The last episode of the series summarises the many themes considered until now, and throws light on how the broader world evaluates the contributions of South Asia to the growth and development of modern-day medical systems and institutions. Dr Edwin Cosalan, drawing from his breadth of experience, helps situate and contextualise these contribution…

Early medical institutions, especially in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century, were curated and funded by the colonial government, missionaries and philanthropy. While the role of the British Colonial Government and missionaries is better known, the role of individual and other philanthropic institutions, such as royal families and pri…

The discussions in this series bring us back to the museum space. Meera Krishnamurthy attempts to embody these stories through the museum objects on display at the museum. Using tabletop animation and other techniques, her project enlivens the objects to fill in some of the gaps in the storytelling presented through dioramas and information plaques…

Dr Shilpi Rajpal explores the records of mental health institutions of Colonial and Post-Colonial northern India in this episode. The episode discusses the British Colonial gaze on mental health and the institutionalisation of health-seeking practices, originally from the Western lens of the British record-keepers The intertwined realities of menta…

As we continue into the modern period, our discussion on the history of medicine in South Asia segues into a discussion on women doctors. Dr Mario Vaz charts the historical timeline of the practice of medicine through the biographical sketches of early female doctors and medical practitioners in India. The discussion develops into a review of a his…

The visual representation of the human body forms an important piece in the medical history across the world. In this episode, Team Chippin’ Away interviews Snehal Tambulwadikar-Khedkar on various perspectives on human body represented through art across time. The discussions carry forward a historical lens to trace the changes in representing the …

This episode takes a look at Anisha Anantpurkar‘s archival work at the Major Gen. S. L. Bhatia History of Medicine Museum. Anisha discusses the gleanings from past studies on human sculptures at various South Indian temples. The discussion focuses on the attempts to document anatomically accurate bodies through ancient and medieval sculptural tradi…

A review of the history of medicine takes the discussion to a well-documented era of South Asian history, the medieval period under the Mughal Empire (c. 14th – 17th century CE). Ananth Adhyam takes a literary review of medical practices represented in the writings of the Mughal period. The episode discusses the attitude towards health-seeking prac…

How could the history of medicine be complete without discussing herbs and plants!? Rashmimala Devi, an artist and botanical illustrator, takes us through the history of illustrating botanical samples of medicinal and ornamental varieties in South Asia. We discuss the practice of creating herbariums and the history of writing detailed manuals on lo…

The history of medicine cannot begin without an archaeological survey of ancient health-seeking practices. We take the listeners on a whirlwind tour of the world, from Europe to North America and back to Asia, reviewing examples of medical practices and intentional caregiving practices in archaeological data. The episode discusses skeletal remains …

The discussion on material culture in the history of medicine lays a foundation for this episode which summarizes the oral and performative traditions in community health-seeking. Traditionally termed as “folk medicine”, we discuss the field of studying indigenous medical practices. The episode reviews belief systems that often animate diseases as …

The introductory episode offers a sneak peek into Major S L Bhatia Museum of History of Medicine, Bangalore. Ms. Radhika Hegde offers a walkthrough of the museum, its exhibits and their archives at the museum within the St. John’s Hospital, Medical College and Research Institute campus (Bangalore, India). The episode takes a deep dive into the mult…

Team Chippin’ Away interviews Dr. Sunil Pandya on the life and work of Major-General Dr. S L Bhatia. He takes the listener through the history of medical institutions and medical research with Dr. Bhatia’s biography. The episode unveils Dr. Bhatia’s work in the field of medical research, his contributions to the field of pathology and introduces hi…

From the South of Asia to the North of America, we discuss the influence of popular culture on archaeology and the study of the past. If you started following archaeology after Indiana Jones' movies, Lara Croft Tomb-Raider, or the likes; this episode is for you! Join us as we interview Josh Lindal (co-host of the podcast "Screens of the Stone Age")…

We had the wonderful opportunity to feature on Screens of the Stone Age. Find the details below! On this episode, we’re joined by Akash Srinivas and Durga Kale of the Chippin’ Away podcast to review Mohenjo Daro (2016), the story of a simple farmboy’s first trip to the big city where he falls in love, discovers his destiny, and saves an entire civi…

In this episode, part two of two, we continue our conversations with Dr. Kush Dhebar on India's wrestling and grappling culture, its representation and expression in material culture and the concept of masculinity, both in the past and how we represent it in the present. More examples, more details and an exciting origin story (!!), so jump right i…

Physical culture, expressed in the form of dance, theatre, song and martial arts, has a deep and rich tradition in human societies. In this episode, part one of two, we converse with Dr. Kush Dhebar on India's wrestling and grappling culture, its representation and expression in material culture and the concept of masculinity, both in the past and …

