Ancient India Technology

Technology means the application of scientific knowledge for practical purpose. It can also refer to machinery and equipment developed from such knowledge.

In ancient India there is a large number of evidence to suggest the prevalence of scientific and technological knowledge. Many of them were linked with the religious belief system prevalent at that point of time.

To begin with the archaeological remains of the Indus Valley reveal the knowledge of applied sciences. Scientific techniques were used in irrigation, metallurgy, making of bricks and pottery, and in measurement of areas and volumes. The artefacts found from the sites suggest that Harappans developed metallurgy of copper and bronze about 2500 B.C.

Ancient Indian Chemistry and Metallurgy

A great deal of progress was made in ancient India in the field of chemistry and metallurgy. The Harappans developed metallurgy of copper and bronze about 2500 B.C. The Vedic Aryans tanned leather, fermented grains and fruits, and dyed scale production of copper, iron and steel, brass, silver and gold and their alloys. Indian steel was highly esteemed and was exported in large quantities.

 It was from the seventh century, alchemy the forerunner of chemistry was referred to in Indian literature. The applied chemistry of ancient India did succeed in producing many important alkalis, acids and metallic salts. It is claimed by historian A. L. Basham that a form of gun powder was discovered in ancient India.

The greater heights of knowledge of metallurgy and engineering in ancient India are borne by the discovery of pure copper statue of Buddha at Sultanganj. The famous iron Pillar at the Qutab complex in New Delhi also is a testimony to this fact.

In the ancient India the technological advancement first originated for religious purposes. When the people became well settled and the agrarian mode of production started producing surplus food, the technological advancement gained importance. It’s only in the later Vedic period, more significantly in the Christian era, that the technological advancement made some real progress.

There are huge amount of literature produced during that time that throws light on different facets technological advancements. This was particularly in the field of mathematics, astronomy, medicine etc.  

Ancient Indian Physics

The knowledge of Physics was closely linked with religion that recognized many types of atoms and elements. In later period, some Buddhists school of thought conceived atom as the minutes object capable of occupying space in  fastest duration of time, coming into being and vanishing, almost in an instant, only to be succeeded by another atom caused by the first.

The Vaisesika School believed a single atom to be a point in space completely without magnitude. Further, most of the schools believed that atoms constitute molecules.

Ancient Indian Medicine

The people in ancient India had considerable knowledge of Medicine. In the field of medicine, Ayurveda is the most significant contribution of ancient India. Seven hundred hymns in Atharva Veda refer to the topics of Ayurveda. The Vedic hymns attribute various diseases to demons and spirits and the remedies for hymns prescribing correctly the symptoms of several diseases.

The importance of medicine gained currency from 800 B.C. Medicine became a regular subject of study at centers like Taxila and Varanasi. The latter specialized in surgery. The physician was a respectable member of society and the Vaidyas mostly Brahmins were ranked higher in the social hierarchy.

 India witnessed two famous scholars Charaka and Susrtua who made considerable contribution to the field of Ayurveda system of medicine. Charaka in the second century A.D compiled the teachings of two of his predecessors who served at Taxila and called it Charakasamhita. Charakasamhita is considered to be the encyclopaedia of Indian medicines.  It describes various types of fever, leprosy, hysteria and tuberculosis.

For its treatment Charaka lays special emphasis on cleanliness and on diet. His book contains the names of a large number of plants and herbs which were used as medicine. Charakasamhita is useful not only for study of ancient Indian medicine but also for ancient Indian flora and chemistry. In subsequent centuries Indian medicines developed on the lines laid down by Charakasamhita.

 Another book on medicine, compiled by Susruta in the fourth century A.D was Susrutasmhita. In this book Susruta describes methods of operating contract, stone disease and several other ailments. He mentions as many as 121 implements to be used for operations. It was only from the time of Susruta that surgery came to occupy an important place in Indian medicine.

Charakasamhita and Susrutasmhita reached as far as Manchuria through translations in Tibetan and other Asian languages. In the eighth century A.D. these books influenced European medicine system as it was carried by two Arab travellers. Charaka Samhita was translated into Arabic in the 9th century A.D. and it was reprinted as late as 1550.

Ancient Indian Astronomy

Among the various branches of mathematics, Hindus gave highest importance to astronomy. Astronomy was studied as a Vedanta and was called Jyotisa. During Vedic period a primitive kind of astronomy was in vogue mainly for the purpose of settling the dates and times at which periodical sacrifices were to be performed.

Suryasidhanta is the best know book on Hindu astronomy. The text was later modified two or three times between 500 A.D. and 1500 A.D. The system laid down in the book is used to predict eclipse even now.

