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Essays on Indic History
History is not just a chronology of events from the past. In fact, it is a deep connection to our present. History shapes our culture, our languages, our politics and even our taste in arts and entertainment. It defines our preferences in food and our social values. It makes us who we are.
When we talk about history of India we discuss the ancient civilisations, the first empires, the invasions, the colonization and our struggle for independence. Somewhere, in the overwhelming load of information, we miss the history of places outside India, with shared civilizational ties. We miss out on the non-political history, which includes arts, literature, science, philosophy and enterprise.
The book attempts to bring out the bits in Indic History that the readers will find interesting and will be able to relate to. The whole idea of writing this book is to present Indic History in a way that is more fun. At the same time, it gives one a chance to look into the past and see how the events that took place thousands of years ago are still shaping and influencing our lives today.
When we talk about history of India we discuss the ancient civilisations, the first empires, the invasions, the colonization and our struggle for independence. Somewhere, in the overwhelming load of information, we miss the history of places outside India, with shared civilizational ties. We miss out on the non-political history, which includes arts, literature, science, philosophy and enterprise.
The book attempts to bring out the bits in Indic History that the readers will find interesting and will be able to relate to. The whole idea of writing this book is to present Indic History in a way that is more fun. At the same time, it gives one a chance to look into the past and see how the events that took place thousands of years ago are still shaping and influencing our lives today.
- GenresHistoryIndiaNonfiction
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First published January 9, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
July 13, 2020
Picked this one up with a lot of scepticism since I am not really into reading history. Was recommended by a friend and I am happy I read it. Lots of information in an easy to understand language, which doesn't bore you.
August 25, 2020
I was always fascinated with Indian history in school, especially the major eras and civilizations prior to roughly the 10th century AD. The essays compiled here cover these time periods and present facts and evidences in a different and unique light.
What makes Essays on Indic History stand out is the way it presents and then interprets and represents facts and anecdotes. The author presents what is known from literature, monuments, discoveries, excavations, etc. He then proceeds to present his interpretations and insight, keeping in mind what is known and never jumping to conclusions or simply assuming things. Points where data available is limited are called out and just left there, which keeps the reader honest at all times.
The author's passion towards the subject is well established. While reading the essays, it feels like he is explaining his points of view to you personally and you want to keep listening in and discover what he intends to convey next. This is what keeps you engrossed.
My favourite essays revolved around the Indus Valley Civilization and Alexander's conquests. Beautifully researched and presented.
All in all, Essays on Indic History is well researched and written. Interpretations and conclusions are logically drawn and they are not simply guessed. The author has maintained a high standard of research and writing and here's hoping to read more of his work in this field.
What makes Essays on Indic History stand out is the way it presents and then interprets and represents facts and anecdotes. The author presents what is known from literature, monuments, discoveries, excavations, etc. He then proceeds to present his interpretations and insight, keeping in mind what is known and never jumping to conclusions or simply assuming things. Points where data available is limited are called out and just left there, which keeps the reader honest at all times.
The author's passion towards the subject is well established. While reading the essays, it feels like he is explaining his points of view to you personally and you want to keep listening in and discover what he intends to convey next. This is what keeps you engrossed.
My favourite essays revolved around the Indus Valley Civilization and Alexander's conquests. Beautifully researched and presented.
All in all, Essays on Indic History is well researched and written. Interpretations and conclusions are logically drawn and they are not simply guessed. The author has maintained a high standard of research and writing and here's hoping to read more of his work in this field.
July 12, 2020
The author succinctly summarizes early Indian history in an interesting manner. The book is as entertaining as it is informative and small anecdotes from the present keep it engaging.
May 24, 2021
Very well researched and written. Gives us lot of new insights. Worth reading
November 20, 2020
Very clearly written on many neglected parts of pre-Islamic indian history. Corrects "conventional wisdom" about our past in light of new satellite imagery, soil studies, excavations, etc. This book is meant to be a high level summary and does not get into the nitty gritty details of the cited sources. I highly recommend others to read this book along with "The Sarasvati Civilisation" by GD Bakshi and "Land of Seven Rivers" by Sanjeev Sanyal to complement your understanding of the topics in this book.
August 6, 2020
The author has done a commendable job in concisely telling the history of India from the beginning of civilization in the subcontinent all the way to the Islamic invasions around early 8th century. The narrative is simple and easy to follow. Since it covers a very long period of time, the author has chosen some salient incidents, time frames or ideas on which he has developed a thread connecting the dots of Indian civilizations and culture through several millennia.
The book gives you a reason to appreciate the gifts India has given to the world ( which many readers might find themselves to be unaware of).
If you thought history was a boring subject in your high school, this book might change your opinion and perhaps even engage you to read more. I consider that a big plus point of this book. Even if you were a history buff you will still find new and interesting facts that you didn't know before. There are references if you're inclined to do your side readings.
I recommend anyone interested in Indian history and culture to pick this book up and read. I wish more authors get to this sort of history writing to make it more accessible to the common man!
The book gives you a reason to appreciate the gifts India has given to the world ( which many readers might find themselves to be unaware of).
If you thought history was a boring subject in your high school, this book might change your opinion and perhaps even engage you to read more. I consider that a big plus point of this book. Even if you were a history buff you will still find new and interesting facts that you didn't know before. There are references if you're inclined to do your side readings.
I recommend anyone interested in Indian history and culture to pick this book up and read. I wish more authors get to this sort of history writing to make it more accessible to the common man!
