Culture at cross-roads? – the International conference held at the University of Madras on March 14th and 15th 2024 (1)

Culture at cross-roads? – the International conference held at the University of Madras on March 14^th and 15^th 2024 (1)

Banner kept at the entrace of the F-50 Hall of the University of Madras

 The International Conference on “Culture at cross-roads?”: The International Conference on “Culture at cross-roads?” was held on March 14th and 15th 2024 at the University of Madras, F-50 hall jointly organized by the Anthropology department and Vanama Arts Trust, T. Nagar. Dr M. P. Damodaran and Dr Prabhu Kumari Vamana convened the conference accordingly. Last year, 2023, the Two Day International Academic (Blended Mode Summit on “Culture, Heritage and Nation Building” was held at the University of Madras on February 1st and 2nd 2023 at the Hall of Management Studies, University of Madras[1]. I have posted the proceedings in detail and they can be accessed and read from here[2]. It is happy to note that they have been active and organizing conferences every year, encouraging young students, researchers and others. As they have been delving into culture mainly, they gave a concept note on the topic and it is as follows.

The anthropology department hosted the conference….

“Culture at crossroads?” – concept note: Culture is regarded as the spectacle of human life, the prettiness of humanity! Culture made us unique beings of the world. It is a complex whole, including knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, custom and any capabilities. It is acquired and transmitted from generation to generation over time and space. Culture is our expression, verbal, non-verbal, and visual composition of human history and ways of life itself. The charm of culture and heritage shines in and on art, architecture, dance, music, folklore, integrity of the people and what not. The food, textiles, antique costumes, jewellery exhibits a phenomenal difference of assimilation, acculturation and diffusion due to enormous influence of modernity and globalization. Culture on CrossRoads is a multidimensional process that has created and is continuously creating unique traditions in transformation multifariously.

The culture at crossroads, how understood….

Views in a national and international perspective: The physical crossroads from time immemorial are reifying the human imagination to such an extent that subjects ranging from arts to science or sports to archery did ever remained as an exception. While migration processes conditioned by historical and anthropological events created a unique culture that is now on crossroads. Each twist and turn in the development of mankind has not only created a uni-fold unique environment in any and every sphere of escarpment, influencing the lifeways absolutely or else. This international conference is a channel to express where the indigenous ideas when mixed with heterogeneous ideologies of any or the same country, developed and is also incessantly creating an amalgamating, unifying, revivifying novel unique cultures, of course at times or vice versa! Hence, the Conference will offer a worthwhile exercise of exchange of knowledge and sharing of views in a national and international perspective through a multi-disciplinary as well as interdisciplinary viewpoint.

Bharatiya Samskruti – the Culture of Bharat – has been mentioned in a Telugu daily!

Cross-roads – what it connotes?: By and large, all dictionaries Oxford, Cambridge, Collins, Brittanica, Merriam-Webster etc., give the following connotation:

• As many roads meet at a point, the traveller is bewildered as to proceed further in a particular direction;
• a crucial point especially where a decision must be made
• a crisis situation or point in time when a critical decision must be made
• one has reached an important but uncertain stage to take a decision
• one has reached a very important stage in its development where it could go one way or another.

Thus, the Western connotation has been searching for, reaching at crossroads and thus find a resolution. However, in India, the travellers, drivers and caravans are happy to each chowk (चौक), kutroad (கூட்ரோட்) or crossroad, as they could meet fellow-travellers, eat food, take rest, spend time with others or even do business. Thus, the contrast can be found and appreciated.

Prof B. V. Sharma, Director, and Anthropological Survey of India: Generally the paper speakers and presenters first discussed about “culture at cross-roads?” according to their own understanding and then proceeded to their topic. Prof B. V. Sharma, Director, and Anthropological Survey of India also proceeded in the same way to deliver his inaugural address. He first discussed about “culture at cross-roads?”, taking in as a metaphor, pointing to a situation, where, decision-making process becomes difficult. That men are different from the animals, he explained how cultures change with time. The globalization also affects culture and creates “digital divide” among the people of the world. In the context of India, it is well-known that how unity and diversity held continue to preserve its culture. Each ethnic group has a cultural marker and transmission of culture takes place from generation to generation.  There have been certain practices that are still followed even today, as followed some 2500 years ago. This has been the uniqueness of India.

The HOD, the Dance-historian, the Registrar, the host……

Dr S. Elumalai, the Registrar of the University -presidential address: Dr S. Elumalai, the Registrar of the University delivered his presidential address differentiated between the clash of civilizations and clash of cultures. Agriculture, sericulture, aquaculture, horticulture, etc., he tried to interpret that culture shows the diversity, differences and variance. Yet, there have been common factors in Indian culture. The “Clash of Civilizations” is a thesis that people’s cultural and religious identities will be the primary source of conflict in the post–Cold War world. The American political scientist Samuel P. Huntington argued that future wars would be fought not between countries, but between cultures. It was proposed in a 1992 lecture at the American Enterprise Institute, which was then developed in a 1993 Foreign Affairs article titled “The Clash of Civilizations?”, in response to his former student Francis Fukuyama’s 1992 book The End of History and the Last Man. Huntington later expanded his thesis in a 1996 book The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order. After “the Clash of civilizations,” though, “the clash of cultures” is also talked about[3], there have been differences of opinion. Under the context of globalization also, it is discussed.

Dr Swarnamalaya…..

the audience

Dr Swarnamalya, Dancer & Cultural Historian – special address: Dr Swarnamalya, Dancer & Cultural Historian delivered a special address. She used Tamil words to denote culture and it appears superficial. Though she tried to interpret “Panpadu,” (பண்பாடு) with different nuances, but, she had forgotten “Kalacharam” (கலாச்சாரம்). However, in India, cultural strands have been interwoven and connected to each other. She recollected her association with the university also, as she got PhD from here, and she was rehearsing practice for the inaugural function of Dr A.P.J Abdul Kalam, for President of India etc.

the audience

Dr T. Chandralekha, former Dean, Dr MGR Educational Institute & University: Dr T. Chandralekha, former Dean, Dr MGR Educational Institute & University gave a special address online. In general, she talked about culture and other aspects. As it was online mode, it was not clear, what she was speaking about and the audience was at a crossroads. The students at the back were also talking to each other. Therefore, this type of “online” discourse can be avoided.  

