India Books

About the Book :
The book deals with the cultural life of India during the post-Mauryan period. It mainly dilates upon the socio-economic life, polity and the religion and philosophy of India. Literary and archaeological sources have been fully utilized in this book. Different aspects of social life such as the division of society into groups, asrama system, samskaras, family, food, dress, ornaments, sources of entertainment etc. have been discussed. The book also deals with several aspects of economic life such as land, economy, agriculture, cattle rearing, and various professions.

About the Author :
Born on the first Jan., 1938, in Palamau Distt. of Bihar, Dr. Thakur Harendra Dayal Sinha obtained his Master Degree in Ancient Indian History and Culture securing first position in first class from the University of Patna in the year 1959. He joined the University of Patna as a Junior Research Fellow in the year 1963 and was awarded Ph.D. degree for his work on The Vishnu Purana in 1970.
The deep passion of research in him made him to work for the book ancient Culture of India for which the University of Bhagalpur conferred upon him D.Litt. Degree.

Contents :
Scheme of Transliteration
Abbreviations
Acknowledgement
Preface
Chapters
ONE: SOURCES
TWO: SOCIAL LIFE
THREE: ECONOMIC LIFE
FOUR: ADMINISTRATION
FIVE: RELIGION AND PHILOSOPHY
Bibliography
Appendix
Index
Key to Illustrations
Plates

This book traces the history of Delhi from the stone age to the time of the Rajputs. Against a background of the history of India, it meticulously weaves together evidence from stone tools, ancient mounds, pottery, monuments, sculpture, references in literature and legend to reconstruct a comprehensive and lively historical narrative. Written in a style aimed at accuracy as well as clarity, the book will be of interest to historians, students of history, general readers - in fact anybody who is interested in Delhi's ancient past. The text is accompanied by several maps and a large number of photographs which bring alive Delhi's little-known ancient history

This is a wonderful resource book to teach Ancient India. India is more difficult to find material to use in the classroom so this is a nice surprise to find. I have used several of the suggested activities in my classroom and have shared the book with other teachers. I would recommend this resource book for teachers.

About the Book :
This book is an outcome of a comprehensive study of the kaleidoscopic variety of furniture articles prevailing during the period second century BC to sixth-seventh centuries AD. The book is divided into various chapters highlighting the enormous details of each item of the furniture articles like thrones, chairs, wheeled furniture, seats, wicker stands, tables, bedsteads, etc. The indigenous traits and the foreign impacts on the Indian furniture are brilliantly highlighted. To achieve this end, the sculptures of Barhut, Sanchi, Amaravati, Nagarjunakonda, Mathura, Gandhara and the murals of Ajanta, supplemented by the literary data have been brought within the compass of the study.

About the Author :
Prof. Dr. K.Krishna Murthy, M.A., Ph.D., D.Litt., F.R.A.S. (London), MRAI (London, MRAA (London), a distinguished archaeologist and a celebrated at historian was born on 21-6-1930 at Anatapur in Andhra Pradesh. After schooling in Municipal High School at Kurnool and collegiate education in Government Arts College, Anatapur, he took his B.A. (Hons) and M.A. from Andhra University, Waltair. A double doctor, he was awarded Ph.D. and D.Litt (Doctor of Letters) by the Nagpur University for his outstanding treatises in the field of archaeology. In recognition of his scholarly eminence, he was elected in 1972 a fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland (FRAS) and a member of M.R.A.I and MRAA (London) in 1985 and member of the World Archaeology Congress, South East Asia in 1992, an honour only few Indians enjoy.
He was associated with the Archaeological Survey of India for 34 years and served it with distinction, dignity and integrity in various capacities to become Superintending Archaeologist. He is also a former professor of History and Indian Culture in Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prashanthinilayam and its first Dean Faculty of Arts for some time. A prolific writer, he has authored about thirty books and hundreds of research papers in various national and international journals of repute. His specialisation in Buddhism resulting in the publication of authentic works on art-history, archaeology, Buddhist iconography, art, architecture, religion, theology, philosophy and literature has earned him celebrity. His deputation to Sri Lanka on Indo-Sri Lanka Cultural Exchange Agreement in 1978, enriched his longing to undertake Buddhist studies in greater depth.

Contents :
Preface
Abbreviations
List of Figures
1. Introductory
2. thrones : Asana (s)
3. Chairs
4. Wheeled Furniture
5. Seats and Moras
6. Wicker Stands
7. Tables
8. Foot-stools or Foot-rests or Pada-pithas
9. Bessteads
10. Pillows and Cushions
11. Boxes
12. Curtains
13. Epilogue
Bibliography
Index

About the Book :
The material progress of any country, apart from other things, depends upon mining, metallurgy and on metal industries. The present book is a study of the subject in the background of ancient India and is based on archaeological, literary and technological studies, covering every phase, commencing from the earliest times up to the nineteenth century.
The book is spread over five chapters. Chapter 1 deals with the scope of the study, including a short survey of the history of metals in the ancient Indian metallurgy and metal industries. Chapter 2 deals extensively with the origins of copper metallurgy. Chapter 3 is devoted to the study of noble metals e.g. gold and silver. Chapter 4 contains an exhaustive study of Indian iron metallurgy, with special reference to the steel production of southern India. The study of miscellaneous metals like brass, tin, zinc and lead is dealt with in Chapter 5.

