Themes in Indian History: Part - 1

Through Mindmaps

Shibul Verma

@thehistorystation
 Turning the NCERT history book into mind maps makes learning history easier
and more fun. Think of it like a visual guide that shows all the important stuff
in a simple and organized way. This helps you understand and remember
things better because it's not overwhelming. When you study from these
mindmaps, it's like having a quick cheat sheet that covers everything you need
for exams. Plus, it's not just reading – you get to actively engage with the
information, making learning more interesting. The mindmaps also help you
see how historical events connect, making the whole picture clearer. It's like a
smart and easy way to study history and build a strong foundation for more
advanced topics.
 CHAPTER - 1
BRICKS, BEADS, AND BONES
The Harappan Civilisation
Dietary
remains of
Harappan
People
 SUBSISTENCE
STRATEGIES
1 PLANT & ANIMAL PRODUCTS

BONES OF WILD SPECIES GRAINS

~ Boar ANIMAL BONES FOUND ~ Wheat

~ Deer ~ Cattle ~ Barley
~ Gharial ~ Buffalo ~ Lentil
~ Sheep ~ Chickpea
~ Pig ~ Sesame
~ Goat

THE HISTORY STATION

Water
Reservoir in
Dholavira
 AGRICULTURAL
1 Bull 4 IRRIGATION
TECHNOLOGIES
IRRIGATION

Terracotta sculpture ~ Canals found in

indicates usage of Shortughai
bull. 2 MIXED CROP PATTERN 3 PLOUGH
~ Water Reservoir in
Fields with two sets of Terracotta model & Dholavira.
furrows at right angles ploughed field at
indicate that two different Kalibangan suggest
kinds of crops were grown usage of plough.

THE HISTORY STATION

Citadel
and the
Lower town
 MOHENJODARO
PART - 1
1 A PLANNED URBAN CENTRE

SETTLEMENT WAS DIVIDED GRID PATTERN

The settlement was divided Roads and Streets were
into 2 sections: BRICKS
laid in a Grid pattern,
~ Citadel - Smaller but Bricks were of a Intersecting at right
Higher, Fortified, Built on
standardized ratio. angle.
mud-brick platforms
~ Lower Town - Larger but
lower, Fortified.

THE HISTORY STATION

Drainage
system of
Harappan
Civilisation

1 LAYING OUT DRAINS
DRAINAGE SYSTEM
The most distinctive
feature of Harappan Cities -
Planned Drainage System.
MOHENJODARO
PART - 2
Every house needed
Streets with drains to have at least one
were laid out first and wall along with a
then houses were built street to let waste
along them. water flow into the
street drains.
THE HISTORY STATION
 MOHENJODARO
PART - 3
COURTYARD 1 DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE WINDOWS
Many residential buildings There are no windows in the
were centred on a courtyard, walls on the ground level (
with rooms on all sides. floor). Along with that, the
Courtyard was probably the main entrance does not give
centre of activities such as STAIRCASES a direct view of the interior
cooking and weaving. Some houses have or the courtyard.
BATHROOMS
remains of staircases
Every house had its own to reach a second WELLS
bathroom paved with storey or the roof. Many houses had wells
bricks and drains were that could be reached from
connected to the street the outside and perhaps
drains. used by passers - by
THE HISTORY STATION
 MOHENJODARO
PART - 4 a large rectangular tank in a
1 THE CITADEL courtyard surrounded by a
corridor on all 4 sides.
It has the evidence of some structures that were 2 flights of steps on
probably used for special public purposes like - the north and south
leading to the tank.
GREAT BATH
WAREHOUSE The tank was made
Only lower brick portions watertight by setting
remain. meanwhile, the bricks and using a
mortar of gypsum.
upper portion has decayed
The uniqueness of the water from the tank
long ago.
structure has led flowed into a huge
scholars to suggest drain.
that it was meant for
some kind of a special
ritual bath.

THE HISTORY STATION

 Chapter - 2
KINGS, FARMERS AND TOWNS
Early States and Economics
James Princep-An
officer in the East
India Company
 Most momentous developments in Indian
Epigraphy took place in the 1830s

James Princep

Deciphered Brahmi and This gave a new direction to

Kharoshthi, Two scripts used
in the earliest inscriptions and
coins.
He found that most of these mentioned a
king referred to as Piyadassi - meaning
“pleasant to behold”, There were a few
inscriptions that also referred to the king
as Asoka - one of the most famous rulers
from Buddhist texts
investigations into early Indian
Political history as European
and Indian scholars used
inscriptions and texts to
reconstruct the lineages of
major dynasties that had ruled
the subcontinent.

