Ancient India: in Historical Outline

by D.N. Jha

Substantially modified and enlarged version of Author's Ancient An Introductory Outline (1977). Surveys the major developments in India's social, economic and cultural history up to the end of the ancient period and the beginning of the early Middle Ages and explains the rise and growth of states with reference to their material basis.

Genres: History, India, Nonfiction, Ancient History, Ancient, Historical

216 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1998

Reviews

[Nishu Thakur · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some gems of this "Eminent" historian's writings.

1) Indra is 'rowdy & amoral'
2) Krishna has a 'rather questionable personal record'
3) Shiva is just 'a development of phallic cults'
4) "Hinduism is the youngest of all religions, a 19th century neologism popularized by the British"
5) “Nor did the term "Sanatana Dharma" exist until its first codification by an english woman Annie Besant in 1898"
6) "It is only in the year 1860 that the term "Bharatavarsha" came into existence. Its visual evocation came to be used only in 1905"
7) "The term "Hinduism" is a colonial construct. Hinduism as a religion never existed"
8) "Burning of the library at Nalanda was carried out by some" Hindu fanatics" (yes he actually uses this word)
9) According to Jha "Hindukush does not mean "Hindu killer" but rather is derived from Arabic word "Hindu koh" meaning mountains of India" (whitewashing genocide)
10) "The age of Guptas was NOT the golden era of ancient India. That is a myth. The period of nothing of the sort"
11) "The works of Kalidasa are NOT indicative of an intellectual rebirth or revival of literary activity in ancient India"

This eminent historian who claimed to have proved there was no Ram Temple below Babri Masjid was actually a Communist party member. The party admits this only after he has passed away. Imagine how our history was plundered from us.

[Abhishek Shandilya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been told, since childhood, that the colonial powers rewrote Indian history. Then there were stories I heard from people around me, on television and there was no explanation given onto how to distinguish between a myth and reality. Thus, it can be inferred that, people, including me, were oblivious to the real facts and mythology was the real history and vice-versa.

Then there was the history taught in school. It contained elements of british history, some the chauvinistic ideas of nationalism (owing to the importance of Freedom Struggle and importance of national identity in the near post Indian independence), and also that of the fact based historian's history.

This book, thus is a impeccable work of historical research which is independent of any political character and owes nothing to neither the early British remodeled forms nor to the nationalist forms of ubiquitous history, and provides a concise glimpse of fact based reality than any other assumptive explanation of the past. It rekindles human inquiry out of logic and questions our basic faith, while being totally disrespectful (and rightly so) to the seemingly perpetual social evils of Indian society - the caste system. It takes on several ideas of vedic sacrifices and rituals, and directly quests against the myth of the 'holy cow'. Very importantly, it decimates the popular belief of the 'Golden period of Gupta's. It rightly end with the comment that 'far from Gupta's reviving nationalism, nationalism revived the Gupta's. Personally, it solidified my personal understanding that, at certain point, ritualistic religion was questioned by spiritualistic philosophy.

I recommend this book not just to any inquiring mind about 'our' truth, but also invite all those, who are in the veil of egregious politics and find it fashionable to quote anything and everything, without reading the reference of any.

[Mahesh K Adewar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally, for us history is what authore says Or depicts, and because of this there are so many version of history. But, this book has biases ( visible) and does not confer with officially recognised and accepted ( till now) version.

[Celia Sánchez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ancient India was one of the great four original Eurasian centres ofcivilisation, birthplace of three world religions and had a long and fruitfulconnection with the Near East. Beginning with the trading connectionsarising between the Early Dynastic Sumerian city-states and the HarappanCivilisation along the Indus River in the mid-to-late 3 rd Millennium B.C. to the international contacts between the Gupta Empire and the rest of Eurasia,India was a longstanding presence in the Ancient World. However, despite the culturally rich and politically dynamic civilisations which arose in AncientIndia, it is frequently only mentioned in passing, or in reference to Alexanderthe Great. A gap such as this in Near Eastern studies makes works of D.n Jha exceedingly helpful in introducing students in Ancient Historyor World History courses to a complex and dynamic civilisation.....


