Topics
Themes in Indian History Part 1
Bricks, Beads and Bones The Harappan Civilisation
Bricks, Beads and Bones: the Harappan Civilisation
- Introduction to Harappan Civilisation
- Subsistence Strategies
- Mohenjodaro: a Planned Urban Centre
- Tracking Social Differences
- Finding Out About Craft Production
- Strategies for Procuring Materials
- Seals, Script, Weights
- Ancient Authority
- The End of the Civilisation
- Discovering the Harappan Civilisation
- Problems of Piecing Together the Past
Kings, Farmers and Towns: Early States and Economies
- Prinsep and Piyadassi
- The Earliest States
- An Early Empire
- New Notions of Kingship
- A Changing Countryside
- Towns and Trade
- Back to Basics - How Are Inscriptions Deciphered?
- The Limitations of Inscriptional Evidence
Kings, Farmers and Towns Early States and Economies (c.600 BCE 600 CE)
Themes in Indian History Part II
Themes in Indian History Part III
Kinship, Caste and Class: Early Societies
- The Critical Edition of the Mahabharata
- Kinship and Marriage: Many Rules and Varied Practices
- Social Differences: Within and Beyond the Framework of Caste
- Beyond Birth Resources and Status
- Explaining Social Differences: a Social Contract
- Handling Texts Historians and the Mahabharata
- A Dynamic Text
Kinship, Caste and Class
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings: Cultural Developments
- A Glimpse of Sanchi
- The Background: Sacrifices and Debates
- Beyond Worldly Pleasures: the Message of Mahavira
- The Buddha and the Quest for Enlightenment
- The Teachings of the Buddha
- Followers of the Buddha
- Stupas
- “Discovering” Stupas the Fate of Amaravati and Sanchi
- Sculpture
- New Religious Traditions
- Can We “See” Everything?
Thinkers, Beliefs and Buildings Cultural Developments (c. 600 BCE 600 CE)
Through the Eyes of Travellers Perceptions of Society (c. tenth to seventeenth centuries)
Through the Eyes of Travellers: Perceptions of Society
- Al-biruni and the Kitab-ul-hind
- Ibn Battuta’s Rihla
- Francois Bernier - a Doctor with a Difference
- Making Sense of an Alien World Al-biruni and the Sanskritic Tradition
- Ibn Battuta and the Excitement of the Unfamiliar
- Bernier and the “Degenerate” East
- Women Slaves, Sati and Labourers
Bhakti - Sufi Traditions: Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts
- A Mosaic of Religious Beliefs and Practices
- Poems of Prayer Early Traditions of Bhakti
- The Virashaiva Tradition in Karnataka
- Religious Ferment in North India
- New Strands in the Fabric Islamic Traditions
- The Growth of Sufism
- The Chishtis in the Subcontinent
- New Devotional Paths Dialogue and Dissent in Northern India
- Reconstructing Histories of Religious Traditions
Bhakti-Sufi Traditions Changes in Religious Beliefs and Devotional Texts (c. eighth to eighteenth centuries)
An Imperial Capital Vijayanagara
- The Discovery of Hampi
- Rayas, Nayakas and Sultans
- Vijayanagara - the Capital and Its Environs
- The Royal Centre
- The Sacred Centre
- Plotting Palaces, Temples and Bazaars
- Questions in Search of Answers
An Imperial Capital : Vijayanagara (c. fourteenth to sixteenth centuries)
Peasants, Zamindars and the State: Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire
- Peasants and Agricultural Production
- The Village Community
- Women in Agrarian Society
- Forests and Tribes
- The Zamindars
- Land Revenue System
- The Flow of Silver
- The Ain-i Akbari of Abu’L Fazl Allami
Peasants, Zamindars and the State Agrarian Society and the Mughal Empire (c. sixteenth seventeenth centuries)
Colonalism and The Countryside Exploring Official Archives
Kings and Chronicles: the Mughal Courts
- The Mughals and Their Empire
- Production of Chronicles
- The Painted Image
- The Akbar Nama and the Badshah Nama
- The Ideal Kingdom
- Capitals and Courts
- The Imperial Household
- The Imperial Officials
- Beyond the Frontiers
- Questioning Formal Religion
Colonialism and the Countryside: Exploring Official Archives
- Bengal and the Zamindars
- The Hoe and the Plough
- A Revolt in the Countryside the Bombay Deccan
- The Deccan Riots Commission
Rebels and The Raj 1857 Revolt and its Representations
Rebels and the Raj: 1857 Revolt and Its Representations
- Pattern of the Rebellion
- Awadh in Revolt
- What the Rebels Wanted
- Repression
- Images of the Revolt
Mahatma Gandhi and The Nationalist Movement Civil Disobedience and Beyond
Colonial Cities: Urbanisation, Planning and Architecture
- Towns and Cities in Pre-colonial Times
- Finding Out About Colonial Cities
- What Were the New Towns Like?
