Cultural Heritage of India Led it to Become The Sacred Soil of Origin of Civilization to the World
Ancient Cultural Heritage of India is dynamic, spanning back to the beginning of human civilization. It begins with a mysterious culture along the Indus River and in farming communities in the southern lands of India.
The history of Heritage of India is punctuated by constant integration of migrating people with the diverse cultures that surround India.
Available evidence suggests that the use of iron, copper and other metals was widely prevalent in the Indian sub-continent at a fairly early period, which is indicative of the progress that this part of the world had made.
By the end of the fourth millennium BC, India had emerged as a region of highly developed civilization representing Ancient Cultural Heritage of India.
The Indus Valley Civilization
The History of Cultural Heritage of India begins with the birth of the Indus Valley Civilization, more precisely known as Harappan Civilization.
It flourished around 2,500 BC, in the western part of South Asia, what today is Pakistan and Western India.
The Indus Valley was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, India, and China.
Nothing was known about this civilization till the 1920s when the Archaeological Department of India carried out excavations in the Indus valley wherein the ruins of the two old cities, viz. Mohenjodaro and Harappa were unearthed.
The ruins of buildings and other things like household articles, weapons of war, gold and silver ornaments, seals, toys, pottery wares, etc., show that some four to five thousand years ago a highly developed Civilization representing the Ancient Cultural Heritage of India flourished in this region.
The Indus valley civilization was basically an urban civilization and the people lived in well-planned and well-built towns, which were also the centers for trade.
The ruins of Mohenjodaro and Harappa show that these were magnificent merchant cities-well planned, scientifically laid, and well looked after.
They had wide roads and a well-developed drainage system. The houses were made of baked bricks and had two or more stories.
The highly civilized Harappans knew the art of growing cereals, and wheat and barley constituted their staple food.
They consumed vegetables and fruits and ate mutton, pork, and eggs as well. Evidence also shows that they wore cotton as well as woolen garments.
By 1500 BC, the Harappan culture came to an end. Among various causes ascribed to the decay of Indus Valley Civilization is the invasion by the Aryans, the recurrent floods and other natural causes like an earthquake, etc.
Vedic civilization
The Vedic civilization is the earliest civilization in the history of ancient Heritage of India associated with the migration of Aryans. It is named after the Vedas, the early literature of the Hindu people.
The Vedic Civilization flourished along the river Saraswati, in a region that now consists of the modern Indian states of Haryana and Punjab. Vedic is synonymous with Aryans and Hinduism, which is another name for religious and spiritual thought that had evolved from the Vedas.
The largely accepted view is that a section of Aryans reached the frontiers of the Indian subcontinent around 2000 BC and first settled in Punjab and it is here, in this land, where the hymns of Rigveda were composed.
The Aryans lived in tribes and spoke Sanskrit, which belonged to the Indo-European group of languages.
Gradually, the Aryans intermingled with the local people and a historic synthesis was worked out between the Aryan tribes and the original inhabitants. This synthesis broadly came to be known as Hinduism. The Ramayana and Mahabharata were the two great epics of this period. This period largely represents the Ancient Heritage of India.
The Buddhist Era
During the life time of Lord Gautam Buddha, sixteen great powers (Mahajanpadas) existed in the 7th and early 6th centuries BC.
Among the more important republics were the Sakyas of Kapilavastu and the Licchavis of Vaishali. Besides the republics, there were monarchical states, among which the important ones were Kaushambi (Vatsa), Magadha, Kosala, and Avanti.
These states were ruled by vigorous personalities who had embarked upon the policies of aggrandizement and absorption of neighboring states. However, there were distinct signs of the Republican states while those under the monarchs were expanding.
Buddha was born in BC 560 and died at the age of eighty in BC 480.
The place of his birth was a grove known as Lumbini, near the city of Kapilavastu, at the foot of Mount Palpa in the Himalayan ranges within Nepal. Buddha, whose original name was Siddhartha Gautama, was the founder of Buddhism, the religion and the philosophical system that evolved into a great Cultural Heritage of India throughout much of southern and eastern Asia.
