Introduction
Overall Hindu Dharma Syllabus
Three segments 1. History of Hindu Religion (First 12 Lectures) 2. Hindu Scriptures and Philosophy 3. Core Concepts and Misconceptions
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List of 12 Lectures-Segment 1
History of Hindu Religion
1. Ancient Civilization 2. Origin of Aryans 3. Vedic Period (Rishis and revelations) 4. Vedas (Content)
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List of 12 Lectures-Segment 1
History of Hindu Religion
5. Period of Epics and Puranas 6. Buddhism and Jainism 7. Shankara and his Vedantic teachings 8. Ramanuja, Madhva, and their teachings
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List of 12 Lectures-Segment 1
History of Hindu Religion 9. Bhakti Movement 10. Saints of India
15-16th Century
11. Influential religious leaders
17-18th Century
12. Contemporary religious leaders
19th C to present
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Introduction History of Hindu Religion
History lets us understand:
• Development of Hindu Religion
– Evolution of various religious practices – Transitions over time
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Lecture 1
Three Topics • Indus Valley Civilization- Earlier Excavations
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• Ancient Indian Civilization-Recent Excavations
Satish Talekar
• Sarasvati River Valley Civilization
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Indus Valley Civilization
(Indo-Saraswati Civilization)
• Earliest known civilization of South Asia • Historical Context
– 3300-1700 BCE • Mature period 2600-1900 BCE – Coincides with Bronze Age
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Indus Valley Civilization
• Contemporary civilizations:
– Egypt – Mesopotamia – Crete (modern SE Greece)
• IVC was the largest
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Historical Reference
Sumerian Texts • Two prominent seafaring trading partners in South Asia – Magan – Meluhha • Considerd to be Indus Civilization: • IVC objects found in Mesopotamia
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Geographic Area
Indus River Civilization
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Geography
Iran Afghanistan
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Geographic Area
Settlement Areas: • Along Indus River Valley (Pakistan)
– Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan
• Along Oxus River
– Afghanistan
• Westward along the coast
– Up to Iranian border
Cont’d
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Geographic Area
• India’s Northwestern states
– Punjab, Haryana, up to New Delhi
• Southwards
– up to Rajasthan and Gujarat
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Identified Sites of IVC
•500 IVC Sites •100 Along Sindhu
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Discovery of IVC
• 1842: Described by Charles Masson
– Locals talked of an ancient city
• 1856: British engineers
– Used bricks for railroad construction
• 1872-1922: Some seals were discovered • 1912: More seals were discovered
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Excavations
History Starting in 1921 • Harappa
– John Marshall – Rai Bahadur Daya Ram Sahini – Madho Sarup
• Mohenjo-Daro
– John Marshall – R.B. Banerjee – Others contd
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Excavations
History • 1945: Further excavations of Mohenjo-Daro, sites in Baluchistan and Afghanistan
– Mortimer Wheeler – Ahmad Hasan Dani
Cont’d
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Excavations
History
Pakistan • 1964-65: Last major excavations • 1980’s: Surface surveys and soft techniques
– German and Italian survey groups
• !986 onwards
– Joint project with US
India
– Ongoing since 1950’s
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Mohenjo-Daro
Eastern Mound
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Mohenjo-Daro
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Mohenjo-Daro
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Great Bath22 of Mohenjo-Daro
23 x 40 Ft; 8 Ft deep Earliest public water tank in ancient world
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Mohenjo-Daro
Western Mound-Lower Town
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Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
• Large urban cities • Divided into 2 parts:
– Citadel – Lower town
• Mud-brick buildings • Well planned city blocks • Wide streets
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Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
• 2-Storied houses
– About same standards – Low wealth concentration Public buildings
• Administrative Centers (?) • Trade Centers • Well developed drainage system
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Mohenjo-Daro
A wide Street
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Harappa
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Granery-Harappa
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Harappa
Conception
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Wells at Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
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Artifacts
Arts & Culture • • • • Gold, silver, and bronze ornaments Seals: showing animals and some script Ceramic toys Games
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Artifacts
Arts & Culture • Etched Carnelian beads • Make-up and toiletry items • Figurines: dancing; yoga • Music: Harp • Pottery (distinctive black-on-red)
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Priest King
17.5 cm high
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Dancing Girl 11-cm high
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About Dancing Girl
Mortimer Wheeler: "There is her little Baluchi-style face with pouting lips and insolent look in the eye. She's about fifteen years old I should think, not more, but she stands there with bangles all the way up her arm and nothing else on. A girl perfectly, for the moment, perfectly confident of herself and the world. There's nothing like her, I think, in the world.“
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About Dancing Girl
John Marshall:
“A vivid impression of the young girl, her hand on her hip in a half-impudent posture, and legs slightly forward as she beats time to the music with her legs and feet”
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IVC Ornaments
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Beads
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Terracotta Artifacts
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Seals with Script
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Seals: Animals and Script
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Yoga Seal
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Seal
Elephant and Tiger
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Cultural Glimpses
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Narrative Seal
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Trade & Transportation
• • • • Trade-based economy Bullock carts Boats Maritime trade
– Iran, Turkmenistan – Mesopotamian civilization
• Caravan trade
– Central Asia
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Bullock Cart
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Writings on Seals
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IVC Writing
Does not seem highly evolved compared to other civilization of the time
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Weights
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Religion
• Worship of a mother Goddess
– Fertilty?
• Shiva lingam type symbols found • Figure seated in Lotus Position surrounded by animals
– Pashupati
• Earlier culture: Burial of the dead • Later culture: Cremation
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Decline of IVC
• Starting around 1700 BCE • Ecological changes – Floods – Climate change: Drier, colder – Weaker monsoons – Rivers drying up
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Replica
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