History of

Drishti India
History
History is originally a Greek Term. Greek Historian 'Herodotus' Known as
'Father of History'. He used word “History” first in his book 'The Histories'.
What is History ?
History is the study of change over time, and it covers all aspects of human
society. Political, Social, economic, scientific, technological, medical, cultural,
intellectual, religious and military developments are all part of History.
Father of History → Herodotus
Selected thought of famous scholars related to Philosophy of History

Bacon → ‘‘History makes human wise’

Renier → ‘‘History is the study of human past’’

Trevelyan → ‘‘History, is a story of unchangeable form ’’

J.B. Bury → ‘‘History is a science and not as a branch of literature’’.

Alberuni → History is oftensaid to be the ‘‘queen’’ or ‘‘mother’’ of the social science.

Time Division of Indian History

Part A Part B Part C

History of History of History of
Ancient India Ancient India Modern India
↓ ↓ ↓
From Paleaolithic From Invasion of From the arrival of Europeans
age to Pre-Medieval muslims in India to to India to the Freedom (division
Period Disintegration of of India) of India
Mughal Empire

History of Ancient India

General Classification of Sources
1. 1. meeefneflÙekeâ
Literary œeesle
Sources 2. Archaeological Sources

A. Religious B. Non-Religious • Inscriptions • Coins

Literature (Text) Literature (Text) • Sculptures • Art/Drawing
• Literatures related to • Arthashastra, Rajtarangini etc. • Architecture
Brahmin, Jainas, Budhist • Texts (Account) of Foreigners • Other remains of Archeology
and other religion

Pictorial Presentation 3 GS Drishti Indian History

 1. Literary Sources

Primary objective : Presentation of the spiritual and religious philosophies

A. Religious Literatures

Brahmins Literatures Buddhist Literatures Jainas Literatures (Agam)

• Vedic Literatures • Tripitakas • 12 Most Important Literatures
• Vedangs → Sutta Pitaka → Acharang Sutra
→ Vinaya Pitaka → Naya dhamma Kahao
• Ramayana
→ Abhidhamma Pitaka → Uvasag dasao
• Mahabharata • Dynastic Literatures → Bhagwati Sutra etc.
• Puranas etc. Deepavamsa, Mahvamsa etc

B. Non - Religious Literatures

Clarity on not only social and cultural
Accounts of Foreign Travellers
aspects but also on political aspects too.
Example Greek Chinese Arabic
• Herodotus • Fa-xian • Ibn-Khordadbeh
• Arthashatra written by Kautilya • Astadhyayi
• Niarcus • Huen-Tsang • Suleman-Al-Tazir
written by Panini • Mudrarahshas written by
• Megasthanese • I-Tsing • Al-Masudi
Vishakhadutta • Katha Saritsagar written by Somdeva
• Brihad Katha Manjari written by Kshemendra • • Plutark • Song-Yun • Al-Beruni etc.
Nitisar written by Kamandaka • Malvikagnimitram • Arrian
written by Kalidasa •Mahabhashya written by • Strabo • Pliny
Patanjali etc. • Ptolmy etc

Archaeological Sources

History may be accurate, but In a simple direct sense, archaeology is a science that
archaeology is Precise Famous must be live, must be "seasoned with humanity".
- Doug Scott Quotes Dead archaeology is the driest dust that blows.
- Martimer Wheeler

Time Division : Based on Written, Unwritten, Deciphered, Undeciphered Evidences

Characteristic Example
Lack of Written Evidence
Pre-Historic Period Palaeolithic Culture
Only Archeological evidence available

Undeciphered written evidence

Proto-Historic Period Indus valley Civilization
Dependent on Archeological Source

Written & Archeological both sources Starts about 6thcentury

Historic Period
available & deciphered. BCE.

