Kingship in Indian History

For the past twenty years, the issue of indian kingship has attracted the attention of many historians leading to a lively debate on it. At the centre of the debate is the theory which placed the king at the pinnalce of society in terms of the gift giving and receiving system supported by A.M. Hocart and revived by Nicholas Dirks and others which criticizes Louis Dumont who subordinated the king to brahmins in terms of pure/impure opposition. These essays by japanese scholars would contribute to the debate based as they are on empirical explorations and enquire into recent polemics relating to indian kingship.