Islamabad, October 31, 2021 (PPI-OT):India is a country whose name comes from the Indus River. The name ‘Bharat’ is used as a designation for the country in their constitution referencing the ancient mythological emperor, Bharata or Bharat, whose story is told, in part, in the Indian epic Mahabharata, said Prof Emeritus Aslam Syed in a Webinar on Discourse on Indo-Pak History: From Antiquity to Modernity-I, The Idea of History in India here.
The guest speaker Prof Emeritus Aslam Syed has been serving the Center for Religious Studies, Ruhr Universität, Bochum, Germany. He remained Chairman, Department of History, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad and also served the NIHCR as its Director.
Replying a question, Prof Syed said that according to the religious and historical texts written down in the 5th century CE, Bharata conquered whole of subcontinent of India and ruled the land in peace and harmony. The land was, therefore, known as Bharatavarsha (the subcontinent of Bharata), therefore, is one of the oldest inhabited regions on the planet.
Responding to a question, Prof Syed said that the Indus Valley Civilization (c. 7000-c. 600 BCE) was among the greatest of the ancient world producing an equally vibrant and progressive culture. It is the birthplace of four great world religions – Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
The Webinar was arranged online by the National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR), Centre of Excellence, Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, attended by over 700 participants ranging from students, teachers and researchers to have greater insights into the valuable views of the guest speaker.
The inventions and innovations of the people of ancient India include many aspects of modern life taken for granted today including the flush toilet, drainage and sewer systems, public pools, mathematics, veterinary science, plastic surgery, board games, yoga and meditation, as well as many more, Prof Syed recalled. During the discourse, the NIHCR Director Dr Sajid Mahmood Awan was of the view that there has been over 4,000 years of philosophical and cultural development in India, going back to early Aryan civilization.
Supplementing Dr Awan’s observation, Prof Syed said that since then, Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, Islamic, Sikh and other influences have left deep imprints on society, every modern Indian, even the poorest illiterate, can tell stories of myth and history, a consciousness of a great civilizational heritage which is unusually widespread. The consciousness of the great past and the newness of the present sometimes produces an abrasive reaction, he opined.
The NIHCR Director Dr Sajid Mahmood Awan conducted the Webinar by triggering a dialogue with Dr Syed for substantiating this discourse. This inclusive activity has been taken up every week for the benefit of students in general and capacity-building of the teachers and researchers in particular, he said.
For more information, contact:
National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR)
Quaid-e-Azam University, New Campus, Shadara Road,
Islamabad, Pakistan
Tel: +92-51-2896153-54/102
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Website: www.nihcr.edu.pk