October 13, 2020
Delivers on the promise- short and concise history till 7th century
I liked the style and the narration in the book. Instead of going on and on about kings and dynasties, the author focused more on the people and their culture. Sometimes through travelogues and other times through archaeology. I think it is a good starting point to read the history of the Subcontinent. I have to point out that citations seem to be off. In many of the citations only the word Ibid is present. I don't know what it refers to. I would like to see further expansion of the book through this style of writing well into 16-17th century in the coming editions.
I liked the style and the narration in the book. Instead of going on and on about kings and dynasties, the author focused more on the people and their culture. Sometimes through travelogues and other times through archaeology. I think it is a good starting point to read the history of the Subcontinent. I have to point out that citations seem to be off. In many of the citations only the word Ibid is present. I don't know what it refers to. I would like to see further expansion of the book through this style of writing well into 16-17th century in the coming editions.
August 26, 2021
Heartfelt thanks to Indic Academy for sending over this book!
Essays on Indic history by Vijendar Sharma is a condensed set of essays that throw major light on the pre Islamic history of India which our textbooks oh so conveniently has chosen to ignore.
The author writes “History is not just a chronology of events from the past. In fact, it is a deep connection to our languages, our politics and even our taste in arts and entertainment. It defines our preference in food and our social values. It makes us who we are”. This book exactly talks about all that, in multifolds. The book touches upon various topics that been somehow pushed down the ladder of the glorious history of Bharatha and its land beyond.
The quest for truth is never ending, we seek to know where it all began from, we seek to know the endless loop of information that is discovered, researched, then it retreats after a while, again presents itself in a whole new form and the cycle continues. Some are facts, some are myths, but an incessant flow of explorations always remains the same.
The book starts with the rise of Indus Valley Civilization. Author talks extensively about the cities of Mehrgarh and Bhirrana, Dholavira, Lothal, and Sinauli. Mr. Sharma has then has written in depth about Saraswati river and civilization, what makes the book interesting is the author’s way of presenting, it is very enjoyable and not academically stressful. The correlation of the past to the present in analogies are very engaging and keeps the reader engrossed. The footnotes at the end of each page also makes it easier for the reader to refer, if needed.
The author brings forth the literature, excavations, monuments and Indian contribution in the non political fields like performing arts, medicine, astronomy, storytelling, philosophy and language in a very gripping manner that has personally made me look for more books and explore in depth on the following subjects.
A few pages into the book, one can clearly reflect on the aggregate of dedication and intense research carried out by the author. I particularly loved his approach of not declaring every piece of information as a fact, because there is always an opposing standpoint which further widens the scope especially when and where evidence is lacking. The author also focuses on the Sangam Era, the Mahajanapadas, the trade routes, ports etc. The captivitating stories on battles, voyages, formation of alliances, building of empires, etc take the readers back in time and makes the read thoroughly enjoyable. The author provides credible insights into the travels of Faxian and Xuan Zang, and concludes the book with the onset of the Islamic invasion.
Truly impressed by the research, and the simple language used in the book which makes it an easy read for all times. I would highly recommend this book to all the history lovers out there or even to a beginner who has just set out on reading !
Thank you so much Mr. Sharma for bringing out a plethora of information with this gem of a book !
Essays on Indic history by Vijendar Sharma is a condensed set of essays that throw major light on the pre Islamic history of India which our textbooks oh so conveniently has chosen to ignore.
The author writes “History is not just a chronology of events from the past. In fact, it is a deep connection to our languages, our politics and even our taste in arts and entertainment. It defines our preference in food and our social values. It makes us who we are”. This book exactly talks about all that, in multifolds. The book touches upon various topics that been somehow pushed down the ladder of the glorious history of Bharatha and its land beyond.
The quest for truth is never ending, we seek to know where it all began from, we seek to know the endless loop of information that is discovered, researched, then it retreats after a while, again presents itself in a whole new form and the cycle continues. Some are facts, some are myths, but an incessant flow of explorations always remains the same.
The book starts with the rise of Indus Valley Civilization. Author talks extensively about the cities of Mehrgarh and Bhirrana, Dholavira, Lothal, and Sinauli. Mr. Sharma has then has written in depth about Saraswati river and civilization, what makes the book interesting is the author’s way of presenting, it is very enjoyable and not academically stressful. The correlation of the past to the present in analogies are very engaging and keeps the reader engrossed. The footnotes at the end of each page also makes it easier for the reader to refer, if needed.
The author brings forth the literature, excavations, monuments and Indian contribution in the non political fields like performing arts, medicine, astronomy, storytelling, philosophy and language in a very gripping manner that has personally made me look for more books and explore in depth on the following subjects.
A few pages into the book, one can clearly reflect on the aggregate of dedication and intense research carried out by the author. I particularly loved his approach of not declaring every piece of information as a fact, because there is always an opposing standpoint which further widens the scope especially when and where evidence is lacking. The author also focuses on the Sangam Era, the Mahajanapadas, the trade routes, ports etc. The captivitating stories on battles, voyages, formation of alliances, building of empires, etc take the readers back in time and makes the read thoroughly enjoyable. The author provides credible insights into the travels of Faxian and Xuan Zang, and concludes the book with the onset of the Islamic invasion.
Truly impressed by the research, and the simple language used in the book which makes it an easy read for all times. I would highly recommend this book to all the history lovers out there or even to a beginner who has just set out on reading !
Thank you so much Mr. Sharma for bringing out a plethora of information with this gem of a book !
