A Brief History of India

by Kenneth F. Hurry (Translator)

Daniélou's powerful rebuttal to the conventional view of India's history, which calls for a massive reevaluation of the history of humanity

• Explores historical occurrences from each major time period starting with the first appearance of man 30,000 years ago

• Couples the clarity and perspective of an outsider with the unique and specific knowledge of an insider

• By the internationally recognized Hindu scholar and translator of The Complete Kama Sutra (200,000 copies sold)

Alain Daniélou approaches the history of India from a new perspective--as a sympathetic outsider, yet one who understands the deepest workings of the culture. Because the history of India covers such a long span of time, rather than try to create an exhaustive chronology of dates and events, Daniélou instead focuses on enduring institutions that remain constant despite the ephemeral historical events that occur. His selections, synthesis, and narration create a thoroughly engaging and readable journey through time, with a level of detail and comprehensiveness that is truly a marvel.

Because of the continuity of its civilization, its unique social system, and the tremendous diversity of cultures, races, languages, and religions that exist in its vast territory, India is like a history museum. Its diverse groups maintained their separate identities and never fully supplanted the culture and knowledge of their predecessors. Even today one may encounter in India primitive Stone Age people whose technology has remained at what is considered prehistoric levels. Thus Daniélou's examination of India reveals not only the diversity and historical events and trends of that country, but also the history of all mankind. Through Daniélou's history of India we learn from whence we came, what we have discovered over the years in the fields of science, arts, technology, social structures, religions, and philosophical concepts, and what the future may hold for us.

Genres: History, India, Nonfiction, Hinduism, Islam

352 pages, Hardcover

First published May 11, 1983

Reviews

[Karissa Laurel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I agree with others who said they wished more maps were included. I also felt the style made a lot of assumptions about the reader's knowledge--it's not a great book for a "beginner" historian like me who had little knowledge or frame of reference from the start. I spent a lot of time looking up references and information in secondary sources to gain a better understanding of subjects presented in this book. Still, I'm much better informed about Indian History than I was before reading this book.

[Kathryn Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The immensity of Indian history is made possible to absorb in this fascinating book by Hindu scholar, Alain Daniélou, who has spent more than twenty years in India studying Sanskrit, music, and philosophy with Hindu scholars. The book provides an overview of the important historical happenings in India. So vast are the topics he could have covered in detail that he obviously made a choice to give readers a here taste of Indian history, after all, it's only a 350 page book. An in-depth history would require several volumes. I enjoyed the book, especially toward the last third of the book where he covered events from more recent history, topics familiar to me. He offers an interesting perspective of India, a country I've been fascinated with and I wish I knew more about.

[Michael Norwitz · Rating 2 out of 5]

What ought to have been a long book which has not survived the translation to a short book well. Most of it consists of a list of names with little in a way of historical context or sense of place. When we reach the modern (20th century) period it slows down, but the author proceeds to spout opinions with too little to back them up (he's vituperative about Ghandi, curiously enough given his status as a secular saint in this country, but his reasons are vague).

[Jesse Ward-Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

That was certainly a History of India. I learned a lot, I've forgotten it all.

I am not sure what the optimal history book is for me, but this one seemed a little too dense with names, and a little too light on putting things in context. I think I would have liked to spend more time focusing on some of the largest people/events, rather than spreading my attention over 10000 random mamluk rulers.

The author clearly has some anti-islam biases, but they only made brief appearances.

[Melinda Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating of this book has nothing to do with its detailed accuracy, only that I am not a scholar of India's history, and, therefore, had many chapters of its tribal history to wade through in order to get what I wanted from this book.

[Gérard Doux · Rating 2 out of 5]

Début très prometteur, malheureusement vite gâché par des biais historiques et idéologiques profonds, qui fatiguent et font douter de la véracité de l'ensemble du discours.

[Gayathri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Couldn’t get into this book and boy! did I try.
I trudged my way till the end but sadly the dry prose was the only consistent thing in the book.

[Vashti Braha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing perspective and with interesting tidbits. I learned a lot.

