Brief History of Bharat:
- Ramayana: The Ramayana is one of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India, the other being the Mahabharata. It narrates the life of Rama, the legendary prince of the Kosala Kingdom, and his wife Sita, who is abducted by the demon king Ravana. The Ramayana explores the themes of dharma, morality, loyalty, and devotion, and is considered to be one of the most influential works of Indian literature and culture. It is our proud history. Ram mandir will also open for all on upcoming 22 Jan 2024 in Ayodhya, Ram ji Birth Place.
- Mahabharata: The Mahabharata is the other major Sanskrit epic of ancient India, and the longest epic poem in the world. It tells the story of the Kurukshetra War, a conflict between two branches of a royal family, the Pandavas and the Kauravas, over the throne of Hastinapura. The Mahabharata contains various sub-stories, including the Bhagavad Gita, a dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and the god Krishna. The Mahabharata explores the themes of duty, justice, fate, and free will, and is regarded as a sacred text by Hindus. God Krishna's lessons in only 700 shloks teach us the way of living in human life to get real happiness.
- Maratha Empire: The Maratha Empire was a Hindu state that ruled over much of the Indian subcontinent from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The empire was founded by Shivaji, a Maratha warrior who rebelled against the Mughal Empire and carved out his own domain. The Maratha Empire expanded under the leadership of the Peshwas, the hereditary prime ministers of the empire, and reached its zenith in the 18th century, when it controlled most of India. The Maratha Empire was known for its military prowess, administrative reforms, religious tolerance, and cultural achievements.
- Vijayanagara Empire: The Vijayanagara Empire was a Hindu state that ruled over South India from the 14th to the 17th centuries. The empire was founded by Harihara and Bukka, two brothers who escaped from the Delhi Sultanate and established their capital at Vijayanagara, meaning “city of victory”. The Vijayanagara Empire was one of the richest and most powerful states in medieval India, and was renowned for its architecture, literature, music, and art. The empire was also a bastion of Hinduism against the Islamic invasions from the north.
- Mauryan Empire: The Mauryan Empire was the first pan-Indian state that unified most of the Indian subcontinent under one rule from the 4th to the 2nd centuries BCE. The empire was founded by Chandragupta Maurya, who overthrew the Nanda Dynasty and expanded his territory with the help of his advisor, Kautilya, the author of the Arthashastra, a treatise on statecraft and economics. The Mauryan Empire reached its peak under the reign of Ashoka, who embraced Buddhism and propagated it throughout Asia. The Mauryan Empire was known for its political stability, economic prosperity, and cultural diversity.
- Satavahana Dynasty: The Satavahana Dynasty was a Deccan-based kingdom that ruled over parts of central and southern India from the 1st century BCE to the 3rd century CE. The dynasty was founded by Simuka, who claimed descent from the solar dynasty of the Ramayana. The Satavahana Dynasty was one of the few native Indian dynasties that resisted the foreign invasions from the Greeks, Scythians, and Kushans. The Satavahana Dynasty was also noted for its trade and commerce, coinage, art, and literature, especially the Prakrit poetry of the court poet Hala.
- Chola Dynasty: The Chola Dynasty was a Tamil state that ruled over parts of South India and Southeast Asia from the 9th to the 13th centuries. The dynasty was founded by Vijayalaya, who captured the city of Tanjore and made it his capital. The Chola Dynasty reached its zenith under the rule of Rajaraja I and his son Rajendra I, who extended their empire to Sri Lanka, Maldives, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Cambodia. The Chola Dynasty was famous for its naval power, temple architecture, bronze sculpture, and patronage of literature and art.
- Sikh Empire and Sikh Gurus: The Sikh Empire was a Sikh state that ruled over parts of North India and Pakistan from the 18th to the 19th centuries. The empire was founded by Ranjit Singh, who united the Sikh misls, or confederacies, and established his capital at Lahore. The Sikh Empire was known for its military strength, religious tolerance, and social reforms. The Sikh Empire was preceded by the Sikh Gurus, the spiritual and temporal leaders of the Sikh faith, who founded the religion in the 15th century and taught the principles of equality, service, and justice.
- Gupta Dynasty: The Gupta Dynasty was a Hindu state that ruled over most of North India from the 4th to the 6th centuries. The dynasty was founded by Chandragupta I, who married a princess of the Licchavi clan and consolidated his power. The Gupta Dynasty reached its height under the rule of Samudragupta and Chandragupta II, who expanded their empire and defeated the foreign invaders. The Gupta Dynasty is considered to be the “golden age” of Indian history, as it witnessed a flourishing of science, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, literature, art, and culture.
- Adi Shankaracharya: Adi Shankaracharya was an Indian philosopher and theologian who lived in the 8th century. He is regarded as the founder of the Advaita Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, which teaches the non-dualism of the self and the supreme reality, or Brahman. He traveled across India and established four monastic centers, or mathas, in the four corners of the country. He also wrote commentaries on the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras, and the Bhagavad Gita, and composed many hymns and devotional songs.
- Gautama Buddha: Gautama Buddha was an Indian sage and the founder of Buddhism, one of the major world religions. He lived in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE and was born as Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Shakya clan. He renounced his worldly life and sought enlightenment under a bodhi tree, where he attained nirvana, or the cessation of suffering. He then taught the four noble truths and the eightfold path, the core teachings of Buddhism, to his followers. He is revered as the “awakened one” or the “enlightened one” by Buddhists.