the audience

On-line / hybrid mode and its effectiveness: Nowadays, the on-line mode is used, but, it has been monotonous and there is no connect between the speaker and the audience. The speaker goes on speaking or reading from the paper or from the screen of the computer and there would not be any “lively” interaction. Many times, the audience starts talking with each other, without listening to the speech of the invited guest.  because of the artificiality. Even, if a person presents a paper or talks at regular conference, the whole audience may not be interested in listening to. Also, some time is wasted from the beginning to end due to technical and other problems. During the Corona period, it was used and now sometimes continues with inherent limitations.

the audience

List of papers not given: As the list of papers was not given, it was very difficult to know who was the paper presenter and what was his paper. Each paper presenter, just came and presented the paper. There was much generalization without any specifics, where the audience could not get attracted. Too much repetitiveness, vague narrative and verbose also do not attract the audience.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

17-03-2024

the audience

---

[1] K. V. Ramakrishna Rao, The Two Day International Academic (Blended Mode[1]) Summit on Culture, Heritage and Nation Building was held at the University of Madras on February 1st and 2nd 2023 at the hall of Management Studies (1), February 9, 2023.

The Conference on Culture, Heritage and Nation Building held at the University of Madras on February 1st and 2nd 2023 (1)

[2] K. V. Ramakrishna Rao, The Two Day International Academic (Blended Mode[1]) Summit on Culture, Heritage and Nation Building was held at the University of Madras on February 1st and 2nd 2023 at the hall of Management Studies (2), February 9, 2023.

The Conference on Culture, Heritage and Nation Building held at the University of Madras on February 1st and 2nd 2023 (2)

[3] Fagan, Brian M. Clash of cultures. Rowman Altamira, 1998.

History, Science and Technology of South Asian Ceramics – The Proceedings of the Third International Conference in Commemoration of Iravatham Mahadevan 2024 (5)

History, Science and Technology of South Asian Ceramics – The Proceedings of the Third International Conference in Commemoration of Iravatham Mahadevan 2024 (5)

Today, the last day of the conference had two sessions VII and VIII with the following papers.

09.01.2024, Tuesday – 10.00-11.30 AM Session – VII: Microscopy and compositional study:  this session was chaired by Dr. Mudit Trivedi and the following papers were presented.

Scientific Analysis of Archaeological Ceramics – K. Krishnan: The first compositional analysis of ceramics from the Indian sub-continent dates back to the 1920s. Those were wet chemical analyses that led to the identification of the elemental composition. The 1960s witnessed the application of petrographic methods to study ceramics. However, interpreting those results was difficult and offered many challenges. Therefore, the results of those early studies were presented as additional information in the respective excavation reports or as research notes. Though isolated, problem-oriented studies on ceramics using scientific techniques in recent years have brought out several interesting results that benefitted the scientific discipline and archaeological studies. This paper will present the applications and limitations of scientific analyses of pottery and its relevance to cultural studies through reviews and case studies. For this, studies on ceramics from different Harappan settlements in Gujarat will be presented. He focussed on understanding general issues such as provenance and clay paste preparation techniques. He also elaborated on the applications and limitations of the methods employed and how a balancing interpretation was made to satisfy the archaeological goals

Northern Black Polished Ware: An Ancient Science  – Alok Kumar Kanungo: Ancient sciences often denote to traditional knowledge systems, when the practices involved in the production cycle of the artefact are situated and contextualized to particular geo-cultural zone. When a knowledge system stands apart from its contemporary and remains in action only for a particular time period, that leaves behind more questions than answers. Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) is one such pottery type of India. The paper will deal with this ware’s history, science and technology by mapping the distribution trends of NBPW, and microscopic and elemental composition analyses of a selected sherds.

Some Aspects of NBPW Manufacturing Technologies  – Sidharth Shankar Rai: Potteries are the most fascinating artefacts for archaeometric investigation because separate pottery tradition represents distinct cultural tradition and the development of pottery manufacturing technology indicates societal innovation for producing a better product. Ancient Indian Glazed ware commonly known as Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) in archaeological literature is the iconic black glazed pottery produced in early Historic India from 7th century BCE to 1st century CE in the Ganga Valley. The NBPW has been manufactured in such a way that the gloss of this pottery has remained unaffected after passage of more than 2,500 years. . The production of glaze is a major achievement of ancient craftsmen. It is a result of different processes including the melting and solidification of a variety of vitreous compounds. Seven black coloured NBPW sherds and one ancient brick sample from archaeological site of Kausambi are analysed in order to understand the composition of clay, firing process and nature of the surface of the pottery. The samples are analysed through SEM, EDS and XRD. It is reported that locally available clay is used for pottery manufacturing and pyrolysis of clay minerals is responsible for the sparkling beauty of the NBPW.

From the East to the West: Investigating the Presence of South China Sea Ceramics in South Asia – Aude Favereau: Research on the movement of people and goods from the Mediterranean world to China via South- and South-East Asia aroused a great deal of interest, particularly on cultural exchanges that occurred by the end of the 1st millennium BCE and the beginning of the 1st millennium CE. Evidence of contact between communities in the Bay of Bengal and the South China Sea basins during this period highlighted complex cultural interactions involving the exchange of artefacts but also the dissemination of technologies and styles. But what about the circulations from East- and South-East Asia to South Asia? Were there imported ceramics or vessels used to carry commodities? Are South China Sea ceramics known in South Asia? This paper proposes (1) to review the ceramics of South Asia reported in the literature as being potentially linked to the East and to assess what is known about these vessels in South-East Asia; (2) to introduce a selection of ceramic types that circulated widely in the South China Sea and that are also found at sites facing the Bay of Bengal in Myanmar to question whether these types travelled up to South Asia; and (3) to make inferences about interactions and exchange activities during pre- and protohistoric times.

