The Buddhism in India

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Buddhism is the religion that made first bold attempt to solve our social problems. It boldly challenged caste system and inequality in the system. It raised a voice against bad customs and practices which Hinduism had adopted.

Buddhism challenged untouchability and spread the teaching that we should not accept religious dogma blindly. It taught us reason, love, pity, benevolence and the spirit of forgiveness.

Buddhism also preached non-violence. it also challenged authority of our religious books. It created a sense of respect for the women.

Buddhism had deep impact on Hinduism. Buddhism exposed the weaknesses of Hinduism.

Costly rituals, sacrifices were challenged. Buddhism believed that in religion blind faith should have no place.

In a sense Buddhism prompted revolt against Vedic religion.

It propagated the philosophy of equality of man. This was in stark opposition to caste system of Hinduism. Buddha’s great eight-fold path very significantly developed ethics and simplicity in society.

Buddhism appealed to the people and got attracted to it. It gave religions philosophical simplicity. It helped in the contribution of literature.

For the spread of Buddhism, monasteries, rock pillars, rock caves and images of Lord Buddha were made. These became beautiful art pieces. In this way Buddhism very much helped in the promotion of art. Buddhist missionaries also went abroad for the spread of their religion and thus India’s prestige in foreign countries was enhanced enormously.

Popularity: 25% [?]

Tags: bharat, buddh, buddhism, caste system, hinduism, india, monk, sanskrit, untouchability, vedic religion

The Hinduism in India

Hinduism forms the basis of Hindu society and is the ancientmost religion of India.

Hindu society, to begin with was evil free. It was a society in which there was no caste system.

The people believed in simple living and purity of character, had simple food habits and simple customs and ceremonies. The deterioration came later With the passage of time and evils crept up in our society. Casteism, inferior treatment to women,dowry, sati and child marriage are few examples.

Hinduism produced vast literature. The Upnishads occupy a very important place in it. It is in the Upnishads that such complex and complicated questions have been discussed as what is maya, soul, the philosophy of rebirths, kama and mukti (or salvation).The Upnishads do not encourage unnecessary religious practices and ceremonies. Throughout there is keen desire for probing the problem and finding a solution for the same.

The spirit of enquiry is all pervading in these Upnishads.Truth, knowledge and immortality are the basis round which everything revolves in the Upnishads. These help solving very complex and complicated problems of life.

The Ramayana and the Mahabharata are religious books of Hindus. Both these books throw a lot of light on the life and society of those days.

In Ramayana age there was no love for power. For the sake of his father Rama will leave his throne and go to the Jungles.

There was immense love among the brothers. Lakshmana will accompany his brother and Bharat will not sit on the throne as according to him it was the trust of his brother. Not only this but there was the highest regard for the women.

But conditions had drastically changed under Mahabharata. Now there was quarrel among the brothers for getting the throne. The respect for women had come down. She was put on dice.

The Vedas and the Sastras however, shine unabated in our religious literature. No other religious piece of work can occupy better religious position than these. Among the Hindus they are great source of inspiration.

Bhagwat Gita tells us about the philosophy of life and death. It contains the sermons which Lord Krishna gave to Arjuna on the battlefield. These are eternal for every Hindu.

Popularity: 31% [?]

Tags: hindu, hinduism, india, ita, Krishna, lord, Mahabharata, rama, ramayana, vedas and sastras

The Expansion of Early Vedic Age

Initial Aryan settlements in India, seem to have been the Punjab and Delhi reigon. Most frequently mentioned rivers are the Sindhu (Indus), the Saraswati (modern Sarsuti), now lost in the Rajasthan deserts, the Drishadvati (Ghaggar) and the five streams of Sutudri (Sutlej), Vipas (Beas), Parushni (Ravi), Asikni (Chenab), and Vitasta (Jhelum).

The geographical knowledge of he early Aryans did not extend beyond the Yumuna.

The early Aryan settlers were engaged in taking possession of the Land of the Seven Rivers (saptasindhava) represented by the Indus and its principal tributaries. This often led to conflicts between various Aryan tribes. Read more

Popularity: 46% [?]

Tags: Aryans, Battle, dass or dasyus, Early Vedic Age, expansion, india, kings, punjab, rig veda, vishvamitra, wars

Aryan Migration To India

The invaders of India called themselves Aryas, a word generally anglicized into Aryans. The name was also used by the ancient Persians, and survives in the word Iran.

Eire, the name of the most westerly land reached by Indo-European peoples in ancient times, is also cognate.

The origin of the Aryans is still an unsettled affair. Much heated controversy has raged around this question. The multiplicity of conflicting theories has created chaos in academic circles. Hence, we have discussed only those theories which seem most reasonable.

About 2000 B.C. the great steppes land which stretches from Poland to Central Asia was inhabited by semi-nomadic barbarians, who were tall, comparatively fair, and mostly long-headed.

They had tamed the horse, which they harnessed to light chariots with spoked wheels, of a much faster and better type than the lumbering ass drawn carts with four solid wheels which were the best means of transport known to contemporary Sumer.

They were whether from pressure of population, dessication of pasture lands, or from both causes, were on the move. They migrated in bands westwards, southwards and eastwards, conquering local populations, and inter-marrying with them to form a ruling class.

