This compendium of sixteen papers attempts to examine the different aspects of political processes and the structure of politics in pre-colonial India. Taking a close look at the integrative model of state formation in early medieval India, it discusses at length state’s perception of the ‘forest’ and the ‘forest’ as state in early India.

Situating early historical states, it describes the processes of state formation, with special reference to the Mauryan, Kalinga and Andhra empires. It also deals with the making of translocal early kingdoms, the rituals of power, the structure of regional politics, political power and religious prestige, political intermediaries, and cultural comples.