Alexander’s Invasion
In 326 BC, Alexander invaded India, after crossing the river Indus he advanced towards Taxila.
He then challenged king Porus, ruler of the kingdom between the rivers Jhelum and Chenab. The Indians were defeated in the fierce battle, even though they fought with elephants, which the Macedonians had never seen before.
Alexander captured Porus and, like many other local rulers he had defeated, allowed him to continue to govern his territory.
During this trip to rivers Hydaspes and Indus in the south, Alexander sought out the Indian philosophers, the Brahmins, who were famous for their wisdom, and debated with them on philosophical issues.
Alexander became legendary for centuries in India for being both, a wise philosopher and a fearless conqueror.
The story of Ancient Heritage of India counts that Alexander, at one of the villages in which his army halted, belonged to the tribe Mallis, who were ferocious and great fighters. In a war with them, Alexander was wounded severally, and most seriously when an arrow pierced his breastplate and his ribcage. The Macedonian officers rescued him in a narrow escape from the village.
Alexander and his army reached the mouth of the Indus in July 325 BC, and then they turned westward for their home.
The Mauryan Empire
The period of the Mauryan Empire (322 BC-185 BC) marked a new epoch in the history of India and study of the Ancient Heritage of India.
It is said to be the period when chronology became definite. It was a period when politics, art, trade, and commerce elevated India to a glorious height.
It was a period of unification of the territories, which lay as fragmented kingdoms. Moreover, Indian contact with the outside world was established effectively during this period.
The confusion following the death of Alexander gave Chandragupta Maurya an opportunity to liberate the countries from the yoke of the Greeks, and thus occupy the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.
He later overthrew the power of Nandas at Magadha with the aid of Kautilya and founded a glorious Mauryan empire in 322 BC. Chandragupta, who ruled from 324 to 301 BC, thus, earned the title of liberator and the first emperor of Bharata.
At an elder age, Chandragupta got interested in religion and left his throne to his son Bindusar in 301 BC.
Bindusar conquered the Highland of Deccan during his reign of 28 years and gave his throne to his son Ashoka in 273 BC.
Ashoka emerged not only as the most famous king of the Maurya dynasty but is also regarded as one of the greatest kings of India and the world. He truly channelized the history of Ancient Heritage of India for which we all Indians are proud today.
The empire of Ashoka covered the whole territory from the Hindu Kush to Bengal and extended over Afghanistan, Baluchistan and the whole of India with the exception of a small area in the farthest south.
The valleys of Nepal and Kashmir were also included in his empire.
The most important event of Ashoka’s reign was the conquest of Kalinga (modern Odisha) which proved to be the turning point of his life.
The Kalinga war witnessed terrible manslaughter and destruction. The sufferings and atrocities of the battlefield lacerated the heart of Ashoka.
He made a resolve not to wage war anymore. He realized the wickedness of world conquest and the beauty of moral and spiritual triumph.
He was drawn to the teachings of Buddha and devoted his life to the conquest of men’s heart by the law of duty or piety. He evolved a policy of Dharma Vijaya, ‘Conquest by Piety’. This was indeed a turning point in the history of the Ancient Heritage of India.
End of the Mauryan Empire
Ashoka was succeeded by weak rulers, who encouraged the provinces to proclaim their independence.
The arduous task of administering such a vast empire could not be executed by these weak rulers. The mutual quarrel among the successors also contributed to the decline of the Mauryan Empire.
In the beginning of the 1st century A.D., the Kushanas established their authority over the north-west frontier of India.
The most famous among the Kushana kings was Kanishka (125 A.D.-162 A.D.), who was the third in the Kushana dynasty.
The Kushana rule continued till the middle of 3rd century A.D. The most notable achievement of their rule was the development of Gandhara School of Art and further spread of Buddhism into distant regions of Asia.
Gupta Dynasty
After the Kushanas, the Guptas were the most important dynasty. They are said to have contributed a lot to the study of the Ancient Heritage of India.
The Gupta period has been described as the Golden Age of Indian history. The first famous king of the Gupta dynasty was Ghatotkacha’s son Chandragupta I.
