This book analyses the practice of land grants, which became considerable in the Gupta period and widespread in the post-Gupta period. It shows how this led to the emergence of a class of landlords, endowed with fiscal and administrative rights superimpos

A focal study of the methodological changes that confront historians of pre-colonial India.

Despite the rapid spread of Buddhism the historical origins of Buddhsit thought and practice remain obscure.This work describes the genesis of the Tantric movement and in some ways an example of the feudalization of Indian society. Drawing on primary documents from sanskrit, prakrit, tibetan, Bengali, and chinese author shows how changes in medieval Indian society, including economic and patronage crises, a decline in women`s participation and the formation of large monastic orders led to the rise of the esoteric tradition in India.

Centred around culture this book deals with a diversity of subjects related to religion, social and economic history, epigraphy, art, architecture, plants and herbs, Roman, coins and Greek Myths, questions of national integration, social justice, untouchability and orthodoxy and the heated issue of Ayodhya.