Provenience Unveiled: Exploring Torpedo Jars through Geochemical and Petrographic Analysis – Ritvik Balvally: The regions of West Asia, Arabia, Eastern Africa, and Roman-Byzantine territories had trade connections with China, and India in the 1st millennium CE. Western India was a hub for Indian Ocean trade, especially between 3rd to 10th centuries CE and ceramics; glazed and un-glazed were a major part of this exchange. Torpedo Jars are West Asian transport vessels used for overseas exchange during this period lined with bitumen. But the provenience of these ceramics has so far eluded us. Although attempts have been made to study the bitumen and petrographic analysis of Torpedo Jars separately, the picture is still unclear as to where the Torpedo Jars are exactly manufactured. Thus, this study emphasises a two-pronged approach to bolster data further and infer it to understand the provenience of these ceramics. The geochemical data comprising biomarker and carbon isotopes on chromatographic fractions of the bitumen lining of these Torpedo Jars is compared to oil seep references from different areas in southern and southwest Iran. Data on bitumen collected from numerous Iranian archaeological sites has been used as proxies to complete the investigation. On the other hand, thin-section petrographic studies would help in determining the petro-mineral profile of the ceramics.

The Elemental Composition of Late Medieval Glaze on Ceramics from the West Coast India – Laure Dussubieux: Glaze is a thin layer of a vitreous material fused at the surface of a ceramic. It is applied either for decorative purposes, adding colours and shine to the ceramic paste, or for practical reasons, as it improves the impermeability of the ceramics to liquids. Glazes often have compositions very similar to glass and are either silica or lead-based, with the addition of different alkali or alkali-earth rich ingredients depending on when and where it was produced. Metals and oxides are added to modify the colour or opacity of the glazes. Being able to determine the elemental composition of the glaze is important as it is a way to obtain information about the dating and provenance of the ceramics. In west coast of India, there are several medieval sites which have given evidence of glazed ware of Monochrome variety, and the epicenter of production evidence comes from the Gulf of Khambhat during 14-16th c. CE. This paper will illustrate the study of glaze on ceramics with the case of artefacts found at the site of Bhagatrav in Gujarat, dating from the 14th to 17th c. CE. Several types of glazes were identified based on their compositions: a Celadon from China, two samples possibly manufactured at or around Bhagatrav, two samples possibly produced in Khambhat, Gujarat and two samples with a likely Indian origin, although a more precise place of manufacture cannot be proposed. These results indicate a connection of Bhagatrav with the long-distance trade of the Indian Ocean as revealed by the presence of a ceramic sherd from China, contrasting with more local or regional exchange networks that connected Bhagatrav to Khambhat and possibly other localities nearby.

India was not depicted properly in her slides….

Marine Seismics and its use in Marine Archaeology  – Rajesh Nair: Marine seismic technology is pivotal in underwater archaeology, particularly in exploring submerged ancient civilizations resulting from historical climatic shifts. Given that more than two-thirds of our planet’s surface is covered by vast water bodies, traditional survey methods prove inadequate for visualizing sedimentary layers, human-built structures, and lost cities concealed beneath. Fusing marine seismics with sophisticated seismic interpretation techniques yields a profound advancement in marine archaeology. Seismic attribute analysis adeptly identifies nuanced data variations, hinting at the presence of shipwrecks, submerged edifices, and artefacts. Seismic inversion, in turn, refines data, offering insights into the archaeological site’s age and the preservation status of its relics. Incorporating 3D visualization provides multifaceted perspectives, facilitating meticulous excavation planning. The amalgamation of seismic inversion methodologies with multi-point geostatistics, as exemplified in the Mumbai offshore region (Ambati et al., GGGG, 2021), serves to model subsurface structures and pinpoint anomalies in sedimentary deposits. This comprehensive approach fosters non-invasive investigations, mitigating the need for destructive physical excavations. Not only does it unearth archaeological features, but it also supplies vital information about their attributes and geological context.

Discussion: The questions may be written down and sent to the paper presenters, s announced by the organizers. . In the slides shown by Laure Dussubieux, India was depicted in the truncated form. The organizers could have noted to avoid such depictions. When asked about the holes found in the tripod type ceramics, the paper presenter could not answer, but explained away mentioning that was only hypothesis. In fact, she went to teacher / guide telling that she would better explain. Suggestion was also made to compare the tripod pottery with that of South India. Perhaps, the Thailand researchers my not be knowing about the tripod ceramic potteries fund in the South India.

2.30-4.00 PM Session VIII: Pyrotechnology: The session was chaired by Prof. Ajithprasad P.

Chemical-technological Analysis of the Li People Ceramics of Hainan Island: The Problem of Preserving Pottery Traditions  – Ekaterina Girchenko and Oleg Kardash: This paper investigates the pottery traditions of the Li people of Hainan island in southern China. The Li people till recently, lived isolated in mountainous areas for a long time, so they have preserved many ancient traditions up to the present day. It is a matter of principle for our respondents from the Donghe village not to use modern tools and containers in the ceramic crafts, but to make all the necessary attributes from bamboo, wood and shells. All stages of pottery-making were recorded in the study. Eight samples of clays and ceramic fragments, both fired and unfired, were selected for Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray fluorescence analysis, in order to reconstruct the structure, mineral composition and chemical properties of clays that according to potters were suitable and unsuitable for pottery-making. The chemical research has made it possible to establish temperatures that are quite high for firing over an open fire, which means that the complex structure of the fire pit with coconut shells and branches made it possible to achieve reducing roasting parameters for ceramics over an open fire as if they were fired in a kiln. The results of the experiments are correlated with the archaeological materials, so it is possible to recreate the specific characteristics of ancient pottery.

More ideas on Harappan Stoneware Bangles  – Massimo Vidale: The presentation summarizes what is presently known about the complicated pyrotechnology of Harappan stoneware bangles based on discoveries at Mohenjo-Daro and following important experimental studies during the excavation at Harappa. He went into the technical details of how the bangles were manufactured with the furnace etc. We propose critical considerations of what has been published so far and some new possible interpretations about the firing technology of this amazing and unique class of personal ornaments. He has already published papers and books on the topic individually and also with his colleagues.

On the importance of Technical Ceramics: Archaeometric Analyses and Historical Interpretation of Crucibles, Furnaces, Moulds and Tuyères and a Case Study from Southern Thailand  – Thomas Oliver Pryce: In a traditionally constituted archaeological team, ceramic artefacts fall under the purview of the ceramicist, while metal artefacts lie within that of the metallurgist. However, while the former is usually chiefly concerned with huge amounts of pottery, the latter is often asked to consider technical ceramics, or all ceramics that are not pottery or fragments thereof. This category can include materials from a wide variety of sources: ceramic building materials like adobe, bricks, clay flooring, cob and tile, as well as crucibles, furnaces, hearths, moulds and tuyères from a range of high-temperature industries. Of course, such division of specialist labour is rarely planned as such, and rather it results from the uncertainties implicit in discoloured, degraded, fragmentary and/or vitrified artefacts as they come out of the ground.

