According to Audrey Truschke, Indians today are bombarded with propaganda and invented stories. Amid the swirls of disinformation and political mythologies about the past, the writer believes, her book offers Indian readers access to genuine history. An excerpt:
This is an ambitious book. What inspired you to write it? And how long was it in the making?
Princeton University Press approached me in 2020 about writing a sweeping overview history of South Asia. I initially declined on the grounds that the subject was too vast for a single volume. But, in the end, I was convinced that we need a starting point for students and general readers alike to access the vast depths of Indian history. The book took five years to bring to fruition
What was the greatest challenge you encountered while writing the book?
There is no overarching, single narrative that ties Indian history together, which makes for difficult writing. I use a series of recurrent themes—ranging from migration to social stratification to cultural change—to loosely tie the book’s chapters together. But, in the end, history demands that we acknowledge its incoherence, rather than falsely overlay a unifying narrative.
Did your work on this book change your perspective on any earlier research or public positions you’ve taken?
Yes, but mildly so. There are numerous specific issues upon which I changed my mind after reviewing the evidence, such as that Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal had a love match (I had previously discounted that idea, and now I think it’s more likely than not) and the origins of the Brahmi script (I had previously seen this as a product of Ashoka’s court, and now I am agnostic on the point). Still, my guiding lights as a historian—respect for history, adherence to evidence, and an ethical commitment to tell the truth regardless of modern feelings—remain strongly intact. Also, my more general view that Indian history is amazing remains unchanged.
What is your favourite part of South Asian history and why?
I have no favourite part of South Asian history, and that is perhaps because I spend little time meditating on my own feelings about the past. Instead, I focus on accurately recovering South Asian history, in its glory, its horrors, and everything in-between. Also, I strive to understand the past, rather than judge it by present-day standards. I advise everybody else to do likewise. Thinking about what you like or dislike is an impoverished way to think about the past. The interesting insights begin once you realise that history is not about you.
Many think history is a dry and dated subject that has little relevance today. What would you like to say to them?
Honestly, I think that’s an impossible position to maintain given the frequency of discussions about the Indian past in the Indian press and popular culture. In truth, I would say that South Asian history is a dynamic, even explosive subject that is hyper relevant today. For those who think otherwise, I challenge you to consider the vast range of subjects within history, including the history of fashion, jewellery, marriage, food, music, film, alcohol, drugs, and more (all of which I touch upon in India).
Your scholarship has been met with both acclaim and intense criticism. How do you handle personal attacks versus scholarly critique?
Ad hominem attacks and scholarly critique are two entirely different phenomena. The first have no intellectual substance, and frankly, nothing to do with my scholarship. Generally, those who send me death threats, threaten to rape me, say they will use violence against my family, or use bigoted and foul language (all recurrent things, unfortunately) have not even read my work. I address such inappropriate attacks by taking security precautions. Scholarly critique is different, and I welcome it with open arms. After all, scholars disagree with one another like fish swim in water, and criticising one another is how we better ourselves as researchers and our collective understanding of South Asian history.
How do you see the role of the historian in public discourse today?
Being a public-facing historian is dangerous work in India, and that’s detrimental to everyone. India currently ranks at the bottom of the world in academic freedom, which hampers the ability of its academy—including Indian professors and students—to thrive in their academic and professional pursuits. I am based in New Jersey, but the pursuit of public-facing history is not bound by nation-state borders. My goal is to bring awareness and appreciation of Indian history to as many people as will listen.
In the current global climate, what do you hope international readers take away from a long-view of Indian history?
I’ll name three big takeaways from my India book: (1) Indian history matters, a lot. (2) Indian history is much more than rulers and elites. (3) Indian history is not the history of the modern nation-state but a broader set of cultures and traditions.
A historical figure you’d love to have a coffee with?
A seal maker from the Indus Valley Civilisation.
What’s a book you think every historian should read?
The Mahabharata. To be fair, I think everyone should read that epic, preferably repeatedly.
A historian whose work you deeply admire?
Rudrangshu Mukherjee and Romila Thapar.
If you could time travel to one century in Indian history, which would it be?
The 25th century CE; enough of the past, let’s get on to the future.