History of India - Indus Valley Civilization. The transition of settlements from agricultural to complex urban communities occurred sometime between the early settlements at Mehrgarh, and c. 3000 BC. This period marked the beginning of the earliest urban society in India, known as the Indus Valley Civilization, also called the Harappan civilization, which thrived between 2600 BC and 1900 BC. It was centred along the Indus Rivers and its tributaries, including the Ghaggar-Hakra Saraswati, and extended into the Gan ...

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History of India, History of India - The Paleolithic era, History of India - The Neolithic era, History of India - The Bronze age, History of India - Indus Valley Civilization, History of India - Vedic civilization, History of India - The Mahajanapadas, History of India - The Magadha empire, History of India - Shishunaga dynasty, History of India - Nanda dynasty, History of India - Maurya dynasty, History of India - Shunga dynasty, History of India - Early Middle Kingdoms - the golden age, History of India - Satavahana empire, History of India - Kushan empire, History of India - Gupta dynasty, History of India - Late Middle Kingdoms - the classical age, History of India - Harsha's empire, History of India - The Chalukyas and Pallavas, History of India - Chola empire, History of India - The Pratiharas Palas and Rashtrakutas, History of India - The Rajputs, History of India - The Islamic Sultanates, History of India - Vijayanagar empire, History of India - The Mughal era, History of India - The Maratha confederacy, History of India - The Kingdom of Mysore, History of India - The Punjab, History of India - Company rule, History of India - The British Raj, History of India - The independence movement, History of India - Independent India, History of India - Textbooks and Surveys

Read more here: » History of India: Encyclopedia II - History of India - The Bronze age

There is little certain information available on the early rulers of Magadha. The most important sources are the Buddhist Chronicles of Sri Lanka, the Puranas, and various Buddhist and Jain holy texts. Based on these sources, it appears that Magadha was ruled by the Śiśunāga dynasty for some 200 years, c. 550 - 350 B.C.E. The Śiśunāga dynasty was overthrown by Ugrasena Mahāpadma Nanda, the first of the so-called nine Nandas (a.k.a. the Nanda or Nava Nanda dynasty). He was followed by his eight sons, whose names were (ac ...

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Magadha, Magadha - History, Magadha - Kings of Magadha

Read more here: » Magadha: Encyclopedia II - Magadha - History

The population of the modern people who still call themselves Kamboj (or prikritic Kamboh, or Kamoz) or Kambhoj is estimated to be around 1.5 million and the rest of their population, over the time, submerged with other occupationalized castes/groups of the Indian subcontinent. The Kambojs, by tradition, are divided into 52 and 84 clans. 52 line is stated to be descendants of Cadet branch and 84 from the elder Branch. This is claimed as referring to the young and elder military divisions under which they had fought the Bharata war. Nu ...

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Kambojas, Kambojas - Ethnicity & Language of Kambojas, Kambojas - Original Home of Kambojas, Kambojas - Kambojas: A Warrior Clan, Kambojas - Kambojas: Master Horsemen, Kambojas - Kambojas in Indian Literature, Kambojas - The Kambojas and Alexander the Great, Kambojas - The Kambojas and the Mauryan Empire, Kambojas - Kambojas' migration to India and beyond, Kambojas - Modern Kamboj and Kamboh, Kambojas - Diaspora, Kambojas - Traditions, Kambojas - During Muslim Rule, Kambojas - Agriculturists, Kambojas - Physical Characteristics, Kambojas - Kamboj in Sports, Kambojas - Notes

Read more here: » Kambojas: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas - Modern Kamboj and Kamboh

The Ramayana relates how Kaikeyi tricked the king into promising to put Bharatha on the throne of Ayodhya and banish Rama into exile. Bharata Ramayana - Bharata's response. Bharata, upon learning of the exile of Rama, is mortified. He immediately declares his intention of bringing Rama back from the forests, and if need be serving out his exile for him. When the people of Ayodhya and the numerous allies of Rama learn of this, the scorned and hated prince is immediately made immortal in fame to the world by ...