About the Author :
Dr. G. Kuppuram was born in 1956 and received his education at Madras and Karnataka. He graduated in 1976 and received his doctorate are post-doctorate in 1981 and 1986 respectively in Science and Archaeology.
At present Dr. Kuppuram is Associate Professor of Archaeology at Egerton University, Njoro, Kenya. He has excavated different parts of India. His previous books include The Imperial Cholas in Karnataka which was his PhD Thesis has been published by Sundeep Prakashan in 1986. His other book Ancient Indian Mining Metallurgy and Metal Technology which was hit D.Litt. Thesis has been published by Sundeep Prakashan in 1989. His last successful book is History of Science and Technology in India and this has earned him great laurels from all over the world.
Dr. Kuppuram has contributed several research articles on History, Culture and Archaeology in various national and international journals. At present he is editing a book on Marine Archaeological Studies-Global perspectives.

Contents :
Volume I

Acknowledgements
List of Plates
List of Maps
Chapter 1 : Introduction
Chapter 2 : Copper and Bronze Industry
Chapter 3 : Noble Metals
Chapter 4 : Iron and Steel
Chapter 5 : Miscellaneous
Appendix
Selected Bibliography
Index

Volume II

Acknowledgements
List of Plates
List of Maps
Chapter 1 : Introduction
Chapter 2 : Copper and Bronze Industry
Chapter 3 : Noble Metals
Chapter 4 : Iron and Steel
Chapter 5 : Miscellaneous
Appendix
Selected Bibliography
Index

Kenoyer and Heuston have put together a solid introdution to (Ancient) South Asia. This book is written at about a middle school level and I use selections for this book with various middle school and upper elementary school students that I work with. Why is this book great? one reason: It has the most up to date scholarship presented in small chapters and units that can be used for teaching non-university students. For those of you familiar at all with the writing of academics know this is an extremely rare treat.

This is a very good book for those who are interested in World music and/or fusion music and want to be able to play all those beautifull and often complex rhythms that one hears in that type of music.

The first chapter is about the Rhythms from West Africa, it has a clear chapter on polyrhythms and a formula to figure them out. Chapter two deals with the rhythms from Bali, the one you will hear in Gamelan music, and chapter Three deals with Indian Rhythms, Both from North and South India.

And then in the fourth and final chapter one mixes all that rhythm knowledge to create new patterns, hence the name Future Possibilities.

If you do all the exercices in the book you are well one your way to play and understand the rhythms that masters like Trilok Gurtu and Glen Velez play.

Also recomended are Rhythm book authors like Reinhard Flatischler, Alan Dworsky, Sule Greg Vilson, Peter Magadini and Tom Klower.

See also the videos by Airto Moreira, Alex Acuna, Kalani and Paulo Mattioli.

The volume begins with a detailed account of the islands' history till 1900. The Andamans are believed to have been visited by the celebrated Venetian explorer Marco Polo in the fourteenth century. However, it was not until the late 1800s that Lt Archibald Blair of the British East India Company mapped them and established an outpost bringing them firmly under the Company's control. After the 1857 uprising, India's colonial rulers built the cellular jail--Kala Pani--for political prisoners.

In providing a comprehensive survey of the islands in the twentieth century, the volume discusses:

The geography of the islands including topographical and physical features unique to them.
The economy and its importance to shipping, transport, and communication in modern India.
Anthropological and sociological details, including a comprehensive portrait of the autochthonous people of the islands--the Onges, Shompens, Jarawas, Sentinelese, and Andamanese--who have permitted minimal intrusion of modern civilization into their lives.
The volume also includes a survey and analysis of the several rare and endangered species of plants and animals of the islands, and a colourful narrative of indigenous folk tales of the Car Nicobarese. Up-to-date and comprehensive, this gazetteer will significantly contribute to our knowledge and understanding of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The gazetteer is essential for anthropologists, sociologists, demographers, and activists working in organizations dealing with tribal issues, in addition to an informed lay audience."

Robinson provides a unique analysis of the Great Mutiny from the perspective of the British women involved. Robinson conveys, in a manner that strictly military writers do not, the scope of the Mutiny and its "domestic" impact.

Only another woman could have written this book. Robinson combines sympathy with a certain level of judgment of the actions and opinions of some of the participants in a straightforward way. She is unencumbered by the Victorian deference to women and current fear of radical feminism.

The selection of photographs-- current and historical-- and old wood cuts that accompany the text reflect great care and excellent judgment.

In all, an important addition to the field of Mutiny scholarship related in a very human way.

Food as a passion, a gift, a means of revenge, even a source of power - these are the themes Bulbal Sharma explores in her collectin of stories. Women weigh up the loss of a lover or the loss of weight; they consider whether hunger adn the thought of higher things are inextricably linked; they feast and crave and die fot their insatiable appetites.