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The History and Culture of the Indian People #4
The Age of Imperial Kanauj Vol 4
The history of the period covered by this volume revolves round the pivot of Kanauj - from which it derives its name. The Pratiharas, the Palas and the Rashtrakutas constitute the triangle of forces fighting for supremacy, with the imperial city as the trophy, Incidentally the theory that Harshavardhana was not the last empire-builder is further sustained by the larger, and the more stable empire of the Gurjara Pratiharas which receives detailed treatment. The Rashtrakutas emerge in brilliant colours against the background of ancient Deccan. The part played by Kabul and Zabul in resiting Muslim infiltration has for the first time been brought into proper perspective. On the cultural side we see Buddhism and Jainism eddying into regional backwaters, the pure founts of Brahmanism and Buddhism coloured by Tantrikism. At the same time an interpretative phase in the religious and secular spheres ushers. In an otherwise dull firmament we notice the stars Sankara and Medhatithi lighting the paths of religion and law. In Visakhadatta and Rajasekhara the literature of the period finds an ornate phase. Udbhata, Vamana and Abhinavagupta are names to conjure with in rhetorics. The Champu finds its orientation. Indian pathology and materia medica find their categorical enunciation in Madhavakara and Dhanvantari, The Nagara and Dravida types of architecture take definite shape. The monolith Kailasa temple at Ellora remains a unique achievement with no parallel in the history of Indian architecture. The volume ends up with a brilliant chapter on the trans-oceanic cultural activities of the period. A comprehensive index, exhaustive bibliography, chronology, genealogy and maps complete the uniqueness of the volume.
- GenresHistory
579 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1955
About the author
R.C. Majumdar
109 books193 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 of 1 review
August 18, 2020
All facts no gibberish is kernel of the series of "The history and culture of India people". This volume 4 - The Age of Imperial Kanauj deals with "rivalry and struggle between three great powers; Gurjara-Pratiharas of West, Palas of East and Rashtrakutas of Deccan".
This age saw first barbaric Arab invasion into Bharata and equally impressive resistance of Gurjara-Pratihara. This volume gives fact about following:
- cause of decline of Buddhism
- converting forcefully converted Hindus into their own Dharma ("Ghar Wapsi")
- Hindu empire outside of Bharata
- women's supremacy in administration
- rise of Bengal through Pala kingdom and fight for Kanauj
This age saw first barbaric Arab invasion into Bharata and equally impressive resistance of Gurjara-Pratihara. This volume gives fact about following:
- cause of decline of Buddhism
- converting forcefully converted Hindus into their own Dharma ("Ghar Wapsi")
- Hindu empire outside of Bharata
- women's supremacy in administration
- rise of Bengal through Pala kingdom and fight for Kanauj
Displaying 1 of 1 review