And such evaluation must be initiated as they are excavated, as passage via the pot wash can destroy vital information. With this paper, I will give the case study of Khao Sam Kaeo, a 4th-1st c. BCE entrepot and proto-city state in peninsular Thailand, which has produced exceptional evidence for exchanges of raw materials, techniques and even artisans across the Bay of Bengal. In Southeast Asia, there is a class of metal artefacts called ‘Indian high-tin bronze bowls’, due to comparators from the subcontinent with a particular configuration of typo-stylistic, technological, elemental and lead isotopic characteristics. Applying a ‘technological approach’ to these bowls, demonstrating how, where and by whom these artefacts were produced depends upon the associated technical ceramics, in particular vitrified and slagged fragments and globular vessels with a nippled base.

Live potters (Handmade Naga Pottery and Black Pottery of Azamgarh) workshops and kilns for hands-on experiments will be available throughout the conference at KV Ground, adjacent to TTJ Auditorium. Nagaland  – Mrs. Chahang Phom and Ali Phom with Interpreter Mr. Pangtuk Phom and Uttar Pradesh  – Mr. Ramjatan Prajapati and Sohit Kumar Prajapati explained the process. The participants and delegates carefully noted the manufacturing activities carried on for the purpose. The artisans came here for the purpose.

After the paper presentation, the certificates were distributed to some of the participants ad delegates. Alok Kumar Kanungo thanked all who participated and attended the conference and as well as the organizations helped them accommodating to host by providing all facilities. Rajan also thanked all hoping to meet again on some other conference. The Five-day deliberations concluded with the National Anthem.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

09-01-2024

The Bower Manuscript – Navanitika, the Ancient Medical Book of Bharat discovered in 19th century in Central Asia!

The Bower Manuscript – Navanitika, the Ancient Medical Book of Bharat discovered in 19^th century in Central Asia!

Bower to Waterhouse to Rudolf Hoernle: Next to the Bakhshali manuscript, the Bower manuscript attracts Indian researchers of Science and Technology in India. Actually, it is “Navanitika,” an ancient medical book, recovered partially. However, it is named after Hamilton Bower – a British Lieutenant, who bought the manuscript in March, 1890 while on a mission to chase an assassin charged with hacking a Scotsman to death. Just like “Periyar planetarium,” [who has nothing to do anything with astronomy], the Medical manuscript of the book has been named after the purchaser of the book, instead of the author. The story of the purchase goes in this way – On the night of 2^nd or 3^rd March 1890, a man came to his tent and offered to sell him old manuscripts and artefacts that his treasure hunters had found. Bower bought them. This proves that the European explorers, army officers, members of the Society of Jesus and others had been in the vigorous searchers and purchasers of Indian manuscripts[1]. James Waterhouse, the then President of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Waterhouse mentioned that the Bower manuscript had 56 leaves (the edition now preserved at Bodleian Library has 51 leaves). That is five pages / leaves were missing from the recovered collection. He reported that the Bower manuscript was bound with two wooden boards on either end and a string running through a hole. The fragmentary manuscript was analyzed, edited, translated and published by Rudolf Hoernle in 1897 in instalments,[2] but, not completed.

The Manuscript book was meddled with: Immediately after his return to India in February 1891, Hoernle began to study the manuscript. He found that the manuscript leaves were jumbled out of sequence, but had the page numbers marked on the left. They were obviously written in three or four styles[3], thus by three / four persons or three / four different periods. After re-arranging them, he concluded that it was an abridged collection of several different treatises[4]. “On examining more closely the several leaves, I noticed that they were evidently mixed up. The leaves written in the different hands followed one another without any order. But I also noticed that many of the leaves were marked with numbers on their left hand margin…..It further seemed that the three varieties of writing distinguished three different works…………The work is a compendium of medicine, is named the Navanitika, and consists of sixteen chapters (adhydya). That it was written by a Buddhist, is seen from the initiatory salutation of the “Tathagatas” or Buddhas……based on the excellent system of the Maharishis as composed by them in olden times……..Now as to the age of the MS., I believe it to be very old and written not later than the end of the 5th century A. D. The style of writing is exactly like that which we meet with in the early Gupta inscriptions[5], between 450 and 550 A. D..,” He presented the first decipherment two months later, at the meeting of the Society in April 1891, with evidence that it was “the oldest Indian written book that is known to exist”.The Bower Manuscript, sometimes referred to as the Yashomitra Manuscript, is preserved in the collections of the Bodleian Library in Oxford.

The facts that could be derived from the analysis of the Bower Manuscript: The following facts could be listed as the facts derived from the analysis of the manuscript:

1. The Indian medical system and books travelled with the Buddhist monks going to Central Asia, China etc.
2. Sanskrit was the language used, but it was written in different scripts. Here, it was written in the Gupta Brajmi, as the British noted.
3. The writers, composers and practitioners of medicinal works acknowledged the source to “….the excellent system of the Maharishis as composed by them in olden times……”
4. In other words, the Buddhists acknowledged that they derived such knowledge from the earlier Rishis, the Hindus.
5. Thus, there had been an established medical system in the ancient India.
6. The collectors, sellers and buyers of the manuscripts used to mix-up the manuscripts without knowing the contents and significance.
7. During the 19^th-20^th centuries, the dating of the manuscripts was done relatively. Comparing the style of the script with that of the style of scripts used in the rock inscriptions.
8. As the rock inscriptions have been dated after the invasion of Alexander’s invasion and Asoka was reportedly copied the “Brahmi script” from the Greeks, they were dated to c. 3d cent.BCE.
9. Thus, the historical period of India started with c.326 BCE and all other incidences were placed in the pre-historic period.

What the Bower Manuscript or “Navanitika” deals with?: The writers salute the Tathagatas with the claim that they are going to write an approved compendium of medicine called the Navanitaka, based on the excellent system of the Maharishis as composed by them in olden times. Useful medicinal details are given for the cure of diseases of women and children. The work is commended to those physicians whose minds delight in conciseness, but on account of the multiplicity of its prescriptions.

