Mana Shah did her masters in Sanskrit and is currently Lecturer of Sanskrit at IIT Gandhinagar. Her research areas are Sanskrit pedagogy, manuscriptology and historical literature in Sanskrit, Prakrit and medieval Gujarati languages.

Abstract of the lecture —  Chronicling History: The Indian Way

As we travel across India, we hear a variety of tales recounting remarkable deeds of people from the past who made their mark in history. Their lives are immortalized in tales composed in regional languages and dialects. These tales, also known as Itihāsa or Charita, are preserved and passed on through various means such as classical and folk literature, oral narratives, stories passed down generations, diverse art forms, genealogical accounts, and many more.

Each of those chronicles has a distinct flavour and style, which makes it impossible for the listener to box them into categories like history or mythology, and compels them to “see” these stories as they are. Despite featuring diverse people, times and contexts, a common thread weaves them together, creating what we know as Itihāsa, the Indian way of understanding history. This lecture aims at exploring the pan-Indian nature of these historical narratives coming from various regions of India.