January 3, 2021
This was a fun read for a birds-eye view of Indic History from first contact of humans up to the 7th century. The author does a great job with exposing us to the invasions of Indo-greeks, Alexander, Scythians, and Kushans, and the subsequen fusion of those cultures with Indic values, beliefs, and traditions. Good amount of skepticism is shown on contentious topics and evidence is given for the opposing viewpoints for the reader's benefit. The chapters "India's gifts to the world:..." are an a treat and show Indians' contributions to math, science, philosophy, performing arts, linguistics, etc. well before Europeans and Greeks in many cases. The reasons for doubting the debunked Aryan Invasion Theory are summarized nicely, just as the reasons for calling Harrapan Civilization as the Indus-Sarasvati are. As the title suggests (Essays on Indic History), the content jumps around a lot chronologically chapter-to-chapter, which might not be your cup of tea. Overall, a fun read that covered many topics of the topics of Sanjeev Senyal's "Land of Seven Rivers", albeit with a different perspective on many topic.
December 2, 2020
Fun, concisely-written bird's eye view of pre-2nd millennium Indic history. It helps expose the disinformation of poorly substantiated Western Indology assumptions like the Sarasvati Civilization being "mythical" and the severely underestimated start of the Vedic Age. I like that the author is conservative in drawing conclusions when evidence is lacking and explicitly points out when he is making suppositions/educated guesses. I suggest people read "The Decline and Fall of the Indus Civilization" by Nayanjoti Lahiri and "The Lost River: On the Trail of the Sarasvati" by Michael Ganino to dig deeper into the topics presented earlier on in this book. For those intrigued by the chapters on Alexander's invasion attempt on India and the Greek/western perspective on India in Antiquity, I suggest people also read "The India They Saw: Vol. 1" by Sandhya Jain. I hope the new National Education Policy at least updates history books for high school students to level presented in this book.
August 25, 2021
True to its sub-head "History Of India And Everything Indian: Since The Arrival Of The First Humans To The First Islamic Invasion" this book 'Essays on Indic History' by Vijender Sharma cruises us through the entire Indic history. Though the author is essentially writing about the history, his style is a little bit philosophical and at least in the beginning reader may confuse that weather S/he is reading philosophical book or history book!
Anyways, I have absolutely no confusion that Vijender Sharma has researched extensively about the Indic History. And of course the language is also so lucid that every reader would enjoy. As the author himself says, "I have made an attempt to connect the dots from information presented in isolation, to make sense for history enthusiasts. This work is by no means a claim to academic scholarship but simply a compilation of information available. My attempt is to make history interesting, without using the academic language.” The 36 chapter, 230 pages book is no doubt a great source of knowledge not only for history students but also for general readers who till now have confusions about the subjects like the Great River Saraswati, so-called Aryan invasion etc.
Finally, I cannot resist myself to quote the author again, "I have attempted to make reading history enjoyable yet authentic" and believe me that's true! Go, grab the copy of 'Essays on Indic History' and put yourself up one step with INDIC KNOWLEDGE.
Anyways, I have absolutely no confusion that Vijender Sharma has researched extensively about the Indic History. And of course the language is also so lucid that every reader would enjoy. As the author himself says, "I have made an attempt to connect the dots from information presented in isolation, to make sense for history enthusiasts. This work is by no means a claim to academic scholarship but simply a compilation of information available. My attempt is to make history interesting, without using the academic language.” The 36 chapter, 230 pages book is no doubt a great source of knowledge not only for history students but also for general readers who till now have confusions about the subjects like the Great River Saraswati, so-called Aryan invasion etc.
Finally, I cannot resist myself to quote the author again, "I have attempted to make reading history enjoyable yet authentic" and believe me that's true! Go, grab the copy of 'Essays on Indic History' and put yourself up one step with INDIC KNOWLEDGE.
October 7, 2021
'Essays on Indic History' by Vijender Sharma
Been very interested in Indian History in general, however, it's been quite a task for me to complete reading History books(did enjoy Sanjeev Sanya's 'Ocean of Churns' though). Thus, I have mostly relied on youtube, blog posts, and Wikipedia articles as my source of info on these. But this one I really enjoyed reading.
This was a really fun read on Indian history starting from early humans in India until the Islamic Invasions in India in the 8-9th century CE. Its brief, concise, and yet gives enough information and maintains a high standard of research. While the author does seem to have his views, but also presents the opposing viewpoints and suggests the readers have an open mind and not be dogmatic in support of a single viewpoint.
Would recommend this along with any of Sanjeev's Sanyal's book to anyone interested in knowing Indian history. It uses simple language with engaging narration, definitely got me more interested in reading more on history, I could complete it in one sitting.
Been very interested in Indian History in general, however, it's been quite a task for me to complete reading History books(did enjoy Sanjeev Sanya's 'Ocean of Churns' though). Thus, I have mostly relied on youtube, blog posts, and Wikipedia articles as my source of info on these. But this one I really enjoyed reading.
This was a really fun read on Indian history starting from early humans in India until the Islamic Invasions in India in the 8-9th century CE. Its brief, concise, and yet gives enough information and maintains a high standard of research. While the author does seem to have his views, but also presents the opposing viewpoints and suggests the readers have an open mind and not be dogmatic in support of a single viewpoint.
Would recommend this along with any of Sanjeev's Sanyal's book to anyone interested in knowing Indian history. It uses simple language with engaging narration, definitely got me more interested in reading more on history, I could complete it in one sitting.
June 5, 2021
Good short book which covers a period of Indian subcontinent history that is not covered a lot. Each chapter is short but has concise details about the topic covered. Covers many things about the Harappan civilization. It also has a chapter each for various fields/contributions of India to the world.