1. The first chapter will give prescriptions of powders ;
2. the second of clarified butter;
3. the third will be concerned with oils.
4. The fourth will be about the mixtures which are used in the treatment of various diseases.
5. The fifth will give prescriptions of clysters,
6. the sixth rules about elixirs.
7. The seventh will be about gruels,
8. the eighth about aphrodisiacs,
9. the ninth about eyewashes,
10. the tenth about hair-dyes.
11. The eleventh will be concerned with applications of the yellow myrobalan.
12. The twelfth will be about bitumen,
13. the thirteenth about castor-oil.
14. The fourteenth will be concerned with the treatment of children;
15. the fifteenth will deal with the treatment of barren women.
16. Lastly the sixteenth will be about the treatment of women who have children.

 These sixteen chapters will constitute the Navanitaka.

Rudolf Hoernle on Indian Oesteology[6]: After the Bakhshali and Bower manuscripts, what made Rudolf Hoernle to take interest in “Indian Oesteology” is not known. He compared the number of bones mentioned in the medical works of the Greeks and the Indians. theory of the Ancient Indians regarding the skeleton, or the bony frame of the human body, has been transmitted to us m three different systems These are the systems of Atreya, Susruta, and Vagbhata. Pointing out that Ktesias[7] [400 BCE] came to India[8], he placed Charaka and Sushruta in the 6^th cent.BCE period. He also discussed about the two versions of the origin of medicine – one from Indra to Bharadwaja to Atreya to others and two from Indra to Dhanvantri (also called as Divadoshs, Kasiraja) to others. Rudolf Hoernle who proposed date of 600 BCE to Susruta uses a calibrating data point of Satapatha Brahmana to 500 BCE. Here, he gives 1000 BCE  to Satapatha Brahmana. Thus, he would have come across different manuscripts, birch-bark books on Indian medicine and hence his relative dates given to Indian works change. That the Indian civilization had/has been continuing for many thousands of years, whereas, the much talked, publicized and praised civilizations lie Assyrian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Roman, Greek and other civilizations had disappeared. Therefore, without proper healthcare etc., the Indians could not have lived to produce population. This implies the existence of doctors, hospitals etc., from the earlier period. The Mehrgarh evidences prove that dental surgery was practised at least 7500 YBP. The evidences of Trepanation also go back to c.4300 YBP or 2300 BCE[9]. The Chola inscription of the medieval period recorded about the existence of a full-fledged hospital with a surgeon. That so many battles and wars were fought also prove the existence of doctors, hospitals, surgeons and medicines. Therefore, putting all evidences together, the literary evidences could match with the historical and protohistorical evidences to link the prehistoric with historical period.

Rhinoplasty – From Susruta to Dinnanath Kangharia: Vaidya Bhagwan Dash in his introduction gives the following details[10]:

“Unfortunately, Lord Buddha himself succumbed to death after an operation by an Ayurvedic surgeon, and thereafter, surgery was considered as a form of violence against which his followers stood very firm and prohibited the various surgical measures by people, including surgeons of the country. The knowledge of surgery including anatomy gradually declined and looks on these subjects subsequently disappeared”.

Rhinoplasty was also practised in India, but, banned by the British government[11].

The rhinoplasty / (rhino = nose + plastiokos = shaping of) / shaping of the nose by plastic surgery practised in India up to 18^th century CE also proves the tradition of Sushruta. K. S. Goleria[12], S. C. Almast[13], Tribhovandas Shah[14], J. L. Gupta[15] and others[16] have pointed out such cases. The rhinoplasty has been practised by certain families e.g, Marattas of Kumar near Pune, Nepal, Kangharias of Kangra, and Himachal Pradesh. Dr. S. C. Almast reports that Sri. Dinanath Kangaria at Kangra and his family has been practising since 1440 CE. In fact, they claim that it was followed since the Mahabharat War, which took place around 3100 BCE. Taking the Trepanation evidences, as discussed below, it may not be brushed aside as boasted claim. Tribhovandas Motichand Shah was the then Chief Medical Officer at Junagadh in 1889 and he has recorded over a hundred cases of rhinoplasty conducted over four years describing the minute operative details and discussed the advantages of forehead rhinoplasty. Thus, it is evident that the tradition of rhinoplasty has been followed without a break.

Brahmi script exposed the forgeries and frauds of the British researchers: As the European researchers were searching for antiquities with the help of local people, they slowly understood the requirements of the Europeans. As they themselves were making profits by selling the antiquities, the guides in connivance with the locals started manufacturing copies of the antiquities, so that they could be sold to different explorers. It was in this competitive environment that Islam Akhun emerged. In 1895 he approached the British Consul in Kashgar, Sir George Macartney, with a number of manuscripts on paper. Ibrahim Mullah, Islam Akhun’s partner, was also selling similar items to the Russian consul Nikolai Petrovsky. He sent them to St. Petersburg to be translated. Ibrahim Mullah had some knowledge of Cyrillic scripts, and so he incorporated Cyrillic characters, which proved very confusing for those scholars tasked with their translation. Some were in a script similar to Brahmi and the documents were in several different formats, many bound with copper ties. Macartney purchased the documents and sent them to India in the hope that Augustus Rudolf Hoernlé, a prominent scholar of Indo-Aryan languages, would be able to decipher them. In April 1901 Stein tracked down Islam Akhun in Khotan and questioned him over the course of two days. Initially, Islam Akhun claimed innocence, insisting he had only been an agent for Macartney, and had himself purchased the documents from other parties, knowing how much the English desired them.  On his return to England, Stein met with Hoernle in his house in Oxford in July 1901 and informed the position[17].

Hoernle works destroyed or not – the background: Hoernle hoped that his own report could be destroyed but this was not possible as it had already been published. However, he was able to edit the second part before it went to print. Many of the forgeries remain in the collections of the British Library and the Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, St. Petersburg. Interestingly, in the case of A.A. fuhrer, the same thing happened in bringing a casket that reportedly containing the ashes of Buddha, on which, Asokan Brahmi was inscribed[18]. Buhler deciphered the script in both cases. Vincent Smith intervened and decided. The publications of both Hoernle and Fuhrer were suspended or stopped or suppressed. Only par ts-II to VII are available. I have dealt with Fuhrer in detail in my paper[19]. The Asokan Brahmi has been placed to c.3^rd cent.BCE, but, Brahmi inscriptions are found on the monuments of Jain and Buddhist periods. Then, its dating should go to 7^th-6^th cent.BCE. When the dating of the perishable documents could go back to first centuries BCE-CE period, the scripts found on the inscriptions could not have been restricted to c.3^rd cent.BCE based on the Alexander invasion. Therefore, the dating of the Brahmi script has to be reassessed.

