The nature of the Indian state and policy, changing composition of the ruling class, and the developments in society and economy are the significant themes explored in this volume. It examines the evolution of the state in India and the role of the towns in the Orient; the Indian Historical tradition including the maritime narratives as well as the tradition of cultural pluralism--reflected in the Bhakti or Sufi movements in history--in the context of the unfolding of political processes in the fifty years after independence.