A Religious History Of Ancient India Upto C 1200 A D Smarta Epic Pauranika And Tantrika Hinduism Christianity And Islam

Ancient History Of India From The Very Beginning To Twelve Hundred A.D. It Has Been Written In A Simple And Lucid Style. Controversial Matters Have Been Dealt With In Such A Way That Scientific And Objective Conclusions May Be Drawn. The Book Has Been Planned As An Ideal Textbook For The Students And A Reference Book For The Teachers.

This carefully crafted study presents the fascinating story of the development and establishment of India’s culture and civilization from early pre-history through to the early second millennium. Encompassing topics such as the Harappan Civilization, the rise of Hindu culture, the influx of Islam in the eighth and the eleventh/twelfth centuries and key empires, states and dynasties, India: The Ancient Past engages with methodological and controversial issues. Key features of this illustrated guide include: a range of maps illustrating different temporal and geographical regions selected source extracts at the end of each chapter, for review and reflection questions for discussion. This book provides comprehensive coverage of the political, spiritual, cultural and geographical history of India, making it an enriching read for anyone with an interest in this captivating period of history.

Illustrations: 4 Maps Description: The book outlines the origin and development of the practice of pilgrimage in India between AD 300 and 1200 and draws extensively on epigraphic and literary data particularly the Puranic corpus to delineate the growing popularity of the ritual, spatially and chronologically. Viewing religion as part of the social process, it seeks to explore linkages between new religious trends and changes taking place in the material conditions of life. Although there are a few references to pilgrimage centres in inscriptions of the early second century, the number of these destinations rapidly multiplied from the fourth-fifth centuries, coinciding meaningfully with widespread decay and desertion of urban places. In an age of political disintegration and social insularity religious congregations served as the nucleus of cultural bonding. Alongside of decaying towns cult-sites relating to forests, hill tracts, deserts, river banks, sea-coasts, crossroads all surfaced as pilgrimage centres of some sort, with an attendant increase in the number of myths and legends sanctifying these places with the emergence of temple as the focal point of social processes, even large villages and marginal political centres also emerged as places of pilgrimage. A thrust area of the ritual was the changing nature of the gift-exchange system. Gifts, largely agricultural goods and inputs during the Gupta and post-Gupta times were necessary if one wished to acquire religious merit and drive away the impurities of deeds and thoughts entailing loss of social status. Charities, performed at the sacred places, were considered all the more beneficial. The idea, that religious merit ensured a comfortable afterlife and that dying in places sanctified by gods and god-men brought instant religious merit, encouraged the practice of committing self-immolation at the holiest of pilgrimage centres.

India: The Ancient Past provides a clear and systematic introduction to the cultural, political, economic, social and geographical history of ancient India from the time of the pre-Harappan culture nine thousand years ago up until the beginning of the second millennium of the Common Era. The book engages with methodological and controversial issues by examining key themes such as the Indus-Sarasvati civilization, the Aryan controversy, the development of Vedic and heterodox religions, and the political economy and social life of ancient Indian kingdoms. This fully revised and updated second edition includes: Three new chapters examining the differences and commonalities between the north and south of India; Extended discussion on contested issues, such as the origins of the Aryans and the role of feudalism in ancient India; New source excerpts to introduce students to the most significant works in the historiography of India, and questions for discussion; Study guides, including a list of key issues, suggested readings and a selection of internet sources for each chapter; Specially designed maps to illustrate different time periods and geographical regions This richly illustrated guide provides a fascinating account of the early development of Indian culture and civilization that will appeal to all students of Indian history.