Scientific and Technological Advances of Ancient India

Indian Knowledge System

Vedas

Vedanga

Upanga

Traditions and Interpretations

Astronomy• Peroid varies from 6000BCE (Rig vedic period to 15th century)• Big names in Indian astronomy are : - Aryabhata I - Brahmagupta - Bhaskara I - Bhaskara II

Path of celestial bodies is elipticalSun is in the centre of solar system

MathematicsBiggest contribution of India to the world is invention of : 0

"The square on the hypotenuse of a right triangle is equal to the sum of the squares on the two legs"

Pythagoras theoerm:Baudhayana Sutra

1. Square and cube roots2. Area of a triangle3. Arithmetic and geometri progression

Vedic Mathematics:

- Part of Vedangas; Ganita shastra was ignored for a long time; until rediscovered in 20th century by Bharathi krishna tirthaji

Fun with Maths…….. You will love it….

Medicine-Atharvaveda – before 5000BCE contains hymns on diseases and treatment

- Shilajit (Black bitumen) : a material used in ayurveda even today was found in Mohenjodaro (3500BCE)

- Atreya (Internal medicine); Dhanvantri (Surgery) and Kashyapa (Gynaecology and paediatrics)

-Most recent : Charaka (1 BC); Sushruta(6BC); Vagbhata(6t AD) – Charaka samhita, sushruta samhita and ashtanga hridaya – brihat trayi (Big three of Ayurveda)

Surgery - Roots in India

-Rhinoplasty (Nose reconstruction)

- Kidney stone removal

-Absorbable ligatures

- Intestinal surgery

-Autopsy

Agnihotra: a case study

Bhopal Gas tragedy : 3rd december 1984; a poisonous vapour methyl Isothiocyanate from Union Carbide instantly killed 2000 people.

Two families Mr.Sohan Lal S Khushwaha and Shri. M.L. RathorePerformed this on daily basis were not even affected by this

-Anti bacterial, remove pollutants, rehabilitation, heals mind and body

Mahabharata: Genetic engineering

Other Disciplines:

Chemistry/Rasayana shastra Metallurgy Aeronautics/Vimana shastra

Civil engineering/Atomic warfare Economics (Arthashastra) Agriculture

How does tradition becomes a myth???

-Ensures cleaning of the house

- Serves as food for small insects and prevents them from entering the house

•Initially done knowing the purpose

Conscious Competence

•It is done without knowing the purpose

Unconscious Competence

•Edible rice powder is replaced by plastic or inedible powder

Unconscious incompetence

•If lucky, we wonder and correct it or complete discontinuation

Conscious incompetence

What are we running behind????

Lets Rediscover Ourselves !!!

Scientific and Technological Advances of Ancient India

Charulatha Sanmathi