They brought with them their patrilinear tribal organization, their worship of sky gods, and their horses and chariots. In most of the lands in which they settled their original language gradually adapted itself to tongues of the conquered peoples.

The marauding tribesmen gradually merged with the older populations of the Middle East, and the ancient civilizations, invigorated by fresh blood and ideas, rose to new heights of material culture.

The Aryan invasion of India was not a single concerned action, but one covering centuries and involving many tribes, perhaps not all of the same race and language. The course of Aryan expansion cannot be plotted, owing to the paucity of material remains.

Evidently the invaders did not take to living in cities, and after the fall of Harappa and Mohenjo-daro, the Punjab and Sind became a land of little villages, with buildings of wood and reed the remains of which have long since perished.

For over a thousand years from the fall of Harappa, India is almost an archaeological blank, which at present can only be filled by literary sources.

Popularity: 73% [?]

Tags: ancient time, aryan migration, aryas, harappa, india, little village, Mohenjodaro

Story of Discovery of Mohenjodaro

By the beginning of the twentieth century, archaeologists and historians in India were becoming familiar with an ancient city located in the Indus Valley which was known as Harappa. However, people did not know who had built and lived in the city or when it had been built.

About 600 kilometres away from Harappa was the site of another ruined city. Local people knew of these ruins which were close to the modern town of Dokri. However, the site was not thought to be very old. Read more

Popularity: 67% [?]

Tags: Archaeological Survey of India, archaeologists and historians, culture, discovery of mohenjodaro, harappa, india

Indus Valley Civilisation-Economic Conditions

Indus valley people were simple people. They commonly used simple wheat, barley bread, milk products, pork, beef, mutton, poultry and fish. Perhaps vegetables were also included in the diet.

Agriculture and domestication of animal were very common. The discovery of spindles shows that spinning was done by every family besides the prevalence of a class of weavers.

Harappans lived in Bronze Age. In bronze only a few minor objects have survived. Copper was in plentiful supply during the mature phase of Harappan civilization. A large variety of copper tools such as flat axes, chisels, knives, spear-and arrow-heads, etc. have been found at Mohenjo-daro from the earliest to the latest levels. Read more

Popularity: 68% [?]

Tags: afghanistan, copper, Economic Conditions, food, india, Indus Valley Civilisation, occupation, seals, silver, south

Incredible India To Be Promoted By Foreign Airlines

Foreign airlines like British Airways, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific will now promote Indian destinations. The government has issued an instruction to all airlines for promoting Indian heritage and culture on board. Non-compliance would cost dearly as these airlines may not get seat entitlements. Aviation ministry has devised this unique method to promote ‘Incredible India’.

Nearly 100 foreign airlines are operating flights to various Indian destinations. Read more

Popularity: 44% [?]

Tags: airports authority of india, british airways, Foreign Airlines, Foreign tourists, india, tour, tourism ministry, travels

An Overview of Indus Valley Civilisation

In the early part of the 3rd Millennium, in the river valleys of the Nile, Euphrates and Indus, civilization with an organized system of government, over a comparatively large area developed and flourished.

The Indus valley people did not engrave long inscriptions on stone as papyrus scrolls but have left behind seals which have yet to be deciphered.

Knowledge of the Indus Valley Civilisation is quite inadequate in a number of areas.

The origin of the Harappan civilsation has long been a matter of debate.

Most of archaeologist say thatit was a colonial offshoot of the Mesopotomian civilization and was brought to the Indus region by the Sumerians, the early inhabitants of Mesopotamia. Read more

Popularity: 49% [?]

Tags: aryna, bharat, harappan civilisation, india, Indus Valley Civilisation, Mesopotomia, Mohenjodaro, rivery valleys, sind stupa

A Look Into Hinduism

Hinduism is the ancient most religion of the people of India. It forms the basis of Hindu society. Our whole social system is based on it. We derive our sources for our social and religious life from our Vedas, Sastras and such other religious books as Bhagwat Gita, Ramayana and Mahabharata.

To begin with, it was a society in which there was no caste system.

The people believed in simple living and purity of character. Their food habits were very simple and social customs and ceremonies not complex and complicated. With the passage of time many evils crept up in our society. For centuries together, these evils continues to hollow our sound social system. Read more

Popularity: 34% [?]

Tags: Bhagwat Gita, Bharata, hindiusm, hindu, india, Krishna, Laxman, Mahabharata, Ram, ramayana, religion, sastras

Small Planet Named After An Indian Scientist

A minor planet in the solar system, which earlier bore just the number 5718 CD4, has now been named after Kollam-based scientist Dr Sainudeen Pattzhy.

Pattazhy, who teaches zoology at a local college, has carried out pioneering research on many environment related issues such as the phenomenon of ‘red rain’ which occurred in Kerala in 2001-the control of mosquitoes, the eco biology of ‘sacred groves’, and the health hazards posed by mobile phone towers. Read more

Popularity: 33% [?]

Tags: Dr Sainudeen Pattzhy, india, International Astronomical Union, Kerala, mobile tower, NASA, planet, red rains of kerala, research paper

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