A good starter book for people who can get short descriptions of various phases of Indian history. After that, the reader can in turn follow a particular topic in-depth through other sources.
It really got me interested in various topics which I would explore further like to learn more about ancient port cities of the Indian subcontinent, the influx of Indian culture and tradition in South-East Asia, about the recent excavations/findings related to the Indus-Saraswati civilization.
A good starter book for people who can get short descriptions of various phases of Indian history. After that, the reader can in turn follow a particular topic in-depth through other sources.
It really got me interested in various topics which I would explore further like to learn more about ancient port cities of the Indian subcontinent, the influx of Indian culture and tradition in South-East Asia, about the recent excavations/findings related to the Indus-Saraswati civilization.
August 26, 2021
This is a book that is a must who are interested to know the origins of Bharat and what has been its timeline over the years. The author in this book has given a great focus on empirical evidence for every event occurrence in history. Every chapter in the book is organized in such a way that every timeline is described in detail. One great feature of the book is due to empirical data at every sentence it is a great weapon to debunk western theories which have Christian origins. One important input I would say is it could have been still better if the book contained some pictures also. But overall I say "Essays on Indic History " is an excellent book that gives detailed research on Bharat's history.
April 18, 2022
Brilliant essays on the Indic perspective of history. I hope the author comes with more volumes of work. Much needed.
August 27, 2021
Before diving deep into the ocean, it is better, if we study and know the depth of the ocean.
And when we come to the Indic history and its people and the civilization, it becomes unfathomable for a lay man like me to know it's people and their spirit. So, I believe, we must know some key things before we take a dive into such a vast chasm of our ancient civilization.
I think, The very first question, every civilization sought was, 'WHY' AND 'HOW'.
How all the things which we see, which we practice now, including Gods, came into existence??? When Sir M. Vishweshwarayya visited the magnificent Jog Falls, looking at the enormous amount of water falling from such a height, he said, What a waste! This very thought of 'What can be made out of this' is the loudest echo of our ancestors. Since then till today we are being manifested. And surely, it goes on and on.
This being the very first book I read on Indic history, it has shown the way forward to explore more about it. I would recommend this book to anyone who are not aware of our Indic history and if you want to explore more about it in future, then these beautiful essays written by Shree Vijender Sharma can really be your first baby steps towards the long, adventurous and never ending journey you are about to take.
Thank you @indichistory Vijender Sharma sir for taking all the efforts to put forward such a long history within these essays which will surely push many to know about our history. You made our way more clearer and easy! Thank you @indicaorg for sending me the very first book which had these beautiful essays.
#indichistory
#booksandthereader
And when we come to the Indic history and its people and the civilization, it becomes unfathomable for a lay man like me to know it's people and their spirit. So, I believe, we must know some key things before we take a dive into such a vast chasm of our ancient civilization.
I think, The very first question, every civilization sought was, 'WHY' AND 'HOW'.
How all the things which we see, which we practice now, including Gods, came into existence??? When Sir M. Vishweshwarayya visited the magnificent Jog Falls, looking at the enormous amount of water falling from such a height, he said, What a waste! This very thought of 'What can be made out of this' is the loudest echo of our ancestors. Since then till today we are being manifested. And surely, it goes on and on.
This being the very first book I read on Indic history, it has shown the way forward to explore more about it. I would recommend this book to anyone who are not aware of our Indic history and if you want to explore more about it in future, then these beautiful essays written by Shree Vijender Sharma can really be your first baby steps towards the long, adventurous and never ending journey you are about to take.
Thank you @indichistory Vijender Sharma sir for taking all the efforts to put forward such a long history within these essays which will surely push many to know about our history. You made our way more clearer and easy! Thank you @indicaorg for sending me the very first book which had these beautiful essays.
#indichistory
#booksandthereader
September 20, 2022
Essays on Indic history by Vijender sharma is a compendious account of Indian history.
This book manages to successfully discuss differing perspectives of a contentious issue without taking a stand itself. It allows the reader to make their own judgement from the sources mentioned here.
Issues like Aryan migration theory, Saraswati civilisation, Caste system, Animosity between Hinduism and Buddhism, Dating the Vedas are discussed by the author dispassionately, though I wished the author had included more sources and added a bibliography.
Some chapters are solely focused on Indus-Saraswati civilisation, and rightly so.
The explication of the major sites of the Harappan sites is intriguing. The book also provides the latest data gathered from Bhirrana and Rakhigarhi sites.
The book also deals with the various invasions of India by Alexander, the Indo-greeks, the Scythians, the Kushans and the Huns and their assimilation with Indian society.
It briefly focuses on the empires south of the Vindhya like the Satavahanas, the Chalukyas, the Kadambas.
It also brushes upon the influence of Indian culture in the West, East and Southeast Asia.
The essays which I liked the most were India's gifts to the world like Storytelling, Medicine, Astronomy, Mathematics, Philosophy, Language, Performing arts.
It also describes India as seen by Faxian and Xuanzang though i wished the author had provided a map for the places visited by them for a more immersive read.
The biggest contribution of this book in my eyes is that it brings out topics and events that the curriculum books in India conveniently choose to ignore.
I highly recommend this book to all the enthusiasts of Indian history.
This book manages to successfully discuss differing perspectives of a contentious issue without taking a stand itself. It allows the reader to make their own judgement from the sources mentioned here.
Issues like Aryan migration theory, Saraswati civilisation, Caste system, Animosity between Hinduism and Buddhism, Dating the Vedas are discussed by the author dispassionately, though I wished the author had included more sources and added a bibliography.
Some chapters are solely focused on Indus-Saraswati civilisation, and rightly so.