The most renowned scholars of astronomy were Aryabhata and Varhamihira. Aryabhata belonged to the fifth century and Varahamihira to the sixth. Aryabhata wrote the book Aryabhatiya when he was barely 23 years. He calculated the position of the planets according to the Babylonian method. He discovered the cause of lunar and solar eclipses. He measured the circumference of the earth. He pointed out that the sun is stationary and the earth rotates around it.

Varhimihira who lived in the sixth century A.D wrote Brihat Samhita another well-known work on astronomy. Varhaihira stated that the moon rotates around the earth and the earth rotates around the sun. He utilized several Greek works to explain the movement of the planets and some other astronomical problems. Varhmihira wrote a summary of five astronomical books current in his time. He called one of his five astronomical systems as Romaka Sidhanta.

BrahBrahamagupta in his book Brahmasphuta - Siddhantas appreciated the value of observation and astronomy and his book was translated into Arabic. One last outstanding mathematician in India was Bhaskarachary who was born in modern Karnataka. He wrote the book Siddhanta Siromani, a treatise on astronomy. This four-part text book was written in 1150 AD when Bhaskara was 36 years old. The work is composed in Sanskrit and has 1450 verses.

Ancient Indian Mathematics

Ancient India, mathematics was known by the general name Ganita, which included arithmetic, geometry, algebra, astronomy and astrology. In the field of mathematics ancient Indians made three distinct contributions, the notation system, the decimal system and the use of zero.

The greatest contribution of ancient India to mathematics was the development of notation system. This was done by giving a value for each position in incremental of 10.  A notation for powers of 10 up to the power 17 was in existence from the Vedic times. The mathematician Aryabhata (A.D. 476-500) in his book Aryabhatiyam, clearly mentions “sthaanam sthaanam dasha gunam,” meaning from place to place increase 10 times.

The decimal system too was an innovation of ancient India. Indians were the first to use the decimal system. The earliest epigraphic evidence of the use of decimal system is found in the inscriptions of Ashoka in the third century B.C. The famous mathematician Aryabhata was acquainted with it.

Zero was discovered in about the second century B.C. From the very beginning Indian mathematicians considered zero as a separate numeral, and it was used in arithmetic in that sense. The mathematical implications of zero and infinity were fully realized in the field of astronomy.

The earliest inscription regarding the data by a system of nine digits and a zero is dated 595 A.D. It’s evident that the system was known to the mathematicians some centuries before it was employed in the inscriptions. In the second century B.C. Apastemba contributed to practical geometry for the construction of altars on which the kings could offer sacrifices. It describes acute angle, obtuse angle, right angle etc.

Early Indians devised a rudimentary algebra which led to more calculations. Aryabhata gave approximate value of pie. He formulated the rule for finding the area of a triangle. Aryabhatta, gave a new direction to the field of trigonometry. It also led to the evolution of empirical geometry and calculus. The most famous work during his time was Suryasiddanta, a book on Hindu astronomy.  

During the Gupta period mathematics developed to greater heights. Brahmagupta in 628 AD wrote the book Brahmasphuta-Siddhantas or rules for numbers. It contained ideas including a good understanding of the mathematical role of zero, rules for manipulating both negative and positive numbers, a method for computing square roots, methods of solving linear and some quadratic equations, and rules for summing series. This book was written completely in verse in Sanskrit.

Indian mathematicians such as Brahmagupta (7th century), Mahavira (9th century) and Bhaskarachary  (12th century) made several discoveries. They understood the importance of positive and negative quantities, evolved sound system of extracting squares and cube roots and could solve quadratic and certain types of indeterminate equations.

The Musical Temple (HAMPI)

The temple was originally built in 15th century AD in the heartlands of southern India. A city was carved in stones, that eye had not seen nor ear heard of any place like that. That was capital of Vijayanagara was the best provided city in the world revaled most famous cites of the world.

The city of victory had no equals, to know about that we just replay our glorious past. In the world's largest open air museum, walk in the foot steps of mighty Kings of Vijayanagara. Sky scrper of 13th century AD. The temple famous for Fairy tale window and also having for big piligrim. 

The back in time stories of Vijayanagara was written in walls of temple, listen to the echoes of thundering hooves and changing swords. This the place where Lord Hanuman born is generally known as monkey's kingdom.

The music temple is in the are called Hampi belongs to Karnataka, which spread across 36sq km with whispering stones. Here everyone has a Prayer and also colors of life is equal to all with sprit of Hampi. As all temples built in india with stones, as also Hampi the music temple also built with stones. But it is most importent not that these stoens speak in silence. This big surprize of human history, this is just total recall of Ancent indian technology.

