Textbook: Historiography - Indian Tradition | History and Political Science Class 10 (Maharashtra Board) PDF Download

 Page 1


7
2. Historiography : Indian Tradition
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
2.2 Indian Historiography : Various 
Ideological Frameworks
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
We learnt about the western tradition 
of historiography in the last lesson. In 
this lesson we will know about the 
tradition of Indian historiography.
Historiography in the Ancient 
Period : In the ancient period in India 
memories of the great deeds of ancestors 
and mythological lore, also memories of 
social transitions were preserved with the 
help of oral recitals.
The inscriptions on the Harappan 
seals and other artefacts confirm that 
Indians had mastered the art of writing 
as early as the third millennium B.C.E. 
or perhaps before that. However, the 
Harappan script is not yet successfully 
deciphered.
The earliest known written documents 
of historical nature found in India are in 
the form of inscriptions. They are dated 
to the 3rd century B.C.E., that is emperor 
Ashok Maurya’s times. His edicts are 
inscribed on natural rocks and stone 
pillars.
From the 1st century C.E. inscriptions 
begin to occur on coins, metal images 
and sculptures, and also on copper plates. 
They provide important historical 
information. We get to know about the 
dates of various kings, dynastic 
genealogies, territorial extent and 
administration of various empires and 
kingdoms and also important political 
events, social organisation, climate, 
famines, etc. of the respective times.
The ancient Indian literature including 
the epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, 
Puranas, Jain and Buddhist texts, historical 
accounts by Indian authors and also 
travelogues by foreign travellers are 
Sohagaura Copper-plate :  The 
copper-plate was found at Sohagaura 
(District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh). It 
is supposed to be from the Mauryan  
period. The inscription on it is in 
Brahmi script. The symbols known as 
‘Tree-in-railing’ and ‘Mountain’ at 
the beginning of the inscription also 
occur on punch marked coins. Another 
symbol which looks like a structure 
erected on four pilars is supposed to 
be indicative of a granary. The 
inscription records a royal order that 
the grains stored in the granary should 
be distributed carefully. It is supposed 
to be suggestive of precautions taken 
in the times of a famine.
You would like to know this:
Page 2


7
2. Historiography : Indian Tradition
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
2.2 Indian Historiography : Various 
Ideological Frameworks
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
We learnt about the western tradition 
of historiography in the last lesson. In 
this lesson we will know about the 
tradition of Indian historiography.
Historiography in the Ancient 
Period : In the ancient period in India 
memories of the great deeds of ancestors 
and mythological lore, also memories of 
social transitions were preserved with the 
help of oral recitals.
The inscriptions on the Harappan 
seals and other artefacts confirm that 
Indians had mastered the art of writing 
as early as the third millennium B.C.E. 
or perhaps before that. However, the 
Harappan script is not yet successfully 
deciphered.
The earliest known written documents 
of historical nature found in India are in 
the form of inscriptions. They are dated 
to the 3rd century B.C.E., that is emperor 
Ashok Maurya’s times. His edicts are 
inscribed on natural rocks and stone 
pillars.
From the 1st century C.E. inscriptions 
begin to occur on coins, metal images 
and sculptures, and also on copper plates. 
They provide important historical 
information. We get to know about the 
dates of various kings, dynastic 
genealogies, territorial extent and 
administration of various empires and 
kingdoms and also important political 
events, social organisation, climate, 
famines, etc. of the respective times.
The ancient Indian literature including 
the epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, 
Puranas, Jain and Buddhist texts, historical 
accounts by Indian authors and also 
travelogues by foreign travellers are 
Sohagaura Copper-plate :  The 
copper-plate was found at Sohagaura 
(District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh). It 
is supposed to be from the Mauryan  
period. The inscription on it is in 
Brahmi script. The symbols known as 
‘Tree-in-railing’ and ‘Mountain’ at 
the beginning of the inscription also 
occur on punch marked coins. Another 
symbol which looks like a structure 
erected on four pilars is supposed to 
be indicative of a granary. The 
inscription records a royal order that 
the grains stored in the granary should 
be distributed carefully. It is supposed 
to be suggestive of precautions taken 
in the times of a famine.
You would like to know this:
8
important sources of history.  
Writing of biographies of kings and 
dynastic histories mark an important step 
in the Indian historiography. 
‘Harshacharit’, written in the 7th century 
C.E. by Banabhatta is King Harsha’s 
biography. It portrays a realistic picture 
of the social, economic, political,religious 
and cultural life during the king’s times. 
Historiography in the Medieval 
Period : The style of writing 
‘Rajtarangini’, the history of Kashmir by 
Kalhana in the 12th century C.E. is quite 
close to the concept of modern 
historiography. Kalhana himself says that 
he wrote this text after critically examining 
various sources like inscriptions, coins, 
remains of ancient monuments, dynastic 
records and local traditions.
