B. K.

BIRLA COLLEGE OF ARTS, SCIENCE & COMMERCE (AUTONOMOUS), KALYAN

Department of History
CERTIFICATE COURSE IN INDIAN HISTORY FOR COMPETITIVE EXAMS
 Syllabus
History of India and Indian National Movement

Module I:
A. Prehistoric cultures in India
B. Indus Valley Civilization
C. Vedic society

Module II:
A. Pre-Maurya Period
B. The Mauryan Empire
C. Post-Mauryan India (200 BC – AD 300

Module: III
A. The Guptas and Their Successors (AD 300–750)
B. Society and Culture
C. Early Medieval India and Cultural Trends (750 - 1200)
 Syllabus
History of India and Indian National Movement
Module: IV
A. The Delhi Sultanate (1206–1526)
B. Provincial Dynasties and Religious Movements
C. The Mughal Empire (1526–1707) & Decline of the Mughal Empire (1707–1761)
Module: V
A. British Expansion and Administration
B. Economic Impact of the British Raj
C. Cultural Encounter and Social Changes
Module: VI
A. Resistance to British Rule
B. Indian Freedom Struggle (1885-1920)
C. Gandhian thoughts and techniques of mass mobilization
Module: VII
A. Separatist Trends in Indian Nationalist Politics
B. Indian Independence to 1964
 Module I:
A. Prehistoric cultures in India
 History: The English word ‘history’ comes from the Greek word istoria, which means enquiry,
research, exploration or information.
 It is divided into pre-history, proto-history, and history.
 Pre-history:
 Events that occurred before the invention of writing are considered pre-history. Pre-history is
represented by the three stone ages.
 Proto-history:
 It refers to the period between pre-history and history.
 Characterized by the absence of actual written records; but even then, some traces of it can be
noticed in the form of some kinds of sign or symbols, as is evidenced from the Indus Valley
seals.
 The Vedic period is also regarded as “proto-historic”.
 History:
 The study of the past after the invention of writing and the study of literate societies based on
written records and archaeological sources constitute history.
 Sources of Ancient Indian History
 They may broadly be classified into three categories,

(1) Archaeological Sources,

(2) Literary Sources; and

(3) Foreign Travelers Accounts.

 Archaeological sources are sub-divided into (A) Inscriptions (B) Coins, and (C)
Monuments.

 Literary Sources may be divided into two major categories- (1) Religious Literature
and (2) Secular Literature.

 Foreign Travelers Accounts may be sub- divided into the following three categories-
(a) Greek and Persian travelers accounts
(b) accounts of Chinese travelers and
(c) accounts of Arab travelers who came to India up to A.D.1000 and left their accounts
of India.
 Archaeological sources
 Archaeology is a branch of knowledge that studies material culture to understand the
past.
 It has a close relation to the field of history.
 Sculptures, pottery remains, bone fragments, house remains, temple fragments, floral
remains like charred grains, coins, seals, inscriptions etc. constitute the material
culture that forms the subject-matter of archaeology.
 INSCRIPTIONS:
 The study of inscriptions is called Epigraphy
 An inscription is any writing that is engraved on stone, wood, metal, bronze statues,
bricks, clay, shells, pottery, etc.
 The script of the inscriptions also helps a historian in many ways.

 The oldest inscriptions are in the Harappan script, which is still un-deciphered.
 The earliest deciphered inscriptions are the Ashokan edicts which have been found on
the rock surfaces and stone pillars all through the subcontinent.
 Coins (Numismatics)
 The study of coins is known as numismatics.
 The Punch-marked coins were the first coins, made in silver and copper, were in
circulation during the period of Mahajanapadas.
 The areas where they were found indicate the region of their circulation.
 Coins help to reconstruct the history of several ruling dynasties, especially during
Indo-Greek rule who came to India from Northern Afghanistan and ruled India in 2nd
and 1st BCE.
 Coins throw light on the economic history of different dynasties and also provide
input on different parameters involved such as the script, art, religion of that time.
 Monuments:
 Different stupas, chaityas, temples, pillars, wall paintings, statues, forts, palaces,
ornaments have been found in different places in India.

 They constitute one of the most important sources of the information regarding the
cultural history of Ancient India.
 Literary Sources for Ancient Indian History:
 The religious literature throws light on the social, economic as well as cultural
conditions of the ancient Indian period.

 Hindu Religious Texts:

 The Four Vedas – The Vedas may be assigned to c.1500 – 500 BCE. The Rigveda
mainly contains prayers while the later Vedic texts (Samaveda, Yajurveda,
Atharvaveda) comprise not only prayers but rituals, magic and mythological stories.

