Semester II

(Core Papers Only)

Paper VI History of Social Institutions and Structures of Early India
Paper VIl Social Formations of Kerala c. A.D.1200 - 1800
Paper VIII Agriculture, Crafts Production and Exchange in India from
c. AD lOOO to 1800
Perspectives of Women’s History and the History of Gender
in India
Paper IX Making of the Indian Nation: Historical Antecedents.

Paper X

Paper VI
History of Social Institution and Structures of Early India
(The paper seeks to have a specific focus on the history of institutions and structures of
early societies in the subcontinent. It is intended to provide the students with
knowledge about what the institutions mean and how they evolved and worked in the
past societies. The idea is to enable the students to gain insights into the historical
roots of social institutions and structures that persist in our times. Articles should
enrich the reading)

1) Institutions of the Vedic Society: Historical context of their merged state and
inseparability into social, economic, political and religious Institutions - Gotra
 33

and Pravara, Varna and Kula - dasya- vidatha, Gana, Gopa and Samiti - Yajna,
Dana, Dakshina and Sulka - The Pastoral tribal social structure with slave labour.

2) The character of the Vedic religious Institutions : The brahmana-Sramana

dichotomy - The Jain, Ajivika, and Budhist Religious Orders - The institution -of

Sangha, Samaja and Puga - The Sartha- The Grama; Janapada, Narga and
Pattina The stratified Varna society with slave labour.

3) From Varna to Jati : The historical process of the information of jati-s - The
System of hereditary occupation and endogamy - The System of periodic
exaction or taxation in the age of Mauryas - Variety of taxes - The Parishad- The
institutional nature of administration and bureaucracy - The continuity .and
change in the stratified Varna society based of slave labour.

4) The Hierarchically stratified Jati Society: The Institution of land grants - The
mahadana-s such as hiranyagarbha, gosahasra and tulabhara - The proliferation
of Jati-s or the phenomenon of sakirnajati - The institutional character of
kingship- Chakravarthy model of kingship and the consecration - High Sounding
royal titles- The institution of land dues - The Institution of service tenure - The
bhakti cull under the bhagauatha movement - The formation of tenurial
hierarchy- Hierarchically stratified jati society based of forced labour (vishti).

5) Early Historic Society in Tamillakam - Aintinai and Social grouping-Economic,

Social, Political Structures and Institutions - Ventan, Velir, Kizhar levels of the
chiefdom- The politics of raids and redistribution- The Institution of Kotai - Pana-
s and the pattu tradition - the flowers Symbolism - untattu- Vatakkiruttal -Velan
Veriyattu- Karauaikuttu -the Kalavu and Karpu.

Readings

D.R. Chanana, Slavery in Ancient India, Delhi 1960

S. Chattopadhyaya , Social Life in Ancient India, Calcutta, 1965

Romila Thapar, From Lineage to State (Oxford University Press)

Uma Chakravarthy, Social Dimensions of Early Buddhism, (Motilal Benarsidas, Delhi,

1984)

D.D. Kosambi, An Introduction to the Study of Indian History (Bombay, 1956)

R.S. Sharma, Material Culture and Social Formations in Ancient India (Oxford
University Press, 1983)
 34

R.S. Sharma, Sudras in Ancient India (Motilal Banarsidas, New Delhi, 1980)

R.S. Sharma, Aspects political ideas and Institutions in Ancient India (Motilal
Banarsidas, New Delhi, 1959)

R.S. Sharma, Indian feudalism (Motilal Banarsidas, New Delhi, 1980)

K.K. Plllay, Social History of the Tamils, Madras University Publication

Rajan Gurukkal & Raghava Varier eds. Cultural History of Kerala, vol. I, Department of
Cultural Publication, Trivandrum.

Paper VII.
Social Formations of Kerala from c. A.D.1200 to 1800
(The paper requires the students to have already graduated in the methodological
perspectives enabling conceptualization of society in terms of formations or systems to
study this paper. They are expected to acquire knowledge about the social formation of
Kerala under the Naduvazhi-s and of the eve of the colonial rule. The purport of the
paper is to enable the students to grasp the interconnectedness of social aspects and
develop holistic perspective)

1. Agrarian Expansion in Kerala: Historical Antecedents - Further Expansion of

Agrarian settlements - Growth of the Upagrama-s- Changes in the Property
relations- proliferation of temples - New Institutions, Groups and relations - The
Nadus and the consolidation of the Naduvazhi Swarupam-s.

2. Economic Growth of the Nadu-s : Expansion of the Parambu/Purayitam

economy- Expansion of Commercial Crops, Crafts Production and Towns -
Monetization and Trade - The Political Growth of orri and panayam - Money
lending and the Beginning of the Alienation of the Kanam lands - The Emerging
Overseas Links.