In the medieval India the historians 
in the courts of Muslim rulers were 
influenced by Arabic and Persian 
historiography. Among them Ziauddin 
Barani holds an important place. In  
‘Tarikh-i-Phiruz Shahi’, a book written by 
him, he has stated the purpose of 
historiography. According to him the 
historian’s duty is not limited only to the 
recording of the ruler’s valour and policies 
of welfare but he should also write about 
the ruler’s failings and incorrect policies. 
Barani further says that a historian should 
also take into consideration the impact of 
the teachings of the wise, the learned, 
and the saints on the cultural life of 
people. Thus, Barani expanded the scope 
of historiography. 
For the historians in the Mughal 
courts praising the emperors and exhibition 
of loyalty became more important. The 
custom of adding suitable poetic quotes 
and beautiful pictures was also introduced. 
Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire 
wrote an autobiography, entitled, 
‘Tuzuk-i-Babari’. It contains the 
descriptions of the battles fought by him. 
Babur also recorded his minute 
observations of various regions and cities 
travelled by him including the local 
economy, customs and the flora.
 Abul Fazl’s ‘Akbarnama’ is very 
important from the viewpoint of critical 
historiography. His method of collecting 
authentic historical documents and their 
Do you know ?
Alberuni wrote in Arabic about 
Indian knowledge and social life. In 
the following period many books about 
India were written by foreign scholars. 
Among them, to name a few, are : 
Hasan Nizami’s ‘Tajul-Ma’asir’; 
Minhaj-i-Siraj’s ‘Tabaqat-i-Nasiri’; 
various works by Amir Khusrau; 
‘Tuzuk-i-Timuri’, the autobiography of 
Timur (-i) Lang, who was also known 
as Amir Timur who invaded India; 
‘Tarikh-i- Mubarakshahi’ by Yahya 
Bin Ahmad Sirhindi. Their accounts 
provide us with historic information of 
Sultanate period. 
Accounts of foreign travellers in 
India are also important. Among them 
are Ibn Battuta, Abdul Razzaq, Marco 
Polo, Nicolo Conti, Barbosa and 
Domingos Paes. Their accounts provide 
us with historic information of medieval 
India. Ishwardas Nagar, Bhimsen 
Saxena, Khafi Khan and Niccolao 
Manucci were among the historians of 
Aurangzeb’s times whose accounts are 
important sources of Mughal history.
Page 3


7
2. Historiography : Indian Tradition
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
2.2 Indian Historiography : Various 
Ideological Frameworks
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
We learnt about the western tradition 
of historiography in the last lesson. In 
this lesson we will know about the 
tradition of Indian historiography.
Historiography in the Ancient 
Period : In the ancient period in India 
memories of the great deeds of ancestors 
and mythological lore, also memories of 
social transitions were preserved with the 
help of oral recitals.
The inscriptions on the Harappan 
seals and other artefacts confirm that 
Indians had mastered the art of writing 
as early as the third millennium B.C.E. 
or perhaps before that. However, the 
Harappan script is not yet successfully 
deciphered.
The earliest known written documents 
of historical nature found in India are in 
the form of inscriptions. They are dated 
to the 3rd century B.C.E., that is emperor 
Ashok Maurya’s times. His edicts are 
inscribed on natural rocks and stone 
pillars.
From the 1st century C.E. inscriptions 
begin to occur on coins, metal images 
and sculptures, and also on copper plates. 
They provide important historical 
information. We get to know about the 
dates of various kings, dynastic 
genealogies, territorial extent and 
administration of various empires and 
kingdoms and also important political 
events, social organisation, climate, 
famines, etc. of the respective times.
The ancient Indian literature including 
the epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, 
Puranas, Jain and Buddhist texts, historical 
accounts by Indian authors and also 
travelogues by foreign travellers are 
Sohagaura Copper-plate :  The 
copper-plate was found at Sohagaura 
(District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh). It 
is supposed to be from the Mauryan  
period. The inscription on it is in 
Brahmi script. The symbols known as 
‘Tree-in-railing’ and ‘Mountain’ at 
the beginning of the inscription also 
occur on punch marked coins. Another 
symbol which looks like a structure 
erected on four pilars is supposed to 
be indicative of a granary. The 
inscription records a royal order that 
the grains stored in the granary should 
be distributed carefully. It is supposed 
to be suggestive of precautions taken 
in the times of a famine.
You would like to know this:
8
important sources of history.  
Writing of biographies of kings and 
dynastic histories mark an important step 
in the Indian historiography. 
‘Harshacharit’, written in the 7th century 
C.E. by Banabhatta is King Harsha’s 
biography. It portrays a realistic picture 
of the social, economic, political,religious 
and cultural life during the king’s times. 