How can we create an equitable world of digital heritage? Let's continue exploring more about heritage conservation in the digital world. We are joined by Michael Benhamou, Founder, and President of Focillon. Focillon is a Non-Government Organisation working on digital heritage preservation and curation with a team of experts. Let us hear more from…

Another Museum Day Special! We continue the tradition of virtually touring museums in South Asia, and bring another museum to you! We tour S. L. Bhatia History of Medicine Museum with Radhika Hegde in this episode. And wait for a surprise at the end of today's episode! How do you view museums? Let us know on our socials @chippinawayind, or send a c…

On the occasion of World Heritage Day (18th April), we take a look at what heritage is, what it consists of, and why it is relevant. We dive into the various types of heritage and why we ought to do our best to protect and preserve it! Join us in the discussion on Instagram and Twitter @chippinawayind And support us on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.com/chip…

We continue with our discussion on the application of Queer theory in archaeology with Scott Coleman. We look at various practical examples, such as investigating gender and gender roles, the presence and role of children and even Roman roads! Join us in the discussion on Instagram and Twitter @chippinawayind And support us on ko-fi: https://ko-fi.…

Welcome to Season 3! We inaugurate this season by readjusting our tendency to see the world in binaries. We position queer theory in archaeological practice with our guest speaker, Scott Coleman. From the library to the field we traverse the mine-field of "set paths" to open up our view of the world. Join us in the discussion on Instagram and Twitt…

"What inspired this podcast?", asked a few of our listeners. We bring a slice of the behind-the-scenes story of the Chippin' Away podcast for you! In this season finale episode, your hosts Akash and Durga are interviewed by a mystery host, with some tongue-twisters, a quiz about the podcast itself, and a generous serving of nuggets from Chippin' Aw…

Let us explore a much "alluded to" topic in our discussion of the past! How the study of languages could help the construction of a past cultural milieu. We introduce the theme of "Archaeolinguistics" or "Linguistic Anthropology" in this episode of our podcast, with our guest speaker Gabrielle Roccella. Gabrielle draws from the world of Indo-Europe…

Get ready to eat! ...and explore how potatoes and other tubers have influenced the human diet since prehistoric times. Your hosts Akash and Durga discuss tubers - how they were procured, cooked, consumed, and carried with travelling groups across great distances. And while you listen to the fascinating history of potatoes, Akash has but one questio…

Catch the uncut and unabridged edition of our conversation with Dr. Shilpa Dahake on all things rivers, riverscapes and people! Sections from this interview formed the basis of episodes S02E08 and S02E09, A Bridge over Troubled Waters! As always, keep the budding conversation going, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @ChippinAwayIND Or send us…

Let us continue our conversation with Dr. Shilpa Dahake, as we discuss rivers, riverscapes and sacred landscapes associated with water bodies. This deep dive into the human-river interaction opens more exciting avenues of discussion! If you haven't already, catch Part 1 of this episode first! As always, keep the budding conversation going, and foll…

In this episode, part one of two, we continue investigating our relationship with the various natural elements - water! We look at how water, in particular rivers, have contributed to human culture and civilisation. Join us in discussion with Dr. Shilpa Dahake as we investigate how rivers have shaped our human world and how we, as agents of change,…

How does the history of art contribute to archaeology? This episode explores a case study of sculptural art in South Asia with Kanika Gupta. We also discuss her new coauthored book "Lupadakhe", which explores the movements of sculptors and their work at various ancient sites in Western India. Ready to pick up the metaphorical chisel and get chippin…

In this, the second episode of 'Elementals', we look at Earth. How can we use the Earth itself to help us date the past? And how have humans modified Earthly processes? Join us, as we converse with Dr. Aayush Srivastava on how he uses sand grains to date the archaeological record (luminescence dating) and what his research into the Thar tells us ab…

On 30th May 1863, the Father of Indian Prehistory, Robert Bruce Foote discovered a handaxe (prehistoric tool) at Pallavaram in Tamil Nadu (India). This discovery put South Asia on the map for the conversations on prehistory and early human activity. Team Chippin' Away marks this day with Prof. Shanti Pappu who continues to work on the prehistory of…

We're back with another Museum Day Special! We discuss a one-of-its-kind museum in India with our guest speaker Miss Sanjana Rangan in this episode. Let's dive in! And don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @chippinawayind and send us a line at chippinawayind@gmail.com Support the Show. Send your comments and inputs to us at chippinaway…

...because we're talking about Fire! First in the series "Elementals", we discuss the role of fire. From cooking to protection, and influencing iron-clad habits and modus operandi for humans, fire has influenced all walks of life. Let us know what you think of the power of fire! Twitter and Instagram @chippinawayind And send us a line at chippinawa…

