Synopsis These essays, written over the last quarter of a century, deal with a number of problems of relevance-social change and development dealing mainly in medieval India but tracing the developments in the earlier period, and the impact of these on present developmental approaches; the role of cities in fostering an integrated composite culture; the role of Raja Ram Mohan Roy and the problem of integration, dynamism and decay in Indian culture.  These are related to the growth of education in India, and the need to safeguard against fundamentalism and upholding the values of rationalism.  The author argues that while there was continuous growth in medieval times, the major fruits of development were appropriated by narrow privileged sections, as is often the case.