Focuses On The Ideas And Work Of Alexander Cunningham And Examines The Contribution Of His Assistants-Beglar And Carlleyle. Examines The Defenitions Of Archaeological Research, The Conflict Between Archaeologists And Scholars And Different Approaches Towards The Conservation Of Historical Monuments. Reconstructs The History Of-Bodh Gaya, Sanchi And Bharat And Amravati. Useful For General Readers Interested In India`S Antiguity, Students And Researchers. Has 10 Chapters Followed By A Useful Bibliography And An Index.
The Present Book, New History Of Ancient India, Is An Attempt To Present The Indian History In The Light Of Recent Discoveries And Excavations Made In This Field. The History Of India Before The Invasion Of Alexander The Great In 328 B.C. Has Been Generally Considered A Myth. Accordingly, Brahma, Vishnu And Mahesh, Manu And Mandhata, Harishchandra And Bhagirath, Shri Rama And Shri Krishna, All Have Been Treated Non-Historical, Mythical Personages. But The Recent Discoveries Like Those Of Dwarika Of Shri Krishna In The Sea And Lanka Of Ravana In Orissa As Well As The Authentic Determining Of The Date Of Floods, That Find Mention In The Purana, Have Outrightly Refuted The Past Presumptions. With New Things Coming To Light, It Is Desirable That History Be Rewritten. It Is With This View That The Present Book Has Been Written. It Aims At Presenting The Information In An Analytic Manner And Also In Chronological Order. Beginning From The Vedic Yuga, The Book Presents An In-Depth Study Of Devasura Yuga, Satya Yuga, Dwapar Yuga And Kaliyuga. All The Information, Both Conventional And Recent, Provided In The Book Are Authentic As They Are Taken From The Authoritative Sources. The Book Is Unique In Its Presentation As It Richly Provides Maps Of Ancient States, Photographs And Figures, Which Not Only Give A Glimpse Of The Related Age Or Yuga But Also Facilitate Easy Understanding Of Information. Since Miracles, Exaggerations, Mysteries And Supernatural Powers Find No Reference Here, The Book Can Be Held A Complete, Authoritative Text On Ancient Indian History.It Is Hoped That The Students, Research Scholars And Even Teachers Of Indian History Will Find This Book Highly Useful And Indispensable For Having A Thorough And Updated Knowledge Of Ancient India. Even The General Readers Will Find This Book Extremely Interesting And Informative.
The Present Book, New History Of Ancient India, Is An Attempt To Present The Indian History In The Light Of Recent Discoveries And Excavations Made In This Field. The History Of India Before The Invasion Of Alexander The Great In 328 B.C. Has Been Generally Considered A Myth. Accordingly, Brahma, Vishnu And Mahesh, Manu And Mandhata, Harishchandra And Bhagirath, Shri Rama And Shri Krishna, All Have Been Treated Non-Historical, Mythical Personages. But The Recent Discoveries Like Those Of Dwarika Of Shri Krishna In The Sea And Lanka Of Ravana In Orissa As Well As The Authentic Determining Of The Date Of Floods, That Find Mention In The Purana, Have Outrightly Refuted The Past Presumptions. With New Things Coming To Light, It Is Desirable That History Be Rewritten. It Is With This View That The Present Book Has Been Written. It Aims At Presenting The Information In An Analytic Manner And Also In Chronological Order. Beginning From The Vedic Yuga, The Book Presents An In-Depth Study Of Devasura Yuga, Satya Yuga, Dwapar Yuga And Kaliyuga. All The Information, Both Conventional And Recent, Provided In The Book Are Authentic As They Are Taken From The Authoritative Sources. The Book Is Unique In Its Presentation As It Richly Provides Maps Of Ancient States, Photographs And Figures, Which Not Only Give A Glimpse Of The Related Age Or Yuga But Also Facilitate Easy Understanding Of Information. Since Miracles, Exaggerations, Mysteries And Supernatural Powers Find No Reference Here, The Book Can Be Held A Complete, Authoritative Text On Ancient Indian History.It Is Hoped That The Students, Research Scholars And Even Teachers Of Indian History Will Find This Book Highly Useful And Indispensable For Having A Thorough And Updated Knowledge Of Ancient India. Even The General Readers Will Find This Book Extremely Interesting And Informative.
