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A Comprehensive History of India Lecture – 6 January 8, 2011 The Golden Age

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 India Lecture – 6 January 8, 2011 The Golden Age

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  1. A Comprehensive History of IndiaLecture – 6January 8, 2011The Golden Age Maharaj Mukherjee

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. Science • Arya (Arya Bhatta) – Mathematician, Scientist, Astronomer • Bhaskara (Bhaskara Acharya) – Mathematician, Astronomer, Physicist • Baraha Mihira (Mihira Bhatta) – Astronomer, Astrologer • Bramha Gupta – Mathematician

  6. Development in Astronomy • Ptolemaic System (Greek System) Earth is placed at the center of the Universe

  7. Arya Bhatta’s System Earth moves around the sun

  8. Bhaskara, Baraha Mihir • Found why and when eclipse happens • Found the cause of high and low tides

  9. 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 = ?

  10. 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

  11. Shakuntala by KalidasaThe story of the missing ring

  12. 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

  13. Engineering The Iron Pillar of Kumaragupta – in New Delhi, India

  14. British Mughala Maurya Gupta Harsha Sultaan Pala Nanda SaatVahana Kushana Rashtrakuta Chola 1 - 400 AD Golden Age of Indian History

  15. 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

  16. Kushana Empire and the Silk Route Their Capital was Purushpura – Currently Peswar in Pakistan

  17. 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

  18. 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

  19. The Gupta Empire

  20. 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

  21. 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)

  22. 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

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