Pictorial Presentation 4 GS Drishti Indian History

 Stone Age
The Period of the emergence of Primitive man and the manufacturing of
unpolished, chipped, stone termed as 'Stone Age'.
Division of Stone Age
Stone age in India is divided into three phases on the basis of nature of stone tools used by people.
Stone Age
Palaeolithic Period (Age) Mesolithic Period (Age) Neolithic Age
(1) Paleolithic Period (i) Lower Paleolithic Period
Time Period – 10 lakh BCE to 1000 BCE Time Period : 10 lakh BC to 1 Lakh BC
Livelihood – Hunters & food gatherers Primary instrument :

Basis of division into Variation in

First instrument Found – From Pallavaram Hand axe, Cleaver, Chopper

Tools
(Chennai) in 1863 by Robert Bruce
(2) Mesolithic Period (ii) Middle Paleolithic Period
Time Period – 10000 BC to 7000 BC Time Period : 1 Lakh BC to 40000 BC.
Livelihood – Hunting (including Fish), Food
Flake instrument :
3 periods
gathering, Animal domestication
Scrapers, Borers, minor hand axes etc.
First Instrument – Microlith, Bow & Arrows
(3) Neolithic Period
(iii) Upper Paleolithic Period
Time Periods : Around 7000 B.C. to 1000 BC.
Major Characteristics : Agriculture, Animal Time Period : 40000 BC to 10000 BC.
domestication, Hand and wheel made Pottery, Primary instrument :
Making of houses etc. Blade & Burians etc.
Artifacts – Polished artifacts (Most importantly Axes)
Fact : First time production of grains, First use of
Important Archaelogical facts Related to India
fire (Important Achievements) Ø 1861 A.D. - The father of Indian archaeo-
logy, Alexander Cunningham, appointed as
Sites Obtained Evidence
the first archaeo-logical surveyor in India
Lahuradeva (U.P., India): Oldest Evidence of rice
Mehargarh (Pakistan): Oldest evidence of wheat Ø 1863 A.D. - Start of the research on the
(barley) Stone Age Civilization in India
Gufkral (India) : Agriculture and Animal Ø 1871 A.D. - Archaeological Survey was
husbandry formed as a department of the government
Human skelton, dog's skelton Ø 1901 A.D. - At the time of Lord Curzon, the
Burzahom Archaeological Survey Department was
Pit dwellings
centralized and was named Archaeological
Sangana Kallu
Survey of India and John Marshall was made
Piklihal Ash mounds
its first Director General
Utnur
North India South India
Culture Sohan Culture
Chopper-Chopping

or Madrasi Culture
Hand-Axe Culture

Area Area
Two Primary
Pebbles

From Soan Valley in segments of Lower From Pallivaram by Robert

Paleolithic culture Bruce Foot in 1863 A.D.
1928 by D.N. Wadia

First Artifact First Artifact

Pictorial Presentation 5 GS Drishti Indian History

 Middle Paleolithic Culture Important Sites of Neolithic Period
Flakes Culture Flakes-Blade Scrapper-Culture
Burzahoam Jammu & Kashmir
(Place of Birch Tree) - 16 ground level house
on the basis of artifacts found
↑
feature, Human burried with Dogs
Nomenclature
↓
On the basis of discovery
↓ Koldihwa (Prayagraj)
Nevasian Stage
one of the oldest site of Rice cultivation

Upper Paleolithic Period

Technique of equipment making Chirand (Bihar)
↓ Bone made tools
Indirect collision mechanism
Major Artifact
↓ Gufkaral (literal meaning : Potter's Cave)
Blade Hand made Pottery, Houses on ground level.
Important Sites :
Belan Valley, Sohan Vally,
Singhbhum, Vemula etc, Mahagara (Prayagraj)
Art Barley cultivation & animal domestication
Rock Architecture from Bhimbetka;
Female Figurine from LohandaNala, Belan Valley;
Mehergarh (Pakistan)
Ostrich egg were found in large quantities from
Oldest evidence of wheat cultivation
Patne, Maharashtra
& Buffalo domestication
(also beads made of eggs found)

Mesolithic Period Important Fact

Ø First Human remains in India –
Charactristic
↓ Hathnora (M.P.)
First Human Skeleton Found Ø National Museum of Mankind –
Evidence of Animal domestication Bhopal (M.P.)
↓
Bagor (Rajasthan), Ø First evidence of Mecca was found from –
Adamgarh (Madhya Pradesh) Mexico

Major Sites Ø Ochre coloured pottery was named in –

Hastinapur
Langhnaj (Gujarat) : 14 Burrial Sites
Ø 3 Skeleton from a single grave was found
Mahdaha (Pratapgarh) : 28 Burrial Sites from –Dumduma

