Ancient India

India , the name comes from the Indus River.While the civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt have long been recognized for their celebrated contributions to civilization, this country situated in Asia , has often been overlooked, especially in the West, The history and culture of India is just as rich as any other ancient civilization.

Bharatavarsha as its called, experienced homonid activity in the Indian sub-continent stretches back over 250,000 years and is the oldest inhabited regions on the planet.The name 'Bharata' refers to the ancient mythological emperor, Bharata, whose story is mentioned in the Indian epic Mahabharata. According to the writings known as the books of Puranas king Bharata conquered the whole sub-continent of India and ruled the land in peace and harmony.

Archaeological excavations have discovered artifacts used by early humans, including stone tools, which suggest an extremely early date for human habitation and technology.  PRE-HISTORY OF INDIA The species Homo heidelbergensis was an ancestor of modern Homo sapiens inhabited the sub-continent of India centuries before humans migrated to Europe. Evidence of the existence of Homo heidelbergensis was first discovered in Germany in 1907 and, since, further discoveries have established fairly clear migration patterns of this species out of Africa. Though the ancient city of Harappa was known to exist , its archaeological significance was ignored and the later excavations corresponded to an interest in locating the probable sites referred to in the great Indian epics Mahabharata and Ramayana . The village of Balathal Rajasthan, to cite only one example, illustrates the antiquity of India’s history as it dates to 4000 BCE. Balathal was discovered by 1962 CE and excavations began by 1990’s CE. PAST EXCAVATIONS . Archaeological excavations in the past fifty years changes the understanding of the world history. Evidence of leprosy in India is found by excavating a 4000 year-old skeleton discovered at Balathal in 2009 CE . While it is widely accepted that the Aryans brought the horse to India, there is some debate as to whether they introduced new deities to the region or simply influenced the existing belief structure. The Aryans were nature worshippers with a special devotion to the sun . It is thought that the River Indus flooded the lands of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa (as evidenced by approximately 30 feet or 9 metres of silt at Mohenjo-Daro). Other scholars cite the Aryan migration as more of an invasion of the land which brought about a great change in the life style and culture of the people of that land. Among the most mysterious aspects of Mohenjo-Daro is the vitrification of parts of the site as though it had been exposed to intense heat which melted the brick and stone. Speculation regarding the destruction of the city by some kind of ancient atomic blast . Increased urbanization and wealth attracted the attention of Cyrus, ruler of the Persian Empire, who invaded India in 530 BCE and initiated a campaign of conquest in the region. Ten years later, under the reign of his son, Darius I, northern India was firmly under Persian control .  THE GREAT EMPIRES OF ANCIENT INDIA Persia held dominance in northern India until the conquest of Alexander the Great in 327 BCE. One year later, Alexander had defeated the Achaemenid Empire and firmly conquered the Indian subcontinent. Again, foreign influences were brought to bear on the region giving rise to the Greco-Buddhist culture.

Following Alexander’s departure from India, the Maurya Empire (322-185 BCE) rose under the reign of Chandragupta Maurya (322-298) until, by the end of the third century BCE, it ruled over almost all of northern India. Chandragupta’s son, Bindusara reigned between 298-272 BCE and extended the empire throughout the whole of India. His son was Ashoka the Great under whose rule the empire flourished at its height. Eight years into his reign, Ashoka conquered the eastern city-state of Kalinga which resulted in a death toll numbering over 100,000. Shocked at the destruction and death, Ashoka embraced the teachings of the Buddha. He established many monasteries and gave lavishly to Buddhist communities.

His support of Buddhist values eventually caused a strain on the government both financially and politically as even his grandson, Sampadi, heir to the throne, opposed his policies. By the end of Ashoka’s reign the government treasury was severely depleted through his regular religious donations and, after his death, the empire declined rapidly. The country splintered into many small kingdoms and empires in what has come to be called the Middle Period. This era saw the increase of trade with Rome. This was a time of individual and cultural development in the various kingdoms which finally flourished in what is considered the Golden Age of India under the reign of the Gupta Empire (320-550 CE). He laid the foundation for the government which would so stabilize India that virtually every aspect of culture reached its height under the reign of the Guptas. Philosophy, literature, science, mathematics, architecture, astronomy, technology, art, engineering, religion, and astronomy, among other fields, all flourished during this period, resulting in some of the greatest of human achievements. The Puranas of Vyasa were compiled during this period and the famous caves of Ajanta and Ellora, with their elaborate carvings and vaulted rooms, were also begun. Kalidasa the poet and playwright wrote his masterpiece Shakuntala and the Kamasutra was also written, or compiled from earlier works, by Vatsyayana. Varahamihira explored astronomy at the same time as Aryabhatta, recognized the importance of the concept of zero.

The richness of India is not only into its old found gold and diamomnds, but also in its history, technology, culture, logic as well as science.