© K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

29-04-2020

[1]  In another paper, I have shown how the Indian manuscripts were taken away by these groups to Europe and later to USA and supplying to Scientists, researchers, libraries and museums.

 K.V.Ramakrishna Rao, The Transmission of Medical Knowledge from Tamizhagam to Europe (15^th to 20^th centuries), sent for the seminar held at Los Angeles from November 17^th to 19^th 2006.

[2] A. F. Rudolf Hoernle, The Bower Manuscript, Parts III to VII, Archaeology of Survey of India, Calcutta, 1897.

[3]  The first point that strikes one on looking through the MS. is, that it appears to be written in three, if not four, different styles. This point has been already noticed in the November account.

Rudolf Hoernle, Birch Bark Manuscript, From the Proceedings, Asiatic Society of Bengal, for April, 1891, p.1.

[4] Rudolf Hoernle, Birch Bark Manuscript, From the Proceedings, Asiatic Society of Bengal, for April, 1891. Issued as a 20-page booklet.

[5] “The whole manuscript is written in what Mr. Fleet (in his Gupta Inscriptions in Volume III of the Corpus Inscription urn Indicorum, p. 3) distinguishes as the Northern class of the Nagari alphabet, which is characterized by the peculiar form of them. Of this class, however, three varieties are observable in the MS” – Rudolf Hoernle.

[6]  A. F. Rudolf Hoernle, Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India – Oesteology or the Bones of Human Body, Part-I, Oxford at the Clarendon Press, 1907.

[7] Ktesias also known as Ctesias the Cnidian or Ctesias of Cnidus, was a Greek physician and historian from the town of Cnidus in Caria, when Caria was part of the Achaemenid Empire flourished during the 5th century BCE.

[8] A. F. Rudolf Hoernle, Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India – Oesteology or the Bones of Human Body, preface, two Greek physicians, Ktesias, about 400 BCE , and Magasthenes about 300 BCE, visited, or resided in Northern India,

[9] K. V. Ramakrishna Rao, The position of Surgery Before and After Buddha, Swadeshi Science Movement, Bangalore, Sastratrayi,  pp.187-198.

[10] Vaidya Bhagwan Dash, in his introduction to the Hoernle’s book, pp.xix-xx.

1984. F. Rudolf Hoernle, Studies in the Medicine of Ancient India (Osteology or the Bones of the Human Body), Concept Publishing Company, New Delhi, 1984.

[11] Nasal reconstructions had been practised as a relatively routine procedure in India for centuries. This was driven by the common use of nasal mutilation in India as a means of punishment or private vengeance for various forms of immorality. The procedures are described in two well-known early Indian medical works, the Suśruta Saṃhitā, thought to date to the middle of the first millennium BCE, and the Aṣṭāṅgahṛdayasaṃhitā, believed to date from the sixth century CE.  By the nineteenth century the technique had been handed down through separate families in three different parts of India.

https://blogs.bl.uk/science/2016/10/britains-first-nose-job.html

[12] K. S. Goleria, Pedicie Flaps – A Historical Review, Indian Journal of Surgery, 1966, Vol.28, pp.247-254.

[13] S. C. Almast, History and Evolution of the Indian method of Rhinoplasty, Transactions of Fourth Internation Congress, Rome, Oct.1967, pp.19-25.

[14] Tribhuvandas, Rhinoplasty – A Short Description of One Hundred Cases, The Source Book of Plastic Surgery, 1977, pp.121-127.

[15] J. L. Gupta, Past, Present and Future of Plastic Surgery in India, Indian Journal of Plastic Surgery, 1991, Vol.24, pp.1-9.

[16] Keegan, Rhinoplastic Operations with Description of Recent Improvements in the Indian method, Bailliere, Tindall and Cox, London, 1900.

[17] What Stein wrote to Hoernle, “Islam Akhun is a very clever rascal, with a good deal of humour and brains quite above the level of his compatriots. His memory as to the articles he supplied was surprising. When he was once on the road to a full confession, it was easy to see how well his avowals agreed with the stories he had told M. and which your Report reproduces. I appreciate brains even in a scoundrel, and I wonder whether I. A. is not too dangerous a fellow to let loose on an innocent Khotan. … I do not know which documents you consider to be written in a kind of debased Nāgarī, and must reserve my opinion until you have shown them to me. But from what I have indicated above, you will realize why I fear that this reading will not prove more justified than my own supposition of Pahlavi characters in some of I. A.’s fabrications. Questions of this kind ought to be examined after a reliable knowledge of local facts has been secured, and I have spared no trouble to obtain this. You and others will be put by my report in full possession of these dates, and will then be able to judge for yourself whether it is worthwhile to continue the study of those documents in “unknown” characters”.

[18] JRASB, The Piprdhwd Stitpa, containing relics of Buddha. By WILLIAM CLAXTON PEPPE, Esq. Communicated, with a Note, by VINCENT A. SMITH, I.C.S., M.R.A.S. With two Plates. Pp.573-588

[19] K. V. Ramakrishna Rao, Salvaging, redeeming and Saving Archaeology and Managing Heritage in the Indian Context, A paper presented at the National Seminar, “Salvaging Archaeology and Heritage Management” held at Meenakshi College, Chennai on November 29th and 30th 2016.

“Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast”, the National Seminar held on 8th and 9th February 2017 at Puducherry (1)

“Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast”, the National Seminar held on  8^th and 9^th February 2017 at Puducherry (1).

The National Seminar On “Culture, Commerce and Empire: Exploring the Coromandel Coast” was held on 8^th and 9^th February 2017 at the Convention-cum-Cultural Centre, Pondicherry University under the UGC – SAP [DRS-II] program. The SAP and DRS may apear differently for engineering and IT students, but, here, they have different connotations. SAP = Special Assistance Programme and not SAP SE[1] or SAP [Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte] as known. DRS = Departmental Research Assistance and not anything else. The delegates were accommodated at the Convention Centre and the “International Guest House”, Pondicherry[2].

