Scrolls & Leaves: World History Podcast

Jan 05 2022 282

Scrolls & Leaves: World History Podcast artwork

Epic histories from the Indian subcontinent, through the eyes of the marginalized. Hear about ruthless emperors, cunning corporations that colonized half the world, a world-renowned sci-fi writer who stumbled on a treasure ship, and other stories from history, science and cultures. Journalists Gayathri Vaidyanathan and Mary-Rose Abraham reflect on how these histories define our present. Made in 3-D sound to immerse you in the past.

Subscribe on Podcast Addict

Arthur C. Clarke’s Treasure Ship

Jan 05 2022 37 mins

In the treacherous Great Basses Reef in Sri Lanka, renowned author Arthur C. Clarke finds a submerged treasure ship with a hoard of silver coins

Rerun: Nature's Voice - Tuvan Throat Singing

Dec 22 2021 26 mins

Ayurveda to Big Pharma: the Wonder of Healing Plants

Dec 08 2021 33 mins

In a windswept mountain pass, more than a hundred years ago, a towering Afghan man hacks a Scottish trader to death. Then the killer disappears. A British officer is determined to track him down and rides along the old Silk Route into western China. No sign of the killer but he does encounter a book of Ayurveda unearthed in the nearby desert. The Sanskrit lettering details the powe

A Gripping Saga of Indian Indentured Labour

Nov 24 2021 38 mins

When the British Empire abolished slavery in 1833, it found that African slaves would much rather not work on its colonial plantations -- even for a salary. It had to find a new source of labourers and hired workers from India, Java, China and elsewhere. India, especially, was a major source of indentured labour as it was a British colony. In this episode, we recount the tale of M

Pandemics & Borders

Nov 10 2021 36 mins

The world’s borders are clamping down for un-vaccinated people, most of whom are poor and/or from the Global South. This echoes events following a 19th century pandemic of cholera which killed millions of people worldwide. The colonial power improved water and sanitation in their European and American cities, but left their colonies undeveloped. They instead set up surveillance a

The Curse of the Kohinoor

Oct 27 2021 41 mins

The ‘Curse of the Kohinoor’ is this: Any man who wears the diamond will suffer a terrible fate. But is this true? Or was this simply a story that conveniently allowed the British Empire to justify the colonial appropriation of the diamond? Maharaja Ranjit Singh was the last Indian owner of the Kohinoor diamond. He was a fair and secular king -- one of the greatest rulers of a

The Jewels of the Maharajas

Oct 13 2021 28 mins

The Jewels of the Maharajas symbolized power and a connection with the divine. Anyone who wanted to be a greater ruler would want them as a symbol of sovereignty. In 18th century Persia, there was a great King who wanted to rule all of Asia. This is the story of Nader Shah and his quest for the legendary Koh-i-Noor diamond and other jewels of the Mughals. Please use headphones to h

The Lost Port of Muziris

Sep 29 2021 40 mins

For more than a decade, archaeologists have been searching for the lost port of Muziris on the southwest coast of India. Incredible finds point to maritime trade and links with many ancient cultures, including the Roman Empire: amphorae, semi-precious stones and beads, intaglios, and pottery from throughout the Indian Ocean world. Join us on a visit to a sleepy village in Kerala to

Season 1: Trade Winds Trailer

Sep 22 2021 2 mins

Not many people know of histories from the majority world, where 80% of all people live. We will tell you some of these stories in Season 1, Trade Winds. Each episode tells a story set on the Indian Ocean as global civilizations connect with South Asia. Hear about the episodes coming up this season.

3 Ways Indigenous Knowledge Saves Biodiversity

Sep 08 2021 11 mins