Society Exhibits A Unique Blend Of Matrilineal Principles And Islamic Regulations. This Can Be Seen In Their Institutions Of Taravad, Karanavan, And Duo-Local Marriage On The One Hand, And In The Observance Of Islamic Prescriptions In Regard To The Performance Of Duties By Fathers And Husbands On Occasions Like Birth, Circumcisions, Marriage And Divorce, And In The Operation Of The Laws Of Property And Inheritance On The Other. The Historical And Socio-Economic Processes Through Which Their Social Structure Evolved, The Constraints Under Which It Functions Today, The Struggle Of The Melacheri To Shake Off The Yoke Of The Koya, The Role Of Islam, And The Impact Of Government Sponsored Programmes Form The Subject Matter Of This Fascinating Study. A Part From Describing An Unusual Form Of Social Organization, This Book Presents A Significant Microscopic Picture Of The Processes Of Change In The Island Society.

This book discusses the origin and growth of Indo-Persian historiography with specific emphasis on India's contribution to the literary heritage of the Persian world. Besides examining 'Awfi's Jawami'ul-Hikayat-wa-Livam'ul-Rivayat as a source of history, the volume also assesses the history of history writing by immigrant and Indian scholars, and is a pioneering attempt insofar as it attempts to study the social background and the religious and political ideals of each of the writers included in this book.

This is a seminal book, first published in 1961. Over the past six decades, T.N. Devare's work has been widely recognised as a pioneering study to re-discover the glorious heritage of Persian in the Deccan, following the first comprehensive and critical survey completed by the author of Persian manuscript sources and literary works scattered across numerous libraries, archives and repositories in India and abroad. The book convincingly argues that, the Deccan’s multilingual and multi-religious traditions shaped the evolution of Indo-Persian and produced over nearly four centuries, a distinct literary and cultural world marked by a syncretic character which defied social, political or religious boundaries. The author also makes the case for collaboration between Persian and the regional languages of India, particularly Marathi. It is the rich legacy of Persian in the Deccan Courts with their vast treasures of literature that is preserved in Dr Devare’s work. The book has been regarded and continues to remain a foundational text for studying the Deccan, be it in the field of history, literature or culture. Please note: Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka

The book, "The History of Medieval India," aims to provide readers with a methodical and comprehensive understanding of Medieval India, aimed specifically for aspirants of competitive examinations across the nation. The content of this book is twofold: 1. Subjective knowledge on a range of events from ancient India, presented in an accessible and concise manner. 2. Multiple-choice questions (MCQs) crafted to reflect the depth and breadth of each topic, aiding candidates in assessment and preparation. Designed with precision, the book aligns with the most recent UPSC syllabus and caters to the requirements of State PSC, SSC, and UPSC examinations. It provides clarity by presenting events in the sequence they occurred, allowing candidates to discern patterns, evolutions, and interrelations. It ensures discipline, enabling efficient study and revision. In essence, this book seeks to simplify the multifaceted journey of Indian history for its readers. With chronology and discipline as its foundational pillars, it offers a streamlined pathway through the diverse phases of India's past. To the aspirants aiming for excellence in their professional examinations, this book is a tool, a guide, and a companion. We trust it will serve you well in your endeavors. Best wishes.

For over five hundred years, Muslim dynasties ruled parts of northern and central India, starting with the Ghurids in the 1190s through the fracturing of the Mughal Empire in the early eighteenth century. Scholars have long drawn upon works written in Persian and Arabic about this epoch, yet they have neglected the many histories that India’s learned elite wrote about Indo-Muslim rule in Sanskrit. These works span the Delhi Sultanate and Mughal Empire and discuss Muslim-led kingdoms in the Deccan and even as far south as Tamil Nadu. They constitute a major archive for understanding significant cultural and political changes that shaped early modern India and the views of those who lived through this crucial period. Audrey Truschke offers a groundbreaking analysis of these Sanskrit texts that sheds light on both historical Muslim political leaders on the subcontinent and how premodern Sanskrit intellectuals perceived the “Muslim Other.” She analyzes and theorizes how Sanskrit historians used the tools of their literary tradition to document Muslim governance and, later, as Muslims became an integral part of Indian cultural and political worlds, Indo-Muslim rule. Truschke demonstrates how this new archive lends insight into formulations and expressions of premodern political, social, cultural, and religious identities. By elaborating the languages and identities at play in premodern Sanskrit historical works, this book expands our historical and conceptual resources for understanding premodern South Asia, Indian intellectual history, and the impact of Muslim peoples on non-Muslim societies. At a time when exclusionary Hindu nationalism, which often grounds its claims on fabricated visions of India’s premodernity, dominates the Indian public sphere, The Language of History shows the complexity and diversity of the subcontinent’s past.

Lambda literary award finalist, Same-Sex Love in India presents a stunning array of writings on same-sex love from over 2000 years of Indian literature. Translated from more than a dozen languages and drawn from Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, and modern fictional traditions, these writings testify to the presence of same-sex love in various forms since ancient times, without overt persecution. This collection defies both stereotypes of Indian culture and Foucault's definition of homosexuality as a 19th-century invention, uncovering instead complex discourses of Indian homosexuality, rich metaphorical traditions to represent it, and the use of names and terms as early as medieval times to distinguish same-sex from cross-sex love. An eminent group of scholars have translated these writings for the first time or have re-translated well-known texts to correctly make evident previously underplayed homoerotic content. Selections range from religious books, legal and erotic treatises, story cycles, medieval histories and biographies, modern novels, short stories, letters, memoirs, plays and poems. From the Rigveda to Vikram Seth, this anthology will become a staple in courses on gender and queer studies, Asian studies, and world literature.