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A Comprehensive History of India Lecture – 6 January 8, 2011 The Golden Age . Maharaj Mukherjee. Time Line Studied So Far. Early Inhabitants of India? Hunter Gatherers – 15000 Years ago Earliest Civilization in the World? Fertile Crescent – 10000 Years ago
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A Comprehensive History of IndiaLecture – 6January 8, 2011The Golden Age Maharaj Mukherjee
Time Line Studied So Far • Early Inhabitants of India? • Hunter Gatherers – 15000 Years ago • Earliest Civilization in the World? • Fertile Crescent – 10000 Years ago • Earliest Civilization in India – City States • Indus Valley Civilization – 5000 - 6000 Years ago • Arrival of Aryans • 3500 - 4000 Years ago • Time of Ramayana – City States • 3000 - 3500 Years ago • Time of Mahabharata – Start of Empire Building • 2700 - 3000 Years ago • Time of Buddha and Mahavira • 2500 Years ago or about 600 BC • Persian Empire 500 BC onwards • Alexander’s Greek Empire – 300 BC • Mauryan Empire (Chandragupta and Ashoka) – 300 BC - AD
Projects for Parents and Students • Think and Discuss: • Why did the Persian Empire and the Mauryan Empire lasted for more than 300 years and the Greek empire built by Alexander did not last more than a decade? • Learn about the Greek Thinkers
Golden Age of Indian History • 1 AD – 400 AD • Time for Great Thinkers: • Science • Literature • Medicine • Engineering • Art • Continued exchange of ideas between Greek and Indian Thinkers
Science • Arya (Arya Bhatta) – Mathematician, Scientist, Astronomer • Bhaskara (Bhaskara Acharya) – Mathematician, Astronomer, Physicist • Baraha Mihira (Mihira Bhatta) – Astronomer, Astrologer • Bramha Gupta – Mathematician
Development in Astronomy • Ptolemaic System (Greek System) Earth is placed at the center of the Universe
Arya Bhatta’s System Earth moves around the sun
Bhaskara, Baraha Mihir • Found why and when eclipse happens • Found the cause of high and low tides
Mathematics • Arya Bhatta, Bhaskara Charya, Bramha Gupta: • Developed basic algebraic systems • Found methods to solve basic Diophantine Equations of the form • A.x + B.y = z • A.x.x + B.y.y + C.x.y = z • Found methods to solve quadratic and cubic equations • Found methods to find sum of series: • 1 + 2 + 3 + . . . + n = ? • 1.1 + 2.2 +3.3 + . . . + n.n = ?
Literature • Kalidasa • Shakuntala, Meghadutam, Kumar Sambhaba, Raghu Bansha, Ritu Sanhara, Vikrama Urvashi • Shudraka: • Mrichhakatika - The Clay Cart • Visakha Dutta • Mudra Rakshasha – The seal of Rakshasha • The story deals with how Chandra Gupta Maurya ascended to the throne of Magadha with the help of Chanakya
Arts and Architecture Mathura Art Form Gandhara Art Form • Influenced by Greek Arts • Details of human body are true to form • Traditional Indian Art Form • Bodily curves are smoother
Engineering The Iron Pillar of Kumaragupta – in New Delhi, India
British Mughala Maurya Gupta Harsha Sultaan Pala Nanda SaatVahana Kushana Rashtrakuta Chola 1 - 400 AD Golden Age of Indian History
Kushana • Hails from the Shaka Tribe • Shaka Tribes came from the same regions as the Aryans came from • The Caucasian regions (The area near Kazakhstan) • Some historians say that Shaka-s are also Aryans • The Kushana empire covered most of North Western India, Pakistan, Iran, Afganisthan and China • Felicitated the trade between far East (China) and Europe through the Silk Route
Kushana Empire and the Silk Route Their Capital was Purushpura – Currently Peswar in Pakistan
Kanishka – the Kushan Emperor • Became Emperor in 89 AD • Started the Shaka Era • Converted to Buddhism • Founder of the Mahayana Buddhism • Mahayana-s believe in gods • They also believe Buddha is God • It is the most commonly followed Buddhism now
Gupta-s • First Chandra Gupta – The founder of the Gupta Empire • Made strong ties with other Indian Kingdoms • Samudra Gupta • Fought the Hun-s and other outside attackers • Second Chandra Gupta – Vikramaditya • Kalidasa was apparently in his court. • Kumaragupta – The last strong emperor of the
Why Golden Age? • Both Kushan and Gupta Empires helped develop: • Stability in the country – Rule of Law • Strong Empire to Prevent outside attack • Trade and Business to grow wealth • Patronized human intellectual activities
End of the Golden Age • Attacks by the Hun-s • The Huns also come from the same regions as Aryans and Shaka-s • The Caucasian regions • Some historians say that they are also racially related to the Aryans • Ruthless fighters • Efficient horse riders • Created the folk lore of Kalki Avatara and Kalki Raja (from Jain religious books)
Quiz • When did the Golden Age Happen? • 0 – 400 AD • Why is it called the Golden Age? • Because of developments in science, art, literature, engineering • What was the contribution of Arya Bhatta in Science? • Show that Earth moves around the Sun • Who wrote Shakuntala? • Kalidasa • Where did the Shaka-s come from? • Caucasian regions • What is the Silk Route? • Ancient trade route extending from China to Europe through Asia • Name one of the Shaka Emperor • Kanishka • Name One of the Gupta Emperors • Chandra Gupta, Samudra Gupta, Kumara Gupta • How did the Golden Age end • Outside attacks by Huns