Facts & Figures
History
Culture
Current Issues
Words & Phrases
Activities & Festivals
Recipes
Reading & Music
|
History
of India
3,000BC
to 1,500 BC
Around
3,000 BC, the first known civilization to emerge out of the
prehistoric era in India was the Indus (Sindhu) and Sarasvati
Civilization which derived its name from the major rivers
flowing through this area in north-western India, the Indus
and Sarasvati rivers. At this point in India’s history,
nomadic tribes were settling down and a culture began to develop.
This civilization flourished and grew to become one of the
most advanced civilizations of its time, rivaling that of
Egypt, Mesopotamia and Western Asia. Cities were formed of
up to 30,000 people spanning up to 3 miles in diameter. This
civilization grew to over half a million square miles. Among
their accomplishments was a written language, wide streets
laid out in a grid system, houses built of burnt brick, a
drainage system, and covered sewers. Agriculture was the predominant
element of the economy of this time. Wooden ploughs were used
in farming and cotton was known to be cultivated. A complex
barter system was established to facilitate trade, which extended
as far as Afghanistan, Persia, Egypt, Mesopotamia and the
Samaritans. Dogs, cats, sheep and possibly even elephants
were believed to have been domesticated by this civilization.
An interesting contrast from this civilization to others during
this time is that they were not ruled by Kings; rather their
governing system seemed to involve merchant groups. This meant
that the structures built were not temples and palaces built
for worship or rule, they were centered around the needs and
requirements of the citizens.
As the
Thar Desert, in what is now North Western India, expanded
around 2,000 BC, the civilization about the Sarasvati River
was forced to move North and East as the river began to dry,
leaving behind their beautiful cities to ruin.
In approximately
1,500 BC the Indus Valley civilization was forever changed
by the migration of the Aryan’s, originating from the
Caucasus Mountains and central Asia. The indigenous Dravidians
were displaced southward, and the Indus Valley culture was
no more, giving way to the Vedic era of India’s history.
1,500
BC to 185 BC
The
ancient Aryan culture was not governed by merchants as in
the Indus culture; rather it was ruled by warriors. Their
written and spoken language is called Sanskrit. Some cultural
traditions of the Aryans still exist today in modern India.
Not much is known about the Vedic Age, other than through
Vedas, which are a collection of sacred hymns originating
from the Aryans. |
From
the period of approximately 1,000 BC to 600 BC was the Epic
Age. This age is known for its three great epics: Ramayana,
Mahabharata and the Upanishada. It was during this age that
the caste system was introduced to India, and Hinduism’s
roots were first planted. The caste system consisted of 4
castes: Brahmins (Priests), Kshatriyas (Warriors and Rulers),
Vaisyas (Merchants) and the Shudras (Labourers and Farmers).
During this time it was acceptable for people to move between
the castes. A member of the Shudras caste, if adopted by a
sage, could even become a Priest. Even though the fair skinned
Aryans existed side by side with the dark skinned Dravidians,
there was frequent competition and fighting for fertile lands.
By about 800 BC most of Northern India was ruled by the Aryans.
From 600 BC to 320 BC, Hinduism began to grow and flourish
as a dominant philosophy and Kingdoms were developing and
growing. Several dynasties’ came and went and the Nanda
Dynasty, with its large standing army is considered one of
the first empire builders in Indian history.
The Nanda
Dynasty, which gave way to the Mauryan Empire in 322 BC, saw
the expansion of Magadh, until the whole of Northern India
was united. During the Mauryan Empire, which was highly centralized,
roads connected most of India some of which still survive
today. There was a large standing army and taxes were collected.
This empire expanded as far as Afghanistan and included modern
day Pakistan. During this era, trade flourished, India began
its first use of a monetary system, and for the first time,
most of India was under central control.
Buddhism
made its first appearance in India. Gotama Siddhartha born
in 565 BC was the founder of Buddhism. In 268 BC during the
Mauryan Empire, Emperor Ashoka, after a terribly bloody rise
to power, chose to adopt the path of Buddhism. He pursued
the teaching and spreading of Buddhism as aggressively as
he had fought when he was a warrior. Missionaries were sent
out all through India and beyond and Buddhism spread as far
away as Egypt, Palestine and Greece. Some say word of Buddhism
made it as far a Britain.
185 BC to 1948 AD
As the Mauryan Empire declined, India fragmented
into smaller kingdoms, and saw the beginning of several invasions.
