Eminent Distorians : Twists and Truths in Bharat's History by Utpal Kumar [Hardcover]

Bharat’s history is often written as a series of invasions starting with the Aryans knocking on the gates of the subcontinent followed by Central Asian tribes, the Arabs, Afghans, Turks, and finally Europeans. Mainstream history depicts Bharat as a barren land where various races and cultures arrived at different times. This country, we are told, belonged to each one of these migrants and invaders or to none of them. Eminent Distorians : Twists and Truths in Bharat’s History challenges this historiography, presenting Bharat’s story from its perspective. It debunks the Aryan invasion theory, calling Vedic and Harappan civilizations two sides of the same coin. It reevaluates Ashoka’s legacy and the Nehruvian obsession with his ‘greatness’. It reinterprets Bharat’s ‘golden era’ during the Gupta period and sheds new light on the post-Gupta phase. The book argues that the Islamic conquest in Bharat faced stiff Hindu resistance until Akbar’s diplomatic/matrimonial overtures. When Aurangzeb reverted to confrontation, his empire declined. Contrary to conventional understanding of history, Eminent Distorians explains how the British conquered this country from the Marathas not the Mughals. It also examines the roles of Gandhi, Gandhians, and revolutionaries in ending colonialism. Meticulously researched and cogently argued, the book avoids a Delhi-centric view of history as it highlights significant dynasties such as the Karkotas, Gurjara-Pratiharas, Pallavas, Cholas, and Ahoms, among others.