September 2025

In short: India's historical anniversaries, discoveries and heritage news this month — distilled for SI/Constable Prelims.

Current Affairs — India › History · 9 min read · Free to read · English & Telugu

Bilingual study notes for the Andhra Pradesh Police SI & Constable exams (SLPRB AP) by AP Police Hub, a product of Anvil Academy.

September 2025's History thread — Raja Prithu Rai, the 13th-century Kamarupa king who defeated Bakhtiyar Khilji's invasion, underwater archaeology at the ancient Chola port of Poompuhar, the threatened Kodaikanal Dolmens, and the Gyan Bharatam Portal for India's manuscript heritage.

September 2025 — At a Glance

September 2025's History content, like August's, has no dedicated section in either monthly digest — but Vision IAS's Culture chapter surfaced a genuine medieval-history rediscovery: Raja Prithu Rai, the 13th-century Kamarupa king who defeated Bakhtiyar Khilji's invading army in Assam, a battle rarely taught in mainstream textbooks. Tamil Nadu's Archaeology Department also launched underwater explorations at Poompuhar, the ancient Chola-era port city of Kaveripattinam, while the 5,000-year-old Kodaikanal Dolmens made news for facing destruction from road construction. Separately, the Prime Minister launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal to digitise India's manuscript heritage.

1. Medieval History in the News

Raja Prithu Rai and the Khen dynasty of Kamarupa

Who — Raja Prithu Rai (also Prithu Raja) ruled the kingdom of Kamarupa (roughly present-day Assam) in the early 13th century (c. 1185–1228 CE), belonging to the Khen dynasty.
Dynasty & faith — The Khen dynasty claimed descent from the mythical Narakasura; its rulers were devout worshippers of Goddess Kamateshwari (a form of Goddess Durga); they rose as local chieftains after the decline of the Pala dynasty, founding the Kamata kingdom (also called Kamarupa, Kamarud, Kamta, Koch or Koch-Hajo).
The Khilji invasion — Turko-Afghan general Bakhtiyar Khilji — earlier notorious for destroying Nalanda University — led roughly 12,000 cavalry from Devkot (Bengal) around 1206 CE, intending to strike through Kamarupa toward Tibet.
The defeat — Prithu's forces inflicted a crushing defeat on Khilji's army; the invaders suffered heavy losses retreating across the Brahmaputra, and Khilji himself was gravely wounded, dying shortly after.
Evidence — The Kanai Barashi rock inscription in Assam corroborates the destruction of the Turkish invading force in 1206 CE; Persian chronicles like the Tabaqat-i-Nasiri also reference the campaign.
Conduct in war — Prithu is remembered for showing mercy to prisoners of war and following the principles of dharmayuddha (righteous warfare) even in victory.
Why it matters — One of the earliest and most decisive resistances to Turko-Afghan expansion into Northeast India — yet remains largely absent from mainstream history teaching.

2. Archaeology in the News

Poompuhar — underwater exploration at an ancient Chola port

What — Tamil Nadu's State Department of Archaeology launched underwater explorations at Poompuhar, on the Tamil Nadu coast near the mouth of the Kaveri River.
Ancient identity — Known as Kaveripattinam or Puhar in Sangam-era literature; it was a major port city and served as a capital of the early Chola dynasty during the early centuries CE.
Significance — Underwater archaeology at Poompuhar has long probed submerged structures believed linked to coastal erosion and sea-level change over two millennia, making it a key site for understanding ancient Tamil maritime trade.

Kodaikanal Dolmens — megalithic structures under threat

What — Dolmens near the hill station of Kodaikanal (Dindigul district, Tamil Nadu, in the Palani Hills of the Western Ghats) — megalithic stone structures reported to be around 5,000 years old — face destruction from road construction and urban expansion.
About dolmens — Megalithic monuments typically made of large stone slabs, associated across peninsular India with Iron Age burial and memorial practices; South India's megalithic culture is a key marker in the transition from prehistory to early historic times.
Why it matters — Their reported destruction underlines the tension between urban/tourism infrastructure growth and the preservation of India's prehistoric heritage sites.

3. Heritage & Manuscripts

Gyan Bharatam Portal — digitising India's manuscript heritage

What — The Prime Minister launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal to aid the preservation of India's manuscript heritage, making it easier to access while safeguarding traditional knowledge.
Background — Announced under the Union Budget 2025-26's Gyan Bharatam Mission, which aims to survey, document and conserve India's manuscript wealth.
About manuscripts — Defined as handwritten works at least 75 years old on paper, bark, cloth, metal, palm leaf or other material, with scientific, historical or artistic value — lithographs and printed texts do not count.
Scale — India holds a 'Memory of the World'-scale heritage of roughly 1 crore manuscripts, written in about 80 ancient scripts, including Brahmi, Kushana, Gaudi, Lepcha and Maithili.