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ancient India
Can the West Understand Indian Traditions Better?
Rohith Krishna, Research Assistant, VIF Commentary

The Western descriptions of India in scholarship, early travelers, media, and movie depictions like Indiana Jones have mostly been problematic. Many of such descriptions stand today as ‘common sense’ even to many Indians, creating a blockade to a....

May 18, 2023 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Commentary , ancient India , Modernity , Post-colonialism , Orientalism , West , Decolonization , Ancient Greek
An Outline of the Development of Ancient Historical and Archaeological Studies in India
Dr Dilip K. Chakrabarti, Editor, VIF History Volumes Article

There is a wide range of studies on this topic, often contentious in various ways. Here I shall adopt a simple factual approach, outlining how the study of ancient Indian history and archaeology has developed in different stages from the mid-18th cen....

September 06, 2022 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Article , ancient India , archaeology , Archaeological Survey of India , Asiatic Society , Cunningham , Elphinstone , Indologists , Mauryan , Mohenjo-Daro
Perceiving Silk Road as a Pilgrimage Route to India
Rohith Krishna, Research Assistant, VIF Article

If someone has to physically locate the Silk Road, then they would usually find a region from the main landmass of China to the ancient Roman Empire. The route in between, also touches the northern region of the Indian subcontinent as well as the Cen....

August 30, 2022 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Article , China , Central Asia , Buddhism , Silk Road , ancient India , Pilgrimage , South-East Asia
Chikitsa Dharma (Medical Ethics): Insights from Ancient Indian Tradition

The Vivekananda International Foundation held an online discussion on 10th August 2020, on the subject of “Chikitsa Dharma (Medical Ethics): Insights from Ancient Indian Tradition”. The main aim of the discussion was to understand medical ethics ....

August 17, 2020 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Interaction , ancient India , Chikitsa Dharma , Medical Ethics , Holistic treatment , Ancient Ethical Principles
The Arthasastra- New Directions in Research

On 6th August 2020 VIF organised a symposium on the theme: “The Arthasastra: New Directions in Research”. The aim of the symposium, apart from briefly discussing the historical perspectives on the Arthasastra, was to shed light on the strategic u....

August 12, 2020 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Interaction , ancient India , Arthasastra Philosophy , Historical perspectives , Kautilyas Arthasastra , Strategic Perspectives , Western civilization
Book Discussion on Dilip Chakrabarti’s Ancient Rajasthan

On 24 February 2020, VIF organized a book discussion on Prof. Dilip K. Chakrabarti’s latest book Ancient Rajasthan: Research Development, Epigraphic Evidence on Political Power Centres, and Historical Perspectives (New Delhi: Aryan Books Internatio....

March 09, 2020 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Book Discussions , ancient India , Ancient Rajasthan , Rajputs , Feudalism
From Indraprastha to New Delhi: The Millennial Itihasa of a Capital
Come Carpentier de Gourdon Article

sarvanyetani dharmani ksatre bharata sattam, nirashishe jivaloke dharmem vyavasthitaha; majjet trayi dandanitau hatayam sarvem dharma prakseyeyurvi rudadhaha, sarvem dharmashchshramanam hataha syuhu ksatre tyakte rajadharmem purane.....

November 01, 2019 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Article , ancient India , India’s historical heritage
The Making of Early Kashmir: Landscape and Identity in the Rajatarangini, by Shonaleeka Kaul, Oxford University Press, New Delhi, 222 pp, Rs 750 INR, 2018
Swami Narasimhananda

Kashmir has been the crest of India’s geopolitical problems, quite literally, occupying the geographical head of the country. Majority of the problem is maintained so by producing a selective propagandist hegemony and discourse by vested interests.....

October 15, 2019 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Kashmir , Book Reviews , ancient India , Rajatarangini , Historicising in India
Basant K. Gupta, Timeless Wisdom from Ancient India, Laksmi di Asya Om, Italy, Second Edition, 2014, Italy. ISBN 978-88-96642-27-6, pp.235
Arvind Gupta, Director, VIF

Attaining Peace, Harmony and Happiness, the Indian way
Everyone wants to be prosperous, at peace and happy, and but few manage to attain these desirable goals. Why? How can one achieve peace and harmony while leading normal life? Vedas....

October 01, 2019 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Book Reviews , ancient India , Harmony , Wisdom , Indian philosophy , Upanishads , Bhakti Yoga , Karma Yoga
Seminar on ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Relevance of India’s Ancient Thinking to Contemporary Strategic Reality’

The Vivekananda International Foundation (VIF) organized an important seminar ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: Relevance of India’s Ancient Thinking to Contemporary Strategic Reality’ in collaboration with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR....

February 27, 2019 Historical and Civilisational Studies , Seminars , International Relations , ancient India , Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam , Hinduism , Indian civilization , Yoga psychology , Advaita Vedanta
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