BoTCast Episode 43: Books on Indian History with Kumar Varun I Anuya I Sharin

[@SantReads]

What a lovely conversation and loved everything that KV said. 🥰 Also, this is me realizing that I'm truly missing out by not reading the Ibis trilogy so I'm going to rectify that. Also yay to more Botcasts!! ✨🥺

[@jainjames1498]

I think Sense of an Ending gives a good quote on History in general. It goes "History is when the inaccuracies of the memory meets the inadequacies of documentation" 🔥

[@yusuf.k.m]

That's a great quote. Thanks for sharing.

[@rakeshawasthi6337]

Add to it a tadka of bias and perspective.

[@nehadhavale1670]

City of Djinns by Dalrymple is my absolute favourite account of Delhi and its rich history. Beautifully written.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I feel like most school children stopped learning about History & Civics after Class 10 with India gaining Independence. But I studied History in Class 11 and 12. Such fun!

[@Njgt-ro5jd]

I see you in tiss often

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@Njgt-ro5jd Thank you!

[@rakeshawasthi6337]

Opium trade and war is brought up ONCE in Mangal Pandey the movie .

[@SabaAnsarii]

I missed BoT so much. During that time I came across QWC and it became my another favorite. Now this comeback episode felt like crossover of my two favorite shows. I am so happy. Thank you guys!

[@anagha1605]

KV, You absolute treasure of India. ♥️ love this whole discussion.

[@genuinethoughts238]

Please Read the book Parallel Lives by Rudrangshu Mukherjee. It's a book that discuss parallely the lives of Bose and Nehru on the pre independence timeline

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I’ve had the rare privilege of having great History teachers who taught me well I actually liked History & Civics as well.

[@richasagarika1835]

BoT is officially my favourite channel now. It is always so nice to see people talking about books! ❤️

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Ira Mukhoty is just a great writer. I love ‘Daughters of the Sun’. 👏🏽

[@Dhruvshah0611]

fr have you read william dalrymple

[@surabhi2179]

Yay yay Botcasts are back !! ✨🥰 I am so so so glad ❤️

[@shivaniwadnerkar604]

So glad to see you girls back! Especially happy because you chose this topic!

[@garimagaur24]

Absolutely lovedd the episode! So glad to have BoT back ❤️❤️

[@pratikahire2375]

OMG, Anuya has really matured😅

[@harshvardhansinghchauhan2055]

amazing work guys ! keep going , KV you are love , the more I listen you the more I keep idealizing you and fan of the knowledge and hard work which you keep putting !

[@newguyat77]

1. Bridgit and Raymond Alchin on early history 2. D N jha on vedic and post vedic period 3. Romila thapar on late ancient india. 3.NIlakanta shastri on south india 4. R S sharma books on archeological reading of ancient India. 5. AL basham on cultural history

[@2011szaman]

Great episode! Watching KV answering the Dilip Kumar question in the fun quiz was like watching Inception....so many layers 😆... mind blown!

[@kunaljain8527]

Just wanted to say that it feels so good to listen to the intro music. Great content guys. Thank you!

[@purvikmakadia5033]

What a privilege it is to listen to KV ❤️

[@20shourya]

that's what she said.

[@vaibhav6826]

Read Krishna Kriplani's biography of Rabindranath Tagore to know more about why their name was tainted and what's Pirali brahmin and much more.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

ANUYA was behind the scenes on ‘Comedy Hunt’? Wow. I didn’t know that.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I am still fascinated with the Courtesans of Royal Courts. They were the OG Power Women.

[@rakeshawasthi6337]

16:06, great idea for a desi webseries!!

[@20shourya]

that's what she said.

[@poojaharish752]

Ahhh!!! How much I have wished and manifested for this to happen!!!!!! Finally!!!!

[@Dexter-vj2lr]

I recommend the last Mughal by William D alrymple that is based on sepoy mutiny and British Empire and it is intriguing to read 👍😊

[@Dhruvshah0611]

Dude fr the anarchy by him is my fav and rn I am reading the return of a king

[@tigerinthetunnel]

43:59 ye konsa time hai lipstick lagane ka?

[@hariharany9195]

Did anyone make a list of books recommended? 🙏

[@triptisinha6783]

History is the coolest!

[@vaibhav6826]

I love the fact that botcast is back and I am certainly not saying that anyone should be risking their lives to make videos but I am so tired of watching videos shot on video call. No shade to you guys, doing what you are doing takes huge effort and i love you for it. But i just wanted to put it out there. Missing irl meet-up botcast so bad. I hope I don't sound like an idiot. Thanks for the video.

[@BooksonToast]

You said it. We're also fed up honestly.

[@31bsuparna]

@@BooksonToast What. Autumn. Said (so respectfully and gently) :-/

[@dharsanarath]

Hurray botcast is back

[@PokhrajRoy.]

I wish there was a book on Indian Jesters. I hope someone writes one someday.

[@arunaadhikari610]

There's your one day club idea.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@arunaadhikari610 I suppose so.

