INDIAN TRADITION CULTURE

AND SOCIETY
KNC502/KNC602

Dr. Twinkle Razdan

Associate Professor
Dept. of Applied Sciences and Humanities
ABES
Engineering College ,Ghaziabad, U.P.
 SYLLABUS
Total 5 Modules

Module 1: Society State and Polity in India

Module 2: Indian Literature Culture, Tradition and

Practices in India

Module 3:Indian Religion, Philosophy and Practices

Module 4:Science, Management and Knowledge System

Module 5:Cultural Heritage and Performing Arts

Course Objectives
1.The course aims at imparting basic principles of thought process, reasoning and inference
to identify the roots and details of some of the contemporary issues faced by our nation and
try to locate possible solutions to these challenges by digging deep into our past.

2. To understand the importance of our surroundings and encourage the students to

contribute towards sustainable development.

3. To sensitize students towards issues related to ‘Indian’ culture, tradition and its
composite character.

4.To make students aware of holistic life -styles of Yogic-science and wisdom capsules in
Sanskrit literature that are important in modern society with rapid technological
advancements and societal disruptions.

5.To acquaint students with Indian Knowledge System, Indian perspective of modern
scientific world-view and basic principles of Yoga and holistic health care system.

Course Outcomes
 Ability to understand, connect up and explain basics of Indian
Traditional knowledge modern scientific perspective.
Module 1- Society State and Polity in India

 State in Ancient India: Evolutionary Theory, Force Theory, Mystical Theory

Contract Theory
 Stages of State Formation in Ancient India, Kingship , Council of Ministers
Administration
 Political Ideals in Ancient India Conditions of the Welfare of Societies
 The Seven Limbs of the State
 Society in Ancient India, Purusārtha, Varnāshrama System, Āshrama or the
Stages of Life
 Marriage, Understanding Gender as a social category, The representation of
Women in Historical traditions
 Challenges faced by Women. Four-class Classification, Slavery
 ANCIENT INDIA
Study is divided into pre-history , proto-history, and history.

Pre-history – Events that occurred before the invention of writing are

considered pre-history. Pre-history is represented by the three stone
ages.
Palaeolithic age (old stone age): Period – 500,000 – 10,000 BCE
Mesolithic age (late stone age): Period – 10,000 – 6000 BCE
Neolithic age (new stone age): Period – 6000 – 1000 BCE
The Chalcolithic Age marked the emergence of the use of metal along
with stone tools. The first metal to be used was copper. The chalcolithic
age largely applied to the pre-Harappan phase, but in many parts of the
country, it appears after the end of the bronze Harappan culture.
 ANCIENT INDIA
Proto-history – It refers to the period between pre-history and history. The scripts of
the Harappan civilization remains un-deciphered, however since its existence is noted
in Mesopotamian writing, it is considered part of proto-history. Similarly, Vedic
civilization from 1500-600 BCE is considered part of proto-history as well. Neolithic
and Chalcolithic cultures are also considered part of proto-history by archaeologists.
The Indus Valley Civilization was established around 3300 BC. It flourished between
2600 BC and 1900 BC (Mature Indus Valley Civilization). It started declining around
1900 BC and disappeared around 1400 BC. This is also called Harappan Civilization
after the first city to be excavated, Harappa (Punjab, Pakistan)
History – The study of the past after the invention of writing and the study of literate
societies based on written records and archaeological sources constitute history.
Robert Bruce Foote is the archaeologist who discovered the first Paleolithic tool in
India, the Pallavaram handaxe.
 VEDIC PERIOD
Early Vedic Period or Rig Vedic Period (1500 BC – 1000 BC)
 Initially, the Aryans lived in the land known as “Sapta Sindhu” (Land of the
Seven Rivers). These seven rivers were: Sindhu (Indus), Vipash (Beas),
Vitasta (Jhelum), Parushni (Ravi), Asikni (Chenab), Shutudri (Satluj) and
Saraswati.

