40 Ancient India Facts Every History Buff Should Know!

India, a country known for its beautiful history, diverse culture, and languages, is also recognised for its ancient culture. Thousands of years ago, this beautiful land was home to flourishing civilisations that laid the base for the nation in which we live today happily. Ancient India was a time of remarkable achievements in art, science, philosophy and spirituality from the Indus Valley civilisation to the golden age of the Mauryan and Gupta empires. In this blog, you will read interesting facts about ancient India that continue to shape the land we live on.

Ancient India Facts About Religion

Religion played a crucial role in shaping the lives of people in ancient India. It consisted of diverse traditions and practices which laid the foundation for different religious beliefs. 

1. Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago as a spiritual practice to connect body and mind.
2. India has a monkey god who was also a brilliant doctor.
3. India has a ritual to celebrate spring with colours named Holi.
4. Vedas are the sacred Hindu texts among the world’s oldest scriptures.
5. Buddhist and Hindus believe in reincarnation where the souls are reborn in different forms after the death based on their previous life and actions.

6. Representing different aspects of life and nature ancient Indian religions celebrated many powerful goddesses like Durga, Kali and Lakshmi. 
7. The River Ganges or Ganga is considered the holy river in Hinduism, which purifies your soul.
8. Many religions in India encourage vegetarianism as a way to spiritual purity and compassion.
9. Shiva is an important god in Hinduism and is portrayed as a chill yogi who loves to meditate.
10. Fire (Agni) Was Central to Vedic Rituals.

Ancient India Facts About Geography

Geography in ancient India was more about finding strategic locations for sustenance. Like religion, the geography of a country shaped its culture alongside trade routes and civilizations.

1. Ancient India’s story began along the Indus and Ganges rivers, just like Egypt and Mesopotamia.
2. The Indus Valley civilisation is well known for its two largest cities, Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

3. Snowy giant Himalayas acted for centuries as a natural barrier, protecting ancient India from cold winds and invaders.
4. The wind carries the aroma of Indian spices to distant lands as the location of India on the Arabian sea made it a natural trading hub.
5. Ancient city planners were so smart that the cities of the Ancient Indus Valley civilisation were incredibly well-planned with advanced drainage systems and grid-like layouts.
6. The Deccan Plateau in southern India is a geological wonder. It is like a giant, tired tableland with unique plants and animals.
7. The Thar Desert Shaped Ancient Trade Routes. This helped ancient India become part of the Silk Road trading network.
8. With over 7,000 km of coastline, ancient Indian kingdoms like the Cholas and Mauryas established sea trade routes with Southeast Asia, Egypt, and Rome.
9. The Vindhya and Satpura mountain ranges acted as geographical boundaries between North and South India.
10. The Southwest monsoon was crucial to ancient Indian agriculture. Even ancient texts like the Arthashastra mention rainfall-dependent farming and irrigation practices.

Also Read: Fun Facts about Indian History 

Ancient India Facts About Food

Food in ancient India perhaps had a more significant role than sustaining the lives of people. It reflected their cultural diversity through different ingredients and cooking methods. 

1. Grains like wheat, barley and millet were the backbones of the ancient Indian diet.
2. In Ancient India Milk, curd, ghee and buttermilk were integral to the diet.
3. Ancient India healing system- AYURVEDA. Ancient Indians believed that food was medicine.
4. In ancient India, Spices like pepper, cinnamon, ginger and turmeric were used for the purpose of preservation.
5. In ancient India chickpeas, lentils, black gram and green gram were used as a main source of protein.
6. To enjoy the taste of summer all year round, ancient Indians mastered the art of pickling.
7. Ancient Indian kitchens were too cool. They used clay ovens to cook food and open fires.
8. The selection of rice or wheat depended on where you lived in the time of ancient India. The north was more into wheat, while the southern Indian peoples preferred rice.
9. India was known for its spices, which were used not only for flavour but also for medicinal purposes.
10. Ancient Indians typically ate sitting on the floor in a cross-legged position, which was believed to aid digestion.

Also Read: 60+ Interesting Facts about India 

Ancient India Facts About Politics

Politics in ancient India were as important as today. These rules and traditions helped influential people such as kings to maintain law and order in the society and manage their kingdoms. 

1. Not exactly like the modern democracies, but Ancient India had assemblies called Sabhas and Samities.
2. Ancient India had spy networks named Charas.
3. Ruling queens like Razia Sultan and Rudrama Devi challenged societal norms and proved their mettle as effective administrators.
4. Arthashastra, authored by Chanakya on statecraft and economics, delves deep into diplomacy and warfare strategies.
5. Ancient Indian Kings were expected to rule according to the principles of dharma, which encompassed morals and ethics.
6. To seal treaties between kingdoms, animals were sometimes exchanged as a gift.
7. In Ancient times, the colour and style of a king’s clothes were a secret code for political alliance or declaration of war.
8. The Mauryan Empire Had a Centralised Bureaucracy. Ashoka even appointed Dhamma Mahamatras to spread moral values and ensure welfare administration across the empire.
9. Ancient Indian political strategy used the Mandala Theory, explained in the Arthashastra. This early form of geopolitical strategy helped kings form complex alliances and make calculated political decisions.
10. While many dynasties followed hereditary rule, some ancient Indian republics (like Vaishali and Lichchhavi) practised elected leadership.

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