Syllabus (HISTORY)

Course Type: MAJ-1

Semester: 1

Course Code: BHISMAJ01T

Course Title: Idea of Bharat and Its History up to 600 BC

(L-P-Tu): 5-0-1

Credit: 6

Practical/Theory: Theory

Course Objective: Idea of Bharat and Its History up to 600 BC

Learning Outcome: Idea of Bharat and Its History up to 600 BC

SIDHO-KANHO-BIRSHA UNIVERSITY

4 years B.A Honours with Major under CCFUGP

Paper-I

FIRST SEMESTER

BHISMT 101

Idea of Bharat and Its History up to 600 BC

UNIT-I: Idea of Bharatvarsha

I. Understanding of Bharatvarsha

II. The glory of Indian Literature: Vedas, Vedanga, Upanishads, Epics, Jain and

Buddhist Literature, Smriti, Puranas etc. - 10 classes

UNIT-II: Indian Philosophy, Science and Environment

I. Evolution of language and Scripts

II. Indian educational system

III. The ethics of Indian valor

IV. Science and Technology

V. Environmental conservation: Indian View

VI. Health consciousness of (Science of Life): Ayurveda Yoga and Naturopathy -10 classes

UNIT – III: Sources and Historiography

I. Sources and Historiographical trends of ancient Indian History up to 600 C.E.

III. The Indus Civilization, Debate on the relationship of Indus and Vedic civilization.

IV. Significant features of Indus, its continuity, fall and survival.-15 classes

UNIT – IV: Hunter-gatherers and the advent of food products

1. 1. Paleolithic cultures- sequence and distribution; stone industries and other technological developments.
   2. Mesolithic cultures – regional and chronological distribution; new developments in technology and economy; rock art.
   3. Neolithic and Chalcolithic cultures: distribution and subsistence pattern- 10 Classes

UNIT – IV: Harappa and Vedic Civilization

I. Its origins and Phases of Harappan Civilization- settlement patterns and town planning system; General Features of the Civilization

II. Agrarian base; Industries and craft productions- pottery and trade; social and political organizations; religious beliefs and practices; famous Harappan Sites -the problem of urban decline - 20 Classes

III. Original home land of Aryans, Myths of Aryan Invasion: Various theories

IV. Vedic Cultures- Early Vedic and Post Vedic Literature and Vedic Polity, society and Economy - 15 classes

UNIT- V: India from Sixth Century BCE to Mauryan Age

I. Sources

II. India in sixth century BCE Mahajanpada, Republic and Growth of Urban Centers, Rise

of Magadhan Imperialism.

III. Religious systems in 6th century BCE, Buddhism and Jainism.

IV. The Maurya Empire, Chandragupta Maurya, Mauryan administration, Ashok and

Ashoka’s Dhamma. Mauryan Society, Fall of Mauryan Empire. Greek Invasion and its

Impact-10 Classes

UNIT-VI: Buddhism and Jainism

I. Doctrines of Buddhism-Buddhism and Brahmanism- Popularity of Buddhism-decline of Buddhsim-Buddhist Councils-Important Buddhist writers –Eight Great Bodhisattava/path-Vardhama Mahavira

II. Jainism: early jain Literature- Life of Vardhama Mahavira-doctrines of Jainism-Buddhism and Jainism-spread-and influence of Jainism- Different scholars of Jainism – Jain Councils -10 classes

Reading References:

A.l Basham: The Wonder that was India, Rupa, Delhi 1994

A.S Altekar, Education in Ancient India, Nand Kishore & Bros, Varanasi 1944

Balbir Singh Sihag: Kautilya: The true founder of Economics, Vitasta Publishing Pvt. Ltd,

Delhi, 2014

R.K Mookherjee: The Fundamental Unity of India

Will Durant: The Story of civilization, five communications, US, Jan. 1993(11 Vol)

Irfan Habib, People’s History of India I: Pre-history, Tulika

ShereenRatnagar, Understanding Harappa: Civilization in the Greater Indus Valley, New Delhi

Dilip Kr. Chakraborty (ed), Indus Civilization Sites in India: New Discoveries, Mumbai

R.C. Majumdar, The Classical Accounts of India, Calcutta

R. Thapar, From Lineage to State: Social Formations in the Mid-first Millennium BC in the Ganga Valley, OUP, Delhi; Ancient Indian Social History: Some Interpretations, New Delhi

D.D. Kosambi, An Introduction to the Study of Indian History, Bombay

R.S, Sharma, Aspects of Political Ideas and Institutions in Ancient India, Delhi

Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, from Stone Age to the 12th Century, Delhi

Dilip Kr. Chakraborty, The Oxford Companion to Indian Archaeology, OUP, New Delhi

Sankalia, HD: Prehistory and Prohistory of India and Pakistan, Poona 1974

Sastri, K.A Nilakanta: A History of South India, from Prehistoric Times to the fall of Vijyanagar, Oxford University Press, 1955; Also, in Hindi Translation

by Bihar Hindi Granth Academy.

Singh, Kripa Shankar: Rigveda, Harrappa Sabhyata and Sanskritic Nirantarta, Kitab Ghar publication, New Delhi, 2007

Raychaudhary, H.C: Political History of Ancient India, rev Edition, 1953

শর্মা, রামশরণ, ভারতের সমাজতন্ত্র, (Indian Feudalism), কে পি বাগচি এন্ড কোং, কলকাতা

শর্মা, রামশরণ, আর্যদের অনুসন্ধান, (Looking for the Aryans), প্রগ্রেসিভ পাবলিশার্স, কলকাতা

শর্মা, রামশরণ, আর্যদের ভারতে আগমন, (Advent of the Aryans), ওরিয়েন্ট লংম্যান, ২০০১