Political structure:
 Monarchical form of government with a king known as Rajan.
 Patriarchal families. Jana was the largest social unit in Rig Vedic times.
 Social grouping: kula (family) – grama(village) – visu – jana (KGVJ). In future
the aggregation of all Jana constituted Rashtra (country).
 Tribal assemblies were called Sabhas and Samitis. Examples of tribal
kingdoms: Bharatas, Matsyas, Yadus and Purus.
 VEDIC PERIOD
Later Vedic Period or Painted Grey Ware Phase (1000 BC – 600 BC)
 During this time, the Aryans moved eastwards and occupied western and
eastern UP (Kosala) and Bihar.
Political structure:
 Kingdoms like Mahajanapadas were formed by amalgamating smaller kingdoms.
 King’s power increased and various sacrifices were performed by him to
enhance his position.
 Sacrifices were Rajasuya (consecration ceremony- During this ritual, the king
received a bow and an arrow (or other weapons as the priest was advised) and
declares himself the king.), Vajapeya (chariot race) and Ashwamedha (horse
sacrifice).
 The Sabhas and Samitis diminished in importance
 State in Ancient India

Evolutionary Theory
Force Theory
Divine origin/Mystical Theory
Contract Theory
 DEFINITION OF ‘STATE’

A community of persons, permanently

occupying a definite territory, legally
independent of external control and
possessing an organized government which
create and administrates law over all persons
and groups within its jurisdiction is ‘State”.
 ELEMENTS OF THE STATE

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 ORIGIN OF STATE

In ancient India thinkers like Bhisma, Narada, Vyasa, Brihaspati, Kautilya,

Kamandaka have looked at the problem of origin of state . On the basis of
the writings of these thinkers we can detect four important theories
regarding the origin of the state in ancient India, namely—
a) Evolutionary Theory
b) Force Theory
c) Mystical Theory
d) Contract Theory
Out of these four theories the theory of mystical origin and the theory of
contractual origin are more prevalent.
 FORCE THEORY
 The force theory says that force is the basis of the origin and
development of the state
 Only a powerful person can be ruler of the state. It is said that
the first ruler of the state is the most powerful person.
 The beginnings of the state are to be sought in the capture and
enslavement of man-by-man, in the conquest and subjugation
acquired by superior physical force.
 The progressive growth from tribe to kingdom and from kingdom
to empire is a continuation from the same process.
 SOCIAL CONTRACT THEORY
 The social contract theory, one of the common theories of the origin of state,
believes that state is a result of a contract between the king and his subjects or
representatives.
 The king, thus appointed, was expected to save the state and the subjects from
external aggression and establish order and security within the state.
 However, the earliest Vedic works never stated that state was the result of a
contract. But they clarified that king was elected to wage a successful war
against the demons.
 Social contract arguments typically hypothesize that, individuals have
consented, either openly or tacitly, to surrender some of their freedoms
(grains/articles) and submit to the authority of the ruler or magistrate, in
exchange for protection of their remaining rights.


Other Views on Social Contract Theory
Hobbes
It was a state of war, a savage state, men were selfish and aggressive brutes.
Every men was the enemy of every other man . To avoid fear and danger of this
terrible situation, men agreed to setup an authority.
John Locke
Life in the state of nature was one of the peace and ease. Freedom and
tranquility (harmony) prevailed. Men were bound by the law of nature and
possessed certain natural rights, but there was the absence of an agency to
interpret and implement the law of nature, so men agreed to create a common
authority.
Rousseau
People led to an ideal life and enjoyed ‘idyllic happiness’ in the state of the
nature. But the rise of property produced evils. To escape from them men set up
authority by contract.
 DIVINE ORIGIN THEORY
(MYSTICAL THEORY)
 The theory of divine rights of the kings also known as the Divine Origin theory is
one of the oldest theory of the origin of the state.
 The supporters of this theory believed that the state doesn’t come into being by
the people, but it is the handiwork of God on the earth. The state was created by
the God. The king was given the supreme power to rule over the people through
God. This theory has made the king above law and no subjects will have the right
to question his authority or his action.
 Certain ancient scriptures like Manusamhita explain that the origin of state is from
the divine. The Lord created the king for the protection of his whole creation …
even an infant king must not be despised (to look down with disrespect), because
he is a great deity in human form’.
 DIVINE ORIGIN THEORY
(MYSTICAL THEORY)
 It is also stated in Manusamhita that ‘when the world was without a king
and fear dispersed in all directions, then men approached Brahma (the
Creator) to provide them a king. The lord created a king and accordingly
all the Gods spared a portion of their power in the human form .The king
surpassed all other beings in splendor’.
 The Mahabharata, another great epic, explains that king is a person
endowed with superior talent and caliber descended from heaven to the
king on the earth.
 The Agni Purana states that the kings were embodiments or forms of
Lord Vishnu (the god who sustains the earth).
 It is also interesting to note that some kings had titles like Chakravarthi
(universal emperor), while some of the Mauryan emperors conferred
titles like Devanam Priya, beloved of Gods, upon them.
 EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

