India Today

Five Fast Facts

• India has the second largest population in the world, with over 1.2 billion people.

• The major religions of India include Hinduism 80.5%, Islam 13.4%, Christianity 2.3%, Sikhism 1.9%

• The highest mountain in India—and the 3rd highest in the world-- is Kanchenjunga, standing at 28,209 ft).

• Many different languages are spoken in India. The main ones are Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu. English is spoken widely because India was a British colony

• The most populated city is Mumbai—20.5 million people in metropolitan area-3 times the population of Washington State

Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

Ms. Susan M. PojerHorace Greeley HS Chappaqua, NY

The Harappan Civilization

3300 BCE - 2400 BCE

CitadelOf

Mohenjo-Daro

Aerial View: Mohenjo-Daro

Wide View: Mohenjo-Daro

Mahenjo-Daro’s advanced plumbing

Harappa Sewer Drain

The Vedic Age1500 BCE - 500 BCE

The foundations for Hinduism were

established

Aryan Migration

pastoral depended on their cattle.

warriors horse-drawn chariots.

Sanskrit

writing

The Vedas 1200 BCE-600 BCE.

written in SANSKRIT.

Hindu core of beliefs:

hymns and poems.

religious prayers.

magical spells.

lists of the gods and goddesses.

Rig Veda oldest work.Rig Veda oldest work.

Varna (Social Hierarchy)

Shudras(laborers)

Vaishyas(Landowners and

merchants)

Kshatriyas (warriors)

Brahmins(priests)

Pariahs [Harijan]

• also called “Untouchables”, people considered impure because of their work (gravediggers, trash collectors, butchers)

• They were called untouchables since even their touch was impure

The Caste System

The mouth?

The arms?

The legs?

The feet?

WHO IS…

JATI?

BrahminsBrahmins

KshatriyasKshatriyas

VaishyasVaishyas

ShudrasShudras

Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE

Chandragupta: 321 BCE-298 BCE

Unified northern India.

Defeated the Persian general Seleucus.

Divided his empire into provinces, then districts for tax assessments and law enforcement.

He feared assassination [like Saddam Hussein] food tasters, slept in different rooms, etc.

301 BCE gave up his throne & became a Jain.

The Maurya Empire

The Maurya Empire

321 BCE – 185 BCE

Asoka (304 – 232 BCE)

Asoka (304 – 232 BCE) Religious conversion

after the gruesome battle of Kalinga in 262 BCE.

Dedicated his life to Buddhism.

Built extensive roads.

Conflict how to balance Kautilya’s methods of keeping power and Buddha’s demands to become a selfless person?

Asoka’s

Empire

Asoka’s

Empire

Asoka’s law code

Asoka’s law code Edicts scattered in

more than 30 places in India, Nepal, Pakistan, & Afghanistan.

Written mostly in Sanskrit, but one was in Greek and Aramaic.

10 rock edicts.

Each pillar [stupa] is 40’-50’ high.

Buddhist principles dominate his laws.

One of Asoka’sStupas

One of Asoka’sStupas

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:

220 BCE – 320 CE

Turmoil & a power Vacuum:

220 BCE – 320 CE

Tamils

The Maurya Empire is divided into many kingdoms.

Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

Gupta Empire: 320 CE – 647 CE

International Trade Routes during the Guptas

International Trade Routes during the Guptas

Extensive Trade:4c

Extensive Trade:4c

spices

spices

gold &

ivory

gold & ivory

rice & wheathorses

cotton goods

cotton goodssilks

Medicine Literature

MathematicsAstronomy

Printedmedicinal

guides

1000 diseasesclassified

PlasticSurgery

C-sectionsperforme

d

Inoculations

500 healingplants

identified

DecimalSystem

Conceptof Zero

PI = 3.1416

Kalidasa

SolarCalendar

The earth

is round

GuptaIndia

Gupta Achieveme

nts

Gupta Achieveme

nts

The Decline of the Guptas

The Decline of the Guptas Invasion of the White Huns in the 4th century CE

signaled the end of the Gupta Golden Age.

After the decline of the Gupta empire, north India broke into a number of separate Hindu kingdoms and was not really unified again until the coming of the Muslims in the 7 century CE.