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Bharata Ramayana, Bharata Ramayana - Birth, Bharata Ramayana - Exile of Rama, Bharata Ramayana - Bharata's response, Bharata Ramayana - King of Ayodhya, Bharata Ramayana - Return of Rama, Bharata Ramayana - Retirement

Read more here: » Bharata Ramayana: Encyclopedia II - Bharata Ramayana - Exile of Rama

Bhagiratha - Kapila's curse. When king Sagara chose to perform the Ashwamedha yagna, his royal agents lost track of the sacrificial horse. Sagara ordered his sixty thousand sons by Sumati to track down the horse. The proud and mercurial princes raged across Bharat, burning down forests and uprooting life and property to find the horse. They finally arrived at a quiet spot where the Sage Kapila was sitting in meditation. Besides him was tied the white horse. The enraged princes condemned Kapila as a thief and attacked him. Using his terrible mys ...

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Bhagiratha, Bhagiratha - Early Life, Bhagiratha - Bringing the Ganga to Earth, Bhagiratha - Kapila's curse, Bhagiratha - Bhagiratha's tapasya, Bhagiratha - Ganga's fall, Bhagiratha - Establishment of the river, Bhagiratha - Commemoration, Bhagiratha - Reference

Read more here: » Bhagiratha: Encyclopedia II - Bhagiratha - Bringing the Ganga to Earth

The separation of Indo-Aryans proper from Proto-Indo-Iranians is commonly dated, on linguistic grounds, to roughly 1800 BC. The Nuristani languages probably split in such early times, and are either classified as remote Indo-Aryan dialects, or as an independent branch of Indo-Iranian. It is believed that by 1500 BC, Indo-Aryans had reached Assyria in the west and the Punjab in the east. The spread of Indo-Aryan languages has been connected with the spread of the chariot in the first half of the second millennium BC. Some scholars trac ...

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Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - pre-Vedic Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Vedic Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Ancient India, Indo-Aryans - Contemporary Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - South Asia, Indo-Aryans - Roma and Sinti, Indo-Aryans - Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryans - Historic, Indo-Aryans - Present-day Indo-Aryans

Read more here: » Indo-Aryans: Encyclopedia II - Indo-Aryans - pre-Vedic Indo-Aryans

Till 1819, Awadh was a province of the Mughal Empire administered by a Nawab. Saadat Khan was appointed Nawab in 1722 and established his court in Faizabad[1] near Lucknow. He took advantage of a weakening Mughal Empire in Delhi to declare himself the founder of the Awadh dynasty. Awadh was known as the granary of India and was important strategically for the control of the Ganges plain. It was a wealthy kingdom, able to maintain its independence against threats from the Marathas, the British and the Afghans. the third Nawab, Shuja-Ud ...

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Awadh, Awadh - Under the Mughals, Awadh - The British Influence

Read more here: » Awadh: Encyclopedia II - Awadh - Under the Mughals

By the end of the 6th century BCE, India's northwest was integrated into the Persian Achaemenid Empire and became one of its satrapies. This integration marked the beginning of administrative contacts between Central Asia and India. Although Indian accounts to a large extent ignored Alexander the Great's Indus campaign in 326 BC probably because it affected only the northwestern parts, Greek writers recorded their impressions of the general conditions prevailing in South Asia during this period. Thus, the year 326 BCE provides the fir ...

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Middle kingdoms of India, Middle kingdoms of India - Kingdoms and Empires, Middle kingdoms of India - The Mauryan Empire, Middle kingdoms of India - Foreign kingdoms, Middle kingdoms of India - The Deccan and the south, Middle kingdoms of India - Gupta and Harsha, Middle kingdoms of India - The southern rivals

Read more here: » Middle kingdoms of India: Encyclopedia II - Middle kingdoms of India - The Mauryan Empire

After Rama weds Sita and the entire royal family and the Ayodhya army begin their journey back, the great rishi Parashurama Bhargava appears before them, having descended from his mountainous hermitage. Parashurama is an extremely powerful rishi, responsible for killing all of the world's warriors and kings 21 times. He was formerly the sixth Avatara of Vishnu, and finds it unbelievable that anybody could break the bow of Siva. Considering himself to still be the most powerful warrior-rishi on earth, he brings with them the bow of Vishnu, and intends to challenge Rama to prove his strength by stringing it, and then fighting a ...