The temple achitectures are desigened some stones with poetry as coming as meaning. Not the single stoe is empty in temple, in fact around millions of stones in temple are expressing the ancient indian stories and victories of Kings. For watching this temple one day is not enough, there is breathless history is written in stoes of temples.

The worlds greatest and marvels stone architecture is used in Hampi temple. The dancers elephants horses waiting for deliverance with food in rocks in temple. This is simply echoes of eternity and symphony in stones. This temple is heart of Vijayanagara  architecture with testments to the greatness of Vijayanagara Empire. The bigest magic of this temple is all stones have it's own music will come to listen. If dream were made of stones with unforgetable marvels.

History Zero

Who Invented Zero:

The ancient indians allways have concept called nothingness which means not having anything.This cancept the ancient indians are eplained with human stages. The human life have 4 stages before die according to ancient indians, those are:

i) Brahmachryashram (Student life):

The early stage of human born is a so called brahmachryashram, which means student life. In this time the student have to learn things from guru, and he need to left his/het parents and styed with guru(The residential system of education is used by ancient indians). The student have to beg food to other faimilies and learning the things like Vedas, Upanisadhs and puranas. Finally guru will decide that about the completion of education. Finally student have to pay some guru dakshin and have return to his/her home.

ii) Gruhastashram(Faimily life):

Gruhastashram literally means "being in and occupied with home, family" or "householder". It refers to the second phase of an individual's life in a four age-based stages of the Hindu ashram system. It follows Brahmacharya (bachelor student) life stage, and embodies a married life, with the duties of maintaining a home, raising a family, educating one's children, and leading a family-centred and a dharmic social life.This stage of Ashrama is conceptually followed by Vanaprastha (forest dweller, retired) and Sannyasa (renunciation). Combined with other three life stages, Hindu philosophy considers these stages as a facet of Dharma concept, something essential to completing the full development of a human being and fulfilling all the needs of the individual and society.Ancient and medieval era texts of Hinduism consider Grihastha stage as the most important of all stages in sociological context, as human beings in this stage not only pursue a virtuous life, they produce food and wealth that sustains people in other stages of life, as well as the offsprings that continues mankind. The householder stage is also considered in Indian philosophy as one where the most intense physical, sexual, emotional, occupational, social and material attachments exist in a human being's life.In Indian traditions, Grihastha stage of life is a recommendation, but not a requirement. Any Brahmacharya may, if he or she wants, skip householder and retirement stage, go straight to Sannyasa stage of life, thereby renouncing worldly and materialistic pursuits and dedicating their lives to spiritual pursuits.

iii) Vanaprastam  (retired life):

Vanaprastha literally means "retiring into a forest". It is also a concept in Hindu traditions, representing the third of four ashrama (stages) of human life, the other three being Brahmacharya (bachelor student, 1st stage), Gruhastha (married householder, 2nd stage) and Sannyasa (renunciation ascetic, 4th stage).Vanaprastha is part of the Vedic ashram system, which starts when a person hands over household responsibilities to the next generation, takes an advisory role, and gradually withdraws from the world. This stage typically follows Grihastha (householder), but a man or woman may choose to skip householder stage, and enter Vanaprastha directly after Brahmacharya (student) stage, as a prelude to San yasa (ascetic) and spiritual pursuits.Vanaprastha stage is considered as a transition phase from a householder's life with greater emphasis on Artha and Kama (wealth, security, pleasure and sexual pursuits) to one with greater emphasis on Moksha (spiritual liberation).

iv) Sanyasahram (renunciation):

Sannyasa (saṃnyāsa) is the life stage of renunciation within the Hindu philosophy of four age-based life stages known as ashramas, with the first three being Brahmacharya (bachelor student), Grihastha (householder) and Vanaprastha (forest dweller, retired). Sannyasa is traditionally conceptualized for men or women in late years of their life, but young brahmacharis have had the choice to skip the householder and retirement stages, renounce worldly and materialistic pursuits and dedicate their lives to spiritual pursuits (moksha).Sannyasa is a form of asceticism, is marked by renunciation of material desires and prejudices, represented by a state of disinterest and detachment from material life, and has the purpose of spending one's life in peaceful, love-inspired, simple spiritual life.^[2][3] An individual in Sanyasa is known as a Sannyasi (male) or Sannyasini (female) in Hinduism, which in many ways parallel the Sadhu and Sadhvi traditions of Jain monasticism, the bhikkhus and bhikkhunis of Buddhism and the monk and nun traditions of Christianity, respectively.Sannyasa has historically been a stage of renunciation, ahimsa (non-violence) peaceful and simple life and spiritual pursuit in Indian traditions. However, this has not always been the case. After the invasions and establishment of Muslim rule in India, from the 12th century through the British Raj, parts of the Shaiva and Vaishnava ascetics metamorphosed into a military order, to rebel against persecution, where they developed martial arts, created military strategies, and engaged in guerrilla warfare. These warrior sanyasis(ascetics) played an important role in helping European colonial powers establish themselves in India.
In this way the zero is invented by ancient indians but the simbolic way of using zero will be by bhramagupa at the time AD 650. He used for archamatic caliclation. Later on Aaryabatta used this concept for geomatry and space mathmatics.

