Hannah Luzadder
Summer Reading Assignment
India, Fall 2015
Bruce Podobnik
- There are many aspects of ancient India that have continuing relevance in India today. One important aspect to understand is the evolution of religion and the development of the caste system. There are a mixture of religions that developed in and were brought to ancient India that have continued to exist there until today. Buddhism spread through India after the Mauryas, and a combination of beliefs from Buddhism, Jainism, regional traditions, and folk beliefs evolved over time to form Hinduism, which is one of the country’s most prominent religions today. The caste system developed out of some of these beliefs as well. Castes are ranked, and the higher the caste, the purer the people of that caste are viewed in religious terms. While the caste system does hold the same kind of social importance today that it did in ancient India, it is still a part of the culture. My time in India will benefit from having an awareness of important aspects of ancient India because I will see how something that developed so long ago impacts an entire culture on a day to day basis. Having some understanding of the origin of these aspects of Indian society may help me to better understand the people of India and what is important to them.
- The Mughal Empire had an important impact on India that has undoubtedly lasted until today. The Mughals had great military power, and established a dynasty in India when they conquered the sultanate of Delhi in 1526. One sultan under the Mughal Dynasty, Shir Shah, established the rupee which is still India’s preferred form of currency. Shah Jahn built the Taj Mahal under the Mughal Dynasty, and Aurangzeb, who ruled all of India in 1689, also built the Pearl Mosque and the Imperial Mosque. One of the most important things that happened under the Mughal Dynasty was the flourishing of agriculture and foreign trade with Europe through the French East India Co., which paved the way for India’s future. My time in India will benefit from having an awareness of the impacts of the Mughal Dynasty because I will understand where the rupee came from as well as some of the important landmarks that I will be seeing, and I will be able to have a starting point for understanding the history of India’s foreign relations with Europe and how that impacted their development as a country, which will be useful for my research project.
- The British ruled India in the 19th century first through the East India Company. One important impact that their rule had, particularly through the company after Lord Dalhousie became governor general, was the development of the railways in 1853, and the telegraph in 1854. After the Great Revolt and the final fall of the Mughal Dynasty, the Company handed control over to the crown. During this time of British rule, developments were made in the economy and industries of the country. By 1914 the country was showing signs of “development.” My time in India will benefit from having an understanding of this period especially because I will be focusing on what India’s development has looked like in my research project. The railway system that exists in India today originated during this time, and is still one of the main modes of transportation used in the country, especially when traveling long distances.
- The Independence of India from British rule was an important time in India’s history. One important aspect of the independence was the influence of Gandhi, and the approach of nonviolence and noncooperation that he encouraged his followers to use. Of course not everything about the independence was violence-free, but Gandhi’s approach left a lasting mark on the country, as well as the world. It will be beneficial to my time in India to understand the Independence of the country because the country could be a very different place if Great Britain had continued to maintain power, and it will give me a basis for understanding when I see to what degree different parts of India still have British influences.
- One important aspect of the Nehru-Gandhi Dynastic period was Nehru’s plan for economic policy. The policy was for government-directed development, featured central planning, and was meant to bring industrialization to the country. Nehru’s plans and policies were not overwhelmingly successful, but they were adequate. Under Nehru, India faced the struggles that many developing countries face during their attempts to industrialize. My time in India will benefit from having an understanding of the economic policies that were implemented under Nehru because I will be able to use that knowledge in my research project about India’s development, and to use it as a basis for continued research about what happened to the country as a member of the international community as a result of Nehru’s policies.
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