And the story of women in the past continues! In this episode, we explore more data on women in archaeology and the history of South Asia. We discuss the theory from genetics, analyze how some of the stereotypes and first impressions can be misleading, and propose peering beyond the binary of genders in the study of the past to understand the prese…

Hello! We're back with Season 2, right after Women's History Month (March). Your podcast hosts Akash and Durga discuss the representation of women in archaeological, historical, and social contexts as we journey along with the cultural pasts of South Asia. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @chippinawayind And send us a line with co…

In the Season Finale for Season One, we journey into the present which holds the key to understanding and unlocking hidden facets of the past, through the lens of ethnography and its archaeological avatar, ethnoarchaeology. We are also treated to an insight into Durga's research work which incorporates ethnography in practice to study the past of W…

Getting the rock game on for this episode, your hosts Akash and Durga discuss bits and pieces (or shall we say rocks and pebbles?) of the Stone Age in South Asia. In this penultimate episode for the season, join us on our journey going back a few million years! There is so much more to discuss, and this is just a tiny sliver of our discussions on r…

The jingle of coins in your pocket is a rare occurrence - now that we have moved to plastic money and e-currency. But coins hold a special place for the study of the past, and also for our nostalgia! Let's invest in the introduction of numismatics - the field of study of coins, with examples from India and Sri Lanka. We have with us Chitramala Thar…

"The narratives that reached South Asia with the Portuguese sailing on the high seas, continue to influence the quotidian life to this day". - We don't want to get wrapped up in jargon! So let's board the metaphorical boat again, for a plunge into the Portuguese influence along the West coast of India. We continue our journey with part three of the…

All hands on deck? Let's sail to South Asia of the 1500s to explore the vicissitudes of colonial powers in South Asia. We hear/read/discuss British Colonialism, and let's shift our focus to peel the layers of the Portuguese presence in South Asia. The boats reached ashore, and a firm banner of Portuguese rule is planted over Indian soil. What next.…

Pakistan and India celebrate the days of independence on August 14th and 15th respectively. Independence from European powers and freeing away from the yoke of colonial power is the reason to celebrate - indeed! But let us step beyond the precipice to discuss what is colonialism as seen through various colonialisms in the South Asian subcontinent. …

We are not talking about inscriptions and alphabet etched on stone! But about the narratives that are a part of intangible culture, expressed in tangible form. Too much jargon!? Fear not, just tune into the episode to learn about embedded myths in landscape and geology as a part and parcel of archaeology... Send us more myths and narratives that yo…

We speak of knowledge as a Public domain and when it comes to culture, heritage, and the study of the past, it becomes a public endeavour. History, Archaeology, and Anthropology cannot be fully understood from individual ivory towers. This is what Latha, the Founder of Chai With History, discusses with us in this episode. Join us, to know more abou…

Dogs have been our best friends and companions for over 20,000 years at least, and in this episode, we trace the journey of this relationship - from how a humble grey wolf became everybody's good girl/boy! :) Follow us on Twitter and Instagram (@ChippinAwayIND) and do email us (chippingawayind@gmail.com) to keep the conversation going! Support the …

Instead of chippin' away today, let's stack some stones! ;) What does the Iron Age in South Asia look like? What do we collectively know about the ancient cultures that built imposing monuments with big rocks and boulders? Let's journey into the iron age of South Asia, and the megalith culture of the subcontinent. We are joined by Dr. Oishi Roy who…

The past necessitates a point of reference, which we experience as time. In this episode, your hosts Durga and Akash take you on a journey of time itself (time travel, if you will), through the ways we measured time in the past, as well as how we evaluate time in our present. Are we conning time? Have we templated time? Or is it just a futile exerc…

We heard you, all museum enthusiasts, and students of culture and heritage! Here's to you all; the die-hard muses of the cabinet of curiosities. Some more behind-the-scenes in a museum! Here's a special episode for the International Museum Day. An extended version of the interview with Ms. Ruta for our episode #4: Acquire, Inquire. You know that on…

Museum Day is (almost) here! Join your hosts Akash and Durga on a virtual behind-the-scenes tour of museums. A brief history of museums in South Asia followed by a special guest interview will peel the layers of how a museum works. Ms. Ruta, the Assistant Curator at Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai (India) speaks about the nuts and bolts of a museum ex…

Yes, the archaeologists carefully plan and then excavate sites. But there are some chance finds...or as we say, lady luck smiles upon us! Hosts Durga and Akash take you on a whirlwind tour of such chance finds in archaeology that changed the way we look at the past. Do you know any such chance finds? Give this episode a listen and keep the conversa…

Why do archaeologists need to traverse from the library to the laboratory!? Let's discuss the various stages of envisioning an archaeological project from asking the research question to shovelling the earth, in this second episode of Chippin' Away. Your hosts Durga and Akash take you on a 15-minute audio journey of field methods in archaeology wit…