India's Cultural Heritage
India is a country rich in cultural heritage. For thousands of years, people from far and wide came to this nation and left their mark. In addition, throughout the centuries, Indian merchants and traders traveled to distant lands to bring back cultural elements to incorporate into their own traditions. For example, even in ancient times, South India was known as a rich land to which, according to the Bible, King Solomon sent his ships every three years carrying gold, silver, ivory, monkeys and peacocks (Kulke 97). Today, the greatly varied arts and crafts, architecture, dance and music continue to display India's unique background. Prior to the beginning of the Christian Era and over the next six hundred years, Northern India was rule by a number of different kingdoms. The most significant dynasty was named after Chandra Gupta I, who united a major portion of the northern part of country and whose family brought great prosperity from 320 to 520 AD. The classical heritage was only situated in the north. It started to move south only after the Gupta Empire had lost its strength and position. The Gupta period was known as the Golden Age of classical Indian history, because it made a permanent impact on Indian history. During this
Other significant achievements occurred in education, mathematics, Sanskrit literature and drama. Education and mathematics consisted of highly specialized and sophisticated grammar, composition, logic, metaphysics, medicine, and astronomy. During this period, the Northern Indians invented the numeral system, sometimes erroneously attributed to the Arabs, and the decimal system. Aryabhatta's astronomical exhibitions led to the calculations of the solar year and the shape and movement of astral bodies. Charaka and Sushruta developed a fully evolved system of medicine, similar to that of Hippocrates and Galen in Greece. Indian physicians excelled in pharmacopoeia, caesarean section, bone setting, and skin grafting (Rapson 122). Much of the Sangam heritage remains today through music and art around the world. This is especially the case, since much of the Sangam philosophy is as applicable now as it was so many years ago. A major aspect of the South India history was the extensive trade with Rome. Treasures of nature, pearls, diamonds, incense, elephants, lions and even wisdom found their way to the West from India. At the end of the Sangam era, the development of the three Southern kingdoms suddenly was negatively impacted by the invasion of the Kalabhras. The Sangam Age, from 200BCE to 300CE, had the oldest Dravidian literature. Written in the language called Tamil, it dealt with issues such as love, war, governance, trade, and
Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 972
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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