As it generally happens with emperors and dynasties of past, everyone today is trying to ‘claim’ the Cholas – from religion to sub-castes to politics.

This is precisely what historian Anirudh Kanisetti advises you not to do. It’s “self-defeating” and “reductive”, he says, and it makes no sense at all. 

In this interview with Newslaundry’s Manisha Pande, Anirudh talks about his new book Lords of Earth and Sea: History of the Chola Empire, which challenges popular narratives about one of India’s greatest empires, including how there was more to their ‘military might’ than just wars, and why trade played an important role.

Anirudh explains that the caste system under the Cholas was much like contemporary India. On religion, he says the Cholas did not have “ a singular, consistent policy”.

He also opens up about the perception of him as a “public” or “pop” historian. Some “snooty” academic historians are not going to be welcoming towards others, he insists. But at the end of the day, it’s “a very exciting time to be writing about history because people are going to read it”, he says. “But at the same time, it’s also a bit frightening.”

Watch.