What a presentation!

In my lecture on Classical Dance, I talk about the contribution of Rukmini devi Arundale, along with E Krishna Aiyer, and how she regenerated Bharatnatyam by sanitizing it for the sensibilities of modern urban middle class shaped by colonial and missionary criticism. We had to wait for T Balasaraswati to get back to the sensual aspect.

But I cannot dance on stage. Dance has its own charm.

What a presentation!

These are the oldest zero symbols in Bakshali Manuscript. Even the PM mentioned this manuscript yesterday in the Gyan Bharatam speech. Goosebumps to see it.

Today I visited an exhibition by Samhita project funded by MEA in Delhi. It was about history of Mathematics in India.

There were so many interesting things. I will get it posted sometime soon. Also adding them to the class notes.

It will take time to work on that. Meanwhile, this is just a glimpse for you.

Ciao
Nikhil

See you all today at 11.30

I am already very eager..

History of great Indian contributions to Mathematics in one single timeline.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOl2C7TksTv/?igsh=MW05ejJwcXFrc2N2dg==

We have discussed Paper I already. Now its the time for Paper II.

Was it really more difficult than Paper I? How can the study of PYQs help here? Whats the strategy to tackle vast Modern syllabus? Does historiography really play a role in World History? Which section fetches more marks, Modern or World?

Apart from all this strategy related discussion, we will have question by question discussion of the entire Paper.


📅 18th September | 🕔 5 PM
📍 Online (Zoom) + Offline at LevelUp IAS

🔗 Register FREE: https://tinyurl.com/a6nz5etz

🚨 Townhall Meeting & Q&A with Dr. Peggy Mohan

LevelUp IAS presents an exclusive offline session on History of Languages: Townhall Meeting & Q&A with Dr. Peggy Mohan – Linguist, Author of Father Tongue, Mother Land, & Professor

Also featuring:
Karandeep Singh Sir (Anthropology Faculty, LevelUp IAS)

Nikhil Sheth Sir (History Faculty, LevelUp IAS)

📅 Date: 20th Sept 2025 ⏰ Time: 5:00 PM
📍 Venue: LevelUp IAS, 2nd Floor, 45 Pusa Road, Opp. Metro Pillar 128, Karol Bagh, New Delhi
❗ Offline Only | Limited Seats
🎟 Register Free: https://tinyurl.com/52wzwbb6

First-come, first-served. Don’t miss this rare opportunity!

Most aspirants see UPSC as the gateway to IAS or IPS, the famed Civil Services... but the commission’s reach goes far deeper. It also selects engineers, doctors, economists, scientists, and paramilitary officers who keep India’s systems of health, security, and infrastructure running every day. These roles demand the same grit and perseverance, yet rarely get the spotlight or social prestige. This article opens up that hidden side of UPSC — the services that quietly but powerfully shape the nation.

https://theprint.in/ground-reports/the-upsc-beyond-ias-ips-ifs/2743495/

Earlier, white Taj Mahal was turning green. Now the Red fort is turning black...

Some funny justifications I have heard over the years for not caring:

1. Life is colourful. This is the wonder of life. With time human hair also become grey. Ye to hona hi tha. Sabki umar hoti hai.

2. Yaha khane ko nahi hai, rozgar nahi hai, aur inhe purane buildings ki padi hai. State ke pass paisa and resources limited hai. Priority dekho.

3. Ye sab Mughal structures India ke poor se loote paise se banaye the. They represent the feudal era. Ye sab naa hi rahe to achha.

4. Kya fark padata hai kaunsa rang hai? Building to building hai. Colours are bas baahari dikhawa.

Do you fall in any of these categories?Are you also full of such apathy? If yes, I think you need to come to my classes on Culture. I will change your thinking forever...:)

- Nikhil

This site is in UNESCO WHS Tentative List. Govt of India prepared a whole dossier on this. And now such news is coming...