 The theory which explains and is now accepted as a convincing origin of the state, is
the Historical or Evolutionary theory.
 It explains the state is the product of growth, a slow and steady evolution extending
over a long period of time and ultimately shaping itself into the complex structure of a
modern state.
 This theory is more scientific. There were several factors which helped the evolution
of the state.
 The important factors which contributed to the growth of the state are
 1. Kinship
 2. Religion
 3. Property and defence
 4. Force
 5. Political consciousness
 EVOLUTIONARY THEORY
 FAMILY: Family constituted the first link in the process of the evolution of the
state with the expansion of the family arose new families and the
multiplication of families led to the formation of clans and tribes.
 RELIGION: Religion provided the bond of unity in early society. In the early
days several races are united by religion and unity was essential for the
creation of state.
 FORCE: Force also played an important part in the evolution of the state. It
was the use of physical force that was responsible for the growth of kingdoms
and empires.
 PROPERTY and DEFENCE: The need to protect property ultimately compelled
the ancient people to establish the state.
 POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS: When the people settle down on a definite
territory in pursuit of their, subsistence and a desire to secure it from
encroachment by others. The need for regulating things and persons is felt
imminently and this is the essence of political consciousness.
 ORGANIC THEORY
(State in terms of Natural Science)
 This theory holds the view that state is like an organism and that each
organ has a specific function to perform. The theory believes that the
healthy functioning of the whole organism depends upon the healthy
conditions of each part of the body or organism and its efficient
functioning.
 The Matsya Purana states that the king was the root, and the subjects
were the trees.
 Similarly, Sukra Neetisaara, compares the state with that of human
body. According to Sukracharya, the king is the head, the ministers
the eyes, the treasurer the mouth, the army the heart, the fort the
hands, and the territory the feet. Mahabharata also supports this
theory and that every element or the limbs are important for the
proper functioning of the state.
 STAGES OF STATE
FORMATION IN ANCIENT
INDIA
 Stages of State Formation
Six main stages in the history of ancient Indian polity can be
identified.
1. Tribal Military Democracy: The earliest stage was that of
tribal military democracy in which tribal assemblies, which
had some place for women were mainly pre-occupied with
war. The age of Rig Veda was primarily a period of assemblies.
2. Break-up of the Tribal Polity: The second stage saw the
break-up of the tribal polity under the stress of constant
conflicts between the rājanyakshatriya and the ordinary
businessman called the vis. The chiefs were helped by the
priesthood called the brahmins. This stage saw the beginning
of taxes and classes or varnas which came to be firmly
established in the third stage.
 Stages of State Formation
3. Full Fledged State Formation: The third stage was marked
by the formation of the full-fledged state. There arose large
territorial monarchies of Kosala and Magadha and tribal
oligarchies in North-Western India and at the foot of the
Himalayas. For the first time we hear of large armies and
organized machinery for the collection of revenue.

4. Bureaucratic Centralization: The fourth or the Maurya

phase saw bureaucratic centralization based on the expanding
economic activities of the state. The state with the help of its
bureaucracy controlled various aspects of the life of its
subjects.
 Stages of State Formation
5.Decentralized Administration: The fifth stage was marked
by the process of decentralized administration in which
towns, feudatories and military elements came to the
forefront in both the Deccan and North India. This was partly
neutralized by the emphasis on the divinity of the king.
6. Period of Proto-Feudal Polity: The last stage, identical
with the Gupta period, may be called the period of proto-
feudal polity. Land grants now played an important part in
the formation of the political structure and those made by
the Gupta feudatories conferred fiscal and administrative
privileges on priestly beneficiaries.
 Other Schools of Thought
In the genesis of the state, six stages may be
distinguished:
1. Looting
2. Truce
3. Tribute
4. Occupation
5. Monopoly
6. State
 Importance of this subject

Key Take Objectives

Away Outcomes

Vedic Period in India