3. The Nature of the Social Formation: Learning and Knowledge Systems - Agrarian
Technology and Forms of Labour Obligations - The Jati system - The Structure of
Land Relations - Difference and Uniformities of Land system in Venad, Ernad and
Kolattunad - The Changes in the in Roles and Functions of the Temple - The
Temple and Brahmin Land Control- The Nature of Land control and Structure of
Political Power of Venad - The Nature of Samutiri- s Revenues and Political
Power - The Ambalappatis, Desappatis- and the diffused nature political power
 35

in Kolattunad - The Overall Features of Land System and Appropriation- The

Juridico- political Structure- Ideology and Religious Life- Worlds.

Readings
M.R. Raghava Varier, Keraleeyata: Charitramanangal (Vidyapeetham)

M.R. Raghava Varier, Madhyakala Keralam- Charitram, Samooham.

(Chintha Publications, Trivandrum)

KN. Ganesh, Keralathinte Innalekal

M.G.S. Narayanan ed. Vanneri Granthavari, Calicut University

M.R. Raghava Varier, ed. Keralololpatti, Calicut University

K.K.N. Kurup ed., Kootali Granthavari, Calicut University

Unnikrishnan Nair ed. Tiruvalla Granthavari,Nos. 1 & 2 Mahatma Gandhi University.

K. V. Krishna lyer, Zamorins of Calicut, Calicut University

P.K.S. Raja, Medieval Kerala, Navakerala Co-operative Publishing House, Calicut

P.K. Balakrishnan, Jativyavasthayum Keralacharitravum

N.M. Namboodirl, Smootiriyute Kanappurangal (Vidyapeetham)

P.J. Cheriyan (ed) Perspectives of Kerala History (State Gazetteers Department,

Govt. of Kerala)

Kesavan Veluthat, The Early Medieval in South India

Paper VIII
Agriculture, Crafts Production and
Exchange in India from c. A.D. 1000 to 1800
(The paper requires from the students an in depth study of the major economic
processes of the Indian subcontinent in the 11 th to 19th centuries. The focus is of the
nexus of agriculture, the various other industries, and trade and the process of
urbanization. It involves study of coinage and currency in the context of means of
payment and measure of value. The purport of the paper is to provide the students
 36

insights into the interconnectedness of agriculture, crafts production, exchange and

urban growth. The readings have to be supplemented by articles.)

1. Extent of Agriculture in the Sultanate of Delhi _ Technology of Agriculture -

Aspects of irrigation - Agrarian Relations _ Growth of Crafts, Commerce and

Towns - Trade, Traders and Trade - routes in the Sultanate - Monetization and
Coins.

2. Agrarian Expansion in the Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri and Periyar banks -

Agrarian Technology - Tank Irrigation- Agrarian Relations _ Crafts Production
and Trade in the Deccan and Southern India _ Long distance trade and
Nagaram-s- Temples and Merchant Corporations like Ticai - ayirattainnurruvar,
Manigamam, Nanadesi etc. Monetization and Commercialization - Coins and
Currency.

3. Extent of Agriculture in the Mughal Empire - Irrigation Technology - The Persian

Wheel- Agrarian Relations - Crafts, Trade and Urban growth - Local Exchange
and Credit - Foreign Trade and Traders- Trade - routes, Gany-s and Serai-s -
Commercialization of Agriculture Coins and Currency.

4. Extent of Agriculture in the Vijayanager Empire - Aspects of Agrarian

Technology - Agrarian Relations - Crafts, Commerce and Towns -Coins of
Vijayanagar - Inland and Transmarine Trade - Overseas trade and the growth of
‘Indian Ocean’ trade network - Merchant Capital and the Role of Indian
Merchant in the Asian Trade System’ (13th-17th centuries)

4. The Debate on ‘Commercial Capitalism’ in Pre-colonial India - The Beginnings

of European Trade and Commerce in the subcontinent Growth of Crafts
Production - The Textile industry in western India- Expansion of Export Trade.

Readings·
Lallanji Gopal, Economic Life of Northern India A.D. 700-1200 Delhi. 1965

Nilakanta Sastri, The Colas, Madras University Publications

Kenneth Hall, Trade and Statecraft in the Age of the Colas (Abhinav Publications, New
Delhi)

Mohammad Habib, Politics and Society in Medieval South India.

