Shriram Janmabhoomi, Ayodhya, U.P., ke sandarbh mein bahudha puche jane wale prashno dwara sach janiye

In ancient India, learning and literature flourished at different levels and concerned almost all broad disciplines of knowledge. One such stream was historiography as we find a rich tradition of history-writing maintained over the centuries. This book examines the evolution of the tradition of historiography from the Vedic times to the 12th century ad, arguing against an oft-held belief that ancient Indians lacked a sense of chronology and history. Here, Dr. G.P. Singh highlights the contributions of ancient India to historiography through a critical study of literary works authored by eminent scholars and writers of the past that contain historical writing. Based on research for over two decades, the work elaborately studies Vedic, Epic and Puranic traditions, Buddhist and Jain historiography, historical references and details in the dramas of Kalidasa and Visakhadatta, and historical writing in South India. It pays special attention to writing of historical biographies, chronicles and vamsavalis. It discusses how various religious and other texts throw light on the political and social fabric of different periods and their economic condition and cultural milieu. It frequently refers to the views of modern scholars on various aspects of the historical writings. It looks into the value of the historical writings, the historical conditions under which they were written and the purpose for which written, their language and style, and their immediate impact and influence on writing in later times.The volume will offer fresh approaches to studying ancient Indian historiography and new bases of research on the subject for historians and scholars.

The Indian sub-continent, particularly the Peninsular India, is recognised as one of the richest areas of Acheulian occupation in the Old World. This research work is a detailed study of the Acheulian Culture system in India — signifying the earliest cultural occupation here. The book examines the cultural material of the Acheulian phase in its ecological setting to throw light on the distribution pattern, nature of habitats, Quaternary deposits, mammalian and hominid remains, land use and subsistence, site formation process, genesis and chronology of the Acheulian cultural system. Incorporating his own field observations over the last three decades and more as well as integrating and synthesising the available data and evidence on Acheulian culture, Dr. R.S. Pappu presents a comprehensive understanding of the Acheulian system and, in general, behavioural patterns of early hunting and food gathering communities. He also provides an account of the progress of Palaeolithic research in India since the first discovery of Palaeolithic settlement by Foote in 1863, tracing the major projects and contributions of noted Indian geo-archaeologists.