Historiography in the Medieval 
Period : The style of writing 
‘Rajtarangini’, the history of Kashmir by 
Kalhana in the 12th century C.E. is quite 
close to the concept of modern 
historiography. Kalhana himself says that 
he wrote this text after critically examining 
various sources like inscriptions, coins, 
remains of ancient monuments, dynastic 
records and local traditions.
In the medieval India the historians 
in the courts of Muslim rulers were 
influenced by Arabic and Persian 
historiography. Among them Ziauddin 
Barani holds an important place. In  
‘Tarikh-i-Phiruz Shahi’, a book written by 
him, he has stated the purpose of 
historiography. According to him the 
historian’s duty is not limited only to the 
recording of the ruler’s valour and policies 
of welfare but he should also write about 
the ruler’s failings and incorrect policies. 
Barani further says that a historian should 
also take into consideration the impact of 
the teachings of the wise, the learned, 
and the saints on the cultural life of 
people. Thus, Barani expanded the scope 
of historiography. 
For the historians in the Mughal 
courts praising the emperors and exhibition 
of loyalty became more important. The 
custom of adding suitable poetic quotes 
and beautiful pictures was also introduced. 
Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire 
wrote an autobiography, entitled, 
‘Tuzuk-i-Babari’. It contains the 
descriptions of the battles fought by him. 
Babur also recorded his minute 
observations of various regions and cities 
travelled by him including the local 
economy, customs and the flora.
 Abul Fazl’s ‘Akbarnama’ is very 
important from the viewpoint of critical 
historiography. His method of collecting 
authentic historical documents and their 
Do you know ?
Alberuni wrote in Arabic about 
Indian knowledge and social life. In 
the following period many books about 
India were written by foreign scholars. 
Among them, to name a few, are : 
Hasan Nizami’s ‘Tajul-Ma’asir’; 
Minhaj-i-Siraj’s ‘Tabaqat-i-Nasiri’; 
various works by Amir Khusrau; 
‘Tuzuk-i-Timuri’, the autobiography of 
Timur (-i) Lang, who was also known 
as Amir Timur who invaded India; 
‘Tarikh-i- Mubarakshahi’ by Yahya 
Bin Ahmad Sirhindi. Their accounts 
provide us with historic information of 
Sultanate period. 
Accounts of foreign travellers in 
India are also important. Among them 
are Ibn Battuta, Abdul Razzaq, Marco 
Polo, Nicolo Conti, Barbosa and 
Domingos Paes. Their accounts provide 
us with historic information of medieval 
India. Ishwardas Nagar, Bhimsen 
Saxena, Khafi Khan and Niccolao 
Manucci were among the historians of 
Aurangzeb’s times whose accounts are 
important sources of Mughal history.
9
scrutiny is looked upon as devoid of bias 
and hence realistic. 
‘Bakhar’ is an important type of 
historical documents of medieval times. It 
contains eulogies of the heroes and stories 
of historic events, battles, lives of great 
men.
Marathi bakhars are of various types. 
‘Sabhasad Bakhar’ was written by 
Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad during the 
reign of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj. It 
is an important bakhar for getting 
information about the rule of Chhatrapati 
Shivaji Maharaj. 
‘Bhausahebanchi Bakhar’ describes 
the Battle of Panipat. Another bakhar, 
entitled ‘Panipatachi Bakhar’, is also 
about the same event. ‘Holkaranchi 
Kaiphiyat’ provides information about the 
Holkars and their contributions to the 
Maratha rule.
Bakhars can be divided into various 
types such as biographies of kings, 
dynastic history,  descriptions of events, 
history of a sect, autobiographies, 
regarding grievance, based on mythologies 
and state administration by  a king.
Historiography in the Modern 
Period : In the 20th century the Indian 
archaeological exploration and research 
started under the British rule.  A number 
of ancient sites were excavated under the 
supervision of Sir Alexander Cunningham, 
the first Director General of the 
Archaeological Survey of India. He chose 
mainly the sites mentioned in the Buddhist 
texts for this purpose. Harappan 
Civilisation was discovered during the 
tenure of Sir John Marshall. Because of 
this discovery the antiquity of Indian 
history could be traced to 3rd millennium 
B.C.E. or even earlier.
Many British officials in India wrote 
about Indian history. Their writings 
display strong influence of the colonial 
policies of the British.
Three Volumes of ‘The History of 
British India’, written by James Mill were 
published in 1817. This was the first book 
on Indian history 
written by a British 
historian. It clearly 
reflects an absence 
of objective 
perspective and 
prejudice about 
various aspects of 
the Indian culture.  