Dumduma (Pratapgarh) : 41 Burrial Sites Ø Famous archaeological site for pre-historic

Art is –
Sarai Nahar Rai (Pratapgarh): 11 burrials
Bhimbetka
Lekhahiya (Mirzapur) : 17 Burrials Ø First grain used by human was –Barley

Pictorial Presentation 6 GS Drishti Indian History

 Chalcolithic Period
During the end of Neolithic times, Human started use of Copper metal (one of the first metal),
therefore named as 'Chalcolithic' (also Harrappa culture)
Ancient –
Ahar – name Tamravati Nagari
Local – Dhulkot
Characteristic – Boundary wall of

Archeological sites
Houses was made of Bricks

Important
Ahar or Bagor
South-East
Banas Balathal
Rajasthan Evidence of fortified settlement
Culture Ojiyana

→ Evidence of Stone flakes

factories
→ Evidence of building made
Gilund of mud
→ Use of baked bricks at
some places
→ Pieces of copper have been
found
Evidence of Fortified
Expansion of Major Chalcolithic Settlements

Colonies
Kayatha Ancient Name : Kapithak
(Birth Place of Varahmihir)
Kayatha Important
Evidence of Factories of
Culture Archaeological Stone flakes
Sites
West
Madhya Pradesh Eran → Evidence of fortified settlements

Navadtoli Largest chalcolithic

Malwa Important period rural settlement
Culture Archaeological - situated in Khargone
Nagda
Sites district
- Excavation by H.D.
Sankalia
- Evidence of square &
→ Jorwe circular house

{ → Nevasa → Evidence of Jute

→ Daimabad → Biggest among the known
Western 200 Jorwe sites
→ Jorwe Culture
Maharashtra
↓ → Prakasha Obtained Evidence

{ → House with five rooms

Major Site
→ Nasik
→
→
Inamgao
Chandoli
{ → Fortified settlement surrounded
by moat
→ Mother Goddess Statue
→ Sonegaon
→ Bengal → Pandu Rajar Dhibi, Mahishadal
Eastern India Major Site → Bihar → Chirand, Senuvar, Sonpur, Taradih
→ Eastern U.P. → Khairadih, Narhan

Pictorial Presentation 7 GS Drishti Indian History

 Time Period of Some Important Chalcolithic Specific
Culture Pottery (Earthen ware)
Chalcolithic Culture
→ The Sturdy red slipped ware with
chocolate designs
Ahar Culture → Circa 2800 BC - 1500 BC Kayatha
→ Buffwares drawns from red clours
Culture
→ Some bowls, basins and globular
Kayatha Culture → Circa 2450 BC - 1700 BC pots represendted combed ware.

Ahar → The black and red ware is the

Malwa Culture → Circa 1900 BC - 1400 BC Culture distinguishing feature.

Malwa → Red slipped, black painted ware on

Savalda Culture → Circa 2300 BC - 2000 BC Culture a red or creame ground in
geometric, plant and animal motifs

Jorwe Culture → Circa 1500 BC - 900 BC

Prabhas → Derived from Harappa culture
and (Potteries similar to Harappa).
Rangpur The Polished red ware is the
hallmark of this culture.
Prabhas Culture → Circa 2000 BC - 1400 BC Culture
→ This culture include red pottery
Jorwe (or black pottery), generally with
Rangpur Culture → Circa 1700 BC - 1400 BC Culture matt surface bearing paintings in
black

Harappa Civilization
Mounds of Harrappa was first visited by Charles mason in 1826. Later, in 1856 engineers
were laying railway line from Lahore to Multan, used boulders from Harappa mound.
In 1921, after the excavation of Harappa by Dayaram Sahni a new culture has been found.

