South Asian History

South Asian History is a non-commercial project that brings the most vital aspects of the sub-continent's history to web users. Their selections illuminate aspects of South Asian History that aren't always very well known, but of crucial importance to the region's future.
http://india_resource.tripod.com/sahistory.html

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The great mathematician Aryabhata

http://www.archive.org/details/The_Aryabhatiya_of_Aryabhata_Clark_1930 The Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata (CE 476 to 500) is one of the most important texts in the history of Indian mathematics and astronomy. He composed this work at the age of 23. Here are some of his noted achievements that are found in Aryabhatiya: 1. Aryabhata asserted that the Moon and planets shine by reflected sunlight and that the orbits of the planets are ellipses. 2. He also correctly explained the causes of eclipses of the Sun and the Moon. 3. His value for the length of the sidereal year at 365 days 6 hours 12 minutes 30 seconds is only 3 minutes 20 seconds longer than the true value of 365 days 6 hours 9 minutes 10 seconds. 4. He estimated the value of 'Pi' as : "Add four to one hundred, multiply by eight and then add sixty-two thousand. The result is approximately the circumference of a circle of diameter twenty thousand. By this rule the relation of the circumference to diameter is given." In...
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Vedic Mathematics : Shulba Sutras

From research paper "Applied Geometry of the Sulba Sutras" by John F. Price The Sulba Sutras, part of the Vedic literature of India,describe many geometrical properties and constructions such as the classical relationship           a 2 +b 2 =c 2 between the sides of a right-angle triangle and arithmetical formulas such as calculating the square root of two accurate to five decimal places. Although this article presents some of these constructions,its main purpose is to show how to consider each of the main Sulba SDtras as a finely crafted, integrated manual for the construction of citis or ceremonial platforms. Certain key words, however, suggest that the applications go far beyond this. Paper "Square Roots in the Sulbasutra" by  David W. Henderson can be read here . Following are some more relevant links :- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shulba_Sutras http://www.krishnamurthys.com/kvforp/VK1/History_Maths_Indian_contribution....
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Hindu Calender's legacy to Western calender.

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Today Western Calender is quite popular and is de-facto civil calender. Many of us know that  western  calender is changed many times in history . But only few are aware that the present day calender also is borrowed from Hindu Calender system and still have legacy of it. Untill 1752 the new year used to begin in March . Which conform with Hindu Calender, Hindu New year usually begin in March/April (based on planetary movements). Look at below table , four of the Western months are still linked to Hindu Calender system. Month Number (Hindu Calender) Months – (Hindu Calendar) Month – (Western Calendar) Sanskrit translation to Western Months Meaning 1 Chaitra March 2 Vaisakha April 3 Jyestha May 4 Asadha June 5 Shravan July 6 Bhadrapad August 7 Ashwin S...
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Sarasvati Valley Civilization

The Sarasvati River (Sanskrit: सरस्वती नदी sárasvatī nadī) is one of the chief Rigvedic rivers mentioned in ancient Hindu texts. The Nadistuti hymn in the Rigveda (10.75) mentions the Sarasvati between the Yamuna in the east and the Sutlej in the west, and later Vedic texts like Tandya and Jaiminiya Brahmanas as well as the Mahabharata mention that the Sarasvati dried up in a desert. Here you can find more information on it. Article : Recent Research on the Sarasvati River by Stephen Knapp 180 Page eBook : SARASVATI RIVER by Dr. S. Kalyanaraman Article : Saraswati – the ancient river lost in the desert by A. V. Sankaran And if you want a brief information read this presentation by Dr. V. Raja Bandaru
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Adi Shankara : Life and Mission of a great revivalist and pillars of Advaita Vedanta

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Sri Adi Shankaracharya (CE 788—820), one of the pillars of Advaita Vedanta (non-dualism), continues to inspire intellectuals and sages, though he lived more than a thousand years ago. The four Mathas that he founded in Sringeri (Karnataka), Dwaraka (Gujarat), Puri (Orissa) and Jyotirmath (Uttarakhand) in India are eminent centers of knowledge and authority in Hindu tradition. Some of the most important of Shankaracharya's works are his commentaries on the Brahmasutras - Brahmasutrabhashya - considered the core of Shankara's perspective on Advaita, and Bhaja Govindam written in praise of Govinda or Lord Krishna - a Sanskrit devotional poem that forms the center of the Bhakti movement and also epitomizes his Advaita Vedanta philosophy. In addition, Vivekachudamani, B...
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