

Echoes Of India: A History Podcast
IVM Podcasts
Echoes of India is the story of India like you've never heard it before. Host Anirudh Kanisetti takes you on a journey through its wonders, from the Greek art of Afghanistan to the thriving ports of Tamil Nadu. Along the way, monks debate, queens boast, and armies roar. From philosophy to politics to economics, the past comes back to life - noisy, breathing, as thriving as the Indian subcontinent is today.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Feb 6, 2019 • 23min
Season Finale: Rise and Fall
The Season 1 Finale of Echoes of India is a rollercoaster ride through 600 years of Indian history, of the rise and fall of empires and ideas until the eve of the Gupta Empire in 300 CE. From art to religion to language, the finale sets the stage for the beginning of early medieval India with the Gupta and Vakataka empires in Season 2, starting March 27th. Notes and sources are at https://www.anirudhkanisetti.com/home/episode-12 Or get in touch with Anirudh @AKanisetti on Twitter or @aniruddhadevaraya on Instagram! You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the new and improved IVM Podcast App on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 30, 2019 • 23min
Maitreya the Messiah
At the same time that Christianity and other savior cults emerged in West Asia, ancient India had its own Buddhist savior. This was Maitreya, the Buddha of the Future. This is his story, a story of life in ancient India's most cosmopolitan region. Notes and sources are at https://www.anirudhkanisetti.com/home/episode-11 Or get in touch with Anirudh @AKanisetti on Twitter or @aniruddhadevaraya on Instagram! You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the new and improved IVM Podcast App on Android: https://ivm.today/android or iOS: https://ivm.today/ios You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 23, 2019 • 24min
A Buddhist Shahenshah
A Central Asian king revered by Indians as the Second Ashoka? This is the story of the ruthless conqueror Kanishka, who led the Kushan Empire to its apogee, and ruled over most of North India - but also built the world's most splendid Buddhist stupa. Notes and sources are at https://www.anirudhkanisetti.com/home/episode-10 Or get in touch with Anirudh @AKanisetti on Twitter or @aniruddhadevaraya on Instagram!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 16, 2019 • 21min
Kushana, Son of God
This is the story of the rise of the Kushan Empire: the most powerful South Asian state since the fall of the Mauryan Empire. Episode 9 of Echoes of India brings to life the remarkable religious syncretism of one of the ancient world's most globalized regions, at a time when the Silk Roads had grown to encompass most of the Eastern hemisphere. Notes and sources are at https://www.anirudhkanisetti.com/episode-9 Or get in touch with Anirudh @AKanisetti on Twitter or @aniruddhadevaraya on Instagram!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 9, 2019 • 20min
The Lost City of the Tamils
This is the story of the jewel of ancient South India: the great Tamil trading city of Puhar. Episode 8 of Echoes of India brings to life a city sung about in poetry for thousands of years, at a time when one of the most important elements of Indian history was emerging: the international merchant corporation. 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/episode-8See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jan 2, 2019 • 26min
A South Indian Buddha
How did Buddhism catch on in South India? Episode 7 of Echoes of India explores the life of the Andhra teacher Nagarjuna, called a "Second Buddha", his fascinating philosophy of "zeroness", and the ancient South Indian dynasty who built Roman-style theatres in the 2nd century CE. 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-7See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 24, 2018 • 21min
The War of the Words
Explore the evolution of Sanskrit and Prakrit as languages of power and culture in ancient India. Discover the use of language as a form of power by the Sathavahana dynasty. Unravel the conflicts, alliances, and love poetry that shaped the ancient dynasties. Understand the impact of Sanskrit and Prakrit on the creation of states and social hierarchies.

Dec 17, 2018 • 21min
The Shadow of Andhra's Stupas
Explore the history and art of South Indian Buddhism, focusing on the magnificent Amaravati school of art and the construction of the immense white stupa. Learn about the influence of Buddhism on urbanization and cultural development in Andhra Pradesh. Discover the development of different sects, debates, and doctrinal issues within Buddhism. Delve into the intricate carvings and sculptures of the Amravati stupa, which reflect a blend of Romanesque altars, Gandharan influences, and Buddhist symbolism.

Dec 10, 2018 • 17min
An Indian Lady in Ancient Rome
1900 years after she was carved, an Indian ivory statuette was uncovered in the ancient Roman city of Pompeii. How did she come there, and how much had the world changed since the eruption of Vesuvius buried her? This is her story: a story of the globalization of the ancient world, a story of the vast diversity and complexity of the world that our ancestors called home. Episode 4 of Echoes of India looks back on the first three to paint a picture of a planet in flux, as economic webs weave together ancient civilizations in a pattern of interaction and innovation that is strikingly reminiscent of the world we know today. Hear the explosion of Vesuvius, the great markets of Alexandria, and the booming thunder of the monsoons that blew trading fleets to the shores of India. 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-4See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dec 3, 2018 • 18min
The Glory of a Deccan Queen
History is written by kings. What if a queen could tell us her story? In this episode, the rush of Central Asian nomads into India is halted by the first true empire based in the Deccan. But it would not be the last. And the most remarkable aspect of this empire? Its queens - powerful matriarchs who ruled and built in their own right, and whose vision of what a kingdom should be had profound effects on all that came after. The third episode of Echoes of India continues the complex saga of ancient Indian history but moves South - hear the boasts of mighty queens who commanded resources unthinkable to their ancestors, as trade, greed and violence lead to a saga of revenge and competition that will change the course of Indian history forever. 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-3See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.