INDIA
History
India first began as the Indus Valley civilization, which is known for having a sophisticated lifestyle, a highly developed sense of aesthetics, an astonishing knowledge of town planning and a script language that has remained undecipherable till date. When the Indo-Europeans arrived, they brought along their own religion and culture, bringing about the production of the Four Vedas - important Hindu scriptures (Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda). The first important ruler of India was Emperor Ashoka of the Maurya dynasty, who embraced Buddhism. Soon came the Gupta Dynasty, which brought forth the Golden Age of India, then followed by the Mughals, who brought Central Asian and architecture. Eventually, the British Empire (British East India Company) arrived and colonized India. It wasn't until the 1947 when India gained its independence - a period that shone a light at Gandhi and which brought about the separation of India and Pakistan.
Religion and Philosophy
Though India is know for having a diverse number of religions (Sikhism, Islam, Christianity, and Jainism), it is known as the birthplace of Hinduism. Hinduism focuses mainly on prescriptions of daily morality through the strict beliefs of these, though not limited to, certain concepts:
The only way to escape rebirths and to be with the God Almighty is to follow any of these paths: practice of good karma (karma yoga), practice of devotion (bhakti yoga), and practice of self-study (jnana yoga).
The Hindus also believe in a Trinity - Bhrama the Creator, Shiva the Destroyer and Vishnu the Preserver.
- dharma: ethics/duties
- karma: action and subsequent reaction
- samsara: the continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth
- moksha: liberation from samsara
- yogas: path or pratices
- atman: true self
- caste system: social stratification
The only way to escape rebirths and to be with the God Almighty is to follow any of these paths: practice of good karma (karma yoga), practice of devotion (bhakti yoga), and practice of self-study (jnana yoga).
The Hindus also believe in a Trinity - Bhrama the Creator, Shiva the Destroyer and Vishnu the Preserver.
Literature
Natya Shastra
- the foundation of Indian poetics, which was written by Bharata
- the most elaborate treatise of Indian performing arts, encompassing theater, dance and music
- oldest surviving text on Indian stagecraft
- also covers stage design, music, dance, makeup, music, and instruments
Mahabharata
- one of the major Sanskrit epics of Ancient India
- tells the epic narrative of the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and the Pandava princes
- an important source of information on the development of Hinduism between 400 BCE and 200 CE
- contains philosophical and devotional material, such as a discussion of the four "goals of life", and deals with theology, morals, and statecraft
Ramayana
- the other major Sanskrit epic of Ancient India, written by Valmiki- tells the story of Rama (a representation of Vishnu), whose wife, Sita, is kidnapped by the king of Ravan
- presents the importance of duties in relationships: the ideal father, ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal wife and the ideal kin
- also explores human values and the concept of dharma