The glories of ancient India

[Jainarayan]

I don't know how many people at-large know of the great empires, science, technology and medicine, not to mention literature, that ancient India produced. So why not find some things that highlight ancient and early modern India? A time before "modern" technology. I'll start.

Vijayanagara Empire and the city of Vijayanagara.

Virupaksha temple complex:

Extent of Vijayanagara Empire in the 15th - 16th centuries CE:

Jantar Mantar sundial (notice its size compared to the people in the pic):

Spoiler: Rather largish pic.

One of the things that inspired me to start this topic was a ridiculous episode of Ancient Aliens. "Ridiculous" and "Ancient Aliens" in the same sentence is, of course, redundant. Anyway, the "theorists" proposed that "Vee-jeya na-GAW-ra" (I swear that's how they pronounced it ) was built with the help of extraterrestrials (but wasn't everything? ). I don't know which cheesed me off more... the extraterrestrials silliness or mangling the pronunciation of the city's name.

So howz'bout we showcase what India has given the world?

 

[Stormcry]

Why do they say it was built by aliens?

 

[Jainarayan]

They claim that all of the ancient structures... the Great Pyramid at Giza, the Temple of the Sun at Teotihuacan, the cities high in the Andes Mountains, the city of Vijayanagara... were too complex and virtually impossible for humans to build with the technology of the day. In other words, they claim humans were stupid and helpless. Unfortunately India has not escaped their theories.

Over the course of time I've seen pictures, tv programs and read about all kinds of beautiful and complex structures, and the great empires of India. I can't remember all of them, so I hope others contribute to bring all this to light.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Janapadas (Republics):

"The Janapadas (Sanskrit: जनपद pronounced [dʒənəpəd̪ə]) were the major realms republics or kingdoms of Vedic (Iron Age) India from about 1200 BC to the 6th century BC, which were then divided into the sixteen classical Mahajanapadas." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahajanapadas

 

[Jainarayan]

So, Kuru is where the events of the Mahābhārata took place... I think Kurukshetra means "Kuru field/place/land", named for King Kuru?

 

[Aupmanyav]

No. Named for a Aryan clan hailing from a geographically uncertain region - Uttara Kuru, just like the Madras (who settled in Punjab) hailed from Uttara Madra and Kambojas (who settled in Kashmir) from Uttara Kamboja. The second queen (Kunti being the first) of Pandu, the Pandava father, was from this clan, therefore, Madri. Madri was the mother of Nakula and Sahadeva, their fathers being Ashwini Kumaras. Madri too experimented with Kunti's mantras. Mahabharata . The Kurus are supposed to be a coalition of two Aryan clans, the Tritsus and the Bharatas.

 

[Aupmanyav]

Jantar Mantar: It is not just a sun dial but many other constructions too.

"The jantars (Yantra - instruments) have evocative names like, Samrat Yantra, Jai Prakash, Ram Yantra and Niyati Chakra; each of which are used to for various astronomical calculations. The primary purpose of the observatory was to compile astronomical tables, and to predict the times and movements of the sun, moon and planets." (Wikipedia)

 

[Aupmanyav]

"The Sushruta Samhita (सुश्रुतसंहित&#2366 is a Sanskrit redaction text on surgery. The original work is attributed to Sushruta, likely a historical physician from the sixth century BC Varanasi, although the text as preserved dates to the 3rd or 4th century AD. It is one of three foundational texts of Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine), alongside the Charaka Samhita and the medical portions of the Bower Manuscript. The original text however is lost and modifications and edited versions are currently available. The Sushruta Samhita, in its current form, contains 184 chapters and description of 1120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources and 57 preparations based on animal sources.

The text discusses surgical techniques of making incisions, probing, extraction of foreign bodies, alkali and thermal cauterization, tooth extraction, excisions, and trocars for draining abscess draining hydrocele and ascitic fluid, the removal of the prostate gland, urethral stricture dilatation, vesiculolithotomy, hernia surgery, caesarian section, management of haemorrhoids, fistulae, laparotomy and management of intestinal obstruction, perforated intestines, and accidental perforation of the abdomen with protrusion of omentum and the principles of fracture management, viz., traction, manipulation, appositions and stabilization including some measures of rehabilitation and fitting of prosthetics. It enumerates six types of dislocations, twelve varieties of fractures, and classification of the bones and their reaction to the injuries, and gives a classification of eye diseases including cataract surgery." (Wikipedia)

Sushruta Samhita mentions that in the original home of Aryans, there were only five seasons but that now there are six. Even RigVeda mentions five seasons.

