Primus Books

05/05/2026

We are delighted to share that our book 'On Mullingar Hill: Memory, Movement and Belonging' in a Himalayan Hill Station by Joyce Burkhalter Flueckiger, has been thoughtfully reviewed in NRI Pulse by Jyotsna Hegde.

Described as “an evocative, deeply humane work,” the book is praised for dissolving the boundaries between academic inquiry and lived experience—bringing to life the rich, textured world of Landour Bazaar, Mussoorie.

👉 Click the link below to read the complete review.

https://nripulse.com/memory-migration-and-home-on-mullingar-hill/

Happy Reading!!

23/04/2026

'Atharvi Sadi ke Uttar Bharat mein Dharmik Parampara aur Sanskriti' contends that the ‘decline’ in the political scenario of eighteenth-century India did not imply an all-round decay and stagnation of society, especially in its religious and cultural realms. The emergence of regional forces, following the disintegration of the Mughal empire, greatly aided the promotion of regional centres which provided the grounds for a religious and cultural efflorescence. Shifting the focus away from the often-examined political and economic aspects of the eighteenth century transition, the book studies a wide array of primary sources in Persian and especially in Urdu, to instead bring the study of intellectual and cultural trends to the centrestage of historiography. It has brought into prominence the vibrant religious intellectual outpouring, the Shia-Sunni polemics, educational innovations, growth and spread of Urdu and its entanglement with regional sensibilities and regional networks of patronage, and, finally, the diffusion of the Mughal court culture in different regional centres. The study’s discussions on decentring of the Empire and the subsequent pluralized manifestation of cultural production and consolidation in various regional court circles widen the scope of current debates on the nature of the eighteenth century in Indian history.

The author, Tabir Kalam is Professor in Medieval Indian History at the Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi. He received his M.Phil. and Ph.D. from the Centre for Historical Studies (CHS), Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.

To pocure a copy please click on the link given below:

https://www.amazon.in/Primus-Books-Atharvi-Parampara-Sanskriti/dp/9371791519/ref=sr_1_4?crid=107XWTYCRHOTO&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.VZrgey2y1Qr92QCO-JiMivQA-TWJTG-xRUV8vfypA4Y.gtGNlzRxFg32x2PDevYYOQ5WB4JzOw8uvsDN6VnJLrw&dib_tag=se&keywords=tabir+kalam&qid=1776942947&sprefix=tabir+kala%2Caps%2C432&sr=8-4

Happy Reading!!

23/04/2026

The early modern period witnessed a great expansion in the world economy. At this time, the Indian subcontinent was integrated into this wider system and became a hub for commerce. The connection of the hinterland with ports, which were linked to Indian Ocean trade networks, existed prior to the coming of European maritime powers. Thus, when European traders reached India, they stepped into a pre-existing framework of trade routes and complex multilateral networks of exchange. The resultant consequences of this incursion have been understood from different viewpoints in 'Merchants, Markets, and Hinterlands in Early Modern India'. Merchants, both Asian and European, flooded the markets and ports of India, which acted as gateways leading both to the interior and to the sea. The chapters in this volume explore the worlds of commerce, the links between markers and hinterlands, and the many connections that existed, expanded, or ceased in the early modern period.

The EDITORS

Radhika Seshan retired as Professor and Head of the Department of History, Savitribai Phule Pune University (formerly
the University of Pune).

Ruby Maloni is former Head and Professor of the Department of History, Mumbai University.

Ishrat Alam is former Chairman and Coordinator, Centre of Advanced Study, Department of History, Aligarh Muslim
University, Aligarh.

To procure a copy, please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.in/Primus-Books-Merchants-Markets-Hinterlands/dp/937452693X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2XI14F409R9OF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.GDpGm6w0wN8_NyLEvo8Icg.SKmSN0POzKa0RX0NDFlBA0GuOq4TrYl2aOCxZGiZifk&dib_tag=se&keywords=Merchants%2C+Markets%2C+and+Hinterlands+in+Early+Modern+India&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1776942230&sprefix=merchants%2C+markets%2C+and+hinterlands+in+early+modern+india%2Caps%2C453&sr=8-1

Happy Reading!!