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 The 6th century BCE is often considered a major
turning point in Early Indian history. Brahmanas began
Reasons: composing Sanskrit texts
This is an Era known as Dharmasutras.
associated with early These laid down norms for
states, cities, the rulers who were expected to
Growth of diverse Early Buddhist and Jaina texts
growing use of Iron, mention 16 states known as - be Kshatriya and were
systems of thought
the development of Mahajanapada. For Instance - Vajji, advised to collect taxes and
including Buddhism
coinage,etc. Magadha, Koshala, Kuru, Panchala, tribute from cultivators,
and Jainism.
traders, and artisans. Even
Gandhara and Avanti.
the raid on neighboring
While most mahajanapadas were ruled by
Kings. Ganas Sanghas were oligarchies where states was recognized as a
power was shared by a no. of men called Rajas. legitimate means of
Both Mahavira and Buddha belonged to such acquiring wealth.
ganas.
Each Mahajanapada had a capital city which
was fortified. To maintain these cities needed
armies bureacracies and resources.

THE HISTORY STATION

Magadha - during
it’s Hay Day
 Between 6th and 4th centuries BCE, Magadha
became the most powerful Mahajanapadas
Agriculture Reasons: Ambitious kings
Magadha was an Buddhist and Jaina
writers attributed
agriculturally
Magadha’s power to
productive region.
Forests the policies of
Iron Mines Elephants were an ambitious kings like -
Iron Mines provided important Bimbisara, Ajatsattu,
resources for tools component of the Rivers and Mahapadama
Ganga and its
and weapons. army found in Nanada.
tributaries provided
nearby forests.
a means of cheap
and convenient
Rajagaha - Initially, Rajagaha was the capital of communication
Magadha. it was a fortified settlement.
Later, the capital was shifted to Pataliputra.

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 Sources
Archaeological finds Inscriptions on Rocks and Pillars -
Includes Sculptors.
Literary Sources
Account pf Megasthenes
(Greek Ambassador to the
court of Chandragupta)
Arthashastra - Composed
by Kautilya or Chanakya
Buddhist, Jaina, Puranic and
Sanskrit Literature.
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Inscriptions
valuable sources
Asoka was the first ruler who
inscribed his messages on stone
surfaces like Rocks and polished
pillars.
He used the inscriptions to
proclaim Dhamma - Dhamma
included:
Respect towards elders
Generosity towards Brahmanas
Treating slaves and servants
kindly
Respect for other’s traditions
and religions.
Taxila - One of the
Provincial Centers
 Was there a Uniform
Five Major political centres Administrative System?
Capital - Pataliputra
It is unlikely as the regions included
Provincial Centres - Taxila, Ujjaini,
within the empire were just too
Tosali, Suvarnagiri.
diverse.
The same content of the Asokan
Administrative control likely was
inscriptions found in the North West
strongest in areas around the Capital
Frontier Provinces of Pakistan to
and the Provincial Centres.
Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, and
Provincial centers were carefully
Uttarakhand. - This tells about the
chosen - for instance - Taxila and
extent of the Muryan Empire.
Ujjain situated on important Long-
Distance Trade routes.
Suvarnagiri - important for tapping
the Gold mines in Karnataka
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 Chapter - 3
KINSHIP, CASTE AND CLASS
Early Societies
 The Ideal of Patriliny
Mahabharata is a story of Kinship
relations. It describes a feud over
land and power between two
groups of cousins - the Kaurvas
and The Pandyas who belonged to
a single ruling family of Kurus - A
Lineage dominating one of the
Janapadas
Ultimately the conflict
ended in a battle in which
the Pandavas emerged
victorious, After that the
Patrilineal succession was
proclaimed.
Under Patriliny sons could
claim the resources of
their fathers when they
died.
Though Patriliny had existed
even before the Composition
of the Epic. The story of
Mahabharata has reinforced
the idea of Patriliny that it
was valuable.

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 Variations in the Practice
of Patriliny
Sometimes, Women
Sometimes, there were such as Prabhavati
no sons Gupta exercised power
Sometimes, brothers
- An exceptional case.
succeeded one
Sometimes, Other
another.
kinsmen claimed the
throne

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 Rules of Marriage
This gave rise to the belief
that Kanyadan or the gift
Sons were important for of a daughter in marriage
the continuity of the Marrying Daughters was an important religious
Patrilineage. Daughters into families outside of duty of the father.
had no claim over the the kin was considered The lives of young girls and
Resources desirable. This system women belonging to the
was known as Exogamy higher status were carefully
regulated to ensure that
they were married at the
right time and to the right
person

