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.
Readers can edit
Sign in to send a correction or addition. If it holds up, it changes the article and credits you. If it’s contested, it’s preserved as a reader note.
Latest articles
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The Rice-Husk Temper of Kunal: What Early Harappan Pottery Fabric Reveals About Neolithic Continuity
A re-examination of early ceramic fabric at Kunal, Haryana, reveals that Neolithic organic-tempering techniques persisted long into the Early Harappan sequence, showing gradual regional adaptation.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Sep 1, 2026
The Dwaraka Excavations: What Marine Archaeology Shows About the Submerged City of the Mahabharata
A comparison of the textual description of Dwaraka's submergence in the Mahabharata with the archaeological findings of stone anchors and structures off the coast of Gujarat.
Vikram Joshi · Sep 1, 2026
The Silt of Rakhigarhi: Mud-Brick Stratigraphy and Soil Micromorphology at Mound 6
An analysis of mud-brick dimensions, hearth placements, and soil micromorphology at Rakhigarhi’s Mound 6 reveals how the transition to the Mature Harappan phase was a gradual, site-specific process.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Aug 31, 2026
The Weaver’s Mark: Spindle Whorls and the Archaeology of Iron Age Textile Production at Kodumanal
Excavations at the Iron Age site of Kodumanal reveal physical evidence of early industrial weaving, bridging the gap between classical trade texts and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Aug 29, 2026
The Etymology of Cotton: What Sanskrit 'Karpāsa' and Hebrew 'Karpas' Reveal About Early Indian Ocean Trade
How a word for cotton traveled from ancient Austroasiatic speakers to Sanskrit and the Hebrew Bible, mapping the oldest maritime trade routes of the Indian Ocean.
Asha Naidu · Aug 29, 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.