REVIEW ARTICLE 87 The author's generalisations and observations regarding the process and forces of change need to be tested in other regional contexts before we comprehend the nature of the early medieval rural society at a pan-Indian scale. Moreover, two of the case studies presented in the work extend chronologically into the 13th century. This raises our curiosity as to how, in so far as the study of rural history is concerned, early medieval India would compare with what is considered as the medieval period of Indian history, particularly if rural societies in their different regional contexts are studied in depth. It is in this sense that this publication needs more attention from historians than it has received in the last three years. NOTES AND REFERENCES 1. Romila Thapar, 'Interpretation of Ancient Indian History', in Ancient Indian History, Oriental Longman, Delhi, 1978, p. 8. 2. Louis Dumont, Contribution to Indian Socio, New Series, No. V, December 1971, p. 78. 3. D.D. Kosambi, 'The Basis of Despotism', Economic Weekly, Vol. IX, No. 44, 2 Nov. 1957, pp. 1417-19; An Introduction to the Study of Indian History, Popular Prakashan, Bombay, 1958, pp. 10-11. 4. R.S. Sharma, 'The Socio-Economic Bases of "Oriental Despotism" in Early India', in S.K. Bose, ed.. Essays in Honour of Dr. Gyanchand, New Delhi, 1981, pp. 55-65. 5. Irfan Habib, 'An Examination of Wittfogel's Theory of Oriental Despotism', Enquiry, No. 6, Old Series, 1962, pp. 53-73; 'Marx's Perception of India', The Marxist, Vol. 1, No. 1, 1983; also, 'Classifying Pre-Colonial India', Journal of Peasant Studies, Vol. 12, Nos. 2-3,1985, pp. 44-53. 6. D.D. Kosambi, An Introduction to the Study of Indian History, Chapters IX and X. 7. R.S. Sharma, Indian Feudalism, cen. 300-1200, second edition, Macmillan, 1980. For useful bibliographical references, see R.S. Sharma and D.N. Jha, 'The Economic History of India up to AD 1200: Trends and Prospects', Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient, 17.1, pp. 48-80. 8. R.S Sharma, 'Social Changes in Early Medieval India (c. AD 500-1200), People's Publishing House, New Delhi, 1981, p. 9. For a more recent statement see Urban Decay in India, Munshiram Mapoharlal, 1987, Chapter 10. 9. Aiden Southall, Alur Society: A Study \n Process and Types of Domination, Cambridge, 1956. 10. Y. Subbarayalu, Political Geography of the Tamil Country, Tamilnadu State Department of Archaeology, 1973, pp. 29-35. 11. D.N. Jha, 'Relevance of "Peasant State and Society" to Pallava-Chola Times', Indian Historical Review, Vol. VIII, Nos. 1-2, July 1981-Jan. 1982, p. 86. 12. B. Stein, Peasant State and Society in Medieval South India, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 1980, pp. 67-68. 13. R. Kennedy, 'The King in Early South India as Chieftain and Emperor', Indian Historical Review, Vol. Ill, No. 1, 1976, pp. 8-9. He rejects the theory of brahmana-peasant alliance relying on Bendra Beck's study. Peasant Society in Kongu: A Study in the Right and Left Hand Subcastes in South India, Vancouver, 1972. Cf. Appadorai, Right and Left Hand Castes in South India. •