 Upanishads – The Upanishads (Vedanta) contain philosophical discussions on

“Atma” and “Paramatma”.

 The two epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are useful for knowing the living
conditions of the Aryans during the later Vedic Age.
 Buddhist religious text: Pali and Sanskrit
 Three Pitakas (three Baskets), the Vinaya Pitaka, sutta Pitaka , abhidhamma Pitaka

 1.Vinayapitaka: Deals with the rules and regulations of the monastic life and the
conduct of the monks.

 2.Suttapitaka : Deals with the principles and the philosophy of Buddism.

 3.Abhidhammapitaka: Consist of seven texts, which are scholarly works on

Bhuddhist doctrine.

 Therigatha is a collection of poems composed by Buddhist nuns for the purpose

of Prayers
 The Jataka Stories of Mahayana Buddhism deal with the previous births of the
Buddha.
 They throw light on contemporary society, religion, economic activities and political
life of the contemporary people about 549 Jataka stories have been collected and
published.
 The Jataka have been assigned to the 2nd or 3rd B.C.

 Milind Panha (queries of King Milinda): The Milinda Panha also is very useful as a
sources of history because it is in the form of questions asked to his teacher, by the
Greek king Menander.
 Dīpavaṃsa and Mahāvaṃsa
 Chronicles of Ceylon, throw light on the early history of the island and spread of
buddhism in Ceylon.
 Lalitavistara and vaipulya sutras in Sanskrit dealing with Buddhism; First contains
the story of the life of buddha
 Second deal with Buddhist doctrines in nine books.
 Jain Literature

 It was written in Ardhamagadhi language, one of the Prakait languages.

 The Jain canonical texts are classified in to 6 groups: 1) Twelve angas 2) Twelve
upangas 3) Ten prakirnas 4) Six cheda sutras 5) Four mula sutras and 6) Four
miscellaneous texts

 They contain many texts which help to reconstruct the political history of eastern
Uttar Pradesh and Bihar in the age of Mahavira. The Jaina texts refer repeatedly to
trade and traders.
 Secular Literature:
Biographies:
 Buddhacharita by asvaghosa

 Harsha-charit: This eulogy was written by Bana Bhatta in praise of Harshavardhana.

 Gaudavaho: Vakpati wrote this eulogy in praise of Yashovarman's (of Malwa) victory
over Bengal (Gaud region).

 Vikramank-deva-charit: This eulogy is written by Bilhana who praises the king

Vikramaditya (of Chalukya dynasty) and his various deeds.
 Secular Literature:
Dramas
 Mudra-rakshas: This is a drama, written by one Vishakhadatta (Chandragupta Maurya
and chanakya

 Mṛcchakatika :sudraka

 Malavikagnimitra :Kalidasa

 Nagananda, Ratnavali, Priyadarshika: These plays were written by king

Harshavardhana. These reflect upon socioeconomic condition and religious outlook
during his reign.
 Secular Literature:
Local chronicles
 Rajatarangini: kalhana

Miscellaneous literature
 Arthashastra: kautilya

 Ashtadhyayi deals with Grammar, written by Panini. It throws light on social

churning of 6th century BC, i.e. the period of second urbanization in India.

 Mahabhashya, written by Patanjali, informs us about social condition during Early

Historic period. Great commentary
 Sangam literature –

 This is the earliest south Indian literature, produced by poets who assembled together
(Sangam), and provides valuable information about the social, economic and political
life of the people living in Tamil Nadu.

 This Tamil literature contains literary gems such as ‘Silappadikaram’ and

‘Manimekalai’.
 Foreign Travelers
 To India came the Greek, Chinese and Roman travelers and left behind a rich account
of our historical past.
 Some of the notables among them were:
 Greek Ambassador Megasthenes wrote “Indica” and provided valuable information
about the Mauryan society and administration.
 “The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea” and “Ptolemy’s Geography” both written in
Greek give valuable information about the ports and commodities of trade between
India and the Roman empire.
 Fa-Hein Faxien (337 CE – 422 CE), a Buddhist traveler left a vivid account of the
age of the Guptas.

 Hiuen Tsang, a Buddhist pilgrim, visited India and gave details of India under the
reign of King Harshavardhana and the glory of the Nalanda University.
 Foreign Travelers

 Arab Accounts: Tarikh- i- Hind by Al- Beruni

 Persian Accounts: Shahnama (Book of kings) by Firdausi