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Rama, Rama - Origins, Rama - Prince of Ayodhya, Rama - The Avatara, Rama - With Vishwamitra, Rama - Marriage to Sita, Rama - Rama's Arrow, Rama - Banishment to the Forest, Rama - The Destruction of Khara, Rama - The Kidnapping of Sita, Rama - In Kishkindya, Rama - The War, Rama - Rama Rajya, Rama - Uttara Kanda, Rama - Sita's banishment, Rama - In History and Mythology, Rama - Modern Portrayal in India, Rama - Symbolism of Rama, Rama - Portrayal in South East Asia

Read more here: » Rama: Encyclopedia II - Rama - Rama's Arrow

When Sita asks Rama to fetch the magical, golden deer for her, Rama asks Lakshmana to guard Sita and their home, and to take special care since he felt bad omens and sensed danger and evil. The golden deer is in fact the demon Maricha, who must distract Rama and Lakshmana away from the hut so as to allow Ravana to kidnap Sita. When Rama kills the deer, even as he is dying, Maricha cries out in Rama's own voice, crying for Sita and Lakshmana to help him. Although Lakshmana knows that Rama is invincible and beyond any danger, Sita panic ...

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Lakshmana, Lakshmana - Birth and Family, Lakshmana - With Rama, Lakshmana - During the Exile, Lakshmana - The Lakshmana Rekha, Lakshmana - Prowess in War, Lakshmana - Sanjivani, Lakshmana - Legacy

Read more here: » Lakshmana: Encyclopedia II - Lakshmana - The Lakshmana Rekha

Ravana was born Dasagriva (One with Ten Heads) the son of the sage Visrawasa by his wife Kaikasi, a rakshasa princess. Thus he is thought to have been either a brahmin or a mix of the brahmin and kshatriya castes. The name Ravana (One of Terrifying Roar) was given to him by Lord Shiva. While it is impossible to collate the names of places mentioned in the ancient legends of India with modern-day towns and villages, the entirely obscure village of 'Bisrakh' in northern I ...

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Ravana, Ravana - Birth and Early Life, Ravana - Tapasya, Ravana - Emperor of the World and Evil, Ravana - Conquest of Lanka, Ravana - Emperor of the Three Worlds, Ravana - Violations of Women, Ravana - Downfall, Ravana - Assessment, Ravana - In Scriptures, Ravana - In Ayya Vazhi, Ravana - Ravana's family

Read more here: » Ravana: Encyclopedia II - Ravana - Birth and Early Life

After winning his boons, Ravana is sought out by the leaders of the rakshasas, who desire him to lead their race to power. Ravana - Conquest of Lanka. Lanka originally belonged to Ravana's half-brother Kuvera, the Lord of the Treasures of Swarga. Ravana and his rakshasa allies demand Lanka from him, and Ravana and Kuvera's father Visrawas advises Kuvera to give it up as Ravana cannot be killed by any celestial. Ravana is thus made king of Lanka. See also:

Ravana, Ravana - Birth and Early Life, Ravana - Tapasya, Ravana - Emperor of the World, and Evil, Ravana - Conquest of Lanka, Ravana - Emperor of the Three Worlds, Ravana - Violations of Women, Ravana - Downfall, Ravana - Assessment, Ravana - In Scriptures, Ravana - In Ayya Vazhi, Ravana - Ravana's family

Read more here: » Ravana: Encyclopedia II - Ravana - Emperor of the World, and Evil

The political process among the ancient Indo-Aryans appears to have originally started with semi-nomadic tribal units called Jana (Latin gens). Early Vedic texts attest several Janas or tribes of the Aryans, living in semi-nomadic tribal state, fighting among themselves and with other Non-Aryan tribes for cows, sheeps and green pastures. These early Rigvedic Janas in the course of the early Indian Iron Age coalesced into the g ...

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Janapadas, Janapadas - Origins, Janapadas - Lists

Read more here: » Janapadas: Encyclopedia II - Janapadas - Origins

Numerous classical sources[1] all indicate that ancient Kamboja was a center of Iranian civilization. This is evident from the Mazdean religious customs of the ancient Kambojas, as well as from the Avestan language they spoke. It is now widely accepted among scholars that the Kambojas were an Avestan-speaking group of East Iranians, and were located mainly in north-eastern Afghanistan and part ...