A great book to start with to learn about the past of India. Highly recommended because of maps, time line and analysis ..This is a good introduction to ancient Indian history. Inexpensive, well-bound, and quite readableit would provide a good supplement to an Ancient History orWorld History course.

[Abha Mishra · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a satisfactory book and i would give it 4 stars as it has incorporated few details in different chapters without altering it . the beginning chapters have come up with interesting facts where the europeans have done an empirical study of our past which is all prehistoric and concluded with the life styles in every spheres .there are certain things based on speculation which is a bit complicated and elucidates the axioms of superstitions and false understanding of people . i feel the embarkation of two new religious dissent Jainism and Buddhism had enlighten the society to an extent but comprising certain policies which has no legal acceptance in reality . then comes the rise of empires which embody assorted institutions , monetization ,urbanization ,counter- urbanization ,art and architecture, sculpture and painting which remits a very idea about our ancient past and how golden was the golden age .so over all good book but vague informations .

[Arun · Rating 5 out of 5]

One reading is not sufficient. This book changed my view of history of India. Initially I have lot doubt and criticism on author when start reading this book, later it changed. The history of India is not just an imagination, it is a lesson to study and investigate deeply.

[Arpana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book to know or to learn about the ancient india.. he written it so clearly... As people usually get bored while reading history .But with good content and pictures and maps it is making it worth reading. Also..specially Good for the students preparing for govt. Services

[Amit]

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[Chirag Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice book

[Satyam Saxena · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though the language is lucid enough for anyone to understand, the text lacks depth in many sections.

[Nawaz Haq razvi · Rating 1 out of 5]

not able to read

[Mahender Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book on ancient Indian history.

[Gaurav Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

One Of The Best books there is about understanding Ancient

[Vaibhavi Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

it's a very good book for anybody interested in the history of India. It was easy to understand and I enjoyed it.

[Chitraksh Ashray · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a wholesome, neutral account of ancient Indian history dating from Harappan and Indus Valley civilization up to the end of the ancient period. The socio-economical and cultural changes, throughout the early centuries, are explained systematically. The text is well-written and also helps enrich your vocabulary. What awakened my mental faculties, is the third chapter which is about Aryan Invasion and its subsequent effects. It made me think a lot about why we do what we do? How our belief systems are formed and how the stuff that some guy said and made into a rule for the sake of his profit back in the Before Christ era still affects our Indian society and mentality even in the present 21st century. It made me question what is really true. False beliefs spread like wildfire back in the B.C.s and are still burning in the minds of our citizens. As an agnostic, who doesn't believe in anthropomorphism, this book made it clear for me that perhaps there were such kings on whose lives the Ramayana and Mahabharata are based, but the tales of their deification that have come down to us are just some grandiose versions of the real account of history, mingled with the imaginations of the people who orally passed down these stories to their subsequent generations for centuries. Furthermore, it's scary how some people, in the current age, bend the truth or history in their favor to account for political and religious agendas and play on people's emotions using sophistry.
This book, for me, served as an eye-opener as well as an excellent account of history that it is.

[Palak Mathur · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is a wonderful book for those who want to read and understand Ancient India. A nice book for starters as it gives you a feel of Ancient Indian History. Ancient History being weird in the sense that there are no personalities involved and the only source that remains is archaeological evidences, it is difficult to comprehend these things. There is a logic involved and to understand that logic the presentation must be great and unique. This is the case with Ancient India by D N Jha!!

[Gordhan Chaudhari · Rating 1 out of 5]

Marxist lies and deceit ...

Evil historian perspective ... He had written against his own civilisation.

Lots of bad theory like Cow, AIT, tradition, role of King and his subject, priesthood, political process during early ancient empires, vedic concepts...

[Aamir Sayid · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books for a study on ancient history.

[Chandan Kumar Jha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book to make yourself aware of early indian history till Gupta Period.
Author has written the book in lucid manner so a good read for easy readers.

[Karan gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

good book

[Siddharth Chandrol · Rating 5 out of 5]

awesome book