Indian Literature Worksheet

1E N G L I S H 159– AFRO-ASIANLITERATURE
INDIAN LITERATURE WORKSHEET
NAME ENG 159 SECTION
A. THE LITERARY PERIODS OF INDIAN LITERATURE

The Indus Valley civilization flourished in northern India between 2500 and 1500 B.C. The Aryans, a group of nomadic
warriors and herders, were the earliest known migrants into India. They brought with them a well-developed language and
literature and a set of religious beliefs.
1.Vedic Period (1500 B.C. –500 B.C.)

This period is named for the Vedas, a set of hymns that formed the cornerstone of Aryan culture. Hindus consider the
Vedas, which were transmitted orally by priests, to be the most sacred of all literature for they believe these to have been
revealed to humans directly by the gods. In this period, one of the famous literary piece is the “RIGVEDA”. In the box
below, describe briefly what this literary piece is about.
2.Epic and Buddhist Age (500 B.C. – A.D.)
PreparedforENG159 by MJ Castro
The period of composition of the two great epics, Mahabharata and the Ramayana. This time was also the growth of later
Vedic literature, new Sanskrit literature, and Buddhist literature in Pali. The Dhammapada was also probably composed
during this period. The Maurya Empire (322-230 B.C.) ruled by Ashoka promoted Buddhism and preached goodness,
nonviolence, and ‘righteousness’ although this period was known for warfare and iron-fisted rule. The Gupta Dynasty
(320-467 B.C.) was the next great political power. During this time, Hinduism reached a full flowering and was evident in
culture and the arts. Describe briefly in the box below these well-known literary pieces which took place in this period.
Get 2 quotes from the “Bhagavad Gita” and explain what lesson or lessons in life is emphasized. Use the space
below for your answer.
Summarize in one paragraph what the “RAMAYANA” is about.
3.Classical Period (A.D. – 1000 A.D.)

The main literary language of northern India during this period was Sanskrit, in contrast with the Dravidian languages of
southern India. Sanskrit, which means ‘perfect speech’ is considered a sacred language, the language spoken by the gods
and goddesses. As such, Sanskrit was seen as the only appropriate language for the noblest literary works. Poetry and
drama peaked during this period. Beast fables such as the Panchatantra were popular and often used by religious teachers
to illustrate moral points.
Discuss what the usual morals of the PANCHATANTRA tales.
Discuss briefly the theme for this drama titled “SAKUNTALA”
4.Medieval and Modern Age (A.D. 1000 – present).
Persian influence on literature was considerable during this period. Persian was the court language of the Moslem rulers.
In the 18th century India was directly under the British Crown and remained so until its Independence in 1947. British
influence was strong and modern-day Indians are primarily educated in English. Many have been brought into the world of
Western learning at the expense of learning about their own culture.
Describe the author and discuss what this literary piece titled “Gitanjali” is trying to express.
Below is a poem titled “the Taj Mahal” written by Sahir Ludhianvi. It is about the mausoleum in North India built by the
Mogul emperor Shah Jahan for his wife Mumtaz-i-Mahal. The façade of this grandiose structure is made of white marble
and is surrounded by water gardens, gateways, and walks. The tomb at the center of the dome stands on a square block
with towers at each corner. The construction of the building took twenty years to complete involving some 20, 000
workers.
TAJ MAHAL
By Sahir Ludhianvi
The Taj, may be, to you , a symbol of love

supreme You may hold this beauteous garden in
great esteem; Yet, my love, meet me hence at
some other place!
How odd for the poor folk to frequent royal resorts;
‘Tis strange that the amorous souls should tread the regal
paths
Trodden once by mighty kings and their proud
consorts. Behind the facade of love my dear, you
had better seen, The marks of imperial might that
herein lie screen’d
You who take delight in tombs of kings deceased,

Should have seen the hovels dark where you and I did
wean.
Countless men in this world must have loved and
gone, Who dares say their loves weren’t truthful
or strong? But in the name of their loves, no
memorial is raised
For they too, like you and me, belonged to the common
throng.
These structures and sepulchres, these ramparts and forts,

These relics of the mighty dead are,
No more than cancerous tumours on the face of earth,

Fattened on our ancestor’s very blood and bones.
They too must have loved, my love, whose hands had
made,
This marble monument, nicely chiselled and shaped

But their dear ones lived and died, unhonoured, unknown,
None burnt even a lamp on their lowly graves.
This bank of Jamuna, this edifice, these groves and lawns,

These carved walls and doors, arches and alcoves,
An emperor on the strength of wealth, Has played with us a
cruel joke. Meet me hence, my love, at some other place.
Who is Sahir Ludhianvi?
Is the Taj Mahal a symbol of eternal love? Or of wealth, power and slave labour? Explain your answer.

Indian Literature Worksheet

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Indian Literature Worksheet

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Indian Literature Worksheet

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1E N G L I S H 159– AFRO-ASIANLITERATURE

INDIAN LITERATURE WORKSHEET

NAME ENG 159 SECTION

A. THE LITERARY PERIODS OF INDIAN LITERATURE

1.Vedic Period (1500 B.C. –500 B.C.)

below, describe briefly what this literary piece is about.

2.Epic and Buddhist Age (500 B.C. – A.D.)

Summarize in one paragraph what the “RAMAYANA” is about.

3.Classical Period (A.D. – 1000 A.D.)

Discuss what the usual morals of the PANCHATANTRA tales.

Discuss briefly the theme for this drama titled “SAKUNTALA”

The Taj, may be, to you , a symbol of love

You who take delight in tombs of kings deceased,

These structures and sepulchres, these ramparts and forts,

No more than cancerous tumours on the face of earth,

This marble monument, nicely chiselled and shaped

This bank of Jamuna, this edifice, these groves and lawns,

Who is Sahir Ludhianvi?

You might also like