Indian History

In ancient times Tibet was not an isolated region as it is today. It lay in the much frequented route from China and Nepal . In the seventh century AD, Buddhism was introduced to Tibet by Srong-tsan Gampo , one of the most illustrious kings of Tibet. Gampo was married to Princesses Wen Cheng from China and another Princess Bhrikuti from Nepal. It was under the influence of his two wives that he was attracted to Buddhism. In China and Nepal Buddhism had already made its mark. Gampo is credited with introducing in Tibet Indian alphabets. This was the beginning of a new culture and civilisation in that land. Many Buddhist from Tibet, as in the case of China, came to India. Buddhist monks from Tibet came to study at the universities of Nalanda,  Vikramshila and  Odantapuri . As a reciprocation, many Indian Buddhist visited Tibet. In the eighth century AD from Nalanda (a famous centre of learning in ancient Bihar) Buddhist monk Padmasambhava went to Tibet and succeeded in converti

Ram Raja Mandir , a palace-turned-temple, is located at Orchha , a town in Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh. This is the only temple in the world where Lord Ram is worshipped as a king. So the name Ram Raja (king) Temple. Orcha was the seat of power of the princely state of the same name. An interesting legend is attached to the worshipping of Ram as King. The legend has it that in 1600 AD queen of King Madhukar Shah , the third Bundela ruler of Orchha and contemporary of Mughal Emperor Akbar, brought idols of Lord Rama and Lord Ganesha from Ayodhya to the capital. The idol of Ram was supposed to be installed in the Chaturbhuj Temple . The idol was kept at the palace as the Chaturbhuj Temple was yet to be completed. Thereupon after the completion of the Chaturbhuj Temple, the idol that was to be installed in the new temple did not move. This was construed as a divine miracle and the palace was turned into a temple. This is the reason that the idol of Ram faces the palace not th

After a rule of 24 years, Chandragupta Maurya, the first Mauryan Emperor, was succeeded by his son Bindusara. According to Jain tradition, Bindusara's mother was Durdhara . The Greek historian Athenaeus calls him Amitrochates (Sanskrit Amitraghata “ Slayer of Foes ” or Amitrakhada “Devourer of Foes”). It is not known how he got the title of Amitrochates.  Bindusara was the father of Asoka, the greatest ruler of India. The Jain scholar Hemachandra , the court poet of the Chalukyas of Anhilwara, and the Tibetan historian Taranatha mention that Chanakya, also known as Kautilya, was also prime minster of Bindusara.  Bindusara maintained friendly relations with the Hellenic world that had been established in the later days of his father. According to Athenaeus, Bindusara requested the Syrian king Antiochus I “to present him sweet wine, dried figs and a philosopher”. Thereupon, the Seleucid king of Syria sent him the figs and wine and replied , “The Greek law forbids a philosophe

The Revolt of 1857, also known as First War of Indian Independence , shook the very foundation of the British Empire in India. Some of the famous quotes related to the Revolt:  “The crisis came at first as a mere military mutiny, it speedily changed its character and became a national insurrection.” – G. B. Malleson   “It is mutiny or is it a national revolt?” – Benjamin Disraeli , British Conservative leader and Prime Minister.  "What began as a fight for religion ended as a war for independence for there is not the slightest doubt that rebels wanted to get rid of the alien government and restore the old order of which the king of Delhi was the rightful representative.” – S.N.Sen   “On the whole, it is difficult to avoid the conclusion that so-called First National War of Independence is neither First, nor National, nor a war of independence.” - R.C. Majumadar .  “It is in fact an anachronism to describe the mutiny as the first essay towards modern independence. It was rather,

Of all the secular literary sources on the history of the Mauryas, the single most important source is Arthasashtra , a treatise on polity, ascribed to Kautilya, also known as Vishnugupta and Chankya . Kautilya was the minister of Mauryan Emperor Chandragupta Maurya who overthrew the last ruler of the oppressive Nanda Dynasty of Magadh.  Arthashastra was discovered in 1905  by  R. Sama Shashtri,  the  Sanskrit scholar and librarian at Oriental Research Institute (ORI) in Mysore.  Oriental Research Institute (ORI) in Mysore was founded by Mysore’s Wodeyar rulers in 1891.  Arthashastra  is a comprehensive source of information on statecraft and public administration. Divided into fifteen adhikaranas (sections) and 180 prukaranas (chapters), this text on polity is written in both prose and verse in Sanskrit. There is considerable debate on the exact dating of Arthasashtra. Since there is no mention of Chandragupta or Mauryan rulers of Patliputra in the work, some authorities inclu

The Buddha has two kinds of disciples – lay worshippers ( upasakas ) and monks ( bhikkus or shramanas ). The latter were organized into the Sangha or congregation. The membership of the Sangha was open to all, male or female above twenty years of age and who were free from leprosy, consumption and other infections diseases. However, slaves, soldiers and debtors were not allowed to enter the Sangha without the permission of their superior. The admission of Prajapati Gautami , the widowed stepmother of the Buddha, to the Sangha, at the innstance of Ananda , one of chief disciples and consatant companion of the Buddha, marked the beginninng of an order of Buddhist nun. The Buddha had reservations on women's entry innto Sangha and even predicted that allowing women to become nun will make the survival of his teachings difficult. Anyone from the age of eight might become a member of Sangha. However in order to become full member of the Order, one has to be at least 20 years old.

Soon after ascending the Mughal throne, Jahangir , the fourth Mughal Emperor, allowed a chain with bells to be hung outside his palace to enable petitioners to bring their grievances to the notice of the emperor himself. He promulgated twelve edicts or ordinances for the general welfare and better government of the empire. Although these ordinances confirmed Jahangir’s desire to continue his father Akbar’s liberal policies, in practice they remained ineffective. At the beginning of his reign in 1606, Jahangir has to face the rebellion of his son Khusrau in Lahore. Khusrau has the blessings of some of the powerful nobles of the empire. Khusrau’s rebellion was personally suppressed by Jahangir. Khusrau was captured, blinded, confined and subsequently killed by Khurram (name of Shah Jahan, the fifth Mughal Emperor, before his ascension to the Mughal Throne) in 1622. The fifth Sikh Guru Arjan , who had given shelter to Khusrau at Taran Taran, was fined. When he refused to pay the fine,