Indian Civilization (harappan-indus Valley)

Indian Civilization (Indus Valley/ Harappan) 2500-1500BC

Background • Dated 3100-1500BC • Lower-Large triangular peninsula enclosed by water • Upper- marked from the rest of Asia by Himalaya mountains • Below mountains stretches fertile plains watered by large stream rivers with their source in Himalaya Mountains that is R. Ganges • Physical features of southern areas is a large plateau separated by Vindhyan mountains

Background • Ancient India Civilization is classified into two: • Pre-Harappan- Harappan – Started in present day Pakistan – Deciphered- undecoded – Cities- Mohenjadaro, Harappa

• Harappan – Indo-Aryans (Indo-Europeans) – Started in 1750 BC

Economic Activities By 3100- new means of survival: – Farming and herding along the Indus Valley – Crops - wheat, barley. Sesame, melon, dates, peas cotton – Animals - sheep, goats & oxen, water buffaloes, elephants

Other Economic Activities: – Pottery – Developed tools- saws, axes, knives & spearheads (bronze – Textile industry – Traded-copper and cotton- Arabia

Economic Activities Other Economic Activities: Pottery Transportation-used camels, oxen and elephants to travel of land • Carts with wooden wheels • By 2500 other cities had develop along the Indus Valley-Punjab (North), Mohenjadaro (South), Mehgarh

Pre-Harappan : Socio-Political System Government: State level society – hierarchical rule Theocratic government Close link between ruling elite & priests who controlled the economy Social structure- gave power & prestige to women Matrilineal & matriarchal Women allowed to accumulate wealth & enjoy high status

Pre-Harappan : Socio-Political System Religion Worshipped fertility goddesses & Cow considered to be the most sacred animal Water – important in ancient Indian religious life Little rain during summer & crop failure resulted to famine Water – purifying shrines households & worshippers

Foreign Invasion: Harappan 1750- Harappa- Indo-Aryans (Indo-Europeans) Lived in Russia (plains of Central Europe) Pastoralists & intermittent agriculturalists • Impact: Cities destroyed & abandoned, writing abandoned Beginning of Dark age Introduced new social system & family structure • Caste system & joint family New political system • Republic & Monarchy

Foreign Invasion: Harappan New Religion • Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism

Writing was developed & History of Indian recorded in Epic poem – Mahabharata – Ramayana – Arthasastra

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Social Structure- Caste System Aryans introduced- Patriarchal society – Wives moved to husbands family – Women paid substantial dowry – Accept husband’s authority

• Caste (Varna): Initially it implied classification by color Conquerors (Aryans) & Conquered (Dasas) Later introduced into the socio-economic distinctions Hence – social grouping by birth

Social Structure- Caste System Brahmins (Priests)

Kshatriyas (Warriors & Nobility)

Vaishyas- (Merchants, Carpenters, traders, landowners)

Untouchables (Sudras) & land cultivators) Harijans

Social Structure- Caste System Early history (1500-1000)- Brahmins & Kshatriyasequal Religious rituals introduced- made distinction Caste sub-divided into sub-castemore distinction in the castes Allow new comers fit in society

Upper class made vedas & interpreted laws Sudras: lived in segregation Rules: – No intermarriage & eating – Punishment depended on social class – No change of Caste- born –into it

Today- over 100 sub-castes

Social Structure- Joint Family Family smallest unit- many families with a common ancestor= village • Chiefs & eldest male ruled the village, hereditary • Property- sons & extended family- property owning unit • Male-child- highly prized- bring honor • Women- subordinate- sub-caste of the father • Marriage – Sub-caste of the father – No property inheritance – Paid dowry not own – Restricted in religious activities- home rituals

Political System Before 1500: – Society loosely organized into tribes- clans-families – Tribe headed by Rajas (Kings/chief) – elected cycles – Council of elders & assembles shared power- Kings Aryans: Republics & Kingdoms Republic- retained tribal institutions- council of elders Oligarchy rule by small elite class (aristocrat) Father headed the family

Political System Dynasties Mauryan dynasty (321-185BC) Incorporated all India into one kingdom through wars Period of war ended reign of Asoka –ruthless Introduced Ahimsa (Non-violence) First to adopt vegetarian diet Dynasty marked by Guptas- medicine (Ayurveda)

• Kingdoms: – Power of Rajas increased at the expense of councils & assemblies – Became Monarchy thus hereditary Developed administrative systems headed by chief priest & military leaders New political set up gave support to the caste

New Religion • Pre-Harappa people worshipped goddesses and gods attributed to their way of life – Veneration of animals • Worshipped great god Shiva- Lord of the Beast – Mother goddess- Ga mata

• Aryans introduced gods from the North– – – –

Gods of thunder & sun _ Indra Gods of war-Agni Lord of endless big sky-Varuna Sacrificed these gods including human sacrifices

Hinduism Beliefs & Rituals: – Cow most sacred

– Lived along the mountains- gods- rivers, monkey, snakes – Gods- Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (preserver), Shiva (destroyer) – Everything in nature- soul & self – Belief in eternal universal spirit • Life after death in which one is reborn- Reincarnation (Upanishad) • Posistion of soul after rebirth- depended actions (Karma) • Karma dictated by law (actions)

Hinduism Beliefs & Rituals: Freedom from being reborn (Moksha) To attain Moksha which was desirable- people disciplined their body & mind End human suffering- process of rebirth- Yoga (meditation)

Buddhism Founded by Kshatriya prince- challenge caste Founded Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha) 563 BCEnlightened one• Search- why do people suffer • Meditation (59 days)- tortured, fasted, meditated & Yoga • Causes of suffering- wealth, success & power • Ignorance of causes of suffering kept people from liberation (Nirvana)

• Nirvana could be attained-8-folds: • Right belief, compassion, honesty, resolve, speech, Action, Effort and Meditation

Buddhism Deep meditation –define the right things Rejected caste system, dhrama, vedas & rituals People master of their own afte Believed- reincarnation & need for Nirvana (Liberation) Vows- poverty, chastity & non-violenc Missionaries- brae-foot, clothed saffron & beginning bows Spread- Nepal, Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, Sri-Lanka, Vietnam and Cambodia S. India became the place of pilgrimage for Buddhist monks

Jainism Originated with Kshatriyas : Challenged the socio-religious order based on the caste system (500BC) Founded Mahavira Buddha All souls have self & soul- equal Mosksha – all have potential to atain it Universe governed by natural laws Respect for all persons- killing crime Every person responsible for their actions & have eternal soul Vegetarian Believe in non-violence and do not take meat acquired by cruelty

Contributions Indian Literature:: – Epic poems – Mahabharata & Ramayana – Arthasastra • Mahabharata– Reflects of Aryan age of chariot fighters and kinship loyalties • Ramayana– Romantic story of Prince Rama of settlement in Ganges states • Arthasastra– Ruthless times of territorial state-building

Contributions • Social institutions- caste system & joint family • Natural hierarchy of human society

• Philosophy- map of life by which are set forth the meaning of life & the means of attaining its goals (Moksha- freedom from rebirth) • Belief systems- Buddhism and Hinduism – Buddhism attempts to organize human society with emphasize on the dark state of life in the world

• Literature- vedas, thousands of hymns • Writing- Harappa writing which is still undeciphered