Will it survive on ground before it gets inscribed as a World Heritage? Or will it vanish before that??

https://www.deccanherald.com/india/karnataka/call-to-save-hirebenakal-lest-it-fades-away-from-the-canvas-of-time-3729472

Proud to be from the same Engineering college. He is a real celebrity and model icon...

Everyone is remembering today how he saved Hyderabad from recurring devastating floods by building two dams upstream. I read half a dozen articles since morning on this.

But his connection with design of marvelous Marine Drive in Bombay for land reclamation is rerely talked about.

Is it because Flood is a major problem faced by Indian cities today? Or sea reclamation is seen as insensitive thing to do in the 21st century?

What do you think?

https://www.deccanchronicle.com/amp/southern-states/telangana/remembering-sir-mokshagundam-visvesvaraya-the-engineer-who-secured-hyderabad-from-floods-1903794

Pehle, loss of Culture..
Fir, loss of Idols...
Then, loss of files on Idol theft...
Finally, loss of shame.....

Ab loss of izzat kehne ke liye bhi koi izzat bachi hai?

Is it a step in the right direction?

Such things have happened a lot recently. The Begums of Bhopal, the Indian excavators of Harappa, the king of Benares, Brahmins of Calcutta etc get the credit. Not their British rulers/patrons.

There is a pattern. Method. A kind of thinking at work.

All credit should flow to Indians. All blame is reserved only for the British.

Why such black and white? Where are Shades of Grey?

Always note that people are complex. History is complex.

His criticism extends to the UPSC exam, India’s gateway to its most prestigious civil services. “Hundreds of thousands of brilliant young people waste their prime years mugging up random trivia for 500 seats,” he writes. “Even the army does psychological testing—not UPSC.”

“It’s not just unfair. It’s stupid. It’s destructive,” Suhag concludes. “India kills its own talent before the world even gets to see it.”

https://www.businesstoday.in/amp/india/story/mugging-up-random-trivia-for-500-seats-founder-slams-upsc-iit-system-for-killing-talent-494110-2025-09-16

Tomorrow evening

Vishal sir and I will be discussing History Optional (2025) Paper 2.

Join us offline or on Zoom.
Register here:
https://tinyurl.com/a6nz5etz

-
Nikhil Sheth

This is a very personal message.

17 Sept 2025

Historian Gajanan Bhaskar Mehendale sir passed away today evening. And era has ended.

He had severe diabetes. There were some complications after minor eye surgery today. May be that was the reason.

It was only last week that I met him at his home with another historian friend. He had been a constant guiding light for exploration of historic themes for me, directly or indirectly, for about 2 decades. He helped me learn reading Urdu language back in 2006.

I was so much interested in History that in 2007-08, even though I was pursuing mechanical engineering degree from one of the prestigious colleges, I would bunk it and spend hours and hours in history reading. Looking at this, it was Mehendale sir who clearly instructed me not to do so. He strongly suggested that I finish proper eduction first, get some good job etc, get settled in conventional manner and only then enter the field of history research. And I followed.

Today, I cried like a child when I heard the news of his demise. I couldn't stop myself. I feel like in the field of history, I have become an orphan.

He was my only connection with the Bharat Itihas Sanshodhak Mandal (BISM). Rather, he was the Mandal tradition personified for many like me.

For all sorts of Maratha historical queries, he was the most credible source. Not only for me but also for all people interested in Shivaji's history. There is no historian worth his/her salt, working in the field of Maratha, in last 40 years, either in India, Europe or America, who hadn't consulted him. Such was the respect for his knowledge.

Even after the latest debate over Maratha map in the latest NCERT book, which showed parts of Rajaputana under Marathas, he was one of the experts requested to be on the review committee by the government.

Mehendale sir can truly be considered as the last in the series of great historians of Pune school of Maratha history, that was started by VK Rajwade in late 19th century. He was directly mentored by great G H Khare. This lineage continued non-stop from 1890s till 2020s. The contribution by this school to Maratha history is immense.