The International Guest House was started in 1972 by the Aurobindu Ashram[3] situated near to Manakkula Vinayagar temple. The registration was done at the Convention Centre on February 8^th 2017 and the proceedings were conducted at the Convention cum cultural centre.

On 7th evening, Kanaka Ratnam and Paldurai came to take us [Shri Krshna, Sovon Sanyal, Bijender Singh, Raman Sinha and myself] for dinner.

I could meet Prof Venkata Ragotham after several years!

The Theme of the Seminar: The theme of the seminar was given a follows by the organizers[4]:The onset of modern age intersected with the emergence of colonial empires in the non- European world. Therefore, the expansion of modern culture contributing to the explosion of commerce which in turn culminated in the rise of empires in the non-European world are closely interconnected. The commercial and trading activities of the European powers close to the first half of the eighteenth century had not brought about a significant impact on social and cultural realms of the non-European societies. The cultural transaction between the European and non-European worlds was non-intrusive and not very contagious. However, with the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of Capitalism, the European countries witnessed unparalleled growth in their economies and in the realms of culture. Following this, there was an intense drive for acquisition of colonies. The non- European world, powerless to prevent the onset of this rapacious process, began to experience a decisive and irreversible transformation. The advancement of the European nations and disintegration of the non-European countries was thus simultaneous and parallel process. Cultural transformation was concomitant with the intensified expansion of commerce. The emergence of new libertarian culture accelerated the endeavours to explore new frontiers of the world and seek new avenues for expansion of trade and commerce. The culture changes assisted commercial expansion and the commercial contingencies contributed to the construction of empires in the non-European world. Indian Ocean trading network massively expanded after 1500 A.D. The network of long-distance commerce and creation of network of communications climaxed ultimately in founding empires in India and elsewhere. The exchange of commerce eventually led to the control of the territories and colonization. Commerce was thus connected to the colonization and vice versa.

How the initial commercial and cultural transaction had taken place in the early stages in India was alluded by a foreign traveller, who extols the ingenuity of Indians. Pyrard de Laval (1619), exudes: “I have never seen men of wit so fine and polished as are these Indians: they have nothing barbarous or savage about them as we are apt to suppose. They are unwilling indeed to adopt the manners and customs of the Portuguese; yet they readily learn their manufactures and workmanship, being all very curious and desirous of learning. In fact the Portuguese take and learn more from them than they from the Portuguese; and they that come fresh to Goa are very simpletons till they have acquired the airs and graces of the Indies. The European trading companies seeking to establish their trading contacts with the Eastern world initially traversed along the coastal regions establishing their trading posts and in the process nurturing their territorial ambitions on account of the politically volatile environments in India. European commerce and its expansion with the East were essentially hinged on the policy of conquest and control. It was the lucrative trade and commerce and the unlimited opportunities for exploitation of the natural resources of the non-European world, which finally set off the colonization process”. W.H. Carey (1882) writes thus: “At the commencement of the Company’s commercial operations in India, the trade was not extensive; but small as the Company’s power to trade was, limited as their means were, the profits were nevertheless large. It was not uncommon to make 100 per cent, of profit on their capital and in some cases it even exceeded that percentage. It is axiomatic that it was the prospect of unlimited profits that lured the British trading company to India. Despite of initial hiccups, the Britishers were firm on pursuing their trade and commerce with India”.

The lust for fortune more than their appetite for territories tied the British firmly to Indian trade till the mid-eighteenth century. The commercial and trading company was finally transformed into a Colonial Power. Ports turned into Fortresses. Merchants found themselves reincarnated as Messiahs of India, a development, which had been described by Adam Smith as a “strange absurdity”: that is, a Company-State and a merchant-empire, and which was further ‘pilloried’ by Edmund Burke as “a state in the disguise of a merchant”. (Philip J, Stern, 2011). The seminal theme for the seminar is the great expansion in interaction between the world’s distinct terrains, cultures and peoples and the change that was caused by contact with the foreigners and their armies, commodities and ideas. Aspects particularly the trajectory of trade and commerce, the emergence of new markets, the transformations in the production process in the areas of agriculture and industry, the demise of old cities and emergence of new ones, the process of de-industrialization and its attendant social and economic outcomes, the growth of the capitalist enterprises, the emergence of new social classes, viz., capitalist class, working class would also be covered.

The Objectives of the Seminar:  It would focus on the trajectory of Coromandel Coast from early modern era to the end of the colonial rule in India. It primarily seeks to focus on the interconnections between culture, commerce and empire building process in the Coromandel Coast.

• The phenomenon of Colonialism unleashed the consequences, which were disastrous for the colonized people. The foundation of British colonial rule in India was a protracted and painful process. In the process of its establishment, it devised varied instruments and endeavoured to alter or disorganize the Indian economy, distort the society and disorient the patterns of development. Precisely, the National Seminar seeks to interrogate this excruciating process, explore the narrative of colonial trauma, and the strategies employed by the colonial powers in building their empires.
• The Seminar aims at providing comprehensive understanding of the transformations in the economy and society of colonial south India. It covers the introduction of diverse policies under the British rule. It also discusses the transformation that was effected in the urban space of British India. It focuses on the endeavours to reconstruct India and also on the emergence of modern industry and the rise of new social classes in colonial India.
• The Seminar also attempts to bring focus on the spread of Western science, the condition and contribution of science in the colonial process and the nature of scientific progress in a colony with special reference to India. It seeks to critically survey the role played by the East India Company in the diffusion of science and technology in India, and also the introduction and the degree of support extended to Western medicine in India with particular emphasis on the Coromandel region.
• The seminar chiefly focuses on the interrogation of the cultural and commercial transactions between the Western colonial powers and India, the foundation and the role of Colonialism in India’s social, political and economic evolution. It aims to reassess the adequacy of the interpretive strategies or the historiography hitherto followed in the study of nature of the Colonial State.
• It also endeavours to articulate on the necessity to look for new sources i.e., non archival sources to construct or reconstruct the history of Colonial State and its accountability in the transformation of social, political and economic aspects of colonial India especially the Coromandel region. It also seeks to address the emergence of new perspectives on history and historiography of Colonial State.