See also:

Kambojas, Kambojas - Ethnicity & Language of Kambojas, Kambojas - Original Home of Kambojas, Kambojas - Kambojas: A Warrior Clan, Kambojas - Kambojas: Master Horsemen, Kambojas - Kambojas in Indian Literature, Kambojas - The Kambojas and Alexander the Great, Kambojas - The Kambojas and the Mauryan Empire, Kambojas - Kambojas' migration to India and beyond, Kambojas - Modern Kamboj and Kamboh, Kambojas - Diaspora, Kambojas - Traditions, Kambojas - During Muslim Rule, Kambojas - Agriculturists, Kambojas - Physical Characteristics, Kambojas - Kamboj in Sports, Kambojas - Notes

Read more here: » Kambojas: Encyclopedia II - Kambojas - Ethnicity & Language of Kambojas

Vasco da Gama's discovery of a new sea route to India in 1498 paved the way for European colonization of India. The British established their first outpost in South Asia in 1619 at Surat on the northwestern coast of India, arriving in the wake of Portuguese and Dutch visitors. Later in the century, the British East India Company opened permanent trading stations at Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta, each under the protection of native rulers. The Portuguese set up bases in Goa, Daman, Diu and Bombay. They remained the ...

See also:

History of India, History of India - The Paleolithic era, History of India - The Neolithic era, History of India - The Bronze age, History of India - Indus Valley Civilization, History of India - Vedic civilization, History of India - The Mahajanapadas, History of India - The Magadha empire, History of India - Shishunaga dynasty, History of India - Nanda dynasty, History of India - Maurya dynasty, History of India - Shunga dynasty, History of India - Early Middle Kingdoms - the golden age, History of India - Satavahana empire, History of India - Kushan empire, History of India - Gupta dynasty, History of India - Late Middle Kingdoms - the classical age, History of India - Harsha's empire, History of India - The Chalukyas and Pallavas, History of India - Chola empire, History of India - The Pratiharas Palas and Rashtrakutas, History of India - The Rajputs, History of India - The Islamic Sultanates, History of India - Vijayanagar empire, History of India - The Mughal era, History of India - The Maratha confederacy, History of India - The Kingdom of Mysore, History of India - The Punjab, History of India - Company rule, History of India - The British Raj, History of India - The independence movement, History of India - Independent India, History of India - Textbooks and Surveys

Read more here: » History of India: Encyclopedia II - History of India - Company rule

Ravana's sexual prowess is important to note as it plays a critical part in his legacy and downfall. Even as a young man he shamelessly violates women, and blessed with awesome strength, becomes an immensely virile rakshasa. He is a master of tantric vidya, or magical sexual arts. Although Ravana is married to Mandodari, the daughter of Asura Maya, he captures thousands of women from his conquests and maintains a harem of unparalleled size. Ravana also violates Rambha, the queen of the Apsaras. He is thereby cursed that if he ever forces himself on a woman again, his heads will burst. This curse protects ...

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Ravana, Ravana - Birth and Early Life, Ravana - Tapasya, Ravana - Emperor of the World and Evil, Ravana - Conquest of Lanka, Ravana - Emperor of the Three Worlds, Ravana - Violations of Women, Ravana - Downfall, Ravana - Assessment, Ravana - In Scriptures, Ravana - In Ayya Vazhi, Ravana - Ravana's family

Read more here: » Ravana: Encyclopedia II - Ravana - Violations of Women

Indo-Aryans - Historic. Mitanni Vedic Aryans Kurus Licchavis Gandharis (During the Mahabharata period the present Kandahar province of Afghanistan used to be called as Gandhar) Shakya Magadhis Kambojas (Originally Iranian, later Indianized) Andhras? Angas Kasis Kalingas? Indo-Aryans - Present-day Indo-Aryans. Gujaratis Jats Punjabis Ra ...

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Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - pre-Vedic Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Vedic Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Ancient India, Indo-Aryans - Contemporary Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - South Asia, Indo-Aryans - Roma and Sinti, Indo-Aryans - Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryans - Historic, Indo-Aryans - Present-day Indo-Aryans

Read more here: » Indo-Aryans: Encyclopedia II - Indo-Aryans - Indo-Aryan peoples

After the Arab-Turkic invasion of India's ancient northern neighbour Persia, various short lived Islamic empires invaded and spread across the subcontinent over a period of 1000 years. Prior to Turkish invasions, Muslim trading communities flourished throughout coastal South India, particularly in Kerala. In the 10th and 11th centuries, Turks and Afghans invaded India and established the Sultanate of Delhi at the beginning of the 13th century. The Slave dynasty and Khilji empire managed to conquer large areas of northern India approximate to the ancient extent of the Guptas, but were ultimately unsuccessful in c ...

