India is heir to one of the world's oldest and richest civilisations and the origin of many of the ideas, philosophies and movements which have shaped the destiny of humankind. The sheer wealth of Indian culture is covered from the origins of Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and the other great religions, through the tumultuous political history, the ravages of Partition, Non-alignment to the emergence of a powerful modern state. '...a series which is already invaluable. Whether you're travelling or not.' THE GUARDIAN 'An excellent series of brief histories.' THE NEW YORK TIMES