INDIA IN THE ANCIENT AGE

Q2. What is Indus Valley Civilization? Explain.

The Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC), also known as the Indus Civilisation,[1] was a Bronze Age
civilisation in the northwestern regions of South Asia, lasting from 3300 BCE to 1300 BCE, and
in its mature form from 2600 BCE to 1900 BCE. Together with ancient Egypt and
Mesopotamia, it was one of three early civilisations of the Near East and South Asia, and of
the three, the most widespread, its sites spanning an area stretching from today's northeast
Afghanistan, through much of Pakistan, and into western and northwestern India.[3][b] It
flourished in the basins of the Indus River, which flows through the length of Pakistan, and
along a system of perennial, mostly monsoon-fed, rivers that once coursed in the vicinity of
the seasonal Ghaggar-Hakra river in northwest India and eastern Pakistan.

The civilisation's cities were noted for their urban planning, baked brick houses, elaborate
drainage systems, water supply systems, clusters of large non-residential buildings, and new
techniques in handicraft (carnelian products, seal carving) and metallurgy (copper, bronze,
lead, and tin). The large cities of Mohenjo-daro and Harappa very likely grew to contain
between 30,000 and 60,000 individuals, and the civilisation itself during its florescence may
have contained between one and five million individuals.

Gradual drying of the region's soil during the 3rd millennium BCE may have been the initial
spur for the urbanisation associated with the civilisation, but eventually weaker monsoons
and reduced water supply caused the civilisation's demise, and caused its population to
scatter eastward and southward.

The Indus civilisation is also known as the Harappan Civilisation, after its type site, Harappa,
the first of its sites to be excavated early in the 20th century in what was then the Punjab
province of British India and is now in Pakistan. The discovery of Harappa and soon afterwards
Mohenjo-daro was the culmination of work beginning in 1861 with the founding of the
Archaeological Survey of India during the British Raj. There were however earlier and later
cultures often called Early Harappan and Late Harappan in the same area; for this reason, the
Harappan civilisation is sometimes called the Mature Harappan to distinguish it from these
other cultures.

By 2002, over 1,000 Mature Harappan cities and settlements had been reported, of which just
under a hundred had been excavated. However, there are only five major urban sitesHarappa,
Mohenjo-daro (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 as "Archaeological Ruins at
Moenjodaro"), Dholavira (declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021 as "Dholavira: A
Harappan City"), Ganeriwala, and Rakhigarhi. The early Harappan cultures were preceded by
local Neolithic agricultural villages, from which the river plains were populated.
The Harappan language is not directly attested, and its affiliation uncertain as the Indus script
has remained undeciphered. A relationship with the Dravidian or Elamo-Dravidian language
family is favoured by a section of scholars.

Q3. Different between Jainism and Buddhism?

Buddhism
Rebirth is one of the principal beliefs in Buddhism. It is thought that the endless cycle of birth
and re-birth can only be broken by attaining Nirvana (Enlightenment)
Jainism
Jainism believes that the circle of rebirths and deaths will continue due to good or bad deeds
until liberation is achieved.
Buddhism
Scriptures include Tripitaka, which is a vast text consisting of 3 sections: the Discipline, the
Discourse and the Commentaries.
Jainism
Jain religious texts are called Agamas
Buddhism
The principal teaching of Buddhism is that life is suffering and to escape suffering (end cause
of desire) one needs to dispel ignorance by realizing the Four Noble Truths and practising the
Eightfold Path
Jainism
Jainism lays emphasis on the respect of all living beings. Liberation from the cycle of rebirths is
attained by taking the Five Vows and following the principles of the Three Jewels
Buddhism
Buddhism is divided into two major sects upon the death of Gautama Buddha. They are the
Mahayana and the Theravada
Jainism
Svetambara and Digambara are the two major sects of Jainism
Buddhism
According to some texts in Buddhism, there are beings in heaven but they are bound by
“samsara”. They suffer less bu they ave, not yet achieved salvation.
Jainism
Deities in Jainism are known as “Titrtheneakas”. But they are not worshipped in the
conventional sense as they are regarded as wise teachers whose teachings must be followed

Buddhism
Followers of Buddhism can be found mainly in Thailand, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Tibet, Japan, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, Vietnam, China, Mongolia, Korea, Singapore,
Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Jainism
Followers of Jainism are found mainly in India, lower Asian subcontinent throughout, and
America. Small groups exist in most countries.

Q4. Explain the contribution of King Ashok in spreading of Buddhism.

