Sometimes, the most beautiful art is paid for by the most brutal of conquerors. This is the story of how ancient India's most remarkably globalised art was born. In this episode, the tale of Gandhara continues to unfold as the Indo-Greeks are uprooted by Central Asian nomads fleeing from a terrible foe. But their art stays behind, and meets a mighty new force: Buddhism, rapidly entering its heyday in the North-West of India as the great economic webs of the Silk Roads are born.

In the second episode of Echoes of India, host Anirudh Kanisetti continues the complex saga of ancient Indian history - hear the drums of weed-smoking conquerors, the boasts of multi-ethnic princes, and a Jain fable, as Buddhism spreads from India into Pakistan and Afghanistan.

If you have questions for Anirudh, follow him on Twitter @AKanisetti or on Instagram @aniruddhadevaraya Notes, sources, credits and a transcript of the episode can be found at https://www.anirudhkanisetti.com/home/episode-2

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