‘The History of 
India’, written by Mountstuart Elphinstone, 
Governor of Bombay (now Mumbai) was 
published in 1841.
The period of Maratha Empire is 
very important in the Indian history. 
Grant Duff’s name stands out among the 
British officers who wrote about Maratha 
history. He wrote the book entitled, ‘A 
History of the Mahrattas’. This book is 
published in three volumes. Grant Duff’s 
writing also shows the British inclination 
of condemning Indian culture and history. 
Similar tendency is witnessed in Colonel 
Todd’s writings about Rajasthan’s history. 
The two volumes written by William 
James Mill
John Marshall Alexander Cunningham
Page 4


7
2. Historiography : Indian Tradition
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
2.2 Indian Historiography : Various 
Ideological Frameworks
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
We learnt about the western tradition 
of historiography in the last lesson. In 
this lesson we will know about the 
tradition of Indian historiography.
Historiography in the Ancient 
Period : In the ancient period in India 
memories of the great deeds of ancestors 
and mythological lore, also memories of 
social transitions were preserved with the 
help of oral recitals.
The inscriptions on the Harappan 
seals and other artefacts confirm that 
Indians had mastered the art of writing 
as early as the third millennium B.C.E. 
or perhaps before that. However, the 
Harappan script is not yet successfully 
deciphered.
The earliest known written documents 
of historical nature found in India are in 
the form of inscriptions. They are dated 
to the 3rd century B.C.E., that is emperor 
Ashok Maurya’s times. His edicts are 
inscribed on natural rocks and stone 
pillars.
From the 1st century C.E. inscriptions 
begin to occur on coins, metal images 
and sculptures, and also on copper plates. 
They provide important historical 
information. We get to know about the 
dates of various kings, dynastic 
genealogies, territorial extent and 
administration of various empires and 
kingdoms and also important political 
events, social organisation, climate, 
famines, etc. of the respective times.
The ancient Indian literature including 
the epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, 
Puranas, Jain and Buddhist texts, historical 
accounts by Indian authors and also 
travelogues by foreign travellers are 
Sohagaura Copper-plate :  The 
copper-plate was found at Sohagaura 
(District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh). It 
is supposed to be from the Mauryan  
period. The inscription on it is in 
Brahmi script. The symbols known as 
‘Tree-in-railing’ and ‘Mountain’ at 
the beginning of the inscription also 
occur on punch marked coins. Another 
symbol which looks like a structure 
erected on four pilars is supposed to 
be indicative of a granary. The 
inscription records a royal order that 
the grains stored in the granary should 
be distributed carefully. It is supposed 
to be suggestive of precautions taken 
in the times of a famine.
You would like to know this:
8
important sources of history.  
Writing of biographies of kings and 
dynastic histories mark an important step 
in the Indian historiography. 
‘Harshacharit’, written in the 7th century 
C.E. by Banabhatta is King Harsha’s 
biography. It portrays a realistic picture 
of the social, economic, political,religious 
and cultural life during the king’s times. 
Historiography in the Medieval 
Period : The style of writing 
‘Rajtarangini’, the history of Kashmir by 
Kalhana in the 12th century C.E. is quite 
close to the concept of modern 
historiography. Kalhana himself says that 
he wrote this text after critically examining 
various sources like inscriptions, coins, 
remains of ancient monuments, dynastic 
records and local traditions.
In the medieval India the historians 
in the courts of Muslim rulers were 
influenced by Arabic and Persian 
historiography. Among them Ziauddin 
Barani holds an important place. In  
‘Tarikh-i-Phiruz Shahi’, a book written by 
him, he has stated the purpose of 
historiography. According to him the 
historian’s duty is not limited only to the 
recording of the ruler’s valour and policies 
of welfare but he should also write about 
the ruler’s failings and incorrect policies. 
Barani further says that a historian should 
also take into consideration the impact of 
the teachings of the wise, the learned, 
and the saints on the cultural life of 
people. Thus, Barani expanded the scope 
of historiography. 
For the historians in the Mughal 
courts praising the emperors and exhibition 
of loyalty became more important. The 
custom of adding suitable poetic quotes 
and beautiful pictures was also introduced. 
Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire 
wrote an autobiography, entitled, 
‘Tuzuk-i-Babari’. It contains the 
descriptions of the battles fought by him. 
Babur also recorded his minute 
observations of various regions and cities 
travelled by him including the local 
economy, customs and the flora.
 Abul Fazl’s ‘Akbarnama’ is very 
important from the viewpoint of critical 
historiography. His method of collecting 
authentic historical documents and their 
Do you know ?
Alberuni wrote in Arabic about 
Indian knowledge and social life. In 
the following period many books about 
India were written by foreign scholars. 
