The
origin
of the
land
of infinite
fascinations
can
be traced
back
to 2500
B.C.
The
first
known
civilization
settled
along
the
Indus
river
in what
is now
known
as Pakistan.
This
however
collapsed
around
1500
B.C.
Between
521
and
486
B.C.,
under
Darius,
the
area
became
a part
of Persian
Empire.
Alexander
the
Great
arrived
in India
in 326
B.C.,
but
did
not
venture
beyond
the
boundaries
of the
two
great
religions,
Hinduism
and
Buddhism
which
had
already
developed.
Various
dynasties
followed,
the
last
which
was
the
Gupta
Empire(A.D.
319-360).
The
invasion
of the
White
Huns
brought
all
this
to an
end
and
northern
India
became
fragmented,
and
was
only
reunified
with
the
arrival
of the
Muslims
from
the
west.
During
this
time,
the
south
had
been
trading
by sea
with
Romans
and
Egyptians.
It took
some
time
for
Muslim
forces
to forge
a permanent
presence
in northern
India.
The
British
ruled
India
for
nearly
300
years
and
added
a new
dimension
to it.
The
most
outstanding
fact
about
Indian
culture
is that
it imbibes
every
thing
new
yet
does
not
loose
its
historic
charisma.
Above
all,
it welcomes
every
new
positive
change
as a
gesture
to grow
and
become
even
more
vast.
So came
the
British
and
caused
a great
deal
of harm
than
benefit
, yet
were
culturally
admitted
but
politically
overthrown.
The
British
rule
was
hence,
a phase
of constant
efflux
of national
wealth.
But
the
Indian
Struggle
for
Independence
synchronized
the
the
Indian
race
in to
a non-
violent
wave
that
swept
the
British
away.
Visionaries
like
Mohandas
Karamchand
Gandhi,
Rabindranath
Tagore,
Bal
Gangadhar
Tilak,
Jawaharlal
Nehru,
Raja
Ram
Mohan
Roy
played
a pivotal
role
in discovering
India
as a
horizon
of diverse
unity.
Today
we see
India
as a
bright
shining
star
in the
sky
but
soon
we shall
see
her
as the
brightest
star
in the
sky. |
