Themes in Indian History — Part II (NCERT, Class XII) traces India from the medieval centuries through the agrarian and religious order of the Mughal age into the colonial reshaping of urban space. As Class 12 History NCERT notes for UPSC, it is essential reading for medieval and early-modern India, blending political, social, religious and economic themes.

What the book covers:

  • Devotion and dissent: the Bhakti and Sufi traditions, and the changes in religious belief they brought across communities.
  • Kingdoms and capitals: the imperial city of Vijayanagara, and the Mughal courts as seen through kings and chronicles.
  • Agrarian order: peasants, zamindars and the state in Mughal agrarian society.
  • Colonial transformation: the rise of colonial cities — urbanisation, town planning and architecture.

For UPSC, the book strengthens GS Paper I (medieval and modern Indian history) and supports both Prelims and Mains.