Sannyasi have always understood the concept of nothing or having nothing, the concept of zero is relatively new — it only fully developed in the fifth century A.D. Before then, mathematicians struggled to perform the simplest arithmetic calculations. Today, zero — both as a symbol (or numeral) and a concept meaning the absence of any quantity — allows us to perform calculus, do complicated equations, and to have invented computers.

Ancient Nalanda University

The worlds first university from India located 55 miles from Patna in Bihar, Nalanda was the largest residential centre of learning in the world with a nine-storeyed library. 

The monasteries are built in old Kushan architectural style, in a row of cells around a courtyard. It was the Buddhist centre of learning from 427 to 1197 CE partly under the Pala Empire. It is believed that Buddha visited Nalanda during his last tour through Magadha, and it was there that Sariputta uttered his lion's roar, affirming his faith in the Buddha. 

University of Nalanda was established in 450 CE under the patronage of the Gupta emperors, notably Kumara Gupta. Nava Nalanda Mahavihara is devoted to the study and research in Pali Literature and Buddhism
Nalanda had 1500 teacher and 7000 students around the world especially from South Asia. Prof Nagarjuna, who are great philosopher from India worked as GURU.

The Nalanda was built by 3 consecutive rulers of India who are Th great Ashok, Harshwardhn and the Pala Empire. The Nalanda university construed with high rich architecture and with great values.

India is the educational hub at the time of Madaha and Nanda Empaire. The Nalanda teaches aptitude, grammer, music, mathematics and etc. studying in Nalanda is a great matter of prestige.

Nalanda is not only university but also center of spirituality, so that Ashoka constructed lot of temples in Nalanda, and the temples architecture much more advanced than present. Ashoka built a temple only for lord Buddha call Sai Buddha temple surrounded by lot of stupas.

Nalanda had destoryed  by Bakthiyan Kilji who are leader for muskuras. They burned entire library of Nalanda, which continuously burned more than a year. So that we can imagine how big is that Nalanda university.
Now Nalanda is visiting place in in India(Bhihar). 
  

  

Ancent India Indus-Vally (Sindh) Civilization.

In this World Histories the Indian history is very old, so that we called ancent India. In fact India is called by Bharat Vasrsh. Only country in the human history the name of country is changed by others. Only india have more than one for for India, example: INDIA, HINDUSTAN, BHARAT and etc..

Around 10000 years of history is belongs to India. The history of india is older than Romans, Greeks, Egitions and all thers. In fact only india first human civilization on the earth i.e., Sindhu civilization.

The only ancent civilization in the world is Sindhu civilization which is in between 3300–1300 BCE; mature period 2600–1900 BCE. This civilization is called Indus-Vally civilization. This is the only culture which first city culture. In fact worlds first smrt city is in India.

Again a conflict in our mind is how the Sindhu civilization has called as Indua-Vally cicilization.?

Very simple we can answer this question that is this civilization in the area of Sindhu river which located in noth-west part of present Inda. This rever is still flowing in India-Packistan boarder.

In 2000 BC the parshyans are called this civilization as Sindhu civilization in fact the trade between parshya and india is in millions of ruppes. 

Later on Greeks also ready trade with India, so they called the word Sindhu as Hindu because in greek there is no alfabetic 'S'. So they replaced 'S' with 'H', then it will become Hindu civlization.

Later on the Eropions are did trade with India so they named as Hindu with Indu. So automatically Hindu-Civilization called as Indus-Civilization, here the word vally represents as rever of Sindhu vally.

But the orginal name of INDIA is not INDIA it is BHARAT VARSH.

Only INDIA was the country which have very large culture.

And another this the people of Sindhu civilization are prayers of Fire. This we can see in ancent Greeks and other civilizations also.

Because the people of Sindh-Civilization are praying 'Fire' so that they can called as 'ARAYANS'
Araya the word comes from Sanscrit which is the official language of Sindhu civization. Arya means a man who pray the fire.

Like this Bharat Varsha become India and Aayans become Indians in moderen India.

The below are the images which are found in recent archaeological survey of india.

The Idus-Vally civilization have another name called Harrapa-Mahenjo-daro civilization.

 Mohenjo-daro, on the right bank of the Indus River, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the first site in South Asia to be so declared.