Nomenclature Major Types

Indus Valley Indus Saraswati Harappa First Urban

Civilisation Civilisation or Civilisation Civilisation Bronze Age Proto
↓ Saraswati ↓ ↓ Civiliation Historic
By John Marshal Civilisation Based on First evidence of ↓ Civiliation
↓ first site Urbanisation First time use ↓
Most of the Settlements in Indian Undeciphered
of Bronze
were on banks of
Sub-continent Script
saraswati river or its tributaries

Indus Civilisation : Expansion Area

Manda
Jammu Kashmir
(North)
Afghanistan
Punjab
Haryana Sutkagendor Alamgirpur
Khyber Pakhtunwa India (West) Expansion (East)
Rajasthan
Baluchistan
Uttar Pradesh
Punjab Pakistan Daimabad
Sindh Maharashtra
(South)

Pictorial Presentation 8 GS Drishti Indian History

 Triangular Site Excavator/Surveyor/Explorer
↑
Twin Shape Harappa Dayaram Sahni
Capitals
(Stuart Mohenjodaro Rakhaldas Banarjee
Piggot) Area
Harappa Chahundaro N.G. Mazumdar
↓ ↓
Civilisation Lothal S.R. Rao
Harappa & Around 13
Mohan jodaro lakh Sq.Km.
Kalibangan Amalananda Ghosh

Time Division of Harappan Civilisation Banawali R.S. Bist

On the basis of Radio-carbon-14 (C-14) dating Dhaulavira J.P. Joshi

method, the most accepted time period of
Harrappan civilisation is Ropar B.B. Lal
↓ Sutkagandor Aurel Stein
2300 BC to 1700 BC
Major Sites of Harappan Civilisation

Harappa Lothal
l Other name : Mini Mohenjodaro or mini Harappa
→ 12 Granaries on the River
bank → Dockyard or Port
→ Persian Currency Seal
→ House of Labours
→ Paddy (Rice) & Bajra
→ Circular Plateforms of → Mini terracotta Sculpture of
Bricks Horse
Obtained Obtained
Evidences → R-37 & H Cemetery Evidences → Three Couplet Tombs
→ Dead body in the Coffin → Measures & scales made of
ivory & oysters (Beads)
→ Brass hand barrow → Two Hand Grinding mill stones
→ Highest scripted seals → Pillar of fire
→ Potraits of fisherman → Factories for making Beads
→ Models of mummies
Location :
l Montgomerry (Presently Shahiwal) District, Location : l Ahmedabad District, Gujarat
Pakistan l On the bank of River Bhogawa
l On the left bank of River Ravi
Kalibangan : l Meaning : Bangles of Black
Mohenjodaro
l Literal Meaning - 'Mound of Dead' Obtained Evidences
l Other Name : Garden of Sindh → Ploughed Field → Razor wrapped
Obtained Evidences → Fire alters on clothes
→ Vast Bath → Scales & measures
→ Huge Granaries made of oysters
→ Bangles of black → Oldest evidenc of
→ Bronze Statue of → Cotton Cloth colours soils earthquake
dancing girl. → Horse Teeth → Glass bangles → Fortification of
→ Pujari (yogi) statue (Probably) → Wooden Drains lower towns
→ Seal of Pashupati → Elephants Carnial
→ Image of boat on sections → Cylindrical Seals → Soil's Shell
seals of Mesopotamia → Evidence of
Location : Tandoori Stove
l Larkana District (Sindh Province), Pakistan Location:
l On the Right bank of River Indus l Hanumangarh District, Rajasthan

Pictorial Presentation 9 GS Drishti Indian History

 Chanhudaro Banawali
→ Street & roads dividing
→ Bead making factory city into rectangular
→ Cosmetics items blocks
→ Curved bricks → All 3 stages of Harappa
(Pre, mature & Later
→ Dog's pawmark while Obtained Harappa Stage)
Obtained chasing cat Evidences → Shape of soil made
Evidences → Ornate Elephant plough
→ Miniature female
→ Only city, which lacks Terracotta
fortification without a → Simi-circular Structure of
defensive castle fire alters

→ Combs & Razor Location:

l Fatehabad District, Haryana
Location :
l Sindh Province, Pakistan
l Pre Harappan (Jhukar Phase) Culture remnants Ropar
l Modern Name : Roopnagar

→ Human burried with

dogs.
Dhaulavira Obtained
Evidences → Weight & Axe of chart
→ Seals of soap stone
l Cities divided in three parts
→ Cpooer made Arrows
Location: l Punjab, India
Castle Central City Lower towns
l On the left bank of Sutlej river
→ Large water reservoirs l Excavated after Independence
→ Advanced water
management Daimabad
Obtained → Stadium (Playing Field) → Man driving a chariot
Evidences → Sculpture of Mangoose Obtained → Seal in Harappan Script
Evidences → Two horn shaped utencils
→ Sign board with 10 letters
of Harappan Script → Burrial of a young man.
→ White rock Block Location :
l Ahmadnagar District, Maharastra
Location : l On the left bank pravara River
l Bhachau Taluka, Kutch District (Gujarat)

