A History of India

Beginning one's study millions of years ago; plate tectonics shape the subcontinent's mountains, plateaus and river systems; these affect the region's aspects; reviewing South Asia's four macro-regions; how geography guides the course of life.

Three main cultures inhabit the ancient Indian subcontinent; studying the Adivasi, who once comprise the entirety of South Asia's population; how genetic and linguistic analysis shows the Adivasi of 30,000 years ago; their status in India today.

Turning to the urban people of the Indus Valley; many mysteries abound regarding this long-lost Bronze Age civilization; exploring excavated cities; examining art and artifacts; what people know about this society; what may have happened to them.

Exploring the ancient foundations of Hinduism, which emerge from people who identify themselves with the Vedas; studying these poems and hymns; the civilization's culture and cosmology; the origins and development of the Indo-European language.

The Vedic caste system is one of the most well-known and misunderstood aspects of Hindu society; the ancient Vedic social order; how it structures society; how numerous inherited social groups relate to occupation; a diverse and complex society.

Delving into the Ramayana, the first Indian epic; the story of Prince Rama, his faithful wife Sita and the gods that control their lives; It is also an important source for many of the historical details about the era.