पञ्चपादं पितरं दवादशाक्र्तिं दिव आहुः परे अर्धे पुरीषिणम l
अथेमे अन्य उपरे विचक्षणं सप्तचक्रे षळर आहुरर्पितम ll
pañcapādaṃ pitaraṃ dvādaśākṛtiṃ diva āhuḥ pare ardhe purīṣiṇam l
atheme anya upare vicakṣaṇaṃ saptacakre ṣaḷara āhurarpitam ll
They call him in the farther half of heaven the Sire five-footed, of twelve forms, wealthy in watery store.
These others say that he, God with far-seeing eyes, is mounted on the lower seven-wheeled, six-spoked car.
http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rigveda/rv01164.htm

 

[psychoslice]

And don't forget the beautiful food of India.

 

[Jainarayan]

No. Named for a Aryan clan hailing from a geographically uncertain region - Uttara Kuru, just like the Madras (who settled in Punjab) hailed from Uttara Madra and Kambojas (who settled in Kashmir) from Uttara Kamboja. The second queen (Kunti being the first) of Pandu, the Pandava father, was from this clan, therefore, Madri. Madri was the mother of Nakula and Sahadeva, their fathers being Ashwini Kumaras. Madri too experimented with Kunti's mantras. Mahabharata . The Kurus are supposed to be a coalition of two Aryan clans, the Tritsus and the Bharatas.

Cool, now I am awared.

Jantar Mantar: It is not just a sun dial but many other constructions too.

"The jantars (Yantra - instruments) have evocative names like, Samrat Yantra, Jai Prakash, Ram Yantra and Niyati Chakra; each of which are used to for various astronomical calculations. The primary purpose of the observatory was to compile astronomical tables, and to predict the times and movements of the sun, moon and planets." (Wikipedia)

True; I think the sundial component stands out the most, being just the tip of the iceberg. This goes to my original comment referring to the science and technology of ancient and pre-industrial India.

 

[Aupmanyav]

दण्डा इवेद गोजनास आसन परिछिन्ना भरता अर्भकासः l
अभवच्च पुरेता वसिष्ठ आदित तर्त्सूनां विशो अप्रथन्त ll
daṇḍā ived ghojanāsa āsan parichinnā bharatā arbhakāsaḥ l
abhavacca puretā Vasiṣṭha ādit tṛtsūnāṃ viśo aprathanta ll
Like sticks and staves wherewith they drive the cattle, stripped bare, the Bharatas were found defenceless;
Vasiṣṭha then became their chief and leader, then widely were the Trtsus' clans extended.
Rig Veda: Rig-Veda, Book 7: HYMN XXXIII Vasiṣṭha., Verse 6
Bharatas too were herders.

Bharatas' acceptance of Vasishtha as their leader (or priest), somehow, made their union with Tristus possible.

"the Bharatas under Sudas (7.33.6), received tribute from the Ajas"
Wikipedia is wrong here. 7.33.6 mentions no such thing. Wikipedia mentions that (after the war) Bharatas settled in Kurukshetra, but it does not give any reference.

 

[Sha'irullah]

Hindu and Indian society has made contributions. My interests in Hinduism were a result of this. people tend to confuse modern India with old India. When I first read the Bagavad Gita I thought to myself "why aren't religious texts this inspiring".

 

[Aupmanyav]

That is right, Sha'irullah. The second chapter demolishes all resistance from Arjuna.

 

[atanu]

This doc is informative:

http://www.iisc.ernet.in/prasthu/pages/PP_data/105.pdf

 

[atanu]

This too

List of Indian inventions and discoveries - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[atanu]

Two other documents

Math, Science, and Technology in India: From the Ancient to the Recent | Asia Society

http://www.ece.lsu.edu/kak/a3.pdf

 

[Aupmanyav]

BTW, Vasishtha was the guru of Tritsus also.

 

[JField]

This might be a late response, but the thing that has alway irritated me the most about Ancient Aliens, the show that is, is hat it always seemed to be the cultures and civilizations outside of Europe that they showed as evidence of ancient aliens. They did have some predominately white ancient civilizations but for the most part it alway seemed like the ones outside of Europe( the Americas, Asia and Africa) Because I guess the peoples from these places were far too primitive to figure out and build the things that they did ��

 

[Aupmanyav]

No, they were not. There were beautiful people in Europe. The Druids, the Norse, the Celts, the Greeks. But a monotheistic religion (and chance) destroyed it all, just as another did in Arabia.

 

[JField]

No, they were not. There were beautiful people in Europe. The Druids, the Norse, the Celts, the Greeks. But a monotheistic religion (and chance) destroyed it all, just as another did in Arabia.

Yes, I understand. I was pointing out that a lot of the places they say we're built by aliens and what not are largely civilizations that weren't white. It just seems a little racist. And it is a sham that such cultures and civilizations have been lost.