One of the more enduring legacies of Ashoka Maurya was the model that he provided for the
relationship between Buddhism and the state. Throughout Theravada Southeastern Asia, the
model of rulership embodied by Ashoka replaced the notion of divine kingship that had
previously dominated (in the Angkor kingdom, for instance). Under this model of “Buddhist
kingship,” the king sought to legitimize his rule, not through descent from a divine source, but
by supporting and earning the approval of the Buddhist sangha. Following Ashoka’s example,
kings established monasteries, funded the construction of stupas, and supported the
ordination of monks in their kingdom. Many rulers also took an active role in resolving
disputes over the status and regulation of the sangha, as Ashoka had by calling a conclave to
settle a number of contentious issues during his reign. This development ultimately led to a
close association in many Southeast Asian countries between the monarchy and the religious
hierarchy, an association that can still be seen today in the state-supported Buddhism of
Thailand, and the traditional role of the Thai king as both a religious and secular leader.
Ashoka also said that his courtiers always governed the people in a moral manner.

As a Buddhist emperor, Ashoka believed that Buddhism is beneficial for all human beings, as
well as animals and plants, so he built a number of stupas, Sangharama, viharas, chaitya, and
residences for Buddhist monks all over South Asia and Central Asia. According to the
Ashokavadana, he ordered the construction of 84,000 stupas to house the Buddhas relics. In
the Aryamanjusrimulakalpa, Ashoka takes offerings to each of these stupas, traveling in a
chariot adorned with precious metals. He gave donations to viharas and mathas. He sent his
only daughter, Sanghamitra, and son, Mahindra, to spread Buddhism in Sri Lanka (then known
as Tamraparni).
The use of Buddhist sources in reconstructing the life of Ashoka has had a strong influence on
perceptions of Ashoka, as well as the interpretations of his Edicts. Building on traditional
accounts, early scholars regarded Ashoka as a primarily Buddhist monarch who underwent a
conversion to Buddhism and was actively engaged in sponsoring and supporting the Buddhist
monastic institution. Some scholars have tended to question this assessment. The only source
of information not attributable to Buddhist sources are the Ashokan Edicts, and these do not
explicitly state that Ashoka was a Buddhist. In his edicts, Ashoka expresses support for all the
major religions of his time: Buddhism, Brahmanism, Jainism, and Ajivikaism. His edicts
addressed to the population at large (there are some addressed specifically to Buddhists,
which is not the case for the other religions) generally focus on moral themes that members of
all the religions would accept.

However, the edicts alone strongly indicate that he was a Buddhist. In one edict he belittles
rituals, and he banned Vedic animal sacrifices; these strongly suggest that he at least did not
look to the Vedic tradition for guidance. Furthermore, many edicts are expressed to Buddhists
alone; in one, Ashoka declares himself to be an “upasaka,” and in another he demonstrates a
close familiarity with Buddhist texts. He erected rock pillars at Buddhist holy sites, but did not
do so for the sites of other religions. He also used the word “dhamma” to refer to qualities of
the heart that underlie moral action; this was an exclusively Buddhist use of the word. Finally,
he promoted ideals that correspond to the first three steps of the Buddha’s graduated
discourse.

Q7 The cultural achievements of Gupta Age?

The Gupta Empire was ruled by members of the Gupta dynasty from around 320 to 550 AD
and covered most of Northern India, parts of eastern Pakistan and what is now western India
and Bangladesh. The time of the Gupta Empire is referred to as Golden Age of India in science,
mathematics, astronomy, religion and Indian philosophy. The peace and prosperity created
under leadership of Gupta’s enabled the pursuit of scientific and artistic endeavors.

The Gupta Empire is considered by many scholars to be the “classical age” of Hindu and
Buddhist art and. literature. The Rulers of the Gupta Empire were strong supporters of
developments in the arts, architecture, science, and literature. The Guptas circulated a large
number of gold coins, called dinars, with their inscriptions.

This period is also very rich in Sanskrit literature. Several important works were composed by
well known writers, such as Mrichchakatika or The Little Clay Cart by Shudraka, along with
ones like Shakuntala, Kumarasambhava and Meghduta by Kalidasa and others.

Panchatantra, the animal fables by Vishnu Sharma and 13 plays by Bhasa, were also written in
this period. The most significant achievements of this period, however, were in religion,
education, mathematics, art, Sanskrit literature and drama, and Kama Sutra, the principles of
pleasure.

Education included grammar, composition, logic, metaphysics, mathematics, medicine, and

astronomy. These subjects became highly specialized and reached an advanced level. The
decimal system are Indian inventions of this period. Aryabhatta’s expositions on astronomy in
499, moreover, gave calculations of the solar year and the shape and movement of astral
bodies with remarkable accuracy.
In medicine, the Guptas were notable for their establishment and patronage of free hospitals.
And although progress in physiology and biology was hindered by religious injunctions against
contact with dead bodies, which discouraged dissection and anatomy, Indian physicians
excelled in pharmacopoeia, cesarean section, bone setting, and skin grafting.