The History of India: The History of India is a BBC documentary series which was written and presented by the historian Michael Wood. This series summarizes the history of India. Like other great civilizations – Greece or Egypt, for example – it has experienced over the millennia not one but several brilliant golden ages in art and culture. Its great thinkers and religious leaders have permanently changed the face of the globe. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay Indian history is an epic of ten thousand years, but for more than two millennia, India has been at center of world history. It has seen successive invasions, from Alexander the Great and Genghis Khan to Tamburlaine and the British, all of whom left their mark but ultimately all succumbed to India itself. India has always been famous for its spiritual traditions; it gave rise to two world religions, one of which, Buddhism, had a profound impact on all of East Asia, China, Japan and Korea, and has found roots even today in the United States and Europe. of the world's greatest – and least understood – artistic traditions and an extraordinary spectrum of music, dance and literature. India has given birth to some of the most remarkable figures in world history, including the Buddha, Mauryan Emperor Ashoka and Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, not to mention Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. In this documentary, Michael Wood explores the human-made migration to India from Africa, the height of ancient Indian civilization during the Indus Valley Civilization era of 3300 to 1900 BC, the rise of Buddhism, the incursion of Alexander the Great into India, the rule of the Mauryas, the silk routes and spice trade during the Kushan era after their invasion, the decorated Cholan rule, the Muslim entry into the Indian subcontinent and finally the British Raj. The Indus Valley Civilization and Climate Change The Indus Valley Civilization was an ancient civilization located in Pakistan. and northwest India today, on the fertile floodplain of the Indus River and its surroundings. The Indus Valley Civilization, however, was the epitome of medieval Indian history, as its 2 to 5 million people settled on the banks of the Indus River between 3,300 and 1,900 BC. Two cities, in particular, were excavated at the sites of Mohenjo-Daro on the lower Indus and at Harappa, further upstream. Evidence suggests that they had a highly developed urban life; many houses had wells and bathrooms as well as an elaborate underground drainage system. The sites recovered at Mohenjo-daro and Harappa provide clear evidence of the vast urban population who practiced then sophisticated techniques such as sculpture, trade, metal use and drainage systems. The reason for its phasing out is still unfounded, but has been mainly attributed to the change in river flow. Around 1800 BCE, the Indus Valley Civilization saw the beginning of its decline: writing began to disappear, standardized weights and measures were used. for commercial and tax purposes, connections with the Middle East were interrupted and certain cities were gradually abandoned. Climate change in medieval times could have moved civilization eastward, in search of river banks, putting its survival at stake. The reasons for this decline are not entirely clear, but it is believed that the drying of the Saraswati River, aprocess which had begun around 1900 BCE, was the main cause. Other experts speak of a major flood in the region. Either event would have had catastrophic effects on agricultural activity, making the economy unsustainable and shattering the civic order of the cities. This climate change had a major role to play in shaping Indian civilization, because if it had not happened, the city would have prospered and perhaps could have continued its technological advancements, making India the lasting center of all world trade. The Mauryan Empire was established by Chandragupta Maurya and lasted from around 300 to 200 BC. Chandragupta Maurya was influenced by Alexander the Great and set about building a huge empire. The warrior that he was, conquered more than three-quarters of ancient India. The next important Maurya was Ashoka, the grandson of Chandragupta. Ashoka, as the documentary suggests, was initially a user of violence and a tyrannical ruler. Later, after the Battle of Kalinga, he turned to Buddhism and embraced peace. This is particularly important in the formation of ancient Indian civilization, as it was the first attempt to make India a unified state. Contact and exchange formed the basis of discovery in ancient times and trade was a major facilitator of this contact. India was a major trading partner in the Mediterranean. Three things – a weed, an herb and the larva of a beetle – are said to have driven the Romans and Greeks to seek the riches of India. Travels to discover India began during the times of the Romans and Greeks. , a feat that is overshadowed by figures in modern history such as Vasco Da Gama and Columbus. Hippalus, an old Greek captain, documented his journey to India in a guidebook, with a detailed and in-depth knowledge