Among the invaders from 185 BC to 320 AD were: Bactrian Greeks,
Parthians, Shakas and Kushans. Throughout this period of invaders
and cultural fusion, India became an important part of central
Asian trade. In the 3rd Century, the Gupta Dynasty began.
This dynast, sometimes referred to as the Golden or Classical
Age of India saw the return of India to centralized control
for the first time since the Mauryan Empire. This time in
Indian history is remembered for its religious tolerances,
literature, art and science. Mathematics as we know it today
can be traced back to India, where the decimal system was
first used, the use of zero along with many other mathematical
achievements. Many incredible temples were also constructed
throughout this era.
Beginning
in 500 AD White Huns (Hunas) from Central Asia began several
invasions into India. By 550 AD, the end result was that neither
the Huns retained control, nor the Gupta Empire. India fragmented
into smaller regional kingdoms over the next several hundred
years. These kingdoms grew and shrank as the years passed
by, with no single kingdom unifying India. During this period,
the caste system was recorded as becoming rigid, meaning there
was no movement between castes, as there was in the past.
There were also many more castes and subcastes in existence
The beginning
of the new millennium saw the first Muslim invasions. From
1001 AD through the next 25 years, the Turks invaded India
17 times. The second wave of Turkish attacks came from 1181
to 1206 AD. Much of Northern India was then ruled from Turkey
until 1397, until the coming of the Mongols. The Mongols under
Timur Lang (Tamerlane) struck India mercilessly with great
speed. For the next few hundred years the north of India was
ruled by Timur’s successors and the Mughal era began
which lasted until the mid 1800’s. The south of India
remained mainly Hindu, while the north was predominantly Muslim.
Throughout the centuries, there were frequent wars waged throughout
India, many between the North and South.
In the
1600’s, the British East India Company established a
hold in India and started 300 years of British involvement
in India. The British East India Company's dominance over
India continued until 1858. Throughout its presence in India,
Britain was able to supply itself with raw materials and had
a ready made market for finished goods shipped back to India.
Unfortunately this circumvented local Indian production. India
began to resent British rule and resistance increased until
1858 when a struggle for independence reached a head. The
British government quelled the resistance, and in the same
year took direct control of India’s affairs (previously
controlled by the British East India Company). By the end
of the 1800’s, the British had established a comprehensive
structure of governance that allowed them to effectively govern
India. British control spanned from today’s Pakistan
eastward through India into Burma. The desire for independence
did not go away. Increased tensions between Muslim and Hindu
factions were building and Muslims feared that an independent
India would be dominated by the Hindu majority. In 1915, Mohandas
Karamchand Ghandhi, later referred to as Mahatma (great soul)
Ghandi, started appealing for unity between the two groups.
Throughout the years the independence movement ebbed and flowed,
and eventually achieved success in 1947. Even though Ghandi
appealed to both Muslims and Hindus alike to unite, he was
primarily seen as a champion Hindu independence movement.
The Muslim League arose to protect the interests of Muslims
within India. Ghandi was able to mobilize an entire nation
the size of India and through his exemplary leadership brought
about the peaceful transition of power from Britain to a newly
independent India. Unfortunately as independence drew closer,
so did the violence between Muslims and Hindus. This eventually
led to the separation of India into 3 different countries:
Pakistan (West Pakistan), Bangladesh (East Pakistan, gaining
independence from Pakistan in 1971) and India. In the weeks
following the breakup of India, half a million people lost
their lives in violence and desperate relocation efforts as
stranded Muslims and Hindus alike struggled to move to friendlier
territory. Ghandi’s dream of an independent India was
tainted by violence and the eventual breakup of the country
along religious lines. Ghandi was assassinated in 1948.
1948
to today
Since
Independence, India has grown to be the world’s largest
democracy. Unfortunately that independence has been marred
by several wars and political assassinations. The Kashmir
district is divided between India and Pakistan and remains
a region of intense tension between the two nations, each
with nuclear capabilities. Nevertheless, India is at last
an independent nation, with diversity like no other nation.
In the early 1990’s there were 32 languages spoken by
over 1 million people each. Roughly 18% of the languages spoken
are of Dravidian decent. Though Hindu is the religious majority,
many other religions exist peacefully within India. India
is a shining example of resilience, patience and tolerance.
It is a colourful mosaic of cultures whose past has given
it a richness and vibrancy unlike any other nation in existence
today.
|