However, this is not how he started his research career. His original interest was war history. Before writing history, he wanted to learn how wars are fought first hand. So he secretly went East Pakistan in 1971 as a member of mukti bahini. And participated in Bangladesh liberation war.

Later on, when he wrote the book on this, the government of the day banned it due to sensitive information involved. Finally, in the mid 1970s, he shifted to the study of Maratha history.

And so much engrossed he was, so much dedicated he became, that he never married. Never settled. He had no time for earning money. He had no formal PhD in History but his knowledge of history was no less than 100 PhDs. His entire life was literally dedicated to the single cause of study of history of Shivaji. It was a life of a tapasvi sadhu.

His most significant contribution will alway remain his massive and extremely scholarly Shiv Charitra. In Marathi, it has 2 big volumes. In English, it is in single huge volume. It is the most authentic Shiv Charitra written ever.

Many great scholars have tried to lift this shivadhanushya in the past century. TS Shejwalkar couldn't finish history of Shivaji. Setu Madhavrao Pagadi couldn't attempt it properly. Kurundkar could write his brilliant prastavana but not the book. And Mahamahopadhyaya DV Potdar didnt have that baithak. Mehendale sir had finally achieved with his Shiv Charitra something these earlier generation of brilliant historians couldn't do. At least that much is there as a solace.

He always taught us to remain true to primary sources, whether Modi, Farsi, Arabic, French, Dutch or Portuguese. In the days when interpretation of history is more fashionable, his insistence on remaining true to the primary sources was very fundamental.

His extremely important ongoing series of books on Religious policy of medieval Indian rulers will remain incomplete now.

The first book in this series was on history of Islam. It came last year.

The second book on religious policy of Aurangzeb was almost complete for last few months, but he kept on adding this or that. When I met him last week, he was reading medieval Akhbars to add some more data. So the book remained unfinished.

In the era when Aurangzeb has become extremely contentious, Mehendale sir's ability to read primary sources was very important. I really hope the publisher finally brings the book out. That would a very great and necessary tribute.

Rest of the books in the series were all planned but now they won't come.

His pet project of history of World Wars, on which he worked for many years, will also not see the daylight now. However, he had managed to write a book on Codes and Deciphers, based on his interest in secret communication during the world wars.

His other books like the one on Shivaji's navy will remain classic. The chapter in that on Shivaji's Khanderi campaign, how Shivaji finally subdued the British of Mumbai, is a classic exposition of his scholarly style.

He was that kind of scholar who can be read more in footnotes of his books. A page with 20% write up and 80% foot notes was his style. Never wrong in citations, quotations and reference to primary material. Study of footnotes only has created some many young scholars today. Incredible.

His works will aways remain mine of knowledge for all future scholars.

In our last meeting, he appeared tired, but still enthusiastic to finish Aurangzeb book. And despite momentary memory lapses, he was planning details of the next books. He kept on learning new things every day till 78...!

And he passed away while working on a book, fully active till the last day. It reminds us of Narhar Kurundkar, who had passed away while giving speech. Karmayogi.

Although he never had any formal disciples, he helped and guided many many history enthusiasts. I only hope that the seeds of his knoweldge, memories of his interactions, and ideas given by him will continue to inspire generations of historians to come.

He passed away today. As Tukaram says,
कर्मधर्म त्याचे जाला नारायण ।
त्याचेनी पावन तिन्ही लोक ॥

Om Shanti.

My last visit to Mehendale sir at his place. (Sept 2025)

Hello everyone,

My mentor historian GB Mehendale passed away yesterday. He was 78 years old.

Due to this sudden occurrence, I have come to Pune early this morning for his antim samskar.

Therefore, we are postponing todays scheduled History Optional 2025 paper II discussion.

We will reschedule it quickly in a few days. I am really sorry for inconvenience.

Nikhil