Bengaluru Team Brings Ancient Indian Diets to YouTube

Ever wondered what people ate 5,000 years ago in ancient India? A Bengaluru team just launched a YouTube series that answers exactly that.

The Historically Tempered Collective released the first two videos of "Thali by Thali," a 15-part series exploring what ancient Indians actually ate. The videos feature leading archaeologists and historians breaking down discoveries like burnt seeds and fish bones from the Harappan civilization.

The collective includes historian Janaki Nair, writer Saisudha Acharya, INTACH Bengaluru convenor Meera Iyer, and history teacher Ajay Cadambi. They unveiled their project at Sabha Bengaluru this Tuesday to an enthusiastic crowd.

What makes these videos special is how accessible they are. Animations and artwork bring ancient kitchens to life, making complex archaeological findings understandable for all ages. Experts like archaeologists Jaya Menon and Supriya Varma, plus renowned historian Romila Thapar, share their discoveries in plain language.

The team has a bigger mission than just talking about food. "There is in our public life a cacophony of claims and counterclaims about history," Nair explained. "We are entering this field to shift the discourse slightly and say there are aspects of history that need to be understood by youngsters in particular."

Meera Iyer pointed out something many of us have experienced. People often say history is boring and full of dates, yet newspapers are filled with historical debates. Understanding how to think critically about the past has never been more important.

The Ripple Effect

This project bridges a crucial gap between academic research and public understanding. Decades of solid research on Indian social and cultural history has remained locked in academic journals and specialized books. Now it's available free on YouTube, reaching students, families, and curious minds everywhere.

The series doesn't claim to have all the answers. Instead, it shows how historians piece together evidence from burnt food remnants, ancient cooking vessels, and archaeological sites. It teaches viewers to think critically about the past without falling for myths or exaggerated claims.

Future videos will explore ancient foods from different regions of India, revealing how diverse and sophisticated early Indian cuisine really was. The team is already previewing episodes on South Indian food traditions that go back thousands of years.

History just got a lot more delicious, and a lot more accessible.