Indian History

The history of India can be broadly classified into ancient India. Medieval Indian and Modern India.

Sources of Study of Indian History

i. Archaeological evidences

ii. Coins

• The study of cons is called numismatist.
• The Guptas issued the largest number of gold coins.

iii. Inscriptions

• Inscriptions were cared on rocks, stones, pillars, temple walls, copper plates, bricks and images.


• The study of the old writing used in inscriptions and other old records is called paleography


• The study of the inscriptions is called epigraphy.


• The earliest inscriptions were written in the Prakrit language in the third century B.C.


• Asokan inscriptions were engraved in the Brahmi scripts, which was written from left to right.


• Asokan inscriptions were deciphered in 1837 by James Prinsep, a civil servant under the East India Company.

iv. Literary sources

(a) Religious Literature

• The religious Literature of the Hindus like the Vedas, the Epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the Puranas etc. throw light on the social, political and cultural conditions of ancient times.


• The Mahabharata is the earliest epic and reflects the state of affairs from 10th century BC to the 4th Century AD.


• The Puranas provide dynastic history upto the beginning of the Gupta age.


• The Puranas speak of four ages called Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali.


• Ritual literature includes Srauta Sutras, Grahya Sutras and Sulva Sutras.


• Srauta Sutras speak about big public sacrifices meant for princes and higher three Varnas and royal coronation ceremonies.


• Domestic rituals connected with birth, anming, sacred thread investiture, marriage, funeral etc. are laid down in the Grihya Sutras.


• Sulva Sutras prescribe various kinds of measurements for the construction of sacrificial altars. This marks the beginning of geometry and mathematics.

(b) Secular literature

• Dharmasastras including Dharmasutras and Smritis belong to this category.


• Dharmasastras lay down the duties of different varnas, kings, officials and also prescribe punishments for theft, murder, adultery etc.


• An important law book is the Manu Smriti.


• Arthasastra of Kautilya is a law book on polity.


• Sangam literature trows light on South Indian history

v. Foreign Accounts

The accounts of Greek, Roman and Chinese travellers of India provide a great deal of information about ancient India.

Greek writer Megasthenese wrote Indica

Roman writer Pliny’s ‘Naturalis Historia’ written in Latin in the first century AD tells us about the trade between India and Italy.

The accounts of Chinese Buddhist pilgrims Fahien and Hiuen Tsang are also significant.

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