‘As much about present day anxieties as ancestral accomplishments, about archaeologists and politicians as the politics of archaeology, The Dig is a brilliant survey of some of India's most contentious historical questions. Lucidly crafted, and objectively narrated, it leaves us richer in knowledge, while posing questions about ourselves and our ancestors both.’– Manu S. Pillai, historian and author of Gods, Guns and Missionaries

'With a lightness of touch that belies a gargantuan understanding of a complex subject, Sowmiya Ashok takes the reader companionably through a mesmerizing journey from the country's deepest past, up to its complicated, compromised present. Part travelogue and part nail-biting whodunnit, The Dig offers insights into some of the most politically and emotionally charged questions of the 21st century – who we are and where we came from.’ – Ira Mukhoty, author of