Among them, to name a few, are : 
Hasan Nizami’s ‘Tajul-Ma’asir’; 
Minhaj-i-Siraj’s ‘Tabaqat-i-Nasiri’; 
various works by Amir Khusrau; 
‘Tuzuk-i-Timuri’, the autobiography of 
Timur (-i) Lang, who was also known 
as Amir Timur who invaded India; 
‘Tarikh-i- Mubarakshahi’ by Yahya 
Bin Ahmad Sirhindi. Their accounts 
provide us with historic information of 
Sultanate period. 
Accounts of foreign travellers in 
India are also important. Among them 
are Ibn Battuta, Abdul Razzaq, Marco 
Polo, Nicolo Conti, Barbosa and 
Domingos Paes. Their accounts provide 
us with historic information of medieval 
India. Ishwardas Nagar, Bhimsen 
Saxena, Khafi Khan and Niccolao 
Manucci were among the historians of 
Aurangzeb’s times whose accounts are 
important sources of Mughal history.
9
scrutiny is looked upon as devoid of bias 
and hence realistic. 
‘Bakhar’ is an important type of 
historical documents of medieval times. It 
contains eulogies of the heroes and stories 
of historic events, battles, lives of great 
men.
Marathi bakhars are of various types. 
‘Sabhasad Bakhar’ was written by 
Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad during the 
reign of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj. It 
is an important bakhar for getting 
information about the rule of Chhatrapati 
Shivaji Maharaj. 
‘Bhausahebanchi Bakhar’ describes 
the Battle of Panipat. Another bakhar, 
entitled ‘Panipatachi Bakhar’, is also 
about the same event. ‘Holkaranchi 
Kaiphiyat’ provides information about the 
Holkars and their contributions to the 
Maratha rule.
Bakhars can be divided into various 
types such as biographies of kings, 
dynastic history,  descriptions of events, 
history of a sect, autobiographies, 
regarding grievance, based on mythologies 
and state administration by  a king.
Historiography in the Modern 
Period : In the 20th century the Indian 
archaeological exploration and research 
started under the British rule.  A number 
of ancient sites were excavated under the 
supervision of Sir Alexander Cunningham, 
the first Director General of the 
Archaeological Survey of India. He chose 
mainly the sites mentioned in the Buddhist 
texts for this purpose. Harappan 
Civilisation was discovered during the 
tenure of Sir John Marshall. Because of 
this discovery the antiquity of Indian 
history could be traced to 3rd millennium 
B.C.E. or even earlier.
Many British officials in India wrote 
about Indian history. Their writings 
display strong influence of the colonial 
policies of the British.
Three Volumes of ‘The History of 
British India’, written by James Mill were 
published in 1817. This was the first book 
on Indian history 
written by a British 
historian. It clearly 
reflects an absence 
of objective 
perspective and 
prejudice about 
various aspects of 
the Indian culture.  
‘The History of 
India’, written by Mountstuart Elphinstone, 
Governor of Bombay (now Mumbai) was 
published in 1841.
The period of Maratha Empire is 
very important in the Indian history. 
Grant Duff’s name stands out among the 
British officers who wrote about Maratha 
history. He wrote the book entitled, ‘A 
History of the Mahrattas’. This book is 
published in three volumes. Grant Duff’s 
writing also shows the British inclination 
of condemning Indian culture and history. 
Similar tendency is witnessed in Colonel 
Todd’s writings about Rajasthan’s history. 
The two volumes written by William 
James Mill
John Marshall Alexander Cunningham
10
Wilson Hunter on Indian history show a 
somewhat impartial treatment of the 
subject.
Nilkanth Janardan Kirtane and 
Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade were two 
Indian historians who took upon the task 
of exposing the limitations of Grant 
Duff’s writings.
2.2 Indian Historiography : Various 
Ideological Frameworks
Colonial Historiography :  The early 
scholars who studied and wrote Indian 
history were mainly British officers and 
Christian missionaries. Their prejudice is 
clearly reflected in the way some of them 
have ridiculed Indian culture. Their 
writings were used to justify the colonial 
British rule. The five volumes of 
‘Cambridge History of India’, published 
during  1922-1937 C.E. are distinct 
examples of colonial historiography. 
Orientalist Historiography : Many 
European scholars felt curious about 
civilisations and countries of the East. 
Some of those scholars felt admiration 
and respect for them.  These scholars 
were known as ‘Orientalists’.
The orientalists studied the similarities 
between Sanskrit and some of the 
European languages. They focused more 
on Vedic tradition and Sanskrit literature. 
Their studies resulted into formulating the 
notion of an ancient language that could 
be the mother of all Indo-European 
languages.
In 1784, Sir William Jones founded 
Asiatic society in Kolkata. It opened the 
doors for research in ancient Indian 
literature and history.