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 Rules of Marriage - 2
The emergence of new Brahmanas claimed that their
towns. i.e., Urban milieu led point of view had universal
to the questioning of earlier validity and their beliefs had to be
beliefs and practices. followed by everybody.
Later these texts were but given the regional diversities
compiled into Sanskrit and lack of communication within
texts known as the country - The influence of
To face this issue
Dharmasutras, Brahamnas was not at all
Brahamanas started laying
Dharmashastras and prevalent.
down the codes of social
Manusmriti.
behaviour which were Dharmasutras and Dharmashastras
meant to be followed by recognized 8 kinds of marriage among
Brahmanas and the general them 4 were good. and remaining
Public. condemned - they might be practiced by
those who did not accept Brahmanical
Norms
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 The Gotra of women
Brahmans classified the
people into Gotras. Each gotra
Were these rules commonly
was named after a Vedic seer
and people belonging to the 2 Rules : followed?
same gotra were considered
1. Many of the wives of Satvahanas
as his descendants.
derived names from their father’s gotra
Members of the instead of adopting their husband’s
same gotra could not 2. At the same time, some of these women
marry. belonged to the same gotra - against the
Women were expected to idea of Exogamy - An example of
give up their father’s gotra Endogamy.
and adopt that of their
husbands on marriage.

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 Chapter - 4
THINKERS, BELIEFS AND BUILDINGS
Cultural Developments
Shahjehan
Begum, and her
successor
Sultan Jehan
Begum
 A Glimpse of Sanchi

Rulers of Bhopal, Shahjehan

Sanchi is the testimony to the
Begum, and her successor
successful restoration and
Sultan Jehan Begum provided
presentation of a key
money for the Preservation of
archaeological site by the ASI.
the ancient site and the museum

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 The Background: Sacrifices
and Debates.
Mid-First millennium BCE is Often regarded as a
turning point in World history - Because:

It was the emergence

of thinkers such as
They tried to understand New Kingdoms and
Zarathustra in Iran,
the mysteries of existence cities were developing
Kong Zi in China,
and the relationship and social-economic
Socrates, Plato, and
between Human Beings life was changing in a
Aristotle in Greece and
and the Cosmic Order. variety of ways.
Mahavira, Gautama
Buddha in India.

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 The Sacrificial Tradition
Pre-Existing Traditions.

The Early Vedic tradition, Elaborate sacrifices such as

Known as Rigveda consists Rajasuya and Ashvamedha
of hymns in praise of a were performed by Chiefs
variety of deities, especially and Kings who depended on
At First, Sacrifices were
Agni, Indra, and Soma - Brahmana priests to control
performed collectively.
Many of these hymns were the ritual.
Later, Some were
chanted where sacrifices
performed by the heads
were performed.
of households for the
well-being of the
domestic unit.

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Vardhaman
Mahavira - 24th
Tirthankara
 Beyond Worldly Pleasures:
The Message of Mahavira.
Five Vows
According to Jaina
Jaina monks and nuns took 5
tradition, Mahavira
vows to abstain from killing,
was preceded by 23 Teachings of the Jaina stealing, and lying to observe
other teachers or
celibacy, and to abstain from
Tirthankara - Those
processing property.
who guide men and
women across the
Animated Ahimsa Cycle of Birth
river of existence. According to Jaina Teachings the
Non - Injury to living
The most important Cycle of Birth and Re-Birth is
beings, especially to
idea in Jainism is that shaped through Karma. Asceticism
humans, animals, plants,
the world is Animated. and penance are required to free
and insects is central to
Even Stones, Rocks, oneself from the cycle of Karma.
Jaina's Philosophy. The
and water have life. And this can be achieved only by
principle of Ahimsa is
renouncing the world. Therefore,
emphasized within Jainism.
Monastic existence is a necessary
condition of salvation.
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 Spread of Jainism

Jainism spread to many parts of Earliest stone sculptures

India. Jaina scholars produced a associated with religious
wealth of literature in a variety of traditions were produced by
languages - i.e. Prakrit, Sanskrit and devotees of the Jaina
Tamil. Tirthankaras and have been
recovered from several sites
throughout the subcontinent.

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Gautam Buddha
 The Buddha and the Quest
for Enlightenment
How do we know about the Nibbana
Buddha’s Teachings ? Buddha emphasized
Teachings of the Buddha
Buddhist Texts individual agency and
righteous action as the
Hagiographies
means to escape from
Stories found in the cycle of rebirth and
the Sutta Pitaka Sorrow is Intrinsic attain self-realization
Transient & Soulless Sorrow is intrinsic to human and Nibbana.
existence. By following the
The world is Transient
path of moderation
(anicca) and constantly
between severe penance
changing. it is also
and self - indulgence human
soulless as there is
beings can rise above these
nothing permanent or
worldly pleasures.
eternal in it.

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