Promotion of Indian Culture and Civilization - Class IX

The Achaemenid Empire, under Cyrus the Great and later Darius I, expanded into the Indus Valley around the 6th century B.C. (600 B.C.).

Zero was invented by Indians. Once Zero was invented it transformed counting and Mathematics in a way that would change the World. This invention was spread to the world by Arabs. The Indians created a different symbol for every number for one to nine. They are today known as 'Arabic Numerals.'

The rise of Islam in India began with the conquest of Sind, one of the provinces in present-day Pakistan and one of the important sites of Indus valley civilisation. Muhammad-Bin-Qasim, a Umayyad general conquered the Sind and Punjab region in a very tender age of 17 in 712 AD. Sind invasion is considered one of the world's historic marvels as it led to the spread of Islam in South Asia.

The ancient Indians formed two kingdoms on the mainland of Indo-China namely  Champa  and Kamboja. In all probabilities, Champa was in the second century. It included Cochin China and region of south Annam. Amravati was its capital. Broadly ancient Champa corresponds to modern Vietnam. The Hindus established both the kingdoms before Christian era followed Hindu ancient tradition.

Both Ptolemy's Geography and various Sangam literature texts provide historical evidence of trade relations between ancient India and the Roman Empire.

The spread of Buddhism was due to the missionaries activities during the reign of Ashoka. He sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghmitra to Srilanka to popularise Buddhism. He sent missionaries in the region of China and Central Asia to spread the religion. During the reign of king Kaniskha, many Indian missionaries were sent to Central Asia and China. They introduced Mahayana's Buddhism in this region.

The Achaemenid contact with India introduced administrative and cultural elements, including the use of Kharoshti script, pillar inscriptions, and new coinage styles. All these options are historically recognized impacts of this interaction.

After the conquest of Sind, many Indian Scholars such as Bhala and Manaka were invited to Baghdad. An Indian physician Dhana served as chief medical officer in Baghdad. Knowledge on Hindu Philosophy, Mathematics, Astronomy and Medicine became popular with the Arabs and notable works on same were translated into Arabic with the help of Indian scholars.  Many noted Indian works on Astronomy such as Brahma Sidhanta and Khanda Khadyaka were translated into Arabic.

The Achaemenid dynasty, particularly under Cyrus the Great and Darius I, expanded into the Indus Valley, establishing the first direct contact between the Persian Empire and the Indian subcontinent.

The southern Indian dynasties, including the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas, were all known for their maritime prowess, extensive naval trade, and encouragement of overseas exploration.

Around
the first or second century CE, trade between India and Rome flourished.
The ports in South India also had a large share in this trade.

Some articles made of bronze were found in the excavations at Kolhapur. They have been made in Rome.

In
the fifth century CE King Kashyap ahd caves dug out at aplace called
'Sigiriya'. The wall paintings in these caves bear a resemblance to the
paintings in the Ajanta Caves.

Funan was the first important Hinduized kingdom in southeast Asia. It  arose in the 1st century AD and was incorporated into the state of Chenla in the 6th century. This kingdom established by Kaundinya flourished for a few centuries and later was merged in the famous kingdom of Kambuja .

Funan was an early Indianized kingdom in Southeast Asia where Sanskrit served as the language of administration, religion, and literature.

The
concept of 'Zero' is one of the India's  major contributions to the
world.It was Arabs who introduced this Indian concept to Europe.

Alexandria
was an important port in Egypt. The Arab merchants carried Indian goods
up to Alexandia. From there, they were sent to the countries in Europe.
Besides Indian goods, the Arabs also conveyed Indian philosophy and
science to Europe.

During antiquity, Alexandria served as a major trade hub connecting the Indian Ocean trade routes with the Mediterranean world, facilitating the movement of goods into Europe.

In
the fist century CE, the Ming Emperor of China invited the Buddhist
bhikkhus Dharmarakshaka and Kashyapmatanga to China. The bhikkhus
translated many Indian Buddhist text into the Chinese language.

The
excavations at Arikamedu in Tamil Nadu have also brought to light many
articles made in Rome. This place were very important centres of trade
between India and Rome. Many such trade centres are mantioned in the
literature of those time.

Indian culture, including religion, architecture, and language, spread extensively across Southeast Asia through trade and cultural missions, leaving a lasting impact on countries like Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Alexandria was a famous city and port founded by Alexander the Great in Egypt, serving as a crucial link in the trade network between the East and the West.

Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II in the 12th century as a state temple dedicated to the Hindu deity Vishnu.

The Ananda Temple, a masterpiece of Mon architecture, is located in Bagan, Myanmar.

Angkor Wat is a massive temple complex located in the Siem Reap province of Cambodia.

Angkor Wat is widely recognized as the largest religious monument in the world, covering a vast area of temple grounds and moats.

Indonesia, despite being a Muslim-majority nation, retains a strong cultural heritage rooted in Indian epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata, which are central to traditional shadow puppetry and dance.

Angkor Wat was constructed as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Vishnu, which is reflected in its architectural orientation and bas-reliefs.

Borobudur, located in Central Java, Indonesia, is the world's largest Buddhist temple, built in the 9th century.

The Ananda Temple in Bagan was built during the reign of King Kyanzittha of the Pagan Kingdom around 1105 AD.

Angkor Wat was commissioned by King Suryavarman II, who ruled the Khmer Empire from 1113 to 1150 AD.

The Ananda Temple is a significant Buddhist temple, renowned for its architectural beauty and its role as a center for Buddhist worship in Myanmar.

The Borobudur temple was constructed during the Sailendra Dynasty in the 9th century AD, specifically between 778 and 850 AD.

The Sangam period in South India is well-documented for its extensive maritime trade with the Roman Empire, as evidenced by Roman coin hoards found in the region.

Demetrius, an Indo-Greek king, is noted for introducing coins that featured a round wheel, reflecting Hellenistic influence on Indian coinage.

The Chola dynasty was a strong empire in south India. In this dynasty Rajaraja I and Rajendra I were the rulers who had conquered other countries. Rajaraja I conquered southern India along with northern part of Sri Lanka and Maldives island. Rajendra I conquered the countries of South- East-Asia( Malaya, Java, Sumatra), Sri Lanka, Myanmar.

The Roman Empire imposed the trade restrictions in mid-3rd century because there was crisis in the Roman Empire. But the trade again begin in the 4th century 

Kavya style is a highly artificial Sanskrit literary style that was employed in the court epics of India from the early centuries AD. It evolved an elaborate poetics of figures of speech, among which the metaphor and simile predominate. The earliest specimen of the kavya style is found in the Junagadh inscription of Rudradaman in Kathiawar in about 150A.D. It is written in pure Sanskrit language. 

The Borobudur temple was built under the patronage of the Sailendra Dynasty, a powerful maritime kingdom in Java.

Borobudur is located in the Magelang Regency of Central Java, Indonesia.

Historical records indicate that the Ananda Temple in Bagan was completed around 1105 AD during the reign of King Kyanzittha.

Angkor Wat is a prime example of Khmer architecture, which evolved from earlier Indian styles but developed unique features like the temple-mountain design.

The Ananda Temple is often referred to as the Westminster Abbey of Burma due to its architectural grandeur and significance as a major religious site.