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The History and Culture of the Indian People #1
The History And Culture Of The Indian People/Volume 1/The Vedic Age
The first volume of this history begins with an introductory section dealing with certain general topics bearing upon the history of India as a whole. Althuogh dealing with the Vedic age, it gives the ncessary geological, geographical and bilogical background before proceeding to the first stage of human activity in India. The third section is devoted to a general consideration of the Indo-Aryans; the fourth deals with the political history of the period and the remaining sections, with language and literature, political and legal institutions, social and economic conditions, and religion and philosophy. In short, this volume covers what may be regarded as, the dawn of Hindu Civilization. The contributors to this volumes are: R. C. Majumdar, K. N. Dikshit, D. N. Wadia, G. P. Majumdar, B. K. Chatterjee, H. D. Sankalia, S. K. Chatterjee, A. D. Pusalkar, B. K. Ghosh, V. M. Apte, M. A. Mahendale
572 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 210
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About the author
R.C. Majumdar
86 books185 followersRamesh Chandra Majumdar (known as R. C. Majumdar; 4 December 1888 – 11 February 1980) was a historian and professor of Indian history.
Born at Khandarpara, in Faridpur District (now in Bangladesh) on 4 December 1888, to Haladhar Majumdar and Bidhumukhi, Majumdar passed his childhood in poverty. In 1905, he passed his Entrance Examination from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. In 1907, he passed F.A. with first class scholarship from Ripon College (now Surendranath College) and joined Presidency College, Calcutta. Graduating in B.A.(Honours) in 1909 and MA from Calcutta University in 1911, he won the Premchand Roychand scholarship from the University of Calcutta for his research work in 1913.
Majumdar started his teaching career as a lecturer at Dacca Government Training College. Since 1914, he spent seven years as a professor of history at the University of Calcutta. He got his doctorate for his thesis "Corporate Life in Ancient India".[3] In 1921 he joined the newly established University of Dacca as a professor of history. He also served, until he became its vice chancellor, as the head of the Department of History as well as the dean of the Faculty of Arts. Between 1924 and 1936 he was Provost of Jagannath Hall. Then he became the vice chancellor of that University, for five years from 1937 to 1942. From 1950, he was Principal of the College of Indology, Benares Hindu University. He was elected the general president of the Indian History Congress and also became the vice president of the International Commission set up by the UNESCO for the history of mankind.
Majumdar started his research on ancient India. After extensive travels to Southeast Asia and research, he wrote detailed histories of Champa (1927), Suvarnadvipa (1929) and Kambuja Desa. On the initiative of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, he took up the mantle of editing a multi-volume tome on Indian history. Starting in 1951, he toiled for twenty six long years to describe the history of the Indian people from the Vedic Period to the present day in eleven volumes. In 1955, Majumdar became the founder-principal of the College of Indology of Nagpur University. In 1958-59, he taught Indian history in the University of Chicago and University of Pennsylvania. He was also the president of the Asiatic Society (1966–68) and the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad (1968–69). For some time he was also the Sheriff of Calcutta (1967–68).
When the final volume of "The History and Culture of the Indian People" was published in 1977, he had turned eighty-eight. He also edited the three-volume history of Bengal published by Dacca University. His last book was "Jivaner Smritidvipe".
When the Government of India set up an editorial Committee to author a history of the freedom struggle of India, he was its principal member. But, following a conflict with the then Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on the Sepoy Mutiny, he left the government job and published his own book. The Sepoy Mutiny & Revolt of 1857. According to him the origins of India's freedom struggle lie in the English-educated Indian middle-class and the freedom struggle started with the Banga Bhanga movement in 1905. His views on the freedom struggle are found in his book History of the Freedom Movement in India. He was an admirer of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
Born at Khandarpara, in Faridpur District (now in Bangladesh) on 4 December 1888, to Haladhar Majumdar and Bidhumukhi, Majumdar passed his childhood in poverty. In 1905, he passed his Entrance Examination from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack. In 1907, he passed F.A. with first class scholarship from Ripon College (now Surendranath College) and joined Presidency College, Calcutta. Graduating in B.A.(Honours) in 1909 and MA from Calcutta University in 1911, he won the Premchand Roychand scholarship from the University of Calcutta for his research work in 1913.
Majumdar started his teaching career as a lecturer at Dacca Government Training College. Since 1914, he spent seven years as a professor of history at the University of Calcutta. He got his doctorate for his thesis "Corporate Life in Ancient India".[3] In 1921 he joined the newly established University of Dacca as a professor of history. He also served, until he became its vice chancellor, as the head of the Department of History as well as the dean of the Faculty of Arts. Between 1924 and 1936 he was Provost of Jagannath Hall. Then he became the vice chancellor of that University, for five years from 1937 to 1942. From 1950, he was Principal of the College of Indology, Benares Hindu University. He was elected the general president of the Indian History Congress and also became the vice president of the International Commission set up by the UNESCO for the history of mankind.
Majumdar started his research on ancient India. After extensive travels to Southeast Asia and research, he wrote detailed histories of Champa (1927), Suvarnadvipa (1929) and Kambuja Desa. On the initiative of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, he took up the mantle of editing a multi-volume tome on Indian history. Starting in 1951, he toiled for twenty six long years to describe the history of the Indian people from the Vedic Period to the present day in eleven volumes. In 1955, Majumdar became the founder-principal of the College of Indology of Nagpur University. In 1958-59, he taught Indian history in the University of Chicago and University of Pennsylvania. He was also the president of the Asiatic Society (1966–68) and the Bangiya Sahitya Parishad (1968–69). For some time he was also the Sheriff of Calcutta (1967–68).
