Art, Archives And Forgotten Stories

In Hyderabad to deliver a talk on ‘Art as History’, organised by Bengaluru-based Gallery G, he walked a spellbound audience through curated images of art and interpreted the many stories that they share. “The idea is that history isn’t just in dusty files. Historians use all kinds of material, buildings, objects, artefacts, and yes, art. Art doesn’t just tell us about the artists but about the societies that produced it: what they valued, what they feared, and how they saw themselves.”

For the author, the past isn’t just what happened; it’s also how we choose to remember it. In his latest book, Gods, Guns, and Missionaries: The Making of the Modern Hindu Identity, he explores how colonialism and Christianity played a vital role in shaping modern Hindu identity. “We often focus on Hindu-Muslim binaries,” he says. “But the impact of Christianity, particularly during colonial rule, has been disproportionately underexplored. My curiosity led me there. It’s a missing piece in the puzzle.”

Stories from the margins

Pillai has long been fascinated with relatively lesser-known stories. His 700-page debut, The Ivory Throne, brought to life the story of Maharani Sethu Lakshmi Bayi of Travancore. “Even someone like the Maharani, who ruled for seven years and made massive strides in electrification, telephone lines, and the economy, was reduced to a footnote. Because she was a woman, and women rarely self-advertise.” He’s drawn, again and again, to the margins of Indian history: the people left out of court records, the courts overshadowed by bigger empires, and the forgotten royals. “Take the Deccan. Everyone talks about the Nizams. But when I visited Golconda Fort in 2016, I realized how little attention the Qutb Shahis had received. That’s how my book, Rebel Sultans came to be,” he states.

Research as a medium

Pillai’s first book was published ten years ago. He’s now one of India’s best-known public historians. “It’s been rewarding, but not easy,” he says. “Research is underfunded. Two of my books were supported by the Sandeep and Gitanjali Maini Foundation. Without that kind of support, you’re often funding research from the money you make off your last book.”

Though he has a PhD, Pillai doesn’t teach. “I’m not an academic in the traditional sense. I try to bring history to the public, which means writing in a way that’s accessible and engaging. I’m not writing for other historians. I’m trying to get non-history people to care.”

What about the tide of misinformation on social media that results in a lot of debates about events from history? “It can be challenging,” he admits. “But Instagram and others can be tools, too. I don’t vilify tech. If you use it well, it can help research reach more people. That said, if you want to really understand something, there’s no substitute for a good book.”

Does he think Indians have a disregard for the past? “There is a kind of chalta hai attitude,” he says. “We have so much history around us that we don’t value it. Countries with less heritage protect theirs more fiercely. Here, you walk a mile and find a monument. And we’re desensitized.”

On cards for him? A period of rest as he winds up promoting his latest book before heading back to dusty libraries to dig up some more fascinating stories about the past.

Quick Take

If you had to live in the past, which era would you choose?

Any time after antibiotics, because I don’t want to die of a tooth infection by age 20!

Which historical figure fascinates you?

Ibrahim Adil Shah of Bijapur, an intriguing and syncretic figure from the Deccan Sultanates.

If you had to swap your lives with a historical character? No one at all, I quite enjoy studying other people’s lives.