- Segregation, Town Planning and Architecture: Madras, Calcutta and Bombay
- What Buildings and Architectural Styles Tell Us
Framing The Constitution The Beginning of a New Era
Mahatma Gandhi and the Nationalist Movement: Civil Disobedience and Beyond
- A Leader Announces Himself
- The Making and Unmaking of Non-cooperation
- The Salt Satyagraha a Case Study
- Quit India
- The Last Heroic Days
- Knowing Gandhi
Understanding Partition: Politics, Memories, Experiences
- Some Partition Experiences
- A Momentous Marker
- Why and How Did Partition Happen?
- The Withdrawal of Law and Order
- Gendering Partition
- Regional Variations
- Help, Humanity, Harmony
- Oral Testimonies and History
Framing the Constitution: the Beginning of a New Era
- A Tumultuous Time
- The Vision of the Constitution
- Defining Rights
- The Powers of the State
- The Language of the Nation
Estimated time: 50 minutes
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: Epigraphy
- Epigraphy is the study of inscriptions.
- Inscriptions are written on hard surfaces like stone and metal.
- They record royal orders, donations, and achievements.
- Inscriptions are durable and help fix dates.
- They are key sources for reconstructing history.
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: James Prinsep
- James Prinsep was an officer of the East India Company.
- He deciphered Brahmi and Kharosthi scripts in the 1830s.
- He studied inscriptions and coins.
- He identified the name Piyadassi in inscriptions.
- His work transformed the study of early Indian history.
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: Piyadassi/Ashoka
- Piyadassi means “pleasant to behold.”
- Many inscriptions referred to a ruler named Piyadassi.
- Piyadassi was identified as Emperor Ashoka.
- Ashoka was a major ruler mentioned in Buddhist texts.
- His inscriptions reveal policies and administration.
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: The Earliest States – Mahajanapadas and Magadha
- 6th century BCE was an important turning point marked by early states, cities, iron use, coinage, and new ideas like Buddhism and Jainism.
- Buddhist and Jaina texts mention 16 Mahajanapadas such as Magadha, Koshala, Vajji, Kuru, Panchala, Gandhara, Avanti, etc.
- Most Mahajanapadas were ruled by kings, but some were ganas/sanghas (oligarchies) where power was shared among many rulers.
- Mahajanapadas had fortified capitals and needed resources for armies and administration; rulers collected taxes and tribute and also gained wealth through raids on neighbouring states.
- Magadha became the most powerful state (6th–4th century BCE) due to fertile agriculture, access to iron mines, availability of elephants, and good transport through the Ganga rivers; its capitals were Rajagaha and later Pataliputra.