B.D. Chattopadhyaya, Coins and Currency in Medieval South India (Munshiram

Manoharlal New Delhi)
 37

Burton Stein, Peasant State and Society in Medieval South India (Oxford University
Press, New Delhi)

Burton Stein, Vijayanagara 1-2 (The New Cambridge History of India)

Irfan Habib, The Economic History of Medieval India (Tulika Publications, New Delhi,
2001)

Irfan Habib, Agrarian System of Mughal India, (Oxford University Press)

Moreland, W., Agrarian System of Moslem India (D.K. Publishers Delhi)

Tapan Raychaudharl and Irjan Habib (eds.) The Cambridge Economic History of India
Volume 1 (Orient Longman and Cambridge University Press)

Keasavan Veluthat, The Political Structure of Early Medieval South India, Cambridge
University Press

lrfan Habib, Essays in Indian History, Tulika Publications, New Delhi

Satish Chandra, Medieval India, New Delhi

Musaffar Atam, The Crisis of Mughal Empire (Oxford University Press)

Musaifar Alam & Sanjay Subrahmaniean (ed) , Mughal North lndia (Oxford University
Press) .

H.K. Nagvi, Urbanization Urban Centres under the Great Mughals (Oxford University
Press) ,

Burton Stein. Vijayanaqara 1-2 (The New Cambridge History of India)

S. Gordon, The Marathas 11-4 (The New Cambridge History of India)

K. Polanyi, H.Pearson (ed) Trade and Market in Early Empires.

K.N. Chaudhari, Asia before Europe: Economy and Civilization of the Indian Ocean
from the Rise of Islam to 1750

Ashin Dasguptha & M.N. Pearson (ed.) The Indian Ocean -Political Economy of
Commerce

SanJay Subrahmaniyan, Political Economy of Commerce

S. Arasarahnan, Merchants, Companies and Commerce in the Coromandel Coast.

Ashln dasguptha, Indian Merchants and tli.e Decline of Surat

Kanakalatha Mukund, The World of Tamil Merchant.

 38

A. Appadorai, Economic Conditions in Southern India (100-1500), Madras University

Publications.

N. Venkataramanayya, Studies in the History of the Third Dynasty of Vijayanagara

A.I.Chicherov, India: Economic Development in 16th - 18th Centuries.

Shireen Moosavi, Economy of the Mughal Empire, (Oxford University Press)

Y. Subbarayalu, South India under the Cholas (OUP)

Paper IX.
Perspectives of Women’s History and the
History of Gender in India
(The Paper seeks to familiarize the students with the conceptual and methodological
innovations brought into the discipline of history by Women’s History, and expansion
and reframing of the issues at its core, that this intervention has entailed. The
intervention of feminist history has been uneven. This makes it difficult to envisage a
paper entitled ‘The History of Gender in India’, because it seems rather premature at
present. There has been a concentration of feminist historical scholarship upon the
colonial-modern period, and upon certain religions like Bengal. So the workable option
to present the existing scholarship may be to divide it into specific topics around which
some feminist scholarship has accumulated. All the topics need not be discussed in
class; some can be discussed in tutorial sessions. The idea is to convey the fact that
Gender History raises a whole set of new questions that enter into the conceptual and
political domains of the mainstream historical scholarship)

1. Women’s History
Feminism and the Critique of Knowledge - History as Male-centered Knowledge-
the challenge of Women’s History- major debates over the Agenda of Women’s
History- Main Themes -Methodological Innovations - International Scenario of
WomenHistory - Towards Gender History.

2. The Turn of Feminist History in India:

Indian Women in the Writings of Colonial Historians- National Historians and the
‘Womens Question’ - Marxist History and Sexual Inequality - The Coming of
 39

Women’s History into the Indian Scene- Critique of the Dominant Ways of
Understanding - Creation of Alternate Histories - Female Subalternity

3. Development of Gender Research in Indian History:

Emerging Themes of Gender Studies in Indian Historiography - Issues and
Innovations: Reform and Women’s Emancipation - A Critical Reading of the
concept of Reform and Women’s liberation- The Socio legal Development -
Women and Political Struggle- Women and the Economy .

Readings
Mary S. Hatmmann and Lois W. Banner (eds) Clio’s Consciousness Raised: New
Perspectives. on the History of Women, New York: Harper & Row, 1974

Renate Bridenthal and Claudia Koonz, Becoming Visible: Women in European History,
Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1976

Berenice A. Carroll (ed), Liberatinq Women’s History: Theoretical and Critical Essays,
Urbana : University of Illinois Press, 1977.

Joan Kelley, Women, History and Theory, Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1984

K.Offen et.al (ed.s), Writing Women’s History: Internation Perspectives, London,

acmillan, 1992

Uma Chakravarti, ‘Whatever happened to the Vedic Dasi’ in K Sangari, S. Vaid (cols)
Recasting Women, New Delhi: Kali for Women 1989 .

