Fourth Session of the Medieval History Club

Prof. Ranabir Chakravarti has agreed to do a session with us sometime in the second half of March. He wishes to discuss Chola state-formation and the position of maritime trade and naval expeditions in its political economy. I think this will be a good exposure to a topic that although extremely rich and complicated, we more often than not tend to neglect. Such a discussion, while bringing you all in touch with the rich gamut of historiographical literature and historical evidence of the period, will also help you to keep a watch for the broader medieval world outside the more-cultivated areas like Mughal history. Ranabir wants us to read a few Chola inscriptions as well as some Chinese records pertaining to Chola military expeditions and maritime endeavours in South East Asia, of course in translation.