Plants in Ancient Indian Civilizations
Contents: Preface. 1. Prelude: i. India : mysterious land of the east. ii. Indian pre-and proto-history. iii. Indian geography. 2. Aryas -- factors affecting their physical condition and mental faculty: i. Indian geography. ii. Pre-Aryan societies. 3. Aryas -- cultural, social and commercial life: i. Cultural life. ii. Social life. iii. commercial life. 4. Aryas -- religious life: i. Scriptures. ii. Vedic Gods. iii. Yagna (Sacrifice). 5. Indian thoughts: i. Philosophy. ii. Science: a. Botany. b. Medicine (Ayurveda). c. Agriculture (Krisi). d. Horticulture. e. Forests, forestry and conservation. f. Chemistry (Rasayana). g. Architecture (Vastu Shastra). Appendices. Index.
"A few initial chapters of this book may appear as out of tune with the central theme, but their incorporation as the prelude has been felt necessary in order to make the reader aware of India in its well-nigh pristine beauty and nature\'s exuberance, including the vegetation, where ancient Indian civilizations thrived and attained their exalted level of spiritual and scientific developments. It also contains a short account of different races that locally existed or immigrated to this land, their cultural interactions and resultant modified mindset of later populations.
The beautiful chapter entitled, "The Wonderland of the East" (i.e. India) in the Ragozin\'s work, was in all likelihood, meant for consumption of the readers of the west, who had no knowledge of the charm and beauty of this land. Author have borrowed this title from the above work for the enlightenment of the Indian generation of the day, which, in general, is perhaps equally ignorant of this aspect of India that has unbelievingly degraded to the present level.
The list of plants at the concluding part of the work is not merely the index of plant names but is much more than that. It has been presented as appendices I-III, and contains different types of information, that is explained at the beginning of each of it.
Now, on the word \'Hindu\' Aryas of India in general, have been equated with Hindus of today by many authors. The word \'Hindu\' was coined by the Persian invaders of the pre-Alexander period. It was used for the people living in the land of Sindhu (S is pronounced as H in the Arabic language). Some of the present day Hindus, no doubt represent that section of the Aryas that still follows the original or modified Aryan way of life. Others among the Aryas had or had to embrance other faiths and are no more Hindus but still represent the Aryan stock. Moreover, all the Hindus are not Aryas. Those of South India come from the Dravidian stock and still others from the Kolaran stock." (jacket)
