INTRODUCTION: INDIA AND HER ANCIENT CULTURE
Chapter – 1
Table of Contents
THE LAND OF INDIA
- India’s ancient civilization developed in a sub-continent demarcated by the Himalayas.
- The Himalayas, though not an insurmountable barrier, played a role in shaping India’s unique civilization.
- India’s isolation was not complete, and people and trade crossed the mountain passes.
- The mountains are crucial as the source of India’s two major rivers: the Indus and the Ganga.
- The rainy season’s moisture on the Himalayan peaks feeds streams that form the river systems.
- The Indus River system, now mainly in Pakistan, had an early civilization around 2000 BCE.
- The Panjab region, watered by five tributaries of the Indus, had a high culture over two thousand years before Christ.
- The lower Indus, in present-day Sind, now passes through a barren desert, once a well-watered and fertile land.
- The sub-continent of India is geographically diverse, with the Himalayas in the north, the Ganga plain, the Thar Desert, and the Deccan Peninsula.
- The Ganga plain, especially the region from Delhi to Patna, is considered the heart of India and was once known as Aryavarta, the land of the Aryans.
- The Deccan is a dry and hilly plateau, bordered by the Western and Eastern Ghats, with rivers flowing eastwards and westwards.
- Southern India, particularly the Tamil country, has a distinct culture and linguistic differences from the North.
- Ceylon (Sri Lanka) is considered a continuation of India, with similar geographical features.
- The sub-continent’s climate varies, with cold winters in the Himalayas, hot summers in the northern plains, milder temperatures in the Deccan, and a continuously hot climate in the Tamil Plain.
- The monsoon, vital for agriculture, arrives in June, bringing relief from the intense heat and revitalizing the landscape.
- India’s dependence on the monsoon has influenced its character, with major disasters like flood, famine, and plague challenging control.
- The climate may have contributed to a love of ease and comfort in the Indian character, with occasional reactions of self-denial and strenuous effort.
THE DISCOVERY OF ANCIENT INDIA
- Ancient Indian civilization has a continuous cultural tradition, unlike Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Greece.
- Traditions in India have been preserved without a break to the present day.
- European interest in Indian history began in the 18th century, with early scholars like Sir William Jones.
- Jesuit missionaries in India, like Father Hanxleden, made early attempts to study Sanskrit.
- Sir William Jones, a linguistic genius, arrived in Calcutta in 1783 and played a crucial role in the study of ancient Indian culture.
- The Asiatic Society of Bengal, founded in 1784, marked the beginning of serious research into India’s past.
- Translations of Sanskrit works by scholars like Charles Wilkins and Henry Colebrooke contributed to the growth of interest in Sanskrit literature in Europe.
- Franz Bopp’s work in 1816 laid the foundation for comparative philology, connecting Sanskrit with European languages.
- Archaeological interest in India began in the 19th century, with James Prinsep deciphering the Brahmi script and Alexander Cunningham becoming the father of Indian archaeology.
- In the 20th century, archaeological excavations in India, especially under Sir John Marshall, led to the discovery of the Indus civilization.
- The Archaeological Survey of India, reformed in 1901, played a crucial role in unearthing traces of ancient Indian cities.
- Indian scholars have taken the lead in Indology, contributing to critical editions of ancient texts and undertaking significant research.
- Today, Indian archaeology is under Indian direction, signaling a shift in the balance of scholarly contributions.
- Despite challenges, the European student still has a role to play in Indology as a helper and friendly critic in the evolving cultural synthesis.
THE GLORY OF ANCIENT INDIA
- Throughout its history, India experienced internal conflicts and rulers known for cunning and unscrupulous statecraft.
- Challenges like famine, flood, and plague periodically afflicted the population, causing the death of millions.
- Religious sanction justified inequality of birth, making life difficult for the humble.
- Despite these challenges, ancient Indian civilization stood out for fair and humane relations among individuals and between individuals and the state.
- Slavery was relatively uncommon in ancient India, and the Arthashastra protected the rights of slaves.
- Manu, an ancient lawgiver, proclaimed noble ideals of fair play in battle.
- Hindu India’s history of warfare had few instances of cities being put to the sword or the massacre of non-combatants, contrasting with the brutal practices of some other ancient cultures.
- Although sporadic cruelty and oppression existed, conditions in ancient India were milder compared to other early cultures.
- Humanity is the most striking feature of ancient Indian civilization, with a focus on fairness and compassion.
- Misconceptions propagated by some 19th-century missionaries portrayed India as a land of lethargy and gloom, but evidence suggests otherwise.
- Observing modern rush-hour crowds in Bombay illustrates the active and vibrant nature of the Indian character.
- The fallacy of perceiving ancient India as “life-negating” is evident when considering secular literature, sculpture, and paintings of the time.
- The average Indian appreciated life, accepted the world as it was, and sought happiness within it.
- Everyday life in ancient India was characterized by joy, kindness, and gentleness in mutual relationships.
- Despite challenges, India’s ancient culture deserves admiration for its achievements in religion, literature, art, and mathematics.