The explication of the major sites of the Harappan sites is intriguing. The book also provides the latest data gathered from Bhirrana and Rakhigarhi sites.
The book also deals with the various invasions of India by Alexander, the Indo-greeks, the Scythians, the Kushans and the Huns and their assimilation with Indian society.
It briefly focuses on the empires south of the Vindhya like the Satavahanas, the Chalukyas, the Kadambas.
It also brushes upon the influence of Indian culture in the West, East and Southeast Asia.
The essays which I liked the most were India's gifts to the world like Storytelling, Medicine, Astronomy, Mathematics, Philosophy, Language, Performing arts.
It also describes India as seen by Faxian and Xuanzang though i wished the author had provided a map for the places visited by them for a more immersive read.
The biggest contribution of this book in my eyes is that it brings out topics and events that the curriculum books in India conveniently choose to ignore.
I highly recommend this book to all the enthusiasts of Indian history.
June 26, 2022
I found the writing crisp and concise. He has avoided unnecessary conclusions. In some places, he has quoted the sources directly.
My only complaint is that author should have provided maps for a better understanding of a few routes or cities.
****************************************************************************
It is a collection of essays on Indian history, ranging from the Harappan period to 7CE. He starts the book with the first footprints on Indian soil and then after touching upon the neolithic period swiftly moves toward the various Harappan cities. He has included many recent findings and new studies in this book. The book revolves around various themes like culture, civilization, trade, and the world around India. There are separate essays on Ancient Indian contributions to science, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.
Alexander, Porus, Chandragupta Maurya, Kanishka, Satvahanas, etc. are various kings through which the author attempts to tell the story of ancient Indian society. Towards the end of the book, there are chapters about the Chinese travelers. It is very interesting to find that how silk road was not only a route for trade but many ideas also passed through these routes. The spread of Buddhism and Gandhara art are a few examples of that multicultural period. At the end of the Book, he briefly discusses the rise of Islam and how it changed the social and religious confluence in India.
My only complaint is that author should have provided maps for a better understanding of a few routes or cities.
****************************************************************************
It is a collection of essays on Indian history, ranging from the Harappan period to 7CE. He starts the book with the first footprints on Indian soil and then after touching upon the neolithic period swiftly moves toward the various Harappan cities. He has included many recent findings and new studies in this book. The book revolves around various themes like culture, civilization, trade, and the world around India. There are separate essays on Ancient Indian contributions to science, astronomy, mathematics, and medicine.
Alexander, Porus, Chandragupta Maurya, Kanishka, Satvahanas, etc. are various kings through which the author attempts to tell the story of ancient Indian society. Towards the end of the book, there are chapters about the Chinese travelers. It is very interesting to find that how silk road was not only a route for trade but many ideas also passed through these routes. The spread of Buddhism and Gandhara art are a few examples of that multicultural period. At the end of the Book, he briefly discusses the rise of Islam and how it changed the social and religious confluence in India.
August 20, 2021
Essays on Indic History by Vijender Sharma is a compendium of essays that starts from the earliest human settlements in the valley of Indus or Indus-Saraswati and finishes with a brief note on the arrival of the first Islamic invaders to the Indian subcontinent. This book manages to fill in a void created by the current style of history education by clearly following a chronology and then managing to draw different strands that merit a larger discussion. This book also manages to successfully discuss differing perspectives of a contentious issue without taking a stand itself. It dispassionately presents the facts or inferences (from historical records) and allows the reader to make their own judgment, which incidentally the author puts out in the book as well.
The book starts with the arrival of early humans in the subcontinent and the rise of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). The book does not stop at the two most famous locations of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, but at length discusses the cities of Dholavira, Lothal, and Sinauli as well. The author also discusses IVC in conjunction with what was happening in other parts of the world or how trade relations were formalized with other civilizations as well as the administrative system in India. The book also deliberates on the mahajanpad system as well as the arrival of Alexander and the ensuing battle. In the section on India’s gifts to the world, the book discusses the Indic contribution in the field of mathematics, medicine, and philosophy among others.
The book is able to bring out events and topics that the curriculum books in India conveniently choose to ignore and that is perhaps the biggest contribution of the book. It takes on topics that merit an understanding among the public about our past, that are not necessarily the dynasties, the wars, and the barrage of dates that history has been reduced to in the Indian education system. The dynasties have been given a lesser focus and the attention has been centered on the people, the systems, and the lives they led.
While there are many good things about the book, there are some places where it can make some improvements as well. An index is dearly needed for a book of this expanse which deals with a long period of time. Similarly, a bibliography is also needed for all the material referred to in the book. While the author does provide all the references in the footnotes of the pages where something has been quoted, it would have been better to have a full compilation of the same as well. And lastly, a brief note about the author is also needed. While it may be the case that Mr. Sharma wanted the book to be author agnostic, however, having a brief about the author also allows the reader to care for any bias if they find any in the text.
The book starts with the arrival of early humans in the subcontinent and the rise of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). The book does not stop at the two most famous locations of Harappa and Mohenjo Daro, but at length discusses the cities of Dholavira, Lothal, and Sinauli as well. The author also discusses IVC in conjunction with what was happening in other parts of the world or how trade relations were formalized with other civilizations as well as the administrative system in India. The book also deliberates on the mahajanpad system as well as the arrival of Alexander and the ensuing battle. In the section on India’s gifts to the world, the book discusses the Indic contribution in the field of mathematics, medicine, and philosophy among others.