Among the Orientalist scholars, 
Friedrich Max Muller deserves a special 
mention.  In his 
opinion Sanskrit was 
the most ancient 
language of the Indo-
European languages. 
He was deeply 
interested in Sanskrit 
literature. He first 
translated the Sanskrit 
text of ‘Hitopadesh’ in German language. 
He was the editor of 50 volumes of ‘The 
Sacred Books of the East’. He also 
compiled ‘Rigveda’, 
which has been 
published in six 
volumes. He 
translated Rigveda 
in German.
Lately, Edward 
Said, a scholar who 
has re-evaluated the 
orientalist writings, 
has thrown light on imperialistic interests  
of orientalist scholors. 
Nationalistic Historiography :  The 
writings of Indian historians who were 
trained in the British educational system 
show an inclination to restore the pride 
in the ancient glory of India and the self-
esteem of the Indian readers. Their 
writings are known as ‘Nationalistic 
Historiography’. Nationalistic writings in 
Maharashtra were inspired by 
Vishnushastri Chiplunkar. He criticised 
the prejudiced history of ancient India 
written by British officers. The nationalistic 
historians tried to seek the golden era of 
Indian history. They are at times blamed 
for ignoring the critical analysis of the 
historical truth.  Mahadev Govind Ranade, 
Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Vinayak 
Damodar Savarkar, Rajendra Lal Mishra, 
William Johnes
Friedrich Max Muller
Page 5


7
2. Historiography : Indian Tradition
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
2.2 Indian Historiography : Various 
Ideological Frameworks
2.1 Tradition of Indian Historiography
We learnt about the western tradition 
of historiography in the last lesson. In 
this lesson we will know about the 
tradition of Indian historiography.
Historiography in the Ancient 
Period : In the ancient period in India 
memories of the great deeds of ancestors 
and mythological lore, also memories of 
social transitions were preserved with the 
help of oral recitals.
The inscriptions on the Harappan 
seals and other artefacts confirm that 
Indians had mastered the art of writing 
as early as the third millennium B.C.E. 
or perhaps before that. However, the 
Harappan script is not yet successfully 
deciphered.
The earliest known written documents 
of historical nature found in India are in 
the form of inscriptions. They are dated 
to the 3rd century B.C.E., that is emperor 
Ashok Maurya’s times. His edicts are 
inscribed on natural rocks and stone 
pillars.
From the 1st century C.E. inscriptions 
begin to occur on coins, metal images 
and sculptures, and also on copper plates. 
They provide important historical 
information. We get to know about the 
dates of various kings, dynastic 
genealogies, territorial extent and 
administration of various empires and 
kingdoms and also important political 
events, social organisation, climate, 
famines, etc. of the respective times.
The ancient Indian literature including 
the epics Ramayana and Mahabharat, 
Puranas, Jain and Buddhist texts, historical 
accounts by Indian authors and also 
travelogues by foreign travellers are 
Sohagaura Copper-plate :  The 
copper-plate was found at Sohagaura 
(District Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh). It 
is supposed to be from the Mauryan  
period. The inscription on it is in 
Brahmi script. The symbols known as 
‘Tree-in-railing’ and ‘Mountain’ at 
the beginning of the inscription also 
occur on punch marked coins. Another 
symbol which looks like a structure 
erected on four pilars is supposed to 
be indicative of a granary. The 
inscription records a royal order that 
the grains stored in the granary should 
be distributed carefully. It is supposed 
to be suggestive of precautions taken 
in the times of a famine.
You would like to know this:
8
important sources of history.  
Writing of biographies of kings and 
dynastic histories mark an important step 
in the Indian historiography. 
‘Harshacharit’, written in the 7th century 
C.E. by Banabhatta is King Harsha’s 
biography. It portrays a realistic picture 
of the social, economic, political,religious 
and cultural life during the king’s times. 
Historiography in the Medieval 
Period : The style of writing 
‘Rajtarangini’, the history of Kashmir by 
Kalhana in the 12th century C.E. is quite 
close to the concept of modern 
historiography. Kalhana himself says that 
he wrote this text after critically examining 
various sources like inscriptions, coins, 
remains of ancient monuments, dynastic 
records and local traditions.
In the medieval India the historians 
in the courts of Muslim rulers were 
influenced by Arabic and Persian 
historiography. Among them Ziauddin 
Barani holds an important place. In  
‘Tarikh-i-Phiruz Shahi’, a book written by 
him, he has stated the purpose of 
historiography. According to him the 
historian’s duty is not limited only to the 
recording of the ruler’s valour and policies 
of welfare but he should also write about 
the ruler’s failings and incorrect policies. 
Barani further says that a historian should 
also take into consideration the impact of 
the teachings of the wise, the learned, 
and the saints on the cultural life of 
people. Thus, Barani expanded the scope 
of historiography. 
