India, June 20 -- This persistent typecasting of erstwhile princely states not only disregards their diverse contributions to the nation, but also reveals the broader danger of allowing pop culture, politics, and prejudice to hijack historical truth

Social historian Philip Jordan sagely notes, "History is an aggregate of half-truths, semi-truths, fables, myths, rumours, prejudices, personal narratives, gossip and official prevarications". This truism insists that the wider understanding of history is always subject to cherry-picking by those with the "monopoly of the narrative" to frame a certain narrative that they prefer.

Anyone (or any side) can be made to look like a saint or sinner, depending on who gets to define "history". In a 5...