of all the ports on the Indian coast. Contact with India began with the discovery of the monsoons. Hippalus discovered that around the time of June, strong southwest monsoon winds began to blow towards the Indian peninsula, making the sea rough and the region becoming dangerous. But with sufficiently powerful ships, one could sail on the strength of these ships. winds from the Red Sea, eventually leading to India. As these winds receded, the northeast monsoon winds would then help you turn back. Therefore, the discovery of the monsoon alone was probably the most important discovery of the time that led the Romans and Greeks to the shores of India. And the Spice Coast of Kerala was what they were mainly looking for. The Romans loved Indian spices – pepper, ginger, coriander, etc. But all the Indians could ask from the Romans was bullion – gold, silver, tin, antimony, etc. Tamil poems also mention that the Romans and Greeks traded gold for pearls and textiles. Pashmina shawls were a favorite of the Romans. The establishment of the Silk Road opened a new chapter in the Indian economy. The Silk Road began as a confederation of tribes called Kushans. The Kushans adopted Buddhism and financed their religious propaganda through their control of trade on the Silk Road. They were among the first to adopt the use of legal contract for disputes along the Silk Road. Kainshka, the king of the Kushan, and the Surkh Kotal inscription constitute the most important contribution of the tribe. The inscription details the king's deeds and the extension of his power across India. The Khyber Pass was an important trade route between India and Central Asia.Under the Kushans, the economy and trade flourished and soon they introduced minted coins. The Kushan capital was the city of Peshawar in Pakistan, a caravan town ever since, its main source of income being ancient Silk Road contacts. Peshawar was a meeting point for all the traders of the Silk Road, the richest cargo among them carried on camels was Chinese silk woven by Indian weavers. At the height of the Kusha Empire, one could witness the mixing of several civilizations – the Greeks. , the Romans, the Bactrians, the Persians and the Chinese. All this is a direct result of the opening of the Silk Road and the contact of civilizations between the Mediterranean and the Indian peninsula. Yet the Kushans' most important legacy was the control of the Silk Road to spread Buddhism to China and Tibet. The Mahmud of Ghazni was the first foray of the Muslim Mughals into India. This led to the first confrontation of a Hindu state with the Mughals. Attracted by the peace, non-unity and riches of India, he invaded India 17 times and plundered it at will. He was best known for stealing gold from temples and destroying it on his way to money and fame. He desecrated the sacred statues of the Somnath temple and also completely destroyed the temple. He was despised throughout the Hindu heart because he had pledged to plunder India at least once a year and the lack of resistance to his multiple incursions made it extremely easy for him to accomplish his task. As the Cholas protected the south, the lack of a protector in the North was the main reason. As is evident even today, the violence associated with the completely different religions of Islam and Hinduism could not find compatibility. The last Mughals landed in India through the Khyber Pass. The Battle of Panipat in 1526 marked the official start of Mughal rule in India as Babur claimed the throne of India. Akbar was a key figure in Mughal rule as he was tolerant of all religions. The uneducated ruler who came to the throne in India only because his father died falling in the footsteps of his library. He was keen and set out to expand his empire across India and ensure that the people under his rule were happy. He even abolished the religious tax on Hindus and organized surprise, incognito visits to markets to check hoarding and other malpractices. Their rule ended with the advent of the British and they were finally punished for wasting valuable resources in capturing the Deccan. However, according to records, they ruled the subcontinent from 1526 to 1857 and managed to manage such a large empire without much hassle due to decentralization of power. The empire was managed by the concept of Mansabdars. It was a hierarchical system and had a local ruler for each region. Depending on the rank of the Mansabdar, he would get salary, status and military power to guard his borders. They were also subject to criminal prosecution in case someone interfered with the system for their own gain, essentially solving the agency's problem. They were supposed to be responsible for collecting taxes and sending them to the emperor in Delhi. The British The British landed in India in the 17th century and were initially traders, but over time they built forts in India and increased their influence over the country. local inhabitants. The Battle of Plassey marked the official entry of the British. They learned from the Mughals about how to allow locals to rule, because they knew the problem of agency, even if conflicts of interest.