23/04/2026

'Karawansarais in Hindustan: Travel and Hospitality in Mughal India' takes readers on a journey through the historic rest houses that once lined the trade routes of the subcontinent. More than mere shelters, these inns were centres of commerce, cultural exchange, and statecraft. Drawing on historical records, travellers’ accounts, and architectural remains, the book reveals their striking designs—fortified gateways, vast courtyards, and arcaded chambers—and the lives they hosted: merchants, pilgrims, nobles, and common travellers. Illustrated with photographs and maps, this work opens a window into a forgotten world of movement, encounter, and exchange, offering both scholars and general readers a vivid portrait of Hindustan’s vibrant karawansarais.

The author, Ravindra Kumar retired as Professor of History from Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. He specializes in Indian art and architecture, heritage and cultural studies, and provenance and adaptation of archi-technology in medieval India. He has done extensive fieldwork along the Mughal trade routes, documenting extant structural remains of a variety of forms. His special interest has been the surviving karawansarais on these routes. He has also been a proponent of open and distance learning, stressing standardization of content and pedagogical formats to ensure equity across geography and socio-economic status.

To procure a copy please click on the link given below:

https://www.amazon.in/Primus-Books-Karawansarais-Hindustan-Hospitality/dp/9371792027/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2AO2R4C7MA5X7&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.OIv7AtgnETngAz65-_KmFw.Aa9NQhspdUa8m6zcbBBmMfVKm3RYkEZtr7-RiKNkfUU&dib_tag=se&keywords=Karawansarais+in+Hindustan&qid=1776941530&sprefix=karawansarais+in+hindustan%2Caps%2C414&sr=8-1

Happy Reading!!

23/04/2026

Please join us for an online discussion of Aditya Malik’s 'Bird of Thought: Entanglement and the Illusion of Separation'.

The discussion will feature an eminent panel including Professor Monika Boehm-Tettelbach, Professor Aditya Malik and Dr Samuel Wright.

Please join us via Zoom on 24 April 2026 at 5:30 p.m. IST. The joining credentials are provided below.

Link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/85606821390?pwd=20HbmAqNuGDZrftKgdvPOJrzoKnSMO.1

Meeting ID: 856 0682 1390

Passcode: 707695

We look forward to having you with us for this engaging discussion.

23/04/2026

Take a look at the titles we’ve published over the past three months—each one a step forward in our journey of ideas and scholarship.

Which one caught your attention? Let us know in the comments!

20/04/2026

14/04/2026

We are pleased to invite you to an online discussion of Aditya Malik’s Bird of Thought: Entanglement and the Illusion of Separation. The book offers a rich exploration of ‘relationality’ as a foundational characteristic of all phenomena, spanning the biological, physical, and social realms. Drawing on the concept of ‘entanglement’ from quantum mechanics, Malik develops a reimagined, 'prior-to-material' understanding of the Earth as a field of possibility shaped by interdependent and co-emergent processes.

The work also engages with literary and philosophical traditions across historical periods, examining how ideas of interdependence and harmony have been expressed through dreams, alchemical visions, and musical structures. These themes are situated within a transdisciplinary framework that invites us to think beyond disciplinary boundaries in order to better grasp the complexity of the world.

The discussion will feature an eminent panel including Professor Monika Boehm-Tettelbach, Professor Aditya Malik and Dr Samuel Wright.

Please join us via Zoom on 24 April 2026 at 5:30 p.m. IST. The joining credentials are provided below.

Link: https://us05web.zoom.us/j/85606821390?pwd=20HbmAqNuGDZrftKgdvPOJrzoKnSMO.1

Meeting ID: 856 0682 1390
Passcode: 707695

We look forward to having you with us for this engaging discussion.

