History of Mappila Muslims is known to scholars in the English-speaking world thanks to certain works which carved a niche in what later came to be known as Mappila studies. Although these works are considerably a few and their importance has been slighted by the coming generations as per the ever-evolving standards of historicity, they could set a paradigm in this area of historical exploration. Tuhfatul Mujahidin and Fatah al-Mubeen in the days of yore and Roland Miller’s Mappila Muslims of Kerala in the last century are among the paradigmatic texts which Other Books has either published or will soon publish. Classical works like Tuhfa and Fatah al-Mubeen are the masterpieces which resist any overlooking as per any standards of historical analysis, chiefly because they speak of the space and time in which their authors encountered the bloody enactment of a historical event: Gama’s arrival on the coast of Malabar. All other events preceding 1498 are narrated in these works in relation to or in the context of that apocalyptic coup d’etat. By publishing JBP More’s Origin and Early History of the Muslims of Keralam-700 AD 1600 AD, we would like to shed as much light as possible on the history preceding, as well as the history of more than a century succeeding, Gama’s arrival on the coast of Malabar. We have the same objective behind publishing the Malayalam translation of Roland E Miller’s Mappila Muslims, which too comes out all but simultaneously. As befitted a historian, More has gone through several sources, which he has duly footnoted, in the analysis of historical events narrated in the work. We hope these works will serve as lighthouses to guide explorations in the sea of literatures and oral narratives, chronicled or yet to be chronicled, on the history of Malabar and Mappilas. Since these works are second-hand sources, we request you to subject their historicity to scrutiny more than we do the historicity of classics. For example, a section of this book deals with Cheraman Perumal’s conversion into Islam- an incident in the history of Kerala which elicits many questions from academics and historians on its chronology and the nature of incident. Author’s discussion of the incident may not be agreeable to many readers. For example, in page 112 of the book, the author states that ‘if the prophet had really met Cheraman Perumal it would have been mentioned in the Hadith literature’. But in Al- Musthadrak of Hakim (1002- 03), a collection of ahadith, the following event is reported on the authority of Abu Saeed Al-Khudri, one of the famed companions of the Prophet and widely remembered Helper (Ansar) who has reported around 1170 prophetic narrations: "A king from India presented the messenger, a bottle of ginger, which the messenger handed to his companions for eating. He gave me some, too". The Indian king is believed to be Cheraman Perumal based on the analysis of narration. However, Other Books aims to bring out and strengthen many and varied discources on otherwise less discussed issues in the history of Kerala. We hope those readers will judiciously collate their data, compare them with the author’s sources and form an opinion accordingly.

This volume deals with the history of Kerala with special attention to selected historical personages who had played significant roles in shaping the history of Kerala through the ages.

Christians form the third largest religious community in India. How has this come about? There are many studies of separate groups: but there has so far been no major history of the three large groups - Roman Catholic, Protestant and Thomas Christians (Syrians). This work attempts to meet the need for such a history. It goes right back to the beginning and traces the story through the ups and downs of at least fifteen centuries. It includes careful studies of the political and social background and of the non-Christian reactions to the Christian message. The narration is non-technical and should present few difficulties to the thoughtful reader; the more technical matters are dealt with in notes and appendices. This book will be of interest to all students of Church History and will also prove fascinating to many who are concerned with the development of Christianity as a world religion and in the dialogue between different forms of faith.

To scholars in the field, the need for an up-to-date overview of the art of South Asia has been apparent for decades. Although many regional and dynastic genres of Indic art are fairly well understood, the broad, overall representation of India's centuries of splendor has been lacking. The Art of Ancient India is the result of the author's aim to provide such a synthesis. Noted expert Sherman E. Lee has commented: –Not since Coomaraswamyês History of Indian and Indonesian Art (1927) has there been a survey of such completeness.” Indeed, this work restudies and reevaluates every frontier of ancient Indic art _ from its prehistoric roots up to the period of Muslim rule, from the Himalayan north to the tropical south, and from the earliest extant writing through the most modern scholarship on the subject. This dynamic survey-generously complemented with 775 illustrations, including 48 in full color and numerous architectural ground plans, and detailed maps and fine drawings, and further enhanced by its guide to Sanskrit, copious notes, extensive bibliography, and glossary of South Asian art terms-is the most comprehensive and most fully illustrated study of South Asian art available. The works and monuments included in this volume have been selected not only for their artistic merit but also in order to both provide general coverage and include transitional works that furnish the key to an all encompassing view of the art. An outstanding portrayal of ancient Indiaês highest intellectual and technical achievements, this volume is written for many audiences: scholars, for whom it provides an up-to-date background against which to examine their own areas of study; teachers and students of college level, for whom it supplies a complete summary of and a resource for their own deeper investigations into Indic art; and curious readers, for whom it gives a broad-based introduction to this fascinating area of world art.

Although the princes of India have been caricatured as oriental despots and British stooges, Barbara Ramusack's study argues that the British did not create the princes. On the contrary, many were consummate politicians who exercised considerable degrees of autonomy until the disintegration of the princely states after independence. Ramusack's synthesis has a broad temporal span, tracing the evolution of the Indian kings from their pre-colonial origins to their roles as clients in the British colonial system. The book breaks ground in its integration of political and economic developments in the major princely states with the shifting relationships between the princes and the British. It represents a major contribution, both to British imperial history in its analysis of the theory and practice of indirect rule, and to modern South Asian history, as a portrait of the princes as politicians and patrons of the arts.

Echoes of History is a historical narrative that brings to life the former princely states of Travancore and Cochin. The author has revealed the history of the region through word pictures based on the accounts of people who were directly a part of the events she writes about. Beautiful old pictures support the narration. The book is both interesting and educative. History and fascinating facts are intertwined with anecdotes and legends. The book captures an era that the world will never see again. An age when graciousness and courtesy reigned supreme. This makes it a stimulating read for all age groups and people from every walk of life. The chapters of the book feature lesser-known facets of Kerala’s history – for instance, how one man made Kerala a global tourist destination, or the humble beginnings of India’s space research programme. The story of how the Jains came to Kerala and contributed to its high literacy rate makes for fascinating reading, as do the legends surrounding the famous boat races. The book covers diverse topics ranging from banking to a wonderful football academy and even a delightful sailing club that is now housed on what is possibly India’s most expensive piece of real estate! The book's objective is to chronicle events and achievements that have largely been forgotten, which in a sense is both an injustice to the people concerned, as well as a gap in our recorded history. It is written with gentle humour from a perspective of deep affection and delight in the land and its people. It also serves as a well-researched historical narrative.