Uma Chakravarti, ‘Beyond the Altekarian Paradigm: Towards a New Understanding

of Gender Relations in Early India, Social Scientist 16 (183), 1988.

U. Chakravarti and K. Roy, ‘ In search of our Past: A Review of the limitations and
Possibilities ‘of the Historiography of Women in Early India,’ EPW 23(18) , 30
April 1988

A.S. Altekar, The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization, ‘New Delhi : Motilal
Banarasi Das, 1962.

M. Talinn, Women in Early Buddhism, Bombay: Bombay University, 1972

U.Chakravartl, Conceptualizing BrahmanicaI Patricarchy in Early India: Gender, Caste,

Class and State, EPW 28 (14)
 40

Kumkum Ray, ‘King’s Household: Structure / Space in the Sastraic Tradition’, EPW 27
(43-44) 24-31 October’ 92 .

Malavlka Karlekar, Kadambini and the Bhadralok : Early Debates over Women’s
Education in Bengal’ EPW 21 (17), 1986

Geraldine H. Forbes ‘In Search of ‘Pure Heathen’ : Missionary Women in 19th Century
India’ EPW, 21 (17) 26, April, 26 1986

M. Kosambi, Women Emancipation & Equality: Pandita Ramabai’s Contribution to the

Women’s Cause , EPW 23(44) 29 October 1988

Anandibai Joshie : Retrieving a fragmented feminist image’, EPW 31(49), 7 December

’96

Nita Kumar, ‘Windows Education and Social change in 20th Century Benaras’, EPW
26(17) , 27 April ’91

Bharati (ed), From the Seams of History, New Delhi : OUP, 1995

Robin Jeffrey, Politics, Women’s and Well Being, New Delhi: OUP 1992

Meera Velayudhan, ‘Growth of Political consciousness Among Women in Modern

Kerala’ , In perspectives on Kerala History : The Second Millennium, Kerala
State Gazetteer Vol. 2, Part 2, Thiruvananthapuram, 1999 .

Madhu Kishar, ‘Arya Samaj and Women’s Education : Manya Mahavidyalaya,

Jalandhar , EPW 27(17), 26 Apnl 96

Amrlt Srinivasan, ‘Reform and Revival: The Devadasi and her dance’, EPW 20(44),
2 November ‘85‘.

P. Uberoi (ed), Social ‘Reform, Sexuality and the State, New Delhi: Sage, 1996

K.Sangahari, S.Vaid (eds) Recasting Women, New Delhi: Kali for women, 1989

P. Chatergee, P. Jegannathan (ed.s) Subaltern Studies XI New Delhi, Permanent Black

2000

Janaki Nair, Women and Law in Colonial India, New Delhi: Kali for Women, 1996.

Archana Parasher, Women and Family law Reform in India, New Delhi, Sage 1992 ‘

Peter Custers, Women’s role in the Tebhaga Movement’ ,EPW 21(43), 25 October’ 96.

Tanika Sarkar, ‘Polities Women in Bengal - The Conditions and Meanings of

Participation’, IESHR 21(1),1984.
 41

Indra Munshi Saldanha, ‘Tribal women in the Warli Revolt 1945-47 : Class and Gender
in the Left Perspective’, EPW 21 (17) April 26, 1986

Apama Basu, ‘Gujarathi Women’s Response to Gandhi’ ,Samya Shakti 1(2) 1984

Tanika Sarkar, ‘The Hindu Wife and the Hindu Nation : Domesticity and Nationalism
till 19th Century Bengali Literature’, EPW 22(47) 21 November ‘87

Vijaya Ramaswamy , ‘Aspects of Women and work in early South India’ IESHR 26(1),
1989

Gregory.C. Kozlowski ‘Muslim Women and Control Property in North India’, IESHR
24(2), 1987

Radha Kumar, ‘Family and Factory : Women Workers in Bombay Cotton Textiles
Industry 1919-1939; IESHR 20(1), 1983

Ranajit Guha, ‘Chandra’s Death, Subaltern Studies V, Delhi: OUP, 1987

Zoya Hasan (ed) , Forging Identities: Gender, Communities and The State, New Delhi:
Kali for Women, 1994

Joan Wallach Scott, Gender and the Politics of History, New York Columbia University
Press, 1988

Subaltern Studies IX, New Delhi: OUP, 1989

Paper X. Making of the Indian Nation:

Historical Antecedents
(The paper seeks to put emphasis on the study of the historical process of the nation
building, As the title presupposes, the purport is to gain knowledge about the Historical
process of the making of the Indian Nation. This necessitates access to recent studies
that are eminently noted for their representational riches and level of
conceptualization, The teachers have to initiate students in the relevant theories
through seminars. The readings have to be augmented and supplemented ,by learned
articles from time to time)

1.Historiography - The Colonial Sneer - India as a ‘geographical expression’ - The

Nationalist Reaction - The Immemorial Nationhood- Understanding the nations and
nationalism -The modern character of the Indian Nation -The theory of ‘nation’ as
Imagined Community.
 42

2. Orientalism and the ‘discovery’ of India _ The Reaction to the Evangelical and
the Utilitarian Bashing -The Socio- Religious Movements and their Character -
English education- Press-Theories of the Indian Modernity - Emergence of Public
Sphere.

3. Contradictions in colonialism and Their Exposure - The Economic Critique of

Colonialism - The drain theory - The Expression of moderate nationalism.

4. Political programmes of Indian Nationalism - The Constitutional Methods -

Stances of Protest and Confrontation - Revolutionary Terrorism - Indian
Nationalist Activities Abroad -Gandhian Techniques.

5. Secondary Contradictions - Autonomous or hegemonic-Peasants Movements -

Workers’ Movements Tribal Uprisings-caste and gender Associations -
Theorising the Subaltern Movements.

6. Detractors of Nationalism - Communalism as ‘Back-door’ _ The two-nation

Theory - Regionalism.

7. The legacy of Indian Nationalism - The Indian constitution - Foreign Policy- The
Socialist Hopes - Secularism - The Civil / Political Society- contemporary Debates:

8. Theorising Indian Nationalism - The idea of Nation - in-the Making- Nation as a

Process and not a Product: Contemporary Debates.

Readings:
C.H. Philips, Historians of India, Pakistan and Ceylon, (Oxford 1961)

O.P. Kejariwal, The Asiatic Society of India and the Discovery of India’s Past 1784-
1838 (Oxford 1988)

John Keay, India Discovered (Rupa, 1989)

Thomas R. Trautmann, Aryans and British India (Vistaar Sage, 1996)

David Kopf, British Orientalism and the Indian Renaissance, 1773- 1835 (California,
1969) •

Kenneth Jones, Socio-Religions Reform Movements in British India, (Cambridge ,1994)

Arabinda Poddar, Renaissance in Bengal Quests and Conformations, (Simla, Indian

Institute of Advanced Studies, 1970)

K.N. Panikkar, Culture Ideology, Hegemony: Intellectuals and Social Consciousness in

Colonial India (Tulika, New Delhi 1995)
 43

Sumit Sarkar, A Critique of Colonial India, (Oapyrus, Calcutta, 1985)

Sumit Sarkar, Modern India (1885 - 1947) (Macmillan, 1996)

Sumit Sarkar, Writing Social History, (Oxford India, .1982)

Bipan Chandra, et.al., India’s Struggle For Independence, (Penguin India, 1989)

Bipan Chandra, The Rise and Growth of Economic Nationalism in India, (People’s
PublishingHouse New Delhi, 1982)

Bipan Chandra, Nationalisms and Colonialism in Modern India (Orient Longman, New
Delhi 1979)

Bipan Chandra, Communalism in India, Vani Educational Books-Vikas, New Delhi, 1984

R.C. Majumdar, British Paramountcy and the Indian Renaissance, Pts. I & II (Bharatiya
Vidya Bhavan)

R.C. Majumdar, Struggle for Freedom (Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan)

A.R. Desai, Social Background of Indian Nationalism (Popular , Prakashan Bombay,

1959)

A.R. Desai (led) Peasant Struggles in India (Oxford, 1979)

S. Wolpert, Tilak and Gokhale (California, 1962. Also Oxford Indio 1990)

Peter Hardy, The Muslims of British India (Cambridge Universiiy Press1998)

Aijas Ahamad, Lineages of the Present, Tulika Publications

Eugene Irschik, Politics and Social Conflict in Sou/h India; Non Brahamin Movement
and Tamil Separations (1916.29) (California, Also Oxford)

Gail Omvedt, Culture and Revolt in a Colonial Socie;y ; Non Brahamin Movement in
Western India (1873,1930), (Bombay, 1976)

Ranajith Guha, Elementary Aspects of Peasant Insurgency in India (Oxford 1982)

Subaltern Studies, Vol I to XI

Janaki Nair, Miller and Miners, Oxford University Press, New DeIhi
G. Alosiuss, Nationalism Without a Nation in India, Oxford University New Delhi.

Partha Chattergee, Wages of Freedom, Oxford University Press, New Delhi