The book is able to bring out events and topics that the curriculum books in India conveniently choose to ignore and that is perhaps the biggest contribution of the book. It takes on topics that merit an understanding among the public about our past, that are not necessarily the dynasties, the wars, and the barrage of dates that history has been reduced to in the Indian education system. The dynasties have been given a lesser focus and the attention has been centered on the people, the systems, and the lives they led.
While there are many good things about the book, there are some places where it can make some improvements as well. An index is dearly needed for a book of this expanse which deals with a long period of time. Similarly, a bibliography is also needed for all the material referred to in the book. While the author does provide all the references in the footnotes of the pages where something has been quoted, it would have been better to have a full compilation of the same as well. And lastly, a brief note about the author is also needed. While it may be the case that Mr. Sharma wanted the book to be author agnostic, however, having a brief about the author also allows the reader to care for any bias if they find any in the text.
August 21, 2021
Essays on Indic History is a comprehensive, yet enlightening account of the history of India from the 'first footprints on Indian soil' to the Indian subcontinent 'at the cusp of change' brought in by the Islamic invasion. After tracing the origins of ancient Indians, the book goes on to illuminate India's rich civilizational past, beginning with the evolution of Neolithic settlements between 7500 and 6000 BCE. Considerable amount of research by the author showcases various practices in these settlements such as agriculture, animal breeding and cooking, of which some methods still continue to be practiced in these very regions. The Harappan civilization, its cities, trade and technology are covered in great detail, yet, personally, a feeling of incompleteness was felt. Quite possibly it could be the charm of these ancient civilizations that leave the reader yearning for more. Yet what the author has achieved with such scant amount of primary materials and a yet to be decrypted Harappan script, is certainly commendable. The story of river Saraswati, correlation with the Vedic period, and a continuum of traditions is also brought out by the author. The theories of Aryan Invasion and Aryan Migration are also discussed, along with compelling reasons and citations that debunk these theories.
The author also focuses on South India, the Sangam Era, the Mahajanapadas, the trade routes, ports etc. The fascinating stories of battles, voyages, formation of alliances, building of empires, etc take the readers back in time, and provide first hand accounts by several travelling scholars. The importance of trade is particularly visible by the role it played in spreading Indic culture across South East Asia. The ancient sailors had a fairly good knowledge of the Monsoon winds, and a notable perforation of certain traditions associated with voyages is certainly amusing.
The Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians, their assimilation to local culture, the influence of Buddhist, Jain and Zoroastrian traditions are discussed in great detail. The empires and conquests in the Deccan are also mentioned. However, considering the different dynasties that ruled the southernmost part of India, and the important roles that they played in shaping up history, the amount of material found in the book was somewhat lacking.
Towards the end of the book, the author describes various innovations and contributions of India to different streams of art, science, philosophy, etc. The author provides credible insights into the travels of Faxian and Xuan Zang, and concludes the book with the onset of the Islamic invasion. Altogether, it is a splendid book, written in a wonderful style, with interesting anecdotes, mostly focusing on fascinating tales missing in curriculum textbooks. Highly recommended!
The author also focuses on South India, the Sangam Era, the Mahajanapadas, the trade routes, ports etc. The fascinating stories of battles, voyages, formation of alliances, building of empires, etc take the readers back in time, and provide first hand accounts by several travelling scholars. The importance of trade is particularly visible by the role it played in spreading Indic culture across South East Asia. The ancient sailors had a fairly good knowledge of the Monsoon winds, and a notable perforation of certain traditions associated with voyages is certainly amusing.
The Indo-Greeks, Indo-Scythians, their assimilation to local culture, the influence of Buddhist, Jain and Zoroastrian traditions are discussed in great detail. The empires and conquests in the Deccan are also mentioned. However, considering the different dynasties that ruled the southernmost part of India, and the important roles that they played in shaping up history, the amount of material found in the book was somewhat lacking.
Towards the end of the book, the author describes various innovations and contributions of India to different streams of art, science, philosophy, etc. The author provides credible insights into the travels of Faxian and Xuan Zang, and concludes the book with the onset of the Islamic invasion. Altogether, it is a splendid book, written in a wonderful style, with interesting anecdotes, mostly focusing on fascinating tales missing in curriculum textbooks. Highly recommended!
September 24, 2021
Thanks @indicaorg for mailing me the paperback version of 𝘌𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘤 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺. Congratulations to author Vijender Sharma @indichistory for painstakingly putting forth the detailed events that happened which hasn't been thought through in our schools and colleges.
What intrigued me more than the title of the book is the subtitle the author has provided and its specificity — 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯. Mr Sharma further specifies the scope of this essay collections by informing the readers the time period he will be delving into — 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.
This book is a treasure trove and a gold mine for true seekers of original Indic History.
Even though the book is filled with facts and figures and important historical events and dates, it's very rich in exploring and explaining the core formation of Bharat as a nation.
We should never forget that India has been the wealthiest nation before Islamic and British invasions. We were modern and up-to-date in the field of art, science, astronomy, astrology, medicine, defence, mathematics, philosophy, language etc.
The author also discusses how the Indian traders were world famous and involved in export and import of goods for a very long time.
Mr. Sharma also discusses about Aryans and their impact on the people, both on religious and on political levels. He also has a dedicated couple of essays on foreign travellers and their view on Bharat.
Overall, this book should be in every school and college libraries. I would urge readers to spread the significance of this book in the current political scenario of the country. I thoroughly enjoyed as well as learnt more about our history than from my school curriculum.
A MUST-READ for all truth seekers.