The Broad Sub-themes of the Seminar: Besides the above, the broad sub-themes were suggested as follows:

• State and Society in pre-colonial India
• Trade and Commerce (17th -20th Century).
• Empire building: Wars and Technology: Ship Building Technology (17th -20th Century)
• Early Cultural Transaction and Travelers’ Accounts.
• Debate on Indian Economic Transformation in 19th Century
• Rise and growth of New Market Networks
• Advent of New Technologies: Printing Technology
• Indian Renaissance and Making of Modern India
• Influx of New Cultural Practices: Western Food Culture and New Recreational Avenues
• Emergence of New Public Spaces: Museum, Zoo, Botanical Gardens, Herbarium
• Rise of New Architecture: Insignia of Colonial Rule
• Science, Technology and Empire: Growth of Scientific and Technological Research Centres and Laboratories
• Colonial rule and its multifarious impact on Coromandel Coast

The convener of the seminar was Dr. K. Venugopal Reddy, Associate Professor and Head, Department of History[5].

Inaugural, keynote, felicitation and presidential addresses: As usual, though the inauguration was to start by 10.30, it was delayed slightly. Again, as usual, the “Kuttuvilakku” (lighting the traditional lamp) was lighted by the VIPs with shoes, as a sign of inauguration. Prof G. Chandrika recalled as to how the department of History was started in 1986 with K. S. Mathew as HOD and then had association with S. Gopal, Chempakalakshmi, M. G. S. Naraynan and others. Of course, it has grown with Dr Venkata Raghotham with the tradition of “dissent and debate”. In 1992, there were only three students in history department, but, now, there are more than 150 students.  Thus, the history department here has been active. Then, K. Venugopal Reddy explained the theme of the seminar. He pointed out that it was a collective effort to organize the seminar with the participation of all. Even the topic of the seminar was discussed and decided with much thought process gone into. He appreciated Deepak Kumar for his contribution to “History of Science and Technology”.

Deepak Kumar in his inaugural address stressed about the “dispersion of knowledge” is more important than the “generation of knowledge” in the context of “knowledge-society”. The volume of exports carried on from India to other countries has not been quantified, as such statistical figures are important for research. “Canonized knowledge” (Sastra sambanda gyan) is useless, as it leads to static society.

During inauguration, a section of audience with students

 During inauguration, a section of audience with students, another view

Ratan Lal Hangloo in his keynote address elaborated the historical background starting with Persians, Alexanander to 13^th century.  Some of his observations are intriguing – greek langage was studied in the Indus valley[6], Ramayana was copied from Odessy[7], Chinese sponsored pagoda at Nagapatnam which bore the inscription dated 1267 a Tamil temple was built in Quanzhou[8], a recently discovered papyrus[9] contract recording the terms of shipment of goods between Muziris in India and Roman port etc., had been intriguing as they were involved with the complexities of controversies and extra-historical enthusiastic activities[10].

Venkata Ragotham pointed out that India and China were controlling the 2/3rds of world economy, but such details were not discussed. History seen beyond the confinements of “nation-state” is better concept for understanding India. Both oppressive nationalism and post-colonialism marred the historiography of India and that is why we know more about historians than history, as historians have become the prisoners of the state. With K. N. Chaudhury, the Indian Ocean studies developed. In “construction and deconstruction” processes, opaque language as some (e.g., Gyan Prakash) use should be avoided. The “academic deception” could be noted more in the post-colonial historiography. He concluded with the note that history is not survey, collection of data etc., but is is what actually happened in the past.

Anisa Basheer Khan, VC of Pondicherry University briefly touched upon the seminar theme.  She suggested that the topic of the seminar “Culture, Commerce and Civilizations” could be better. She also pointed out that Puducherry is a mini “India”!

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao

11-02-2017

The students serving the participant delegates and others.

After lunch, the scholars had discussion

[1] SAP SE, a global software company, is one of the largest vendors of ERP and other enterprise applications. The company is headquartered in Walldorf, Germany. SAP was started in 1972 by five former IBM employees in Mannheim, Germany. The original name for SAP, Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte, is German for “Systems, Applications and Products.”

[2] “International Guest House”, 47, Subash Chanra Bose Road, Pondicherry – 605 001; 0413-23366999  / 2221812; ingh@aurosociety.org Amenities – Internet – None; Laundry facility – Available; vehicle parking space – None; In rooms – TV – None; Refrigerator – None; Water Heater (shower) – In select rooms only. Those who want hot water should inform and get one bucket with charge of Rs.5/-

[3] http://www.aurosociety.org/visiting/accommodation.aspx – International Guest House (INGH)

[4] http://www.pondiuni.edu.in/sites/default/files/national_seminar_history10112016_0.pdf

[5]  Dr. K. Venugopal Reddy, Seminar Convener, Department of History, Pondicherry University Puducherry-14 ; Mobile: 09994190670; Office:0413-2654382 / 2654771; e-mail: rk_venugopalreddy@yahoo.com, or kvgreddy.his@pondiuni.edu.in

[6] The dispute that the Indus script and its language was Aryan or Dravidian has not yet resolved in spite of thousands of attempts made by the various experts and pundits. Under such circumstances, the study of Greek language in the VC is intriguing.

[7] For more details – see at http://navalanthivu.blogspot.in/2006_02_01_archive.html

D. C. Boyd, Weber on the Ramayana, Indian Antiquary, 1872,Vol. I, p.120, 172, 239 and 1875, Vol.I.

Kashinath Trimbak Telang, Was the Ramayana Copied from Homer? A Reply to Professor Weber, (first printed in 1873), Publishers Parlor (India), New Delhi, 1976.

Krishnamachariar, History of Classical Sanskrit Literature, Motila Banarasidas, New Delhi, 1937, pp.14-22.

[8]  The Quanzhou inscription was a bilingual (Tamil-Chinese) informing that the Siva temple there was built by one Sambanda Perumal with the permission of Senis khan. However, that temple was demolished by the Chinese authorities in 20^th century.

[9] This is related to the controversial “Pattanam excavations” stopped by the ASI, where the archaeologists have differed widely about the claims made.

[10] See  his paper “Commerce, Culture and Empire: Interests Intertwined” circulated – p.7, 9, 11, etc.