Yogi/Pashupati Seal found from Mohenjodaro

Surkotda Right ← → Left

Buffalo, Tiger,
→ Horse bones
Rhinoceros Elephant
Obtained → Graves covered with
↓
Evidences rockes down
→ Stone masonary Buildings ↓
Two deers
Location :
l Kutch District, Gujarat l Six animals of 5 different types
l 'Proto Shiva' - stated by John Marshell

Pictorial Presentation 10 GS Drishti Indian History

 Exam Drishti Important Facts
Ø Indus Inhabitnats started the cultivation of
cotton for the first time. Location Evidence found
Ø In the Indus civilization, buying and selling was Ø Sanauli Evidence of 126 burrials
done by barter because coins were not in
circulation. Ø Balakot Pieces of Shells made bangles
Ø Weights of Indus civilisation were mainly Ø Manda Bronze made screw pin
cubicle
Ø Meluha has been identified from the Sindh Ø Nausaro Evidence of Vermillion on the
region.
forehead of women
Ø Most of the seals have inscription of Unicorn
(one horned) & thereafter humped oxes. Ø Harappa Picture of a plant growing from a
Ø Dice was the primary sport of this period.
Ø Indus civilisation humans were known to gold, woman's womb.
silver, copper, bronze etc. but not to iron. Ø Rangpur Rice bran
Ø No remains of lions.
Ø Picture of Horses & Cows were not found. Ø Hulas Indus script containing seal

3 from Harappa 12 from Mohenjodaro

Found Stone Sculpture

Lost Waxcasting Method ← Meatl Sculpture Terrocotta : Pinch Method

Art
Mostly : Square or
Mostly Cylindrical Rectangular
Beads Seal
Factories / Industry : Lothal - Copper seal found
Found in Chanhudaro Lothal
Harappa
Civilization
Multiple of 16 Pink & Red Colour
Weights & Terracotta
Most of the weights Measures Drawing from black line
were cubic

Script

Emotive Drawing From right to left 400 to 500 signs were found

Decline/Downfall of Harappa Civilsation

S.No. Reason Related Scholar
1. Outsider Attacks Gordon childe, Mortimer wheelar, Stuart Piggot
2. Floods Marshell, Macke, S.R. Rao
3. Change of flow of River H.T. Lambrick, Madhoswaroop Vatsa, G.F. Dales
4. Tectonic Reson M.R. Sahni, R.L. Raikes, George Dales
5. Climate Change Aurel Stain, Amlanand Ghosh, Gurdeep Singh
6. Hurdles in Foreign trade W.F. Albright
7. Poor Administration John Marshell
8. Pandemic K.U.R Kannedy
9. Invisible Hands (Falldown) M. Dimitriev

Pictorial Presentation 11 GS Drishti Indian History

 Vedic Period

The Vedas are among the oldest Sacred texts in Indian literature traditions.The culture
developed during this period is termed as 'Vedic Culture'. After Urban Harappan Culture,
this rural culture was propagated by Aryans, therefore it is also known as 'Aryan Culture'.

Knowledge
↑
Vedic Period
meaning
↑ (Divided in 2 parts)

•Samhitas Other Total ↓ ↓
← ← Vedas → →4
•Shrutis Name Number Rigvedic Post Vedic
↓ Period Period
Compiled by (1500 BC - (1000 BC -
↓
Krishna Dwaipayana 1000 BC) 600 BC)
(Ved Vyas)

Original Habitat of Aryans

*Note : There is difference of opinion between leading historian on the issue

of the original residence of Aryans

Original habitat Historian

Kashmir or Himalayan region L.D. Kall

{
Brahmarshi country Pt. Ganganath Jha

Sapt-Sindhu Region Dr. Avninash Chandra Das

Devika State (Multan) D.S. Trivedi

Southern Russia Gordon Childe

Aryan
Central Asia Max Muller

North Pole Pt. Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Tibbet Swami Dayanand Saraswati

Germany Hart & Penka

Hungary Dr. Giles

Pictorial Presentation 12 GS Drishti Indian History