India's Ancient Past is a comprehensive work that captures the historical strides from neolithic and chalcolithic times to Harappan civilization, Vedic times, rise of Mauryas, Gupta's. Satvahanas right up to the times of Harshavardhana. Rise and fall of empires and reign of kings has been placed in the context of the ancient social milieu, the existing varna system, developments in science and technology, commerce and trade and the cultural legacy that shaped society. The book takes the readers on a journey through time. Like his other books, this book too is very informative and the narrative is a compelling read. Students and those interested in knowing about India's past do get to learn learn about empires, dynasties and the varied cultures that evolved in different geographical backgrounds over the millennia. There are separate sections that detail about Harappan and Vedic civilization, the age of Mauryas and the rise of Buddhism and Jainism. At the end of the book you will find a note from the author on the transition from Ancient India to Medieval India. The main reason for its popularity is the fact that it is easy toread and the facts have been detailed in an easy to understand manner. R. S. Sharma, was an eminent historian, who taught at Patna University, University of Toronto and Delhi University as well. He was able to publish 115 books, throughout his life, which were translated into fifteen languages. He was the Head of Departments of History at Delhi and Patna Universities and was also the Chairman of the Indian Council of Historical Research. He was considered to be a master of epigraphy, literary texts and archaeological texts, which made his writing interesting and enlightening.
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