He married Kumaradevi, the daughter of the chief of the Licchavis. This marriage was a turning point in the life of Chandragupta I. He got Pataliputra in dowry from the Lichhavis. From Pataliputra, he laid the foundation of his empire and started conquering many neighboring states with the help of the Licchavis.
He ruled over Magadha (Bihar), Prayaga and Saketa (east Uttar Pradesh). His kingdom extended from the river Ganges to Allahabad. Chandragupta I also got the title of Maharajadhiraja (King of Kings) and ruled for about fifteen years.
Chandragupta, I was succeeded by Samudragupta in about 330 A.D., who reigned for about fifty years. He was a great military genius and is said to have commanded a military campaign across the Deccan, and also subdued the forest tribes of the Vindhya region.
Samudragupta’s successor Chandragupta II, also known as Vikramaditya, conquered the extensive territories of Malwa, Gujarat, and Kathiawar.
This provided exceptional wealth, which added to the prosperity of the Guptas. The Guptas in this period engaged in sea trade with the countries of the west.
It was mostly during his reign that Kalidas, the greatest Sanskrit poet, and dramatist, as well as many other scientist and scholars, flourished.
Decline of Gupta Dynasty
The decline of the Gupta power in northern India between the close of 5th and the 6th century A.D. gave rise to various small independent kingdoms and attracted foreign invasions of Huns.
Toramara was the leader of the Huns and was successful in annexing large parts of the Gupta Empire. His son, Mihirakula was a cruel barbarian and one of the worst tyrants known.
Two native powerful princes, Yasodharman of Malwa and Baladitya of Magadha crushed his power and put an end to his cruel reign in India.
Harshavardhana
With the commencement of the 7th century, Harshavardhana (606-647 A.D.) ascended the throne of Thaneshwar and Kannauj on the death of his brother, Rajyavardhana. By 612 Harshavardhana consolidated his kingdom in northern India.
In 620 A.D. Harshavardhana invaded the Chalukya kingdom in the Deccan, which was then ruled by Pulakesin II.
But the Chalukya resistance proved tough for Harshavardhana and he was defeated.
Harshavardhana is well known for his religious toleration, able administration, and diplomatic relations. He maintained diplomatic relations with China and sent envoys, who exchanged ideas of the Chinese rulers and developed their knowledge about each other.
The Chinese traveler, Hiuen Tsang, who visited India during his reign, has given a vivid description of the social, economic and religious conditions, under the rule of Harsha spoke highly of the king.
Harsha’s death, once again, left India without any central paramount power.
The Chalukyas of Badami
The Chalukyas were a great power in southern India between 6th and 8th century A.D. In the study of Ancient Heritage of India, they seem to have played an important role.
Pulakesin I, the first great ruler of this dynasty ascended the throne in 540 A.D. and has made many splendid victories, established a mighty empire.
His sons Kirtivarman and Mangalesa further extended the kingdom by waging many successful wars against the neighbors including the Mauryans of the Konkans.
Pulakesin II, the son of Kirtivarman, was one of the greatest rulers of the Chalukya dynasty.
He ruled for almost 34 years. In this long reign, he consolidated his authority in Maharashtra and conquered large parts of the Deccan. His greatest achievement was his victory in the defensive war against Harshavardhana.
However, Pulakesin was defeated and killed by the Pallav king Narasimhavarman in 642 A.D. His son Vikramaditya, who was also as great a ruler as his father, succeeded him.
He renewed the struggle against his southern enemies. He recovered the former glory of the Chalukyas to a great extent.
Even his great grandson, Vikramaditya II was also a great warrior.
In 753 A.D., Vikramaditya and his son were overthrown by a chief named Dantidurga who laid the foundation of the next great empire of Karnataka and Maharashtra called Rashtrakutas.
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The Pallavas of Kanchi
In the last quarter of the 6th century A.D., the Pallava king Sinhavishnu rose to power and conquered the area between the rivers Krishna and Cauvery.
His son and successor Mahendravarman were a versatile genius, who unfortunately lost the northern parts of his dominion to the Chalukya king, Pulekesin II. But his son, Narsinhavarman I, crushed the power of Chalukyas.
