While physical copies of this academic masterpiece are available through major publishers like Orient Blackswan, many researchers look for digital versions to facilitate quick referencing. A PDF version of Early Medieval Indian Society allows for easy searching of key terms like "agrahara," "vishti," and "samanta," making it a vital resource for drafting research papers or preparing for history modules.
The book is structured into several critical essays that explore the diverse dimensions of feudalization: The Kali Age: A Period of Social Crisis The Nature of Indian Feudalism Paucity of Metallic Coinage (c. 500–1000) Dimensions of Peasant Protest Economic and Social Basis of Tantrism The Feudal Mind Academic Significance and Legacy
Sharma identifies the widespread practice of kings granting land to brahmanas and officials as the primary driver of social change. This created a new class of landed intermediaries who enjoyed fiscal and administrative rights over the peasantry.
In the vast landscape of Indian historiography, few names command as much respect as . A pioneer of Marxist historiography in India, Sharma redefined how millions of students, researchers, and history enthusiasts understand ancient and early medieval India. His book, Early Medieval Indian Society: A Study in Feudalisation , is not just a text; it is a lens through which the complex transitions of the Indian subcontinent between the 8th and 13th centuries come into sharp focus.
Sharma used to explain historical change.