[Cold Cream 'n' Roses · Rating 1 out of 5]

Alain Daniélou was a famous Indologist. He had an amazing life: read Shiv Sharan: Not Your Typical French Hindu.

I have read Part 1: Origins, which covers:

* The First Civilization: the Proto-Australoids (Munda)
* The Second Civilization: the Dravidians
* The Third Civilization: the Aryans

I have to say it's rather fanciful. Daniélou states that Shaivism predates the Vedas, whereas all other sources that I've read indicate the opposite. Furthermore, he perpetuates the Aryan Invasion Theory myth. He characterizes the Aryans as more primitive than the Dravidians. If the Aryans were that primitive, how did they develop a language as evolved as Sanskrit? Furthermore, he employs what I think is dubious etymology.

My other criticism is about Daniélou's characterization of the Mahabharata War. He describes it as a war between the (good) Dravidians, as represented by the Pandavas (of the Pandya dynasty) and the (bad) Aryans, as represented by Kauravas. Later on, however, he writes [p. 43]:

It appears that by the time of the Mahabharata war, the Aryans had already largely assimilated the ancient Dravidian civilization, and the Dravidians the Aryan institutions. The conflict was social, rather than cultural.

[Luís Branco · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly, I would wish to recognize the beautiful work of the author. It is not easy to take a country such as India and write its history in a single and concise volume. The author did a marvelous job. However, I would like to highlight that the book is too vague in some areas of India's history, perhaps too vague sometimes. I cannot concur with the author's assumption that Hinduism is not a religion, but a philosophy. The deficiency of a messiah doesn't make Hinduism more philosophical than religious. In fact, Hinduism has more than just a prophet or messiah it has avatars, gurus, sadhus and holy man. It contains millions of gods and goddesses. Hinduism is the most religious of all faith. The other failing of the book is to blame Islam and Christianity for Hinduism fail. Hinduism has failed in treating all men with equality, created a cast system of privileged, destined an entire group, the Dalits, to clandestine, and so on. Islam and Christianity may have failed in one point is the other, but their contribution to India development is much greater than their weakness. The author's judgment is wrong in these arenas.

[k k · Rating 2 out of 5]

The history of India spans an incredible amount of time, from to fourth millennium B.C.E. to present day. Any attempt to create a “brief” history of the subcontinent is an impressive feat by itself, especially considering the difficulty of accurately portraying prehistoric cultures. Alain Daniélou accomplished his brief history by keeping his focus on historical institutions or elements that either survived (Munda culture) or hold significant importance to later portions of India’s history (the arrival of Dravidians). Yet, I personally find the best historiographies are those in which the authors remain aloof to the period or topic they are writing about. At times, Daniélou felt emotionally attached to his subject, which called into question his ability to offer unbiased interpretations of historical data. His etemological connections we a bit of a stretch as well. For that reason, as impressive as a feat it is to chronicle India's long and rich history, the book felt too biases and the scholarship too shakey.

[Johnny Cordova · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm mostly interested in ancient history and found the first 40 to 50 pages of this book very satisfying (enough so that I am inspired to read more of Danielou's works). The rest is a well-presented overview of India's long line of empires, invasions, wars, occupations, and so forth. Interesting but not exactly my cup of tea. The book contains three maps. 30 would not have been too many.

Another reviewer complained that the book is emotional at times. I don't see that as a fault. I appreciate a historian with strong opinions. Danielou is obviously passionate about his subject.

[Damian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I learned a great deal from this book... a very different picture of India than the standard one we get in the States. However, much of the book was presented more or less as long lists of facts with little attempt to put a human face on any of it, or get at motivations, which made for awfully dry reading for large chunks at a time.

[Masen Production · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is a little outdated YET its a great book that gives you a quick brief insights to Various eras of Indian History. The various important dynasties are elaborated in chronological order, various aggressors & settlers of our country are introduced.

In all a book that can be a handbook for light reading about Indian history.

[Allen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two stars for lack of maps and end notes. Four stars for all the things I learned I never knew before about the Indian sub-continent.

[Seekordsiis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but emotional and makes the reader dubious.