The Indian Historical Quarterly

'Imagination' in Indian Poetics

By T. N. Sreekantaiya

This substantial essay explores the concept of imagination (pratibhā) in classical Indian poetics. Beginning with Bharata’s Nāṭyaśāstra, it traces how later theorists such as Ānandavardhana,…

‘Vachasi’ in Rock Edict VI of Asoka

By Vasudeva S. Agrawala

“Daiva-putra-śahi-śāhānusāhi” in the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta

By Buddha Prakash

Dr. Buddha Prakash’s article explores the enigmatic compound title “daivaputra–śahi–śāhānusāhī” in the Allahabad Pillar inscription of Samudragupta. The author surveys the political landscape of…

“Ksitipecaharanapithe Sthapito Vamapadah” of Skandagupta’s Bhitari Pillar Inscription

By Dasharatha Sharma

Dasharatha Sharma reinterprets a debated line from Skandagupta’s Bhitari pillar inscription. In Fleet’s reading, the verse narrates that Skandagupta, after defeating the Pushyamitras, “put his left…

“Rhinoceros-Slayer” Type of Coins of Kumaragupta I

By Bratindra Nath Mukherjee

The article examines a distinctive series of gold coins issued by the Gupta emperor Kumāragupta I, commonly referred to as the “rhinoceros‑slayer” type. On the obverse, these coins depict the king…

514 Digambara Jaina Stupas at Mathura

By Kamta Prasad Jain

The antiquities at Mathura confirm the historical presence of Jaina stupas, with Smith suggesting their use in the 13th or 14th century based on found Jaina images. The text claims Mathura once had…

A Bell-Capital from Bhuvanesvara

By Achyuta Kumar Mitra

The bell-capital from Bhuvanesvara, discovered west of the Ramesvara temple, is an early example of Orissan art and architecture. Likely dating to the 1st century BCE, it shows Mauryan influences but…

A Bodh-Gaya Image Inscription

By B. M. Barua

This short paper examines an inscribed statue of the Bodhisattva found at Bodh‑Gaya and gives the first published transcription and translation of the four‑line inscription. The inscription is…

A Brief Catalogue of Sanskrit Manuscripts

By Mano Mohan Ghosh

This review evaluates a catalogue of Sanskrit manuscripts compiled for the Post‑Graduate Department of Sanskrit at Calcutta University. The reviewer stresses the importance of manuscript catalogues…

A Buddhist Inscription from Bodh‑Gaya of the Reign of Jayacandradeva

By Nirad Bandhu Sanyal

The article presents and analyses a newly discovered stone inscription from Bodh‑Gaya, dating to the reign of Jayacandradeva, a king of the Gāhaḍavāla dynasty in the late eleventh or early twelfth…

A Buddhist Manuscript at Gilgit

By Nalinaksha Dutt

A Cause of the Downfall of Ancient India

By Krishna Kumar

The downfall of ancient India is attributed to multiple factors, including moral decay, material weakness, martial shortcomings, and social corruption. While Indian princes occasionally demonstrated…

A Coin of Murid Shah (?)

By D. B. Diskalkar

A Comparative Survey of Indian Painting

By Ajit Ghosh

A Comparative Survey of Indian Painting details India's ancient artistic heritage, emphasizing early mural traditions and religious influences. The Vispudharmottaram and Silparatnam, key technical…

A comparison between ancient Indian and mediaeval European theories of the divine origin and nature of Kingship

By U. N. Ghoshal

This essay compares concepts of kingship in ancient India with the medieval European doctrine of the divine right of kings. Drawing on the Mahabharata and Dharmasastras, the author explains that…

A Copper-plate Charter of the Haihaya King Maharanaka Ratnadeva II of the Cedi year 878

By L. P. Pandeya Sharma

This epigraphical article publishes and analyses a copper‑plate charter issued by Mahāranaka Ratnadeva II of the Haihaya dynasty. The plates were discovered near the medieval town of Śeorīnarāyaṇa in…

A Copper-plate grant of Rana Arisimha to Ahilyabai Holkar

By D. B. Diskalkar

This note transcribes and analyses an inscribed copper‑plate recently transferred to the Indore Museum. Measuring about 11¼ × 7 inches, the plate contains sixteen lines in Devanagari Mewadi‑Sanskrit…

A Copper-plate Grant of Visvarupa Sena of Bengal

By Jogendra Chandra Ghosh

The Copper-plate Grant of Visvarupa Sena of Bengal, analyzed by scholars like Haraprasada Sastri and others, provides critical insights into 13th-century Eastern Bengal's geography and history. The…

A Copper‑plate Grant of Viśvarūpa Sena of Bengal

By Hariprasad G. Shastri

Haraprasad Sastri publishes and analyses a copper‑plate charter issued by Viśvarūpa Sena, a ruler of Bengal in the 11th century. The inscription, transcribed in Sanskrit and translated into English,…

A Copperimage of Panca-mukhi (Five-faced) Vira-Hanuman

By S. Hanumantha Rao

The article presents a detailed description and interpretation of a rare copper image of Pañca-Mukhi (five-faced) Vīra-Hanumān, sent for identification by Miss A. J. Kelley, Lady Superintendent of…