In Delhi, as one moves southwards from the Pragati Maidan, along the Mathura Road, one sees on the left the fortification walls of Purana Qila. These were built by Humayun/Sher Shah along the periphery of a 10-metre high mound. In the revenue records the site is mentioned as Indrapat and local tradition identifies it with Indraprastha of the Mahabharata times. Keen to find out the truth, in 1954-55 the author laid out a trench in the southern part of the mound and found shards of the Painted Grey Ware which is the characteristic ceramic industry met with at all the sites associated with the Mahabharata story. This discovery was confirmed by subsequent excavations as well. These excavations revealed that from the Mahabharata times (circa 1000 bce), the site continued to be occupied up to the British times —a span of 3000 years. Thus, Indraprastha is the earliest and longest-lived city of Delhi. The book presents this glorious panorama. Contents Acknowledgements List of Illustrations I. Introductory II. Indraprastha in Inscriptions I. Chandravati Copper Plate Inscription II. Naraina Stone Inscription III. Sarban Stone Inscription III. Asokan Rock Edict IV. Indraprastha in Literature I. In the Mahabharata II. In the Jatakas III. In Indraprastha Mahatmya V. The Excavations Introductory Period I Period II Period III. Sunga, from Circa 200 bce to the Beginning of the Common Era. Period IV. Saka-Kushan, 1st-3rd Cent. ce Period V. Gupta Period, 4th-6th Cent. ce Period VI. Post-Gupta – Pre-Rajput Period (7th-9th Cent. ce) Period VII. Rajput Period, 10th-12th Cent. ce Period VIII. Sultanate Period, 13th-15th Cent. ce Period IX. Mughal Period, 16th-19th Cent. ce Period X. British Period (Mid-19th Cent. – 1947 ce) VI. Historicity of the Mahabharata VII. Seeing is Believing Bibliography Index