Unit 1

Introduction
A peep into India’s glorious past
Ancient India – the vedas, the vedic society and the Sanatana Dharma – rajamandala and the Cakravartins – Ramarajya – Yudhisthira’s ramarajya; Sarasvati – Sindhu Civilization and the myth of the Aryan Invasion; Classical India – Dharma as the bedrock of Indian society – Vaidika Brahmanya Dharma and the rise of Jainism and Buddhism – the sixteen Mahajanapadas and the beginning of Magadhan paramountcy – Kautilya and his Arthasastra – Chandragupta Maurya and the rise of the Mauryan empire – Gupta dynasty Indian art and architecture – classical sanskrit literature – Harsavardhana; Trade and commerce in classical and medieval India and the story of Indian supremacy in the Indian ocean region; The coming of Islam – dismantling of the traditional Indian polity – the Mughal empire – Vijayanagara samrajya and days of Maratha supremacy.

Unit 2

India’s contribution to the world: spirituality, philosophy and sciences
Indian Philosophy – the orthodox (Vaidika) and the heterodox (atheistic) schools; Ramayana and Mahabharata; Bhagavad Gita; Saints and sages of India; Ancient Indian medicine: towards an unbiased perspective; Ancient Indian mathematics; Ancient Indian astronomy; Ancient Indian science and technology.

The arrival of Europeans, British paramountcy and colonization
What attracted the rest of the world to India?; India on the eve of the arrival of European merchants; The story of colonization and the havoc it wrecked on Indian culture and civilization; Macaulay and the start of the distortion of Indian education and history; Indian economy – before and after colonization: a brief survey; The emergence of modern India.

Unit 3

Women in Indian society
The role and position of women in Hindu civilization; Gleanings from the Vedas, Brihadarnyaka Upanishad, Saptasati Devi Mahatmyam, Ramayana, Mahabharata, Manusmriti, Kautilya’s Arthasastra and Mrichchhakatikam of Sudraka; The role and position of Indian women vis-a-vis Islam and European cultures; The great women of India.

Modern India
The national movement for freedom and social emancipation; Swami Vivekananda, Sri Aurobindo, Rabindranath Tagore; Understanding Mahatma Gandhi; A new nation is born as a republic – the pangs of birth and growth; India since Independence – the saga of socio-political movements; Problems facing the nation today; Globalization and Indian Economy; Bharatavarsha today and the way ahead: Regeneration of Indian National Resources. Conclusion

The Wonder that was India; The ‘politics’ and ‘purpose’ of studying India.

Reference(s)

1. Parameswaran, S. The Golden Age of Indian Mathematics. Kochi: Swadeshi Science Movement.
2. Somayaji, D. A. A Critical Study of Ancient Hindu Astronomy. Dharwar: 1972.
3. Sen, S. N. & K. V. Sarma eds. A History of Indian Astronomy. New Delhi, 1985.
4. Rao, S. Balachandra. Indian Astronomy: An Introduction. Hyderabad: Universities Press, 2000.
5. Bose, D. M. et. al. A Concise History of Science in India. New Delhi: 1971.
6. Bajaj, Jitendra & M. D. Srinivas. Indian Economy and Polity. Chennai: Centre for Policy Studies.
7. Bajaj, Jitendra & M. D. Srinivas.Timeless India, Resurgent India. Chennai: Centre for Policy Studies.
8. Joshi, Murli Manohar. Science, Sustainability and Indian National Resurgence. Chennai: Centre for Policy Studies, 2008.
9. The Cultural Heritage of India. Kolkata: Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture.
10. Vivekananda, Swami. Selections from the Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.
11. Mahadevan, T. M. P. Invitations to Indian Philosophy. Madras: University of Madras.
12. Hiriyanna, M. Outlines of Indian Philosophy. Motilal Banarsidass.
13. Tagore, Rabindranath. The History of Bharatavarsha / On Nationalism / Greater India.
14. Majumdar, R. C. et. al. An Advanced History of India. Macmillan.
15. Mahajan, V. D. India Since 1526. New Delhi: S. Chand & Company.
16. Durant, Will. The Case for India. Bangalore: Strand Book Stall, 2008.
17. Aurobindo, Sri. The Indian Renaissance / India’s Rebirth / On Nationalism.
18. Nivedita, Sister. The Web of Indian Life. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.
19. Durant, Will. The Story of Civilization. Volume 1 – Our Oriental Heritage. New York: Simon & Schuster.
20. Ranganathananda, Swami. Eternal Values for A Changing Society. Bombay: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
21. Ranganathananda, Swami. Universal Message of the Bhagavad Gita. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.
22. Seturaman, V. S. Indian Aesthetics. Macmillan.
23. Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. The Dance of Shiva. New Delhi: Sagar Publications.
24. Coomaraswamy, Ananda K. Essays on Indian Idealism. New Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal.
25. Danino, Michel. The Invasion That Never Was.
26. Kautilya. Arthasastra.
27. Altekar, A. S. State and Government in Ancient India. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
28. Altekar, A. S. The Position of Women in Hindu Civilization. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
29. Sircar, D. C. Studies in the Religious Life of Ancient and Medieval India. New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
30. Sircar, D. C. Studies in the Political and Administrative Systems in Ancient and Medieval Times.New Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass.
31. Madhavananda, Swami & R. C. Majumdar eds. The Great Women of India. Kolkata: Advaita Ashrama.
32. Dutt, R. C. The Economic History of India. London, 1902.
33. Dharampal. Collected Works.
34. Dharampal. Archival Compilations (unpublished)

Evaluation Pattern