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
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Latest articles
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The Spear and the Gharial: How Molded Narrative Tablets Recalibrate Indus Ritual Iconography
Molded terracotta narrative tablets from Harappa reveal public sacrifice rituals, contrasting with private administrative stamp seals and shifting our understanding of Indus iconography.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Oct 22, 2026
The Ghost in the Genome: How Population Structure Distorts Ancient DNA Models of Indian Ancestry
A statistical method corrects for endogamy-induced fake linkage disequilibrium, refining ancient DNA admixture dates and population models across South Asia.
Dr. Anil Patel · Oct 22, 2026
The Algae in the Hearth: How Microscopic Silica and Micro-Remains Reveal Coastal Harappan Seaweed Use
Coastal Indus sites yield abundant fish scales and animal bones, but marine plants leave no macro-botanical footprint. Microscopic residue testing creates a new framework for detecting seaweed in Harappan hearths.
Rohan Bhattacharya · Oct 21, 2026
The Rhythm of the Lower Indus: What Bronze Casting and Pottery Paintings Reveal About Urban Soundscapes
Archaeological finds of lost-wax bronzes, painted ceramic drums, and copper cymbals reveal how Indus Valley cities integrated percussion and communal sound into Bronze Age public life.
Kavya Sharma · Oct 21, 2026
The Susa Receipts: What Cuneiform Tablets and Indus Seals Reveal About Harappan Merchant Diaspora
Cuneiform tablets and Indus seals found at Susa demonstrate that Harappan traders lived and worked in Khuzestan, leaving clear material and administrative traces of long-distance Bronze Age trade.
Dr. Anil Patel · Oct 21, 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.