Re-discovering Indian Culture

Context

Committee to study ancient Indian culture.

Background

A committee has been set up for conducting a holistic study of the origin and evolution of Indian culture since 12,000 years before present and its interface with other cultures of the world.

In Detail

The committee has set up to conduct a holistic study of the evolution of 12,000 years of Indian culture, the government efforts concentrated on to quell misconceptions created by Western scholars about Indian culture through archaeological, astronomical and literary evidences. For instance, the theory of Aryan invasion stands debunked in the light of the 2019 Rakhigarhi DNA report (under Vasant Shinde of Pune’s Deccan College), which points to the continuity of Indian culture since 4,500 years.

The panel comprising experts had a one-year mandate to carry out a holistic study of the origin and evolution of Indian culture since 12,000 years before to present and its interface with other cultures of the world.

Culture Ministry said that by set up a 17-member multi-disciplinary committee that was mandated to verify facts that establish the rich history of India and its culture.

The committee is attempting to capture the antiquity of Indian history, culture and tradition. It will make recommendations and the committee will also be responsible to create resource materials and contents on the same.

While the government denied the committee was linked to any effort to alter the reading of history, the panel's mandate could include an examination of long-held views on the advent of Aryans and the evolution of Sanskrit.

Sources of Ancient Indian History

In ancient Greece and Rome, there were historians to write the accounts of their times. But ancient Indians who wrote on many subjects, rarely wrote history. Most of ancient material has also been lost. It is thus a challenging task to re-discover India’s ancient past. Yet there are some sources from which history is written.

These sources are divided into two main groups. They are Archaeological and Literary. The Archaeological Source can again be divided into three groups, namely, archaeological monuments, inscriptions and coins. The Literary Source can also be divided into three groups, namely, religious literature, secular literature and accounts of foreigners.

Archaeological Sources:

• Archaeological Remains and Monuments: Ancient ruins, remains and monuments recovered as a result of excavation and exploration are archaeological sources of history. Many historical places are lying buried under the earth. But excavations are being carried out to bring some such places to light. The material remains discovered from excavations and ruins speak a good deal of the past. For example, the excavations at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa brought to the knowledge of the world the existence of the Indus Valley Civilization. Excavations have been conducted at Taxila, Pataliputra, Rajgir, Nalanda, Sanchi, Barhut, Sarnath and Mathura. They are being done at many other places too.
• Inscriptions: Inscriptions supply valuable historical facts. The study of inscriptions is called epigraphy. The study of the writings on ancient inscriptions and records is called palaeography. Inscriptions are seen on rocks, pillars, stones, slabs, walls of buildings, and body of temples. They are also found on seals and copper plates. We have various types of inscriptions. The most famous inscriptions of India are the huge inscriptions of Asoka. As that emperor himself proclaimed, he got his edicts engraved on stone so that they might last long. The Hathigumpha Inscription of Kharavela, the Allahabad Pillar Inscription of Samudragupta, and many other rock and pillar inscriptions contain most valuable historical accounts. Political, administrative and religious matters are gathered from such sources.
• Numismatic: The study of coins is known as numismatics. Coins form another source of historical information. Ancient coins were mostly made of gold, silver, copper or lead. Coin moulds of Kushana period made of burnt clay have been also discovered. Some of the coins contain religious and legendary symbols which throw light on the culture of that time. Coins also contain the figures of kings and gods. The coins of the Kushana and the Gupta period give interesting accounts of those days. They throw light on religious, political, economic and commercial conditions.

Literary Sources:

• Religious Literature: The literature of every time is like a mirror of that time. Mental and social conditions of the people are known from literary sources. The Religious Literature of India is too vast. It includes the Vedas, the Upanishads, the great epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, and the Puranas of the Hindus. These are like mines of information about religious beliefs, social systems, people’s manners and customs, political institutions, and conditions of culture.
• Secular Literature: There are many kinds of secular or non-religious literature. The law-books of ancient India known as Dharmasutras and Smritis belong to this group. They contain code of duties for kings, administrators, and people. They also contain rules regarding property, and prescribe punishments for murder, theft and other crimes. Kautilya’s Arthasastra is a famous work. It not only speaks of the State and polity, but also of socio-economic system. Authors like Patanjali and Panini, though they wrote Sanskrit grammar, also described some political events. The dramas of Kalidasa, Vishakhadatta, and Bhasa give us useful information about the people and society.

Accounts of Foreigners:

From very ancient times, foreigners visited India. Some of them left valuable accounts of their travels or visits. Ancient Greek and Roman historians also wrote about India from their knowledge and information. All these foreign accounts prove useful for writing history. We know of Chandragupta Maurya’s victory over the Greeks from the Greek accounts. They mentioned him as Sandrokottas in their writings. The Greek ambassador Megasthenes stayed in the court of Chandragupta Maurya and wrote his famous work Indika. Unfortunately this work was lost. But fragments from it were preserved in the quotations by other Greek writers. The Chinese traveler Fa-Hien left valuable accounts on the time of the imperial Guptas. Hieuen Tsang who is described as the ‘Prince of Pilgrims’ wrote details about the India of the age of Harsha. Travellers from the Islamic world also visited India. Al Beruni who came at the time of Mahmud of Ghazani studied Sanskrit himself.

Conclusion

In the opinion of some eminent scholars, the history of India before the third century B.C. was mainly the result of archaeological research. Information gathered from literature and oral traditions can be taken as historical accounts only if archaeological evidences are available as supporting material. Contemporary economic and social conditions are vividly known from these sources. History demands devotion to truth. Historians construct history from various sources to present the truth of the past to the men of today and the future.

Connecting the Article:

Question for Prelims

The Chinese traveler Fa-Hien left valuable accounts on the times of the

(a) Mauryans
(b) Sakas
(c) Satavahanas
(d) Guptas

Question for Mains

The purpose of history is to throw light on the past. This is done through discovery and study of historical sources. Discuss.