Stories written by
Ruchika Sharma
Ruchika Sharma is a regular Scroll.in contributor
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A brave and innovative attempt to chronicle the life of Empress Nur Jahan is marred by conjecture
Ruby Lal’s biography of Jahangir’s wife, who ruled the Mughal Empire in her husband’s absence, goes beyond academic studies.
Ruchika Sharma
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‘Hindutva calling itself a version of Hinduism is problematic’: Historian Romila Thapar
An interview with the historian on her new book, history, Hindutva, and more.
Ruchika Sharma
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‘Padmavat’ reminds us that a major casualty of the gory Rajput conflicts were Rajput women
Though fictional, Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s Sufi allegory stands as a testament to the internecine warfare that was endemic to the Rajputs.
Ruchika Sharma
Trending
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The real reason why Modi says what he does – Hindu India accepts it
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The Assam voter who no longer supports the BJP because of the CAA
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‘My son lost his job during demonetisation but at least it removed black money’
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For better or for worse? Shifts in gender norms in India – in 12 charts
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Lok Sabha polls: Ladakh MP rallies supporters after BJP drops him from candidate list
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Ala-ud-din Khalji: Why the ‘people’s king’ was made out to be a monster by 16th century chroniclers
As ‘Padmavati’ is in the news, time to revisit why these writers and their Rajput patrons were out to settle old scores with the 14th century sultan of Delhi.
Ruchika Sharma
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The Scroll.in ‘Empire’ review: The reviewer’s response to the author’s criticism
Writing about the exception and ignoring the norm does mis-service to history, argues the reviewer.
Ruchika Sharma
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This work of historical fiction about the Chola dynasty is more fiction than history
The female protagonist of Devi Yesodharan’s ‘Empire’ has a position she would never have got in the 11th Century Chola kingdom.
Ruchika Sharma
Video
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Watch: K-Pop singer Aoora sings in Assamese as he collaborates with Nilotpal Bora in a new folk song
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Watch Anu Malik and Sonu Nigam’s impromptu performance of ‘Main Hoon Na’ at Farah Khan’s home
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Watch: Doordarshan newsreader faints on live TV in Kolkata owing to severe heat
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Watch: Spice Girls sing ‘Stop’ as bandmates reunite to celebrate Victoria Beckham’s 50th birthday
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Watch: Over 350 ballerinas come together to break the world record for standing on tip toes
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Why banning the sale of meat along the Kanwariya route is specially ironic
Forced vegetarianism runs contrary to the beliefs and practices of several Indic sects
Ruchika Sharma
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In Taj Mahal’s shadow, the heritage of Jaunpur is rapidly decaying for want of state help
The Tughlaq city’s grand edifices inspired many Mughal monuments.
Ruchika Sharma
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The ring: Making women adulterous and men faithful since the birth of patriarchy
Wendy Doniger’s ‘The Ring of Truth’ shows with humour and clarity how one form of oppression can be replaced with another.
Ruchika Sharma
The Reel
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Watch: In ‘The Big Cigar’, the Black Panther founder flees America through a fake movie
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‘Dil Dosti Dilemma’ review: A feelgood entertainer about young love and old ties
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In ‘Tahader Katha’, the many partitions endured by a freedom fighter
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Watch: Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ trailer
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Start the week with a film: A legend returns in ‘Bob Marley: One Love’
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Thinker, tailor, soldier, spy: The extraordinary women of Ghiyas-ud-din Khalji's harem
Only women with the keenest intellect were to join the king at his meals every day, in order to discuss matters of theology and philosophy.
Ruchika Sharma
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The epic poem Padmavat is fiction. To claim it as history would be the real tampering of history
'I have made up the story and related it,' are the words with which Malik Muhammad Jayasi ends his Awadhi epic.
Ruchika Sharma
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The Mahabharata: How an oral narrative of the bards became a text of the Brahmins
The epic was taken over by Brahmins who explained away abhorrent details like polyandry and parricide through imaginative additions.
Ruchika Sharma
The Field
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Archery, World Cup Stage I: Men’s recurve team reach final; Priyansh, Vennam in compound semis
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Watch, highlights ISL 2023-24: Mumbai City win dramatic semi-final first leg against FC Goa
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Athletics, Asian U20 C’ships: India clinch medals in men’s javelin, discus and 1500m on opening day
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Boundaries and impact: The imbalance in IPL 2024 shows it is not a good time to be a bowler
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IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals hold their nerve to beat Gujarat Titans in a high-scoring thriller