Early Indian Feudal Society And Its Culture

The book analyses the transition from the ancient to the medieval period in polity, economy, the caste system and culture. It examines the form of peasant protest and the reasons for their failure and infrequency. The author also examines the development of tantrism and the mentality that feudalism created.

Description: This work analyses the origin and growth of feudalism, and deals with the political, economic and social aspect of Indian feudalism. This period saw origin and growth of feudalism, it referred the division of society into social estates, privileges for the nobility, closed economy, the dominant position of landed aristocrats, all that hampered the movement of society forward and restricted the development of town and trade. The Indian form of feudalism have been treated on the basis of history of ancient India. The complexity and variety of life in feudal society has been shown, fundamental concepts offered and the basic patterns of the development of the socio-economic and political formation of feudalism explained. This work would be great interest to the historian of ancient Indian History and the researchers who are interested in the study of feudalism.

'With admirable clarity, Mrs Peters sums up what determines competence in spelling and the traditional and new approaches to its teaching.' -Times Literary Supplement

Whether or not Indian society in the early medieval period was feudal has remained an important issue of animated debate in Indian historiography for nearly four decades. The hypothesis of Indian feudalism has been criticised by traditional as well as by 'radical' historians, though both categories of scholars often seem to share a neo-colonialist perception of early Indian society as static. This volume brings together a vast mass of empirical data which shows the fallacy of their arguments. The book is divided into three parts, each devoted to an important aspect of the feudal phenomenon. The first part deals with the problem of transition from pre-feudal to feudal society and the second with the nature of state shaped largely by the growth of new classes as a result of agrarian changes, sluggish trade and the limited role of money in society. The third part explores the linkages between the socio-economic changes and the ideological trends noticeable in early medieval times. A collection of articles by eminent historians with an unquestionable grasp of the primary sources, the work underlines the heuristic value of the feudal construction for a meaningful understanding of historical processes at work in early medieval India. The editor's introduction convincingly refutes the arguments of the critics of the feudal model by drawing comparable material from European as well as Asian countries, and adds new dimension to the feudalism debate by relating it to developments in the field of religion, literature and art.

The Book Presents A Lucid Survey Of Major Developments In The Ancient And Early Medieval Periods Of Indain History. It Discusses Issues Like The Antiquity And Authorship Of The Harappan Civilization, The Original Home Of The Aryans And The Salient Features Of Their Life, The Emergence Of Caste System And The Process Of State Formation Culminating In The Establishment Of The Maurya Empire. Challenging The Stereotype Of An `Unchanging` India And The Myth Of The `Golden Age`, The Book Not Only Underlines The Changes In Its Cocial Structure Over Centuries But Also Devotes Much Space To India`S Contact With The Outside World Leading To The Enrichment Of Its Culture. Moreover, It Pays Adequate Attention To The Transformation Of India From Pre-Feudal To Feudal Society And To The Discussion Of The Contours Of Feudal Culture.

First published in 1965, The Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline is a strikingly original work, the first real cultural history of India. The main features of the Indian character are traced back into remote antiquity as the natural outgrowth of historical process. Did the change from food gathering and the pastoral life to agriculture make new religions necessary? Why did the Indian cities vanish with hardly a trace and leave no memory? Who were the Aryans – if any? Why should Buddhism, Jainism, and so many other sects of the same type come into being at one time and in the same region? How could Buddhism spread over so large a part of Asia while dying out completely in the land of its origin? What caused the rise and collapse of the Magadhan empire; was the Gupta empire fundamentally different from its great predecessor, or just one more ‘oriental despotism’? These are some of the many questions handled with great insight, yet in the simplest terms, in this stimulating work. This book will be of interest to students of history, sociology, archaeology, anthropology, cultural studies, South Asian studies and ethnic studies.