All posts filed under: India

Vijayanagara: the Beginning

Chapter 2, Part 1 Powers rise and fall, a constant change on earth like the ebb and flow of the sea. Men’s insatiable need for power has caused the world’s political borders to change from time to time, as well as the death of millions […]

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The Cholas: Conquerors from Southern India

Chapter 1, Part 12 In the land of the Tamils in the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, powerful dynasties once fought against each other for regional supremacy. In the mid-sixth century AD, the Pallavas rose to prominence and ruled much of southern India for more […]

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Mahabalipuram: Rise of the Pallavas

Chapter 1, Part 4 In the time when the Buddhist Mauryan Dynasty dominated much of South Asia, the southern part of India experienced a period of time when Tamil literature and art flourished, known as the Sangam period. At the time, the main powers of […]

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The Spice Odyssey, A Prologue

Asia. Home to 4.4 billion people, more than half of all human beings on this planet. It is where some of the greatest civilizations the world has ever seen flourished. It is where gunpowder, papermaking, printing and the compass were invented; where Hinduism was created […]

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Out of the Archipelago

After three months exploring Indonesia, from Sabang (Indonesia’s westernmost city) to the Banda Islands (where nutmeg originates) in the eastern part of the country, James and I traveled across Southeast and South Asia to continue retracing the ancient Spice Route. The journey took us to three […]

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