The Pallava power reached its glorious heights during the reign of Narsinhavarman II, who is well known for his architectural achievements.
He built many temples, and art and literature flourished in his times. Dandin, the great Sanskrit scholar, lived in his court. However, after his death, the Pallava Empire began to decline and in course of time, they were reduced to a mere local tribal power.
Ultimately, the Cholas defeated the Pallava king Aparajita and took over their kingdom towards the close of the 9th century A.D.
The history of the Ancient Heritage of India has seen the rise and downfall of several dynasties, which have left their legacies still resounding in the golden book of Indian history.
With the end of the 9th century A.D., the medieval history of India started with the rise of empires such as the Palas, the Senas, the Pratiharas and the Rashtrakutas, and so on.
In this context, it is prudent to mention the impact and beginning of the spread of Islam in this continent.
The Rise of Islam in South-Asia & its Challenges
The initial entry of Islam into South Asia came in the first century after the death of the Prophet Muhammad.
The Umayyad caliph in Damascus sent an expedition to Baluchistan and Sindh in 711 led by Muhammad bin Qasim. He captured Sindh and Multan.
Three hundred years after his death Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni, the ferocious leader, led a series of raids against Rajput kingdoms and rich Hindu temples and established a base in Punjab for future incursions.
In 1024, the Sultan set out on his last famous expedition to the southern coast of Kathiawar along the Arabian Sea, where he sacked the city of Somnath and its renowned Hindu temple.
One after another periodically Muslim rulers have been invading India and some were defeated by the Hindu rulers whereas some after winning, established their reign on Indian soil and thus spread Islam in this part of the world.
This persistence by the Muslim rulers can be historically traced up to 1707 A.D. Thereafter Bhakti Movement and Sufism took over as a part of Cultural Heritage of India and gained importance.
The Rise of Sikhism and Veer Shivaji
The rise of Sikh Power had gained its importance during 1500 A.D and it parallelly challenged the spread of Islam in the region.
During 1630-1680 the great Hindu ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj established “Hindavi Swaraja” (Sovereign Hindu state) grew and stretched from Attock in Northwest India (now in Pakistan) beyond Cuttack in East India, in course of time, to become the strongest power in India.
Shivaji died in 1680 at Raigad, at the age of fifty from an attack of dysentery. His premature death at the age of 50 (April 1680) created a void, though his place in Indian history and heritage of India has been documented, recognized and remembered with pride.
Continuous challenges to Mughal Empire first from the rise of Sikhism and then by Hindu ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj greatly caused the decline of Mughal Empire in the continent.
The Mughal Empire started disintegrating completely with the death of Aurangzeb in 1707 and thereafter hardly it could be revived by the rulers of his descent.
With the decline of Mughal Empire and the rise of English rule, there is hardly any noteworthy impact on the Ancient Culture and Heritage of India. In fact, traditions kept the culture and heritage alive and caused it to flourish unchallenged stimulated by the original descendants of the land.
Yoga as a Part of Cultural Heritage of India
Yoga and Meditation have been an inseparable part of Culture and Heritage of India.
It has been propounded and practiced by the Indian Rishis from the time immemorial to history.
Yoga not only strengthens our bodies but has a direct impact on our minds also. It leads us towards the purity, positivity, human development, and welfare of the greater society.
वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम meaning the world is our family has been the Mantras of the people living in this part of the world and this mantra still continues the soul of great Indians. This mantra continues to echo the spirit of Ancient Heritage of India.
At the end, while concluding the study of Ancient Heritage of India, the comments propounded on Yoga, by Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad, the Minister of Communication & Information Technology, Govt of India is worth quoting as a reference.
Yoga is our shared Cultural Heritage of India and one of the finest contribution to the human civilization. Yoga goes beyond the limitations of region, religion, caste, creed and nationality. It promotes health, well being and mental peace. Our visionary Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and a true world leader who is also a Yoga practitioner, saw Yoga as a means to achieve the larger well being of humanity. It is due to him that the United Nations General Assembly declared 21st June as the International Day of Yoga. Cultural Heritage of India goes global.
Courtesy Reference: Govt of India, National Portal Content Management Team by National Informatics Centre.