For the historians in the Mughal 
courts praising the emperors and exhibition 
of loyalty became more important. The 
custom of adding suitable poetic quotes 
and beautiful pictures was also introduced. 
Babur, the founder of the Mughal empire 
wrote an autobiography, entitled, 
‘Tuzuk-i-Babari’. It contains the 
descriptions of the battles fought by him. 
Babur also recorded his minute 
observations of various regions and cities 
travelled by him including the local 
economy, customs and the flora.
 Abul Fazl’s ‘Akbarnama’ is very 
important from the viewpoint of critical 
historiography. His method of collecting 
authentic historical documents and their 
Do you know ?
Alberuni wrote in Arabic about 
Indian knowledge and social life. In 
the following period many books about 
India were written by foreign scholars. 
Among them, to name a few, are : 
Hasan Nizami’s ‘Tajul-Ma’asir’; 
Minhaj-i-Siraj’s ‘Tabaqat-i-Nasiri’; 
various works by Amir Khusrau; 
‘Tuzuk-i-Timuri’, the autobiography of 
Timur (-i) Lang, who was also known 
as Amir Timur who invaded India; 
‘Tarikh-i- Mubarakshahi’ by Yahya 
Bin Ahmad Sirhindi. Their accounts 
provide us with historic information of 
Sultanate period. 
Accounts of foreign travellers in 
India are also important. Among them 
are Ibn Battuta, Abdul Razzaq, Marco 
Polo, Nicolo Conti, Barbosa and 
Domingos Paes. Their accounts provide 
us with historic information of medieval 
India. Ishwardas Nagar, Bhimsen 
Saxena, Khafi Khan and Niccolao 
Manucci were among the historians of 
Aurangzeb’s times whose accounts are 
important sources of Mughal history.
9
scrutiny is looked upon as devoid of bias 
and hence realistic. 
‘Bakhar’ is an important type of 
historical documents of medieval times. It 
contains eulogies of the heroes and stories 
of historic events, battles, lives of great 
men.
Marathi bakhars are of various types. 
‘Sabhasad Bakhar’ was written by 
Krishnaji Anant Sabhasad during the 
reign of Chhatrapati Rajaram Maharaj. It 
is an important bakhar for getting 
information about the rule of Chhatrapati 
Shivaji Maharaj. 
‘Bhausahebanchi Bakhar’ describes 
the Battle of Panipat. Another bakhar, 
entitled ‘Panipatachi Bakhar’, is also 
about the same event. ‘Holkaranchi 
Kaiphiyat’ provides information about the 
Holkars and their contributions to the 
Maratha rule.
Bakhars can be divided into various 
types such as biographies of kings, 
dynastic history,  descriptions of events, 
history of a sect, autobiographies, 
regarding grievance, based on mythologies 
and state administration by  a king.
Historiography in the Modern 
Period : In the 20th century the Indian 
archaeological exploration and research 
started under the British rule.  A number 
of ancient sites were excavated under the 
supervision of Sir Alexander Cunningham, 
the first Director General of the 
Archaeological Survey of India. He chose 
mainly the sites mentioned in the Buddhist 
texts for this purpose. Harappan 
Civilisation was discovered during the 
tenure of Sir John Marshall. Because of 
this discovery the antiquity of Indian 
history could be traced to 3rd millennium 
B.C.E. or even earlier.
Many British officials in India wrote 
about Indian history. Their writings 
display strong influence of the colonial 
policies of the British.
Three Volumes of ‘The History of 
British India’, written by James Mill were 
published in 1817. This was the first book 
on Indian history 
written by a British 
historian. It clearly 
reflects an absence 
of objective 
perspective and 
prejudice about 
various aspects of 
the Indian culture.  
‘The History of 
India’, written by Mountstuart Elphinstone, 
Governor of Bombay (now Mumbai) was 
published in 1841.
The period of Maratha Empire is 
very important in the Indian history. 
Grant Duff’s name stands out among the 
British officers who wrote about Maratha 
history. He wrote the book entitled, ‘A 
History of the Mahrattas’. This book is 
published in three volumes. Grant Duff’s 
writing also shows the British inclination 
of condemning Indian culture and history. 
Similar tendency is witnessed in Colonel 
Todd’s writings about Rajasthan’s history. 
The two volumes written by William 
James Mill
John Marshall Alexander Cunningham
10
Wilson Hunter on Indian history show a 
somewhat impartial treatment of the 
subject.
Nilkanth Janardan Kirtane and 
Vishwanath Kashinath Rajwade were two 
Indian historians who took upon the task 
of exposing the limitations of Grant 
Duff’s writings.