See also:

History of India, History of India - The Paleolithic era, History of India - The Neolithic era, History of India - The Bronze age, History of India - Indus Valley Civilization, History of India - Vedic civilization, History of India - The Mahajanapadas, History of India - The Magadha empire, History of India - Shishunaga dynasty, History of India - Nanda dynasty, History of India - Maurya dynasty, History of India - Shunga dynasty, History of India - Early Middle Kingdoms - the golden age, History of India - Satavahana empire, History of India - Kushan empire, History of India - Gupta dynasty, History of India - Late Middle Kingdoms - the classical age, History of India - Harsha's empire, History of India - The Chalukyas and Pallavas, History of India - Chola empire, History of India - The Pratiharas Palas and Rashtrakutas, History of India - The Rajputs, History of India - The Islamic Sultanates, History of India - Vijayanagar empire, History of India - The Mughal era, History of India - The Maratha confederacy, History of India - The Kingdom of Mysore, History of India - The Punjab, History of India - Company rule, History of India - The British Raj, History of India - The independence movement, History of India - Independent India, History of India - Textbooks and Surveys

Read more here: » History of India: Encyclopedia II - History of India - The Islamic Sultanates

The Vedic Kuru and Panchala kingdoms in the first millennium became the core of the Mahajanapadas, archaeologically corresponding to the Northern Black Polished Ware, and the rise of the Mauryan Empire, and later the medieval Middle kingdoms of India. See also: History of India, History of Pakistan. ...

See also:

Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - pre-Vedic Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Vedic Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Ancient India, Indo-Aryans - Contemporary Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - South Asia, Indo-Aryans - Roma and Sinti, Indo-Aryans - Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryans - Historic, Indo-Aryans - Present-day Indo-Aryans

Read more here: » Indo-Aryans: Encyclopedia II - Indo-Aryans - Ancient India

According to the Ramayana, as a young man Ravana undertakes a terrible penance, lasting over 1,000 years to please Lord Shiva. When Shiva does not appear before him, Ravana begins to cut off his ten heads one by one - cutting one head off and meditating again for a thousand years, then cutting another. When he is about to cut off his last and base head, Shiva appears. He grants Ravana's request for immeasurable ...

See also:

Ravana, Ravana - Birth and Early Life, Ravana - Tapasya, Ravana - Emperor of the World and Evil, Ravana - Conquest of Lanka, Ravana - Emperor of the Three Worlds, Ravana - Violations of Women, Ravana - Downfall, Ravana - Assessment, Ravana - In Scriptures, Ravana - In Ayya Vazhi, Ravana - Ravana's family

Read more here: » Ravana: Encyclopedia II - Ravana - Tapasya

Contemporary speakers of Indo-Aryan languages are spread over most of the northern Indian Subcontinent. The largest group are the speakers of the Hindi and Urdu dialects of the Republic of India and Pakistan, together with other dialects also grouped as Hindustani, numbering at roughly half a billion native speakers, constituting the largest community of speakers of any Indo-European language. Other Indo-Aryan communities are in Nepal, Bangladesh, the disputed territories of Kashmir, and parts of Afghanistan. Of the 23 national languages of ...

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Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - pre-Vedic Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Vedic Aryans, Indo-Aryans - Ancient India, Indo-Aryans - Contemporary Indo-Aryans, Indo-Aryans - South Asia, Indo-Aryans - Roma and Sinti, Indo-Aryans - Indo-Aryan peoples, Indo-Aryans - Historic, Indo-Aryans - Present-day Indo-Aryans

Read more here: » Indo-Aryans: Encyclopedia II - Indo-Aryans - Contemporary Indo-Aryans

After winning his boons, Ravana is sought out by the leaders of the rakshasas, who desire him to lead their race to power. Ravana - Conquest of Lanka. Lanka originally belonged to Ravana's half-brother Kuvera, the Lord of the Treasures of Swarga. Ravana and his rakshasa allies demand Lanka from him, and Ravana and Kuvera's father Visrawas advises Kuvera to give it up as Ravana cannot be killed by any celestial. Ravana is thus made king of Lanka.

Ravana, Ravana - Birth and Early Life, Ravana - Tapasya, Ravana - Emperor of the World and Evil, Ravana - Conquest of Lanka, Ravana - Emperor of the Three Worlds, Ravana - Violations of Women, Ravana - Downfall, Ravana - Assessment, Ravana - In Scriptures, Ravana - In Ayya Vazhi, Ravana - Ravana's family

Read more here: » Ravana: Encyclopedia II - Ravana - Emperor of the World and Evil