Historical Traditon of India and Archaeology- An Integrated Study

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The book is a bold, yet painstaking effort to study and understand the vast ancient primary literary textual resources viz., Vedas, Brahmanas sutras, Puranas, and others and assiduously rebuild with the archaeological evidence, the dynastic and cultural chronology of the historical events. In the beginning the author decries the false interpretation of India's past and its basic cultural roots by the Western Scholars, the time has come to study and rebuild the cultural and historical chronology taking recourse to archaeological data and the rich literary resources.

In the chapters that follow tracing the origin and development of cultures (beginning from the man-Homo-sapiens) and connecting to the traditional Indian time-reckoning, the Egypian, Greek and Mayan traditions, including the "Great Deluge" he finds the astronomical time reckoning in a way agreeing to the Geological periodisations and the historical ages-Krta, Treta, Dvapara and Kali-beginning by about 13900 B.C. Further the author traces the early beginning, up to the time of Pre-Vaivasvata Manvantara mainly in north-western India, on River Sarasvati wherein developed the early chalcolithic cultures leading to the urban Harappan civilization.

In the next chronological times of Krta Age and Treta Ages there were migration of people from Iran and Himalayan ranges to the Plains and settling in the vast Gangetic Belt. The Treta Age (c.9100-5500B.C.) also witnesses the religious and social transformation and development of rituals found narrated in the Vedic texts, Samhitas and Puranas.

Dvapara Age (c.5500-3102 B.C.) is a state of unsettled times which witnesses the battle of the Ten Kings, (Dasarajna) inundation of the Sarasvata region, seismic disturbance and the emergence of the village farming communities in the area labelled Sarasvata Sabhyata. The "Age of Kall and 'Kali gets an extension....... (c.3102-1902 B.C.) comprise of the development of cultures in north-west and western parts of India. There is a time of draught, followed by dispersal of the people, with a brief narration of historical events dominated by the rulers of Kuru dynasty.

This represents an innovative, yet challenging attempt to reconstruct the traditional history and chronology of India, interpreting the archaeological evidence together-a pioneering task attempted by the author quite successfully perhaps for the first time.

Born to Sri Yaduvamshasahaya and Srimati Shyama on 23rd November, 1935 at Faizabad (U.P.) where he also received his primary and secondary education. Thereafter, he did his Graduation and Post-Graduation in History -specialising in Archaeology-from Allahabad University, where he also studied German and French languages for a two year diploma course.

Later, he joined Archaeological Survey of India early in 1960, topped the two years PG Diploma in Archaeology from School of Archaeology in 1967 and was awarded Ph.D. by the Nagpur University in 1971. Subsequently he was awarded a Fellowship at the Indian Institute of Advance Studies, Simla for two academic sessions.

He has participated in the excavations at Kalibangan (3 seasons), Pauni (1), Surkotada (2) and Ganwaria-Kapilvastu (1) and independently carried out excavations at Fatehpur Sikri (2), Padrauna-Päväpuri (1) and Erach (1).

He has contributed a detailed report on the Harappan and post-Harappan pottery from Surkotada and provided comparative notes on the painted patterns on the late Harappan pottery from Malvan.

So far his over 30 research papers have been published in various Journals and Felicitation/ Commemoration volumes. After his retirement he has published two books in Hindi and a third-a booklet entitled "Mänasa kā Mantavya" is ready for free circulation among friends and concerned people.

At present he is engaged in finalising two papers each in Hindi and English on the Epic and Vedic themes.

**Contents and Sample Pages**