History of Astronomy In India

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The study of astronomy in India is as ancient as her civilization. Indian subcontinent is one of the few culture areas in which an unbroken tradition in astronomical research has been maintained from the prehistoric to modern times. Thus the rudiments of the concept of a stellar zodiac which we find fully developed in the Vedic Samhitas and Brahmanas appear in some of the seals of the Indus Valley Civilization. This early interest in astronomy is further reflected in the recognition of jyotisa as one of the six Vedangas or auxiliary sciences whose mastery is indispensable for a proper under-standing of the Vedas. The History of Astronomy in India opens with three chapters surveying in detail the primary source materials, - in Sanskrit, Arabic and Persian, and the secondary sources representing studies in European languages. The subsequent chapters are devoted to specialized aspects of Indian astronomy such as the astronomical thinking of the Indus Civilization and the Vedic times, of the post-vedic period prior to the appearance of astronomical siddhantas. The astronomy of the siddheintas has been discussed in detail through such topics as the yuga system, the computation of mean and true longitudes, eclipses and parallax, precession of equinoxes, phases of the moon, rising and setting of planets and stars, and their conjunctions. The correct reckoning of the time being the central feature of astronomical research, a chapter was devoted to the history of the development of calendars in India.

The observational astronomy whose importance was recognized quite early has been represented by two chapters, - one on instruments and the other on observatories. Methods of modern European astronomy started attracting the attention of Indian astronomers from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, while the nineteenth century witnessed the growth of infrastructure for astronomical work in the form of telescopic and spectroscopic observatories and the twentieth century a new breed of theoretical and observational astronomers making fundamental contributions in optical, radio and x-ray astronomy. These endeavours are outlined in the last two chapters. One special feature of astronomical research in India throughout its long history has been the recognition of, and the emphasis on, its international character leading to fruitful exchange of ideas with neighbouring civilizations.

Shortly after the publication in 1971 of A Concise History of Science in India, late Prof. Ram Behari and one of us (S.N.S.) submitted to the National Commission for the Compilation of History of Sciences in India a plan to bring out a History of Astronomy in India. The plan was duly approved by the National Commission and the work initiated, but the progress was unavoidably halted mainly on account of the death of Prof. Ram Behari. In 1981, the plan was revived under the Chairmanship of Prof. F.C. Auluck. The original plan has been largely retained but it has been strengthened by the addition of a chapter each on calendar and development of astronomy in India in the twentieth century.

In a collective effort of this nature involving several scholars scattered all over India it is not easy to strike the desired uniformity. We must, however, record here the excel-lent cooperation and understanding we have received from the contributors in the preparation of the chapters assigned to them. Special mention may be made of late Prof. R.N. Rai who died shortly after finishing his diagrams, he was unable to complete his notes and references. We had, therefore, to be content with the manuscript as received from his son.

The Colloquium on History of oriental Astronomy scheduled to be held in November in New Delhi under the auspices of the International Astronomical Union provided an incentive to hasten this publication. We place on record our thanks to the Academy's Publication Office in Calcutta for sparing no pains to bring out the book on time before the Colloquium. We also thank Shrimati Sandhya Mitra of the Academy for preparing the index in addition to discharging the heavy responsibility of seeing the book through the press in such a short time. Our thanks are specially due to Dr. A.K. Bag of the National Commission for his help at various stages of the publication.

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