Swaveda
Indian history, plainly written.
A short daily post on Indian history — archaeology, genetics, historical linguistics, and the texts. Plus side-by-side translations of public-domain primary works. Plain language; no chest-thumping in either direction.
Plain language
Aimed at any curious reader, not the seminar room. Sanskrit / Pali / Tamil terms get a gloss on first use.
Tradition ≠ evidence
“The Mahabharata describes…” and “the Mahabharata war happened in…” are different sentences, and we don’t silently merge them.
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Latest articles
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The Ashmounds of Budihal: What Animal-Pen Stratigraphy and Ash Analysis Reveal About Early Deccan Pastoralism
Excavations at Budihal challenge the ritual-only view of Southern Neolithic ashmounds, revealing structured animal-pen stratigraphy and domestic cattle bone refuse.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Sep 21, 2026
The Coins of the Sacred Rock: What the Kharoshthi Graffito of Hunza Reveals About Gupta-Era Northern Trade
Epigraphic analysis of the Haldeikish rock inscriptions in the Hunza Valley refutes internet lore about Chandragupta II and Kalidasa, revealing instead a vital ledger of ancient merchants and pilgrims.
Devika Menon · Sep 21, 2026
The Pit-Silos of Bhirrana: What Early Harappan Grain Storage Reveals About the Origins of Surplus
Archaeological excavations at Bhirrana, Haryana, reveal plaster-lined pit-silos from the Hakra Ware phase, pushing back the origins of organized agricultural surplus in the Sarasvati-Ghaggar valley.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Sep 19, 2026
The Horse of the Rigveda: What the Etymology of Aśva Reveals About Early Indo-Iranian Linguistic Stratigraphy
An etymological analysis of the Sanskrit term aśva (horse) alongside Avestan and Tocharian cognates reveals the deep history of Bronze Age Indo-Iranian migrations and chariot technology.
Asha Naidu · Sep 19, 2026
The Seal of Ketu: Persian Gulf Glyptics and Harappan-Dilmun Diplomatic Grammar
An analysis of bilingual Gulf-type seals containing Indus signs and cuneiform, revealing how Harappan merchants adapted their administrative tools to trade in the Persian Gulf.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Sep 18, 2026
Recent translations
All texts →Sanskrit
Arthashastra
Chapter 150 · Book 15, Chapter 1: Paragraphical Divisions of This Treatise
Updated Jul 26, 2026
Sanskrit
Arthashastra
Chapter 149 · Book 14, Chapter 4: Remedies against the Injuries of One's Own Army
Updated Jul 26, 2026
Sanskrit
Arthashastra
Chapter 148 · Book 14, Chapter 3: The Application of Medicines and Mantras
Updated Jul 26, 2026
A note on tone
Swaveda is curious, careful, and dry. There’s no civilizational chest-thumping in either direction here — no “Vedic India invented everything,” no “everything came from outside.” If we get something wrong, tell us. We fix it visibly, with a dated note.