- Mahavira Swamy Jain: Mahavira Swamy Jain was an Indian ascetic and the 24th and last Tirthankara, or spiritual teacher, of Jainism, another major world religion. He lived in the 6th and 5th centuries BCE and was born as Vardhamana, a prince of the Jnatri clan. He left his home at the age of 30 and practiced severe penance for 12 years, after which he attained kevala jnana, or omniscience. He then preached the principles of ahimsa, or non-violence, anekantavada, or multiple perspectives, and aparigraha, or non-attachment, to his disciples. He is regarded as the “great hero” or the “great conqueror” by Jains.
- Ahoms: The Ahoms were a Tai ethnic group that ruled over the Brahmaputra valley in Assam from the 13th to the 19th centuries. The Ahoms were originally from Yunnan, China, and migrated to India under the leadership of Sukaphaa, who established the Ahom kingdom in 1228. The Ahoms resisted the Mughal invasions and maintained their sovereignty for six centuries. The Ahoms developed a unique culture, language, script, and religion, and are credited with introducing the concept of wet rice cultivation and the use of iron in warfare in Assam.
- British India: British India was the term used to refer to the territories in the Indian subcontinent that were under the direct or indirect rule of the British Crown from the 18th to the 20th centuries. British India consisted of two types of administrations: the British provinces, which were governed by the British officials, and the princely states, which were ruled by the Indian rulers who acknowledged the British supremacy. British India was also known as the Raj, meaning “rule” or “kingdom”.British India was the result of the British East India Company’s expansion and domination of trade and politics in the Indian subcontinent from the 18th century onwards. The company gained a foothold in India after the Battle of Plassey in 1757, when it defeated the Nawab of Bengal and his French allies. The company gradually increased its control over the regions of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, Madras, Bombay, and others, and established its own army, courts, and administration. The company also interfered in the affairs of the princely states and annexed many of them through treaties, wars, and the doctrine of lapse.
The company’s rule was challenged by various rebellions and resistance movements, such as the First Anglo-Maratha War, the First Anglo-Sikh War, the First Anglo-Afghan War, and the Indian Rebellion of 1857, also known as the Sepoy Mutiny or the First War of Independence. The rebellion was a widespread uprising against the company’s policies and practices, such as the introduction of the Enfield rifle, which required the use of greased cartridges that offended the religious sentiments of the Hindu and Muslim soldiers. The rebellion was brutally suppressed by the company and its allies, and resulted in the dissolution of the company and the transfer of its powers and territories to the British Crown in 1858.
The British Crown then ruled India as a colony, with the Queen as the Empress of India and the Governor-General as the Viceroy of India. The British Raj implemented various reforms and policies, such as the Indian Civil Service, the Indian Railways, the Indian Army, the Indian Penal Code, the Indian Education System, and the Indian Census. The British Raj also faced several challenges and conflicts, such as the Second Anglo-Afghan War, the Third Anglo-Burmese War, the Second Anglo-Sikh War, the Second Anglo-Maratha War, the Anglo-Nepalese War, the Anglo-Bhutanese War, and the Anglo-Zanzibar War. The British Raj also participated in the First and Second World Wars, and mobilized millions of Indian soldiers and resources for the war efforts.
The British Raj also witnessed the rise of the Indian National Movement, which demanded greater autonomy and self-government for India. The movement was led by various political and social leaders, such as Subhash Chandra Bose, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Lala Lajpat Rai, Bhagat Singh, Rani Lakshmibai, and others. The movement adopted various methods and strategies, such as the Non-Cooperation Movement, the Civil Disobedience Movement, the Quit India Movement, the Swadeshi Movement, the Khilafat Movement, the Indian National Army, and the Indian National Congress. The movement also faced several obstacles and setbacks, such as the Partition of Bengal, the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, the Rowlatt Act, the Simon Commission, the Salt March, the Chauri Chaura Incident, the Lahore Resolution, and the Quit India Resolution.
The British Raj finally came to an end in 1947, when India gained its independence after the Indian Independence Act was passed by the British Parliament. The act also partitioned India into two dominions, India and Pakistan, based on the religious demographics of the regions. The partition was accompanied by widespread violence, displacement, and bloodshed, as millions of people migrated across the borders. The newly independent India and Pakistan also faced several issues and disputes, such as the Kashmir Conflict, the Hyderabad Annexation, the Junagadh Integration, the Princely States Accession, and the Indo-Pakistani Wars.
Many spiritual gurus on this holy land of Krishna like Swami Vivekananda: Swami Vivekananda was an Indian monk and the chief disciple of Ramakrishna, a 19th-century mystic and saint. He lived from 1863 to 1902 and was born as Narendranath Datta, a member of a Bengali aristocratic family. He became a follower of Ramakrishna and adopted the name Vivekananda, meaning “the bliss of discerning wisdom”. He traveled across India and abroad and spread the message of Vedanta, a school of Hindu philosophy that emphasizes the unity of all existence. He also represented Hinduism at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in Chicago in 1893, where he delivered a famous speech that began with “Sisters and brothers of America”. He is considered to be one of the most influential spiritual leaders of modern India.
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