What intrigued me more than the title of the book is the subtitle the author has provided and its specificity — 𝘏𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘯. Mr Sharma further specifies the scope of this essay collections by informing the readers the time period he will be delving into — 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘏𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘐𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘤 𝘐𝘯𝘷𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯.
This book is a treasure trove and a gold mine for true seekers of original Indic History.
Even though the book is filled with facts and figures and important historical events and dates, it's very rich in exploring and explaining the core formation of Bharat as a nation.
We should never forget that India has been the wealthiest nation before Islamic and British invasions. We were modern and up-to-date in the field of art, science, astronomy, astrology, medicine, defence, mathematics, philosophy, language etc.
The author also discusses how the Indian traders were world famous and involved in export and import of goods for a very long time.
Mr. Sharma also discusses about Aryans and their impact on the people, both on religious and on political levels. He also has a dedicated couple of essays on foreign travellers and their view on Bharat.
Overall, this book should be in every school and college libraries. I would urge readers to spread the significance of this book in the current political scenario of the country. I thoroughly enjoyed as well as learnt more about our history than from my school curriculum.
A MUST-READ for all truth seekers.
August 15, 2024
When we think of history of India, either we recall freedom struggle of India under British rule or the Mughal empire that we were taught during school or we quote 5000 years of times since Ramayan, Mahabharat.
This is exactly why I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author has very objectively laid the premises basis the evidences which are known today. In very engaging short essays, Mr Sharma introduces us to how perhaps humans came into this existence in this land to their progress through the thousands of years. It is indeed a proud feeling to read about very advanced civilizations existed in Harappa kind of cities and how they traded with farway to Europe in west and till China and most SouthEat Asian countries as we know today. Nowhere author forces his opinions on us but quotes evidences and leaves the inconclusive topic for further need of evidence to conclude. That is quite rare in today's age I must say.
We often see mockery being made when we talk about India's gift to the world in the form mathematics, astrology, philosophy, medicines and languages. But the essays on these very topics present evidence based facts that again make one proud as an Indian.
This book is going to be my favourite also when it comes to gifting. Also, an author like this should be on boarded as a consultant to Indian education ministry when it comes to the world of history!
This is exactly why I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The author has very objectively laid the premises basis the evidences which are known today. In very engaging short essays, Mr Sharma introduces us to how perhaps humans came into this existence in this land to their progress through the thousands of years. It is indeed a proud feeling to read about very advanced civilizations existed in Harappa kind of cities and how they traded with farway to Europe in west and till China and most SouthEat Asian countries as we know today. Nowhere author forces his opinions on us but quotes evidences and leaves the inconclusive topic for further need of evidence to conclude. That is quite rare in today's age I must say.
We often see mockery being made when we talk about India's gift to the world in the form mathematics, astrology, philosophy, medicines and languages. But the essays on these very topics present evidence based facts that again make one proud as an Indian.
This book is going to be my favourite also when it comes to gifting. Also, an author like this should be on boarded as a consultant to Indian education ministry when it comes to the world of history!
October 24, 2021
Good thing about this book is that it is essay format. Indic history has been written in multiple books and is a subject of interest for many authors. In case you have read some of those books (like me), this book provides additional context. And if you are new to this space completely, this is a great book to start with.
Author Vijender Sharma covers our history in 35+ essays. Greeks, Harappans, Islamists, Deccan and other period of the history is covered in good details. There is also a nice set of essays about the perspective and writings of various visitor of India in those times and how they documented India's living at that time. Narrative is good with adequate focus on details.
I did feel the focus on First Islamic Invasion (as mentioned as sub title of the book) is sub par and the author could have spent few more essays on the same.
Overall, this is a very important book for all of us Indians to read. I am not saying this is the only authoritative source that you should read and believe, but definitely an interesting body of work from Vijender Sharma and deserves your attention.
Author Vijender Sharma covers our history in 35+ essays. Greeks, Harappans, Islamists, Deccan and other period of the history is covered in good details. There is also a nice set of essays about the perspective and writings of various visitor of India in those times and how they documented India's living at that time. Narrative is good with adequate focus on details.
I did feel the focus on First Islamic Invasion (as mentioned as sub title of the book) is sub par and the author could have spent few more essays on the same.
Overall, this is a very important book for all of us Indians to read. I am not saying this is the only authoritative source that you should read and believe, but definitely an interesting body of work from Vijender Sharma and deserves your attention.
December 21, 2021
When I recieved this book "Essays on Indic History" from Indic Academy, I was so looking forward to reading it and I'm delighted to report that this book did not let me down. Author Vijender Sharma had a herculean task ahead of him of highlighting significant periods of ancient history starting with arrival of first humans to Indian continent and all the way to pre-Islamic invasion. The writing is on par with scholarly work having referenced relevant source material through out the book.
From the outset, Let me clarify that I'm not a history student but a History enthusiast, this is my first read about Indian history. Prior to this book, any Indian history I learnt about was during my schooling days* so my impression of this book is grounded on that. Having clarified that I was so surprised by my lack of knowledge about our history and heritage. For example, I didn't know about Mahajanapadas, Stavahana Kingdom of the Deccan and had little knowledge about Alexander's Indian expeditions, vastness of Mauryan Empire or Gupta empire. I only heard names of The Kushans and the Chalukyas and never knew of Harshvardhans. It may be just me who was ignorant of our past and took little interest to know of our heritage or may be such history should have been emphasized and elaborated rather than being reduced to footnotes in history textbooks. \\
Book opens with first arrival of humans to Indian subcontinent estimated around 120,000 to 70,000 years ago. Author dedicates substantial part to great Harppan civilaization and rightly so since its been the most studied/popular topic of ancient Indian history. The book is structured as essay style as hinted in the title and each essay takes you on a ride, revealing some detail that you would have little knowledge about. For example, I didn't know the harappan text is still not deciphered and that there are evidences of trade between harappa and Egypt. Also, author touches upon controversial topic like Aryan Invasion theory (AIT) or now more popularly known as Aryan Migration Theory (AMT) due to the lack of sufficient evidence about any large scale invasion or even such migration ever taking place. Here, author puts forth material in favour of each argument and let the readers draw their own conclusion. \\
Towards the end, author dedicates few chapters to contributions ancient India made to mathematics, performing arts (NatyaShastra), language, astronomy, storytelling (Panchtantra), medicine (Ayurveda) and philosophy. Each of this chapter aptly named India's gifts to the world.
