Long before the Mughals, before the Sultanate, before Delhi was even called ”Delhi” — there was a city built on Stone Age tools, a river that flowed somewhere else entirely, and a legendary capital nobody can fully prove existed.Swapna Liddle is a renowned Indian historian, author, art curator, and heritage conservator who has dedicated her life to uncovering and preserving the rich history, architecture, and culinary heritage of Delhi.📚 Books by Swapna Liddle Featured / Mentioned:* Shahjahanabad: Mapping a Mughal City (Roli Books) [14]* Chandni Chowk: The Mughal City of Old Delhi (Speaking Tiger Books) [16]* The Broken Script (Speaking Tiger Books) [15]* Connaught Place and the Making of New Delhi (Speaking Tiger Books) [17]* Delhi: 14 Historic Walks (Westland Books) [18]* Two Delhis, Old and New (HarperCollins India) [19]In this episode, historian Swapna joins Shwetas Talkies to trace Delhi's story back before the 10th century. We talk about the hunter-gatherers who left stone tools scattered across the Delhi Ridge, the ”later Harappan” settlements that quietly outlived the great Indus Valley cities, and why the Yamuna you see today isn't where the Yamuna used to flow. 📖🔎We also dig into the biggest debate in Delhi's ancient history — was Indraprastha, the legendary capital of the Mahabharata's Pandavas, a real place? Swapna walks us through the evidence: a village called ”Indarpat” that survived near Purana Qila into the early 1900s, a centuries-old inscription referencing the ”Pargana of Indraprastha,” and a 16th-century Mughal chronicler's account — and why ”people believed this” is itself a historical fact worth taking seriously, even when archaeology can't confirm the rest. 🏺📜 Along the way, we uncover:🔸 Ashoka’s ancient edict near Kalkaji🔸 Why the Grand Trunk Road is far older than the Mughals🔸 The difference between the Gregorian, Vikram Samvat and Shaka Samvat calendars🔸 How Delhi’s landscape changed over thousands of years🔸 And why every historian — ancient or modern — carries biases that influence the questions they choose to ask.From Stone Age tools to Indraprastha, this is a journey into the Delhi that existed before Delhi became Delhi. 🏛️🪨🌊🎙️ Watch the full episode and discover the forgotten layers beneath one of India’s greatest cities.👉 Subscribe to Shweta’s Talkies for more stories from India’s history, heritage, culture and forgotten past.🌐 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shwetas_talkies/🎧 Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/34iungbq80RSogBRc6zkrr💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shwetasatpathy/📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572020330682🐦 Twitter/X: https://x.com/shwetas_talkies?s=21🎬 Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user229859187👻 Snapchat: https://www.snapchat.com/add/shwetastalkies📌 Pinterest: https://in.pinterest.com/shwetastalkies/Disclaimer:The views, opinions, and experiences expressed by the guest(s) in this conversation are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Shweta's Talkies or its host. This content is intended solely for informational, educational, and documentary purposes. Every effort has been made to present information accurately; however, viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult relevant experts where appropriate. Any historical references, interpretations, or personal recollections are shared in good faith and may be subject to further research and differing perspectives. Unauthorised reproduction or redistribution of this content, in whole or in part, without prior permission is prohibited.#ShwetasTalkies #AncientDelhi #DelhiHistory #Indraprastha #IndianHistory #Mahabharata #AncientIndia