Page 4 - Jul - Sep 2021

DID YOU KNOW?
ANCIENT TIMELINE The study of ancient handwriting,
including the deciphering and
There are so many fascinating texts belonging to the ancient period that dating of manuscripts, is known
as palaeography.
focus on various themes that range from politics to law to revenue and
commerce. Let us have a look at how manuscripts were in diff erent periods. Sawan, Class 10, Raksha Anusandhan
Vidyalaya, Dehradun
HARAPPAN MYSTERIES CHOLA LEGACY

One of the most important elements of the Harappan This period gave a renewed importance to textual
civilization is its yet to be deciphered script. There are documentation of history. In the Chola administration, a
so many seals from this period that have markings of special type of offi cer was employed, known as Tirumandira
this fascinating script. However, it was not just seals in Olai Nayagam, who was responsible for penning down oral
the Indus Valley Civilization that indicated writing, but orders on palm leaves immediately. Therefore, today, we
also a signboard! This could very well be the oldest sign have accurate records from this period.
board known to humans dating back to 3000 BCE to
This dynasty fi nds mentions in ancient Tamil Sangam
1500 BCE. This indicates how important writing was for
people at the time. literature and in inscriptions.
Arpeet Patel, Class 10 D, Centre Point School,
Katol Road, Nagpur
TRAVELLER TALES
MAURYAN MARVELS
Megasthenes, the Greek
The Mauryan Empire saw ambassador for the
a number of written Mauryan Empire wrote
works. Kautilya wrote the
Indica. Only fragments
Arthashastra. Today, this of this remain today.
ancient text can be found in
It gave details about
a terrible condition. Besides Mauryan administration
this, King Ashoka was also
and of the capital
known for his edicts. These
were inscriptions written on city, Pataliputra.
Manuscripts from the
pillars and boulders.
Gupta Period were so
well known that it is said that Fa-Hien, the Chinese
THE GOLDEN AGE Buddhist pilgrim visited India to collect Buddhist

manuscripts.
The Gupta Period is seen as the culturally rich age
where the arts and sciences fl ourished. There were
political writings such as Devichandraguptam written by
Visakhadatta. Aryabhatta is also said to have written the ACTIVITY: BRAHMI BRILLIANCE
Aryabhatiya, Varahamihira the Brihatsamhita, Yogasastra
etc. Kalidas also wrote literature in classical Sanskrit, such The Kharosthi script is written from right to left, while
Brahmi is written from left to right! Given here is the
as Abhigyan Shakuntalam and Meghaduta.
numerical system in
Brahmi script.
GRANTHA SCRIPT Using this, write how

During the Pallava dynasty, old you are - I am
there was a script named after ________ years old.
the dynasty, the Pallava The Brahmi numerical
script, which developed system doesn’t have a
into the Grantha script. This Illustration by V Esther Tirzah, fi gure representing 0
was a script used in the Tamil Class 9 E, Centre Point School, (zero). Research and fi nd out why!
Katol Road, Nagpur
region to write Sanskrit.

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