Kottayam Rajas of Malabar: The Royal House that Gave Kerala its Lion
The Kottayam Rajas of Malabar occupy a proud place in the history of northern Kerala.
Heritage
News, articles and Essays on Sanatana Dharma, Hinduism and Indian way of life.
The Maitrakas of Valabhi: The Forgotten Kingdom That Made Saurashtra a Centre of Power
Known in ancient records as Valabhi or Vallabhi, the settlement in present-day Gujarat became one
Guruvayur Sri Krishna Temple: Kerala’s Sacred Abode of Devotion, Grace and Living Tradition
Located in Guruvayur, in the culturally rich district of Thrissur, the temple occupies a special place in Kerala’s sacred geography. Thrissur is celebrated as the cultural capital of Kerala, a land of poorams, temple arts, classical music, ritual traditions and festive grandeur. In this atmosphere, Guruvayur stands as a luminous spiritual centre where faith is lived every day through prayer, offerings, vows and devotion.
Ramayana in Vietnam: Champa, Hindu Deities and the Sacred Cultural Bridge With Bharat
The ancient Champa kingdom flourished along the coast of present-day central and southern Vietnam for many centuries. Located on important maritime routes between India, China and Southeast Asia, Champa became a powerful cultural meeting ground. Indian merchants, priests, scholars and maritime networks carried Sanskrit, Hinduism, Buddhism, temple architecture, royal rituals and epic traditions into the Cham world. Over time, the Cham people created their own refined civilisation, blending Indic religious ideas with local Austronesian culture.
Ramayana Beyond Borders: Akhand Bharat, Tibet, China and the Civilisational Journey of Rama
The Ramayana’s presence in China and Tibet shows the deeper meaning of Akhand Bharat as a civilisational idea. Here, Akhand Bharat is best understood as a sacred-cultural sphere shaped by dharma, knowledge, pilgrimage, literature, philosophy, language and memory. It is not merely a modern political expression. It is the story of how Indian civilisation touched neighbouring regions through wisdom, ethics, devotion and narrative power.
Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja: The Lion of Kerala Who Turned the Forests of Wayanad into a Battlefield of Freedom
Pazhassi Raja’s greatness came from the way he understood power. He knew that the British East India Company possessed disciplined troops, firearms, revenue machinery and political cunning. He also knew that the people of Malabar possessed something equally powerful: knowledge of the land, loyalty to local authority, control over forest routes and the will to resist outside domination. He converted this strength into one of the earliest and most memorable armed struggles against colonial power in India.
Human Skeletal Remains from Rakhigarhi Transferred to Anthropological Survey of India for Advanced Scientific Research
Rakhigarhi, spread across approximately 550 hectares in Haryana, is widely recognized as the largest known settlement of the Indus-Saraswati Civilization. Archaeological excavations have revealed evidence of continuous habitation from the Early Harappan to the Mature Harappan periods, including planned settlements, drainage systems, craft production centres, trade networks, and burial grounds
Vadakkumnathan Temple: The Ancient Shiva Shrine at the Heart of Thrissur
The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, worshipped here as Vadakkumnathan. The name is often understood as “Lord of the North,” and the shrine has also been associated with the sacred imagination of Dakshina Kailasa, the Kailasa of the South. In Kerala’s spiritual geography, this temple occupies a place of exceptional reverence. It is connected with legends of Parashurama, the creator-sage of Kerala in traditional memory, and is counted among the great Shiva temples of the region.
Mongolia and the Ramayana: A Forgotten Chapter of Bharat’s Cultural Reach
The Ramayana is central to this world because it carries the idea of Maryada — disciplined conduct, righteous leadership, loyalty, sacrifice and the victory of Dharma. Rama is remembered as the king who places duty above comfort, the warrior who fights for justice, the son who honours his father, the husband who crosses oceans for Sita, and the ruler whose name becomes a standard for good governance.
Nileshwaram Rajas: The Northern Kerala Royal House That Shaped Kasaragod’s Cultural Memory
The palace world of the Nileshwaram Rajas was the visible centre of this authority. Nileshwaram Palace and the associated kovilakams represented the social and political dignity of the ruling family. These palaces followed the traditional Kerala architectural language of timber, laterite, tiled roofs, courtyards, carved woodwork, and calm interior spaces suited to ritual life and administrative activity. The palace was a residence, a courtly centre, a symbolic capital, and a cultural anchor.