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: An Early Empire – The Mauryan Empire
| Aspect | Key Person/Area | Sources/Evidence | Key Features | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rise of Empire | Chandragupta Maurya | Historical accounts | Founded Mauryan Empire (c. 321 BCE) | First large empire in India |
| Territorial Expansion | Chandragupta and Ashoka | Archaeological and literary sources | Empire extended to Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Orissa | Vast geographical spread |
| Sources of History | Megasthenes, Kautilya | Indica, Arthashastra, inscriptions | Multiple written sources | Reliable reconstruction |
| Ashokan Inscriptions | Ashoka | Rock and pillar edicts | Messages of dhamma | Earliest royal inscriptions |
| Administration | Pataliputra and provinces | Inscriptions, texts | Provincial centres like Taxila, Ujjayini | Organised governance |
| Officials and Army | State officers | Megasthenes’ account | Committees for army, transport, navy | Strong administrative control |
| Nature of Empire | Entire empire | Archaeology and texts | Uneven control; diverse regions | Empire not uniformly administered |
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: New Notions of Kingship (Early India)
| Aspect | Region/Rulers | Key Features | Sources/Evidence | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Chiefdoms | Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas (Tamilakam) | Stable and prosperous kingdoms | Sangam literature | Early regional states |
| Nature of Chiefs | Chiefs and chieftains | Power based on kinship; gifts, rituals | Literary descriptions | Non-bureaucratic rule |
| Functions of Chiefs | Southern India | Warfare leadership; dispute settlement | Sangam poems | Personal authority |
| Trade and Revenue | Satavahanas, Shakas | Income from long-distance trade | Coins, texts | Economic base of power |
| Divine Kingship | Kushanas (Kanishka) | Kings portrayed as gods | Coins, sculptures | Claim to divine status |
| Samantas System | Gupta period | Local chiefs paid tribute and military support | Inscriptions | Decentralised administration |
| Royal Praise | Gupta rulers (Samudragupt) | Kings glorified as superhuman | Prayaga Prashasti | Legitimation of power |
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: A Changing Countryside (Early India)
| Aspect | What changed | Evidence/Sources | Groups Involved | Impact/Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Popular view of kings | Kings often seen as oppressive | Jatakas, Panchatantra | Peasants, villagers | Strained ruler–subject relations |
| Tax pressure | High taxes demanded | Jataka stories | Cultivators, herders | Migration to forests |
| Plough agriculture | Spread of iron ploughshare | Archaeological and textual evidence | Farmers | Increased productivity |
| Transplantation | Paddy cultivation improved | Agricultural practices | Peasants | Higher yields, hard labour |
| Irrigation | Wells, tanks, canals used | Inscriptions | Communities, kings | Expansion of cultivation |
| Rural social divisions | Unequal access to land | Buddhist and Sangam texts | Gahapati, peasants, labourers | Rise of social inequality |
| Land grants | Land given to Brahmanas and elites | Inscriptions | Kings, rural elites | Emergence of new rural power groups |
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: Towns and Trade (Early India)
| Aspect | Key Features | Examples/Centres | Sources/Evidence | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emergence of towns | Growth of urban centres from 6th c. BCE | Pataliputra, Mathura, Ujjayini | Archaeology, texts | Rise of political and economic hubs |
| Location of cities | Situated on trade routes | Riverine, land and coastal towns | Maps, inscriptions | Easy communication and trade |
| Urban population | Elites and craftspersons | Kings, officials, artisans | Artefacts, inscriptions | Social differentiation |
| Craft production | Wide range of crafts | Pottery, tools, jewellery | Archaeological finds | Urban prosperity |
| Guilds (shrenis) | Organised producers and traders | Craftsmen, merchants | Inscriptions | Regulation of production and trade |
| Long-distance trade | Inland and overseas trade | Central Asia, Roman Empire | Periplus, coins | Economic expansion |
| Coins and kings | Use of coinage in trade | Punch-marked, Gupta coins | Numismatics | Monetisation of economy |
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: Back to Basics – How Are Inscriptions Deciphered?
| Aspect | Script/Evidence | Method Used | Key Person/Source | Significance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Need for decipherment | Ancient inscriptions | Comparison and analysis | Epigraphists | Understanding early history |
| Brahmi script | Ashokan inscriptions | Compared with Devanagari and Bengali | James Prinsep (1838) | Deciphered most Ashokan edicts |
| Language used | Prakrit (not Sanskrit) | Linguistic study | Epigraphists | Common people’s language |
| Kharosthi script | Northwest inscriptions | Coin comparison | Indo-Greek coins | Read NW inscriptions |
| Role of coins | Names of kings on coins | Matching symbols | Numismatics | Helped identify letters |
| Identifying rulers | Titles like Piyadassi, Devanampiya | Content and style comparison | Historians | Linked inscriptions to Ashoka |
CBSE: Class 12
Key Points: The Limitations of Inscriptional Evidence
- Letters on inscriptions are often faint or damaged, making readings uncertain.
- Many inscriptions are lost; surviving ones are only a small fraction.
- Meanings of words can change with time and place, causing debate.
- Inscriptions record only important events, not daily life.
- They reflect the ruler’s viewpoint, so other sources are needed.