When the final volume of "The History and Culture of the Indian People" was published in 1977, he had turned eighty-eight. He also edited the three-volume history of Bengal published by Dacca University. His last book was "Jivaner Smritidvipe".
When the Government of India set up an editorial Committee to author a history of the freedom struggle of India, he was its principal member. But, following a conflict with the then Education Minister Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on the Sepoy Mutiny, he left the government job and published his own book. The Sepoy Mutiny & Revolt of 1857. According to him the origins of India's freedom struggle lie in the English-educated Indian middle-class and the freedom struggle started with the Banga Bhanga movement in 1905. His views on the freedom struggle are found in his book History of the Freedom Movement in India. He was an admirer of Swami Vivekananda and Ramakrishna Paramahamsa.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 12, 2017
Long descriptive book and took 4 months to complete. Serious students who like to know about Vedic age could consider. Though it is a old book written in 1951 so lot of water passed under the bridge. It is devoid of new findings, research. The book has supported Aryan Invasion model though now this theory is almost trashed by new linguistic, genetical and archaeological research, findings. However, one can get enough knowledge about literature, polity, economics, social structures, religion, custom so on and so forth regarding ancient Indian history.
September 4, 2017
Much detailed information about India's cultural, geographical, ecological, socio- economical background of India during the Vedic Age. Also deeper information of Indus Valley Civilization is provided. It is reliable and informative reference book. Nice Read!
November 3, 2017
This is a great effort and begins the 11 volume series on Indian history which is probably the most comprehensive work ever attempted on Indian history. I really liked reading about the various sources of Indian history, the Indus Valley Civilisation, and some parts of the Vedas and the Upanishads. I didn't like the segments written by BK Ghosh and which is why I have rated it 4 stars instead of 5.
August 13, 2022
It explores Indian history in striking detail, but at times I feel it is too speculative. I was recommended this because it establishes that the Aryan Invasion is not based in facts and is, in fact a mere theory but I found it to be the opposite. The section on racial diaspora has clear mention of Nordic Aryans and the predominance of their features in the chitpavan brahmins of Konkan. However, I think it's a little far-fetched.
The information is quite precise in its nature, and there are numerous contributors adding their own expertise. It gave me a brilliant insight into the geopolitics of proto-history as well as the recorded historic periods, outlining how the geography enabled India to what it is today.
I will conclude with a slight criticism that the author(s) try to paint a saffron picture of the country and claiming that majority of the country was ruled by various Hindu-affiliated kings and not the other rulers. It is worthy of certain skepticism, as is the question of the presence or absence of a national identity among the various monarchs.
The information is quite precise in its nature, and there are numerous contributors adding their own expertise. It gave me a brilliant insight into the geopolitics of proto-history as well as the recorded historic periods, outlining how the geography enabled India to what it is today.
I will conclude with a slight criticism that the author(s) try to paint a saffron picture of the country and claiming that majority of the country was ruled by various Hindu-affiliated kings and not the other rulers. It is worthy of certain skepticism, as is the question of the presence or absence of a national identity among the various monarchs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 17, 2021
This book seamlessly connects the Indian Epics considered mythology with History, and makes you wonder about why don’t we call is history. Gives very detailed accounts on the Aryan Invasion Theory and how the findings are more shenanigans than research. Gives an even handed approach and does ask for more evidence to come to a conclusion.
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July 22, 2020best book ever
July 6, 2025
I wouldn't exactly recommend checking this out, to be honest. It's an old book with some very dated ideas but that also kind of assumed that you know some things about India and Sanskrit beforehand, and it's all delivered in the driest way possible. It's not an easy read as it really feels like going through an encyclopedia or dictionary page by page. It didn't help that the PDF that I got was super bugged out and most phrases had weird text glitches in them that made the reading process kind of a pain in the ass...
But anyways, it was at least somewhat interesting to learn about the origins of the Indian people up until the Upanishads period. That being said, I think I would have had a better time just learning about this through wikipedia or something like that
But anyways, it was at least somewhat interesting to learn about the origins of the Indian people up until the Upanishads period. That being said, I think I would have had a better time just learning about this through wikipedia or something like that
April 14, 2023
A brilliant book!
To read about one's own culture and heritage that dates back to at least 5000 years is such a surreal feeling.
This book focuses on the pre-Vedic and Vedic age. It has such a wealth of information about the lifestyle of that time ranging from simple daily stuff that we still follow to intricate rituals.
Their relation with gods played a very important role in their life and to appease them develop several complicated rituals.
This is just the first part of ten-part series. Looking forward to the other parts.
To read about one's own culture and heritage that dates back to at least 5000 years is such a surreal feeling.
This book focuses on the pre-Vedic and Vedic age. It has such a wealth of information about the lifestyle of that time ranging from simple daily stuff that we still follow to intricate rituals.
Their relation with gods played a very important role in their life and to appease them develop several complicated rituals.
This is just the first part of ten-part series. Looking forward to the other parts.
July 17, 2022
Indeed a very informative book!
July 25, 2018
Looking
,
,
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews