The importance of regional studies in providing a comprehensive framework for the writing of Indian History has been recognized for a long time. The Indian subcontinent displays considerable diversity in geography, language, culture and economic conditions. It is not surprising that a general theory which can explain all the regional variations in the social and economic development of India has proved elusive. However, detailed regional studies that have been undertaken recently are useful in throwing light into a number of problems that a student of history faces while analyzing the socio-economic structure of a particular period or the character of a social movement. Such studies have also demonstrated the complexities involved in applying an accepted historical concept or category in a specific regional context.