The book is so rich with information, I'm struggling to write this review as to what chapter I should mention here without revealing too much, this itself speaks so much about how good this piece of art is.
To summarize, Its a good account of ancient Indian history which gets very little attention and studied. Its hight time that we start paying more attention and respect, it so richly deserve. This book is a must read to any one who is interested in ancient Indian history/heritage. I'll be looking forward to author's next project.
*Disclaimer: I studied in state educational board with my regional language as the language of instruction.
From the outset, Let me clarify that I'm not a history student but a History enthusiast, this is my first read about Indian history. Prior to this book, any Indian history I learnt about was during my schooling days* so my impression of this book is grounded on that. Having clarified that I was so surprised by my lack of knowledge about our history and heritage. For example, I didn't know about Mahajanapadas, Stavahana Kingdom of the Deccan and had little knowledge about Alexander's Indian expeditions, vastness of Mauryan Empire or Gupta empire. I only heard names of The Kushans and the Chalukyas and never knew of Harshvardhans. It may be just me who was ignorant of our past and took little interest to know of our heritage or may be such history should have been emphasized and elaborated rather than being reduced to footnotes in history textbooks. \\
Book opens with first arrival of humans to Indian subcontinent estimated around 120,000 to 70,000 years ago. Author dedicates substantial part to great Harppan civilaization and rightly so since its been the most studied/popular topic of ancient Indian history. The book is structured as essay style as hinted in the title and each essay takes you on a ride, revealing some detail that you would have little knowledge about. For example, I didn't know the harappan text is still not deciphered and that there are evidences of trade between harappa and Egypt. Also, author touches upon controversial topic like Aryan Invasion theory (AIT) or now more popularly known as Aryan Migration Theory (AMT) due to the lack of sufficient evidence about any large scale invasion or even such migration ever taking place. Here, author puts forth material in favour of each argument and let the readers draw their own conclusion. \\
Towards the end, author dedicates few chapters to contributions ancient India made to mathematics, performing arts (NatyaShastra), language, astronomy, storytelling (Panchtantra), medicine (Ayurveda) and philosophy. Each of this chapter aptly named India's gifts to the world.
The book is so rich with information, I'm struggling to write this review as to what chapter I should mention here without revealing too much, this itself speaks so much about how good this piece of art is.
To summarize, Its a good account of ancient Indian history which gets very little attention and studied. Its hight time that we start paying more attention and respect, it so richly deserve. This book is a must read to any one who is interested in ancient Indian history/heritage. I'll be looking forward to author's next project.
*Disclaimer: I studied in state educational board with my regional language as the language of instruction.
May 13, 2025
This book offers a refreshing and engaging look at India’s past beyond the usual political narrative. Instead of just recounting timelines and empires, the book explores how history shapes our present—our culture, language, values, and even food. What stands out is its focus on often-overlooked aspects like literature, philosophy, science, and civilizational ties beyond India’s borders. It’s an accessible read that makes history feel alive and relevant. A great pick for anyone curious about the deeper layers of Indic heritage
May 20, 2021
Great book for briefly reading about history of ancient Bharat (mostly northern part). This book does not provide elaborate explanations or data for academic purpose but gives enough information to arouse a curious mind. The book is based on the currently accepted theories and evidences. The book limits it self from arrival of first human to first Islamic invasion.
Will definitely be beneficial for anybody who wants a quick and brief info of major events in past in respect of ancient Bharat.
Will definitely be beneficial for anybody who wants a quick and brief info of major events in past in respect of ancient Bharat.
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November 17, 2021The book covers a very wide range of historical topics. From Harappan Civilization and its details, to Chanakya to Charak Samhita. One single book has given so much knowledge. To pack so much information isn't easy, as each of these topics are very vast and huge.
Secondly, the author has done a thorough research on these topics and included Subhash Kak's recently published papers. It was fun reading such history.
Secondly, the author has done a thorough research on these topics and included Subhash Kak's recently published papers. It was fun reading such history.
July 28, 2021
I completed it within 5 days. The author did a commendable job, summarized the early Indian history in an interesting way. If you are interested in Indian civilization and want to know what is the real Indianc history then it is a must read it it is a well researched book. i am sure you will like it
I want to say thank to indic book club and indic academy for this amazing book
I want to say thank to indic book club and indic academy for this amazing book
January 17, 2021
It covers the Indic history from Indus-Saraswati valley in 2000 BCE to start of Islamic invasion in 800 CE. The writing is fluid. The coverage is comprehensive. It is a must read for everyone interested in Indic history.
January 10, 2022
History snippets from pre-historic Bharat up till Islamic invasions, made fun to read. Each chapter is essentially standalone which makes it easier to digest. It busts a lot of the typical commie/leftist/colonial era myths about Bharat only importing and not exporting any knowledge and customs.
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