Indian History: A Russian Viewpoint

This collection of essays was compiled to offer the readers an insight into the present state of Indian history studies in Russia. The contributors represent the national school of Indian studies which has worked out certain traditions, views and methods that may be close or similar to the approaches of the Indian or Western scholars and at the same time be somewhat different from them. The book is divided into three thematic parts. Part I discusses various aspects of the centuries-long contact between Russia, India and their common neighbours like Central Asia, China and Tibet. The relations are realised and presented in different aspects and dimensions: economic, political and human, the latter aspect implies the influence of political links and alliances, rivalries and conflicts upon the individual lives and destinies. Part II comprises contributions into the field which has been the most developed in the Soviet school of Indian history studies (and in India itself too), with the main emphasis upon the agrarian sphere of socio-economic life. Part III brings together textual studies and the contributions to the history of ideas, socio-religious concepts and culture within a wide temporal range, embracing ancient, medieval and modern periods of Indian history. The present publication shows that the Russian school of Indian history studies (along with the fraternal schools of Indian literature and language studies) continues to exist despite many odds and dramatic changes that befell Russia in the end of the twentieth century. It draws inspiration from the Russian public’s never ending interest in Indian history and culture, from the objective necessity for both the Russian and the Indian peoples to know each other better and thus to strengthen the links of our friendship and cooperation.