2.2 Indian Historiography : Various 
Ideological Frameworks
Colonial Historiography :  The early 
scholars who studied and wrote Indian 
history were mainly British officers and 
Christian missionaries. Their prejudice is 
clearly reflected in the way some of them 
have ridiculed Indian culture. Their 
writings were used to justify the colonial 
British rule. The five volumes of 
‘Cambridge History of India’, published 
during  1922-1937 C.E. are distinct 
examples of colonial historiography. 
Orientalist Historiography : Many 
European scholars felt curious about 
civilisations and countries of the East. 
Some of those scholars felt admiration 
and respect for them.  These scholars 
were known as ‘Orientalists’.
The orientalists studied the similarities 
between Sanskrit and some of the 
European languages. They focused more 
on Vedic tradition and Sanskrit literature. 
Their studies resulted into formulating the 
notion of an ancient language that could 
be the mother of all Indo-European 
languages.
In 1784, Sir William Jones founded 
Asiatic society in Kolkata. It opened the 
doors for research in ancient Indian 
literature and history.
Among the Orientalist scholars, 
Friedrich Max Muller deserves a special 
mention.  In his 
opinion Sanskrit was 
the most ancient 
language of the Indo-
European languages. 
He was deeply 
interested in Sanskrit 
literature. He first 
translated the Sanskrit 
text of ‘Hitopadesh’ in German language. 
He was the editor of 50 volumes of ‘The 
Sacred Books of the East’. He also 
compiled ‘Rigveda’, 
which has been 
published in six 
volumes. He 
translated Rigveda 
in German.
Lately, Edward 
Said, a scholar who 
has re-evaluated the 
orientalist writings, 
has thrown light on imperialistic interests  
of orientalist scholors. 
Nationalistic Historiography :  The 
writings of Indian historians who were 
trained in the British educational system 
show an inclination to restore the pride 
in the ancient glory of India and the self-
esteem of the Indian readers. Their 
writings are known as ‘Nationalistic 
Historiography’. Nationalistic writings in 
Maharashtra were inspired by 
Vishnushastri Chiplunkar. He criticised 
the prejudiced history of ancient India 
written by British officers. The nationalistic 
historians tried to seek the golden era of 
Indian history. They are at times blamed 
for ignoring the critical analysis of the 
historical truth.  Mahadev Govind Ranade, 
Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Vinayak 
Damodar Savarkar, Rajendra Lal Mishra, 
William Johnes
Friedrich Max Muller
11
‘Human history is defined by 
Time and Space. Describing any 
event necessitates that the final 
portrayal should be spread on the 
complete canvass of the given time 
and place.
Only if a balanced combination 
of the three factors, Time, Space 
and Personalities is present, then 
only an event does qualify to  be 
called so.’
 - V. K. Rajwade 
Rajwade is well-known for his 
writings in Marathi on varied subjects 
like history, linguistics, 
etymology, grammar, 
etc. He was of the 
firm opinion that we 
should write our own 
history.  He compiled 
and edited 22 volumes 
of ‘Marathyanchya 
Itihasachi Sadhane’. 
He wrote very 
scholarly prefaces to each of the 22 
volumes. He stated, ‘History is the  
all-inclusive image of the past societies. 
It does not include only the stories of 
political images, conspiracies and wars 
for seizing power.’ He insisted that history 
should be written only using the authentic 
documentary source. 
The nationalistic historiography helped 
in the triggering of the independence 
movement of the 
Indian people against 
the British.  In this 
aspect the book, ‘The 
Indian War of 
Independence, 1857’, 
written by Vinayak 
Damodar Savarkar is 
of great importance.
The nationalistic historiography 
provided a momentum to the writing of 
regional histories too. As a result the 
attention of historians was drawn to the 
geographic conditions and history of south 
Indian regions.
Historiography in the Post-
Independence Era : Now along with 
writing the dynastic histories, the cultural, 
social, economic histories were also being 
written.  Scholars of the post-independence 
V.K.Rajwade
Vinayak D. Savarkar
Do you know ?
V. K. Rajawade founded ‘Bharat 
Itihas Samshodhak Mandal’ in Pune, 
on 7th July 1910 to facilitate 
historical research.
Ramesh Chandra Majumdar, Kashi Prasad 
Jayswal, Radha Kumud Mukherjee, 
Bhagawan Lal Indraji, Vasudev Vishnu 
Mirashi and Anant Sadashiv Altekar are 
the names of some renowned scholars 
among the nationalistic historians. 
Do you know ?
Justice Mahadev Govind Ranade 
has explained the background of the 
rise of Maratha empire in great 
details in his book, ‘The Rise of 
Maratha Power’. According to him 
it was not like a suddenly erupted 
forest fire but the ground for it in 
Maharashtra on the social, cultural 
and religious levels was getting 
ready over a prolonged period.