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 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
The Stratigraphy of Pork: What Pig Husbandry at Masudpur I Reveals About Early Harappan Village Economies
A re-examination of faunal remains at the Early Harappan site of Masudpur I in Haryana challenges models of uniform pastoralism, revealing localized pig husbandry that sustained ordinary households.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Aug 28, 2026
The Geography of Drama: What the Sanskrit Plays of Bhasa and Kalidasa Reveal About Ancient Trade Routes
An analysis of classical Sanskrit dramas by Kalidasa and Bhasa reveals that their literary itineraries closely mirror the actual archaeological trade routes of Gupta-era India.
Dr. Anil Patel · Aug 28, 2026
Kurukshetra: Excavations vs. the Mahabharata — What the Ground Actually Shows
The Mahabharata describes Kurukshetra as the site of an ancient war. Archaeologists have excavated there for decades. What does the evidence actually show?
Dr. Anil Patel · Aug 27, 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.