[@nickeltesla7375]

YAYYY botcast is backkkkk, the only podcast i follow religiously 💖 I've always loved history so lots more added to my tbr 💖 this could've been like 2 hrs longer, i'd watch the whole thing :P

[@srijitabhattacharya9235]

Also, Jorasanko is my favourite book 😭😭

[@vikaschenna3274]

Great episode but wished there were more recommendations from KV :(

[@MadBoNg100]

Woohoo! Amazing to see y'all back!!!

[@20shourya]

that's what she said.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

‘One Day An Author’ Club toh mujhe BHI join Karna chahiye 😂

[@sruthic2742]

Love you guys ❤️Would love to watch botcast again with Vivek

[@pranalijha319]

Thanks a lot for doing this guys! ♥️

[@sabamalaika9646]

Loved this ♥️ welcome back :))

[@pinazraut7594]

Yayyyyyy, BOTCAST is back and how! This episode was lit, along with my favourite clickbait round so far. Keep 'em coming guys!

[@NakulPatil]

Ayeeeeee waited looongggg for guys to come back!

[@20shourya]

that's what she said.

[@NakulPatil]

@@20shourya 🙄 long haul is it!!!

[@abinavravi1063]

I have a doubt on whether KV was the guest since he has spoken the least in the BoTcast. This is normally not the case with BoTcasts.

[@simranbodhak5480]

Finally BOTCAST is here.

[@kunal02jun]

Are bhai tum log kahan gayab ho jate ho yaar, aate raha karo, achha lgta hai, aur bhi kitabe pdhne ka dil krne lgta hai aap logo ko sun kar.

[@parijat_sen]

This was such a gem of an episode. Thanks a lot

[@20shourya]

that's what she said.

[@priyammgarg]

Aaaaah the botcast is back!!

[@anki2312]

U guys back...🥰🤗

[@shiwangi787]

Yeah 😍😍😍😍 my favourite books' show is back 😍😍😍 keep going guys

[@meghnasasi5537]

This episode was amazing 😍

[@karandarwani225]

The links are opening in my browser. It's not taking me directly to the app.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Mughal Art and Architecture is so beautiful and fascinating. A beautiful confluence of culture, languages and lineage.

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

Was Akbar actually that progressive or was it the demand of that time - to be progressive or perish - which he understood as well as someone like Ashoka did in early past.

[@ayush1ism]

Well there is evidence that people from goa left, seeking refuge under akbars rule during the inquisition over there, so there certainly wasn't any necessity to be open minded/progress at that time

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

@@ayush1ism Akbar was not only facing external threat, from Rajputs, but also internal threats to his very existence ( Petticoat Government). The only viable option was to pitch one against the other and thus consolidating his position. Thus rather than ideology it was the necessity. However, later on, due his association with Rajputs and other kingdoms certainly influenced his thinking and ideas.

[@thomsondcruz5456]

KV and his lisp… love it..

[@20shourya]

that's what she said.

[@srijitabhattacharya9235]

BOTCAST IS BACK WUHUUU. Loved the video, you gaaaaiz. Also, petition to bring Deepanjana Pal back 🥺

[@richatiwari1039]

Lal-Bal-Pal ...Lal Bahadur Shastri, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipan Chandra Pal

[@karandarwani225]

Botcasts are the best!

[@Super27051973]

Awesome!!!

[@20shourya]

that's what she said.

[@SreeramNR]

Loved the video! Just wanted to point out that the link for "The Courtesan, The Mahatma and the Italian Brahmin" points to "Freedom at Midnight" on Amazon. Hope you fix the link because that book deserves to be read. :P

[@BooksonToast]

Thank you. Fixed it!

[@pranavpipariya8556]

Bring kanan again on the podcast, its been a long time

[@sanketkulkarni2390]

When is Amit Verma coming

[@saumya2689]

Akbar's legacy stems solely from him. Most other rulers depended on the involvement of other people to build their legacies. Akbar's belongs to his mind.

[@krishnakulkarni5920]

KV Is love 😊❤️

[@squeakylightening5095]

botcast is back and i am all here for it. kisne fati doodh ki chai peeni h

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

Were the reforms undertook by Akbar his own or those were just continuation of reforms and ideas left by Sher shah suri unfinished, who routed the Mughals out of Hindostan.

[@bhagyeshkotian1747]

It feels so sad that a Mughal who was comparatively less brutal to his predecessors, Gets so much praise. While true revolutionary dynasty like cholas, Vijayanagar empire, Marathas are still shockingly unexplored.

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

@@bhagyeshkotian1747I don't think Akbar was any less brutal vis a vis his predecessors. He was as brutal as situation demanded. Secondly, it's not like Vijayanagra amd Chola empire are unexplored. They were as magnificent as Mughals and also as brutal as Mughals. As you see rule by force was the norm at that time, be it Ashoka the great or Samudragupta or Krishna Deva Raya, all ruled by force. Thirdly, why do you think Chola and Vijayanagra were truly revolutionary? I mean, what did they do which made them revolutionary in "true" sense?.

