History of India and Indian Mythology: An Enthralling Guide to Major Civilizations, Empires, Events, People, and Myths

Two manuscripts in one book:

• History of India: An Enthralling Overview of Significant Civilizations, Empires, Events, People, and Religion
• Indian Mythology: An Enthralling Overview of Myths, Gods, and Goddesses from India

India has an amazing history, from some of the world's earliest civilizations to its contemporary high-tech culture and a huge diversity of religions, arts, and people.

In the first part of this book, you will discover:

• How National Highway 1 goes all the way back to the Mauryan Empire!
• The importance of nonviolence in Indian culture
• How just 20,000 British officials ruled a population of millions
• How the illiterate emperor Akbar headed a huge revival of art and scholarship, mixing Hindu, Muslim, Jain, and even Christian influences
• Why only ten of the eleven Sikh gurus were actual people-and who the eleventh guru is
• How India exported Buddhism to the world
• India's intense artistic heritage, from rock-cut temples and acutely observant Mughal miniatures to Anish Kapoor's contemporary abstracts
• Why a Sikh maharaja ended up as an English landowner and friend of Queen Victoria
• How a film actress became Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu state
• How to escape jail in a basket of sweets

Indian mythology is not simply a thing of the past. Modern-day festivals, celebrations, worship, music, dance, poetry, and film and television might portray or include aspects of Indian mythology. The subject is also beloved by those who study and practice it.

In the second part of this book, you will discover:

• Tales of the creation of the universe
• The creation of matter, life, and time
• The way the three components of the universe interact to maintain balance
• Some of the great gods in Hindu mythology, including the three gods of the Trimurti
• The role of the great goddesses in the creation and sustenance of the universe and the ways in which they overcome challenges
• The various avatars and incarnations of gods and goddesses in Hindu mythology
• Tales from the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, which speak of strength of character, resilience, and hope
• And so much more!