A Concise History of South India (Paperback)

Paperback. The course of south Indian history from pre-historic times to the contemporary era is a complex narrative with many interpretations. Reflecting recent advances in the study of the region, this volume provides an assessment of the events and socio-cultural development of south India through a comprehensive analysis of its historical trajectory.Investigating the region's states and configurations, this book covers a wide range of topics thatinclude the origins of the early inhabitants, formation of the ancient kingdoms, advancement of agriculture, new religious movements based on bhakti, and consolidation of centralized states in themedieval period. It further explores the growth of industries in relation to the development of East-West maritime trade in the Indian Ocean as well as the wave of Islamicization and the course of commercial relations with various European countries. The book then goes on to discuss the advent of early-modern state rule, impact of the raiyatwari system introduced by the British, debates about whether the region's economy developed or deteriorated during the eighteenth century, decline ofmatriliny in Kerala, emergence of the Dravidian Movement, and the intertwining of politics with contemporary popular culture.Well illustrated with maps and images, and incorporatingnew archaeological evidence and historiography, this volume presents new perspectives on a gamut of issues relating to communities, languages, and cultures of a macro-region that continues to fascinate scholars and readers alike. This book presents the history of South India from the earliest historical periods to the present times. It takes up all the important and controversial issues in various periods of South Indian history and gives their interpretations made by recent scholars, thus affording the readers a standard and enjoyable history of South India. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…