[@bhagyeshkotian1747]

@@anupamvashishtha1495 Ruiling by force was indeed a norm, But religious persecution wasn’t, Both Vijayanagar empire and Marathas had muslim councillor’s even though they were the minority. Portuguese traveller Barbosa has also mentioned how Vijaynagar was secular at that time. Cholas ventured east and influenced culture in todays indonesia. Vietnam etc. Ankor wat is an example. Cholas Vijaynagar empire had foreign trade with south east middle east as well as Rome which was considerably higher much before the Mughals. Marathas gave prominence to decentralisation of power and Swaraj which is even applicable in todays world.

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

@@bhagyeshkotian1747 actually at that time, and since the time of Bimbisar, all rulers were "pragmatically" secular and none of them secular in terms of modern meaning of the word secular. Vijayanagara rulers, who were apparently secular, used religious war cries against Bahmani rulers. It was done not because they were some religious bigot but because the rulers used everything they can to win a war. Same goes for Marathas, they were also not secular in terms of modern meaning of this word

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

@@bhagyeshkotian1747 moreover, it was not cholas who propagated out our cultural values first. It started with Mauryas, when Ashoka sent his son Mahindra to ceylon to propagate Buddhism.

[@darkjosh1]

great conversation! would also like to add ramayana and mahabharata to this. with history you also have to be open that as we discover new things it can change. akbar also slaughtered a lot of people in chittorgarh as one example so he wasn't always the noble/liberal ruler that is taught in schools.. we are taught about ahsoka killing so many people in kalinga but not this..just my two cents

[@abhaspandia2221]

I wanna read about what happened after the indus valley civilization...

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

There's a book on ancient history by Upinder singh. By far the most balanced book on ancient history of India I've read.

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

If you want to go in more details, you may try... study material for BA students by IGNOU, it's available for free on IGNOU official website.

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

BTW, the civilization continued to exist, although, in regional pockets with some regional variations. And actually the civilization continues to exist to this day also,in terms of social, religious and economic aspects. We don't know much about their political aspects

[@anupamvashishtha1495]

If you've somehow heard of some "invasion" theory( though bogus it is) . The Upinder singh book is definitely for you

[@pranshu0810]

The Anarchy by William Dalrymple

[@PokhrajRoy.]

A book on the women of the Tagore family? Yay Representation 😂 (Jk loved the recommendation)

[@nitheshms6515]

"Nobody cares for Brahmins in India, it's very hard for them."(Sarcasm) -Anuya. How ones strong opinion becomes their truth. Disappointed to hear it from my favourite channel Anyway good topic

[@CockySuSMounted]

So Brahmin hatred and mockery is still on full song huh! Good to know being a Brahmin myself 🤗

[@nneo3231]

May be you are new to this Channel. As much as I like their podcast often times Hinduphobia and Indicphobia is full on display which leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

[@xdfckt2564]

Worked 8 years in the Arab countries, Turkey etc. The amount of discrimination I've faced for being Indian.. Jesus. And I'm no labourer, a proper up in the heights multi national corporate fellow.. even those educated people and clients are acerbic.. Secular my foot. Theirs also has a kind of caste system where one is just born superior. The state is the boss in all of that, you cannot object. That crap is even within the Sufi traditions which I thought were only spinning dervishes and Ranbir Kapoor poetry. 🙏 I don't buy this nonsense after what I've experienced living there. Itna padhte ho, kabhi wahaan rehkar bhi dekho.. bheetar jhaanke dekhoge tab pata chalta hai.

[@nneo3231]

As many books the hosts claim to read they come across really uninformed. Shows in their choice of books. Typical English educated privileged class

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Another Fun Fact: Nawab Wajid Ali Khan would dress up as a woman on special occasions.

[@sahirbansal7027]

KV's Clubhouse brought me here. Those who know know.

[@myarchitecturalview6632]

Wow Varun's native language is bhojpuri

[@harvindersingh537]

❤️❤️❤️

[@myarchitecturalview6632]

Yes 'Empire' was terrible but nice concept

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Fun Fact: The mother of India Hicks, Diana’s bridesmaid at her wedding, was in India while the finalisation of Partition was taking place and even interacted with Gandhi.

[@soutrikgun9133]

Oops. We meet again

[@PokhrajRoy.]

@@soutrikgun9133 Hello!

[@krishnakulkarni5920]

Call kenny again 💖

[@saraswat7000]

Akbar's Empire into SE Asia and indoors into Europe 😂😂😂😂

[@lol8q]

Title should be history of North India…..

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Recommendation: ‘Mughal India’ by Athar Ali.

[@nneo3231]

Change the title to Books on Mughal History ...more appropriate IMO

[@jibibabu9179]

Baby Anuyas knowledge of history is very limited, please don't write a book on history 📖 my humble submission

[@saraswat7000]

After partition there was no annexation of J&K , Hyderabad it was the unification of country.

[@crawlingpuncture6300]

simping hard for invaders

[@VSM101]

History centralised in north india is a waste of time.

[@DipyamanMajumderUEE]

Thakur it is not Tagore