02/04/2026

Primus Books is glad to announce its new title, 'Caste and Lineage in Colonial Calcutta: The Subarnabanik Ancestry of the Seals and the Laws' by Supriya Law.

Caste and Lineage in Colonial Calcutta provides an in-depth study of the Subarnabanik caste in Bengal. It delves into the myths, legends and historical origins of the Subarnabaniks and traces how they rose to prominence in the commercial world of mid-nineteenth to early twentieth-century Calcutta. The dichotomy of being low in the caste hierarchy yet financially well-positioned and business-minded greatly shaped the ethos and outlook of this caste. With a focus on two prominent businessmen, Mutty Lall Seal (1792–1854) and Prawn Kissen Law (1790–1853) and their families, this work also explores the role of Subarnabanik women in this milieu. The book juxtaposes archival sources with oral narratives and memories to share unique insights into the world of the Subarnabaniks, tracing linkages of caste, commerce and kinship.

The author, Supriya Law is currently pursuing her doctoral degree at the University of Calcutta. Her research interest lies in the history of colonial Calcutta with a focus on the mercantile families of that era. She is the author of Living with the Past: The Law Family of Calcutta (2025).

To procure a copy please click on the link below:
https://www.amazon.in/dp/9371793627/ref=sr_1_2?crid=1KCO9DEW6HBC5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.LZgoRN7Ry0V5UIXLtgzUoHsIDYxPe_vLACTcmzRpUYo.CTARr4EmZWp1k2xT2i8sek6WBQcAePWmdr-oiwd7it0&dib_tag=se&keywords=Primus+Books-+Supriya+Law&qid=1775112414&sprefix=primus+books-+supriya+la%2Caps%2C409&sr=8-2

Happy Reading!!

02/04/2026

Primus Books is glad to announce its new title, 'Understanding the Later Vedic World: Debates and Perspectives' by Sheo Dutt.

Understanding the Later Vedic World: Debates and Perspectives probes the salient features of socio-economic formations in the later Vedic times (popularly known as PGW, or the Iron Phase) with special reference to the Brahmana texts. This book investigates new dimensions and approaches to the study of the social structure of the later Vedic period in its correct historical context. From the topographic and climatic viewpoint, the research indicates that the entire area inhabited by the A***n speakers constitute one geographical unit and portray similar ecological conditions. The author also explores the various forms and modes of subsistence and focuses on the rubrics of the agrarian structure. The custom of gift-making as a socio-economic phenomenon has been investigated from social and cultural-anthropological viewpoints here. The author opines that whenever an occasion is availed to structure the varna hierarchy, gender stratification followed there, as if both were the two sides of the same coin and embedded consciously as a whole package within the brahmanical sociology. This work critically examines the chief characteristics of the superordination of patriarchy and women’s subordination, as these hierarchies were the result of complex processes of socio-economic change.

The author, Sheo Dutt taught in the Department of History at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, University of Delhi for nearly four decades. He obtained his doctoral degree from the University of Delhi, and MPhil from Jawaharlal Nehru University. With an interest in the economic and social context of early Indian history and especially the later Vedic period, he has published several articles in national and international journals. His published works include Aspects of Economic Condition of Eastern India (2019) and Bhartiya Upamahadwipa ki Samskritiyan (ed.) (2019).

To procure a copy please click on the link below:

https://www.amazon.in/dp/937452919X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=11NLKIPJA6IBF&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Q2s2LMj2vy7Sv2C2mSp2hw.kXKkpmAGqfrj1QFogh8517nPz3OTQgMEv2gFcxB99pY&dib_tag=se&keywords=Primus+Books-+Understanding+the+Later+Vedic+World&qid=1775111732&sprefix=primus+books-+understanding+the+later+vedic+worl%2Caps%2C412&sr=8-1

Happy Reading!!