A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India is the most comprehensive textbook yet for undergraduate and postgraduate students. It introduces students to original sources such as ancient texts, artefacts, inscriptions and coins, illustrating how historians construct history on their basis. Its clear and balanced explanation of concepts and historical debates enables students to independently evaluate evidence, arguments and theories. This remarkable textbook allows the reader to visualize and understand the rich and varied remains of India s ancient past, transforming the process of discovering that past into an exciting experience.
Margarita Diaz-Andreu offers an innovative history of archaeology during the nineteenth century, encompassing all its fields from the origins of humanity to the medieval period, and all areas of the world. The development of archaeology is placed within the framework of contemporary political events, with a particular focus upon the ideologies of nationalism and imperialism. Diaz-Andreu examines a wide range of issues, including the creation of institutions, the conversion of thestudy of antiquities into a profession, public memory, changes in archaeological thought and practice, and the effect on archaeology of racism, religion, the belief in progress, hegemony, and resistance.
How can the complexities of ancient India be comprehended? This book draws on a vast array of texts, inscriptions, archaeology, archival sources and art to delve into themes such as the history of regions and religions, archaeologists and the modern histories of ancient sites, the interface between political ideas and practice, violence and resistance, and the interactions between the Indian subcontinent and the wider world. It highlights recent approaches and challenges in reconstructing South Asia's early history, and in doing so, brings out the exciting complexities of ancient India. Authoritative and incisive, this revised Penguin edition-with two new chapters-is essential reading for students and scholars of ancient Indian history and for all those interested in India's past.
Upinder Singh urges us to abandon simplistic stereotypes and instead think of ancient India in terms of the coexistence of five powerful contradictions-between social inequality and promises of universal salvation, the valorization of desire and detachment, goddess worship and misogyny, violence and non-violence, and religious debate and conflict. She does so using a vast array of sources including religious and philosophical texts, epics, poetry, plays, technical treatises, satire, biographies, and inscriptions, as well as the material and aesthetic evidence of archaeology and art from sites across the subcontinent. Singh's scholarly but highly accessible style, clear explanation, and balanced interpretations offer an understanding of the historian's craft and unravel the many threads of what we think of as ancient Indian culture. This is not a dead or forgotten past but one invoked in different contexts even today. Further, in spite of enormous historical changes over the centuries, the contradictions discussed here still remain.
This groundbreaking book is an elegant exploration of the Upanisads, often considered the fountainhead of the rich, varied philosophical tradition in India. The Upaniṣads, in addition to their philosophical content, have a number of sections that contain narratives and dialogues—a literary dimension largely ignored by the Indian philosophical tradition, as well as by modern scholars. Brian Black draws attention to these literary elements and demonstrates that they are fundamental to understanding the philosophical claims of the text. Focusing on the Upanisadic notion of the self (ātman), the book is organized into four main sections that feature a lesson taught by a brahmin teacher to a brahmin student, debates between brahmins, discussions between brahmins and kings, and conversations between brahmins and women. These dialogical situations feature dramatic elements that bring attention to both the participants and the social contexts of Upanisadic philosophy, characterizing philosophy as something achieved through discussion and debate. In addition to making a number of innovative arguments, the author also guides the reader through these profound and engaging texts, offering ways of reading the Upaniṣads that make them more understandable and accessible.
India is a land of mystery, richness, and deep spiritual discovery. Every facet of this ancient land seems scented with the famous spices that lured European traders to its shores more than five centuries ago. India is quite unique in the way it has brought its ancient histories and traditions with it into the modern age.
