Indian culture is an ancient and dynamic entity, spanning back to the very beginnings of human civilisation. Beginning with a mysterious culture along the Indus River and in farming communities in the southern lands of India, the history of the sub-continent is one puncuated by constant integration with migrating peoples and with the diverse cultures that surround India.
The Indus Valley Civilisation existed in between 3000-1500 BC. Harappa and the city of Mohenjo-Daro were the greatest achievements of the Indus valley civilisation. These cities are well known for their impressive, organised and regular layout. Then came Aryans who composed these evocative hymns to nature and celebrated life exuberantly referred to themselves as Aryas usually anglicised as Aryan meaning 'noble'.
The 6th Century BC was the period of Magadh Kingdom. Chandragupta Maurya ousted the oppressive ruler of Magadh to find his own dynasty that existed from 322-298 BC. The most famous Maurya King Ashoka the Great ruled from 273-232 BC over a large kingdom stretching from Kashmir and Peshawar in the North and Northwest to Mysore in the South and Orissa in the East. He after witnessing the carnage at the battle field of Kalinga (269 BC) in Orissa, dedicated himself to Dharmma (righteousness). In the subsequent centuries, after the Ashoka empire disintegrated, India suffered a series of invasions, and often fell under the spell of foreign rulers - Indo Bactrians, the Sakas and others. After the next 400 years of instability the is considered as the golden age of classical Indian history. Kalidas, the famous Sanskrit poet and dramatist, author of Abhijnana Shankuntalam, Kumarsambhavam and Meghadutam is believed to have adorned the Gupta court. Also the great mathematicians like Aryabhatta and astronomers like Varahmihir lived during this period. The dazzling wall paintings of the Ajanta caves too are traced back to this era.
Cholas, Pandayas and Pallavas ruled over the southern part of India during the ancient period of India's history. Cholas ruled the territory of Deccan while the Pandyas reined around present day Tirunelvelli and Madurai. Pallavas of Kanchi rose to prominence in the 4th Century AD and ruled unchallenged for about four hundred years. The Nayanar and Alvar saint poets belong to this period. The gemlike shore temples at Mahabalipuram date to this period. The Cholas overthrew the Pallavas were in the 9th Century and regained political primacy in south India. The 15th Century saw the decline of the Pandyas.
This book unfolds the history of ancient India in simple language. It presents comprehensive and authentic records of Indus valley civilisation, aryan invasion, Indo-Aryan migrations, Vedic civilisation, pre-Mauryan period, Jainism, Buddhism, the mauryan empire, post-Mauryan period, the Gupta empire, post-Gupta period, and kingdoms of Deccan and South. The contents of the book will be highly valuable to students and general readers interested in the history of ancient India.
Hindu (935)
Agriculture (118)
Ancient (1086)
Archaeology (753)
Architecture (563)
Art & Culture (910)
Biography (702)
Buddhist (544)
Cookery (167)
Emperor & Queen (565)
Islam (242)
Jainism (307)
Literary (896)
Mahatma Gandhi (372)
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist