The period following the death of Aurangzeb has usually been viewed from the perspective of the decline and subsequent decay of the Mughal empire. This study emphasizes that the period 1707-1748 saw the emergence of a new order with local and regional idioms, even though echoes from the imperial period continued to be heard.

From the impact of the monsoon rains and tropical heat on indian history to the birth of buddhism and the emergence of hinduism, from the assassination of mahatma gandhi and the tragedy of the partition to the violence in todays punjab the book looks widely and lucidly at a nation that is 4000 years old