Comprehensive 4-Year Degree Course Syllabus in History at CBPBU

Comprehensive 4-Year Degree Course Syllabus in History at Cooch Behar Panchanan Barma University: Effective from 2023-2024 Onwards

COOCH BEHAR PANCHANAN BARMA UNIVERSITY
Syllabus for 4 years degree course in History at CBPBU
(With effect from 2023-2024 to Onwards)
1st Semester Major Course
History of India
(Pre-History to 650 A.D.)
Total credit=6

Objective:

Ancient Indian civilization or culture was the greatest in the world in the field of geo-physical and natural importance, heart – land of knowledge in science, philosophy, history and literature. The flavor of knowledge of the Scholars, Scientists, Acharjas, Saints, and Philosophers disseminated in the different parts of the world were admired, appreciated and acknowledged by the scholars and intellectuals of the world. So, the different aspects of history of the ancient India have been included in the major course of the first semester so that students can be elevated and enriched themselves by going through the valuable part of Indian history.

UNIT – I

Sources and Approaches of ancient Indian History, Concept of Bharatvarsha

• Sources and tools of historical reconstruction; literature; archaeology; epigraphy and numismatics.
• Approaches of Ancient Indian History.
• Understanding of Bharatvarsha d. Impact of Geographical Features on Indian History.

UNIT-II

Pre-historic age

• Paleolithic culture-sequence and geographical distribution; topographic and climatic changes; evolution and uses of stone industries and other technological developments.
• Mesolithic culture-regional and chronological distribution; new developments in technology and economy; rock art.
• Food production-concept of the Neolithic; technological and economic development.

UNIT-III

Proto-Historic age

• The Harappan civilization: origin, extant, major sites
• Social and political organization; religious beliefs and practices
• Harappan Trade, art, and architecture
• The decline of Harappan cultures and their contribution.

UNIT-IV

Vedic Civilization

• The Aryans; The Aryan problem; original homeland; spread of the Aryans
• Vedic literature; Epics-Ramayana and Mahabharata.
• Society, economy, polity, religion and military techniques of the Aryans.
• Varna system and position of women;

UNIT-V

New Religious movement and Philosophy

• Material and ideological background.
• Jainism, Buddhism, Ajivikas, Bhagabatism and Saivism.
• SadaDarsharn

UNIT-VI

Mahajanapadas to Magadhan Empire.

• Sixteen Mahajanapadas and its location; polity, non-monarchical states
• Growth of the Magadhan Empire; Its dynasties
• Social Structure; trade and commerce and economy.
• Alexander’s Invasion

UNIT-VII

Maurya Period

• Sources; Kautilya’sArthasastra, Megasthenes’ Indica, Ashoka’s Inscriptions and archaeological sources
• Chandragupta Maurya and his Expansion policy
• Kautilya’sSaptanga theory of state, origin of kingship
• Ashoka the Great, Asoka’s Dhamma
• Downfall of the Mauryan Empire f. Socio-economic condition, art, and architecture

UNIT-VIII

Post -Maurya Period

• Ages of Sungas: Pushyamitra Sunga, cultural contribution, Haleodorus and Bhagbatism
• Indo-Greeks, Sakas
• The Satavahanas; polity,
• Trade and trade routes; Indo-Roman Trade
• The age of Kushanas: Aspects of Polity, religion, and culture
• The Sangam Age: society Literature

UNIT-IX

AGES OF GUPTAS

• Origin of the Guptas
• Polity, administrative institution
• Social and economic changes; Agrarian structure; land grants; coinage and currency system; trade and industry.
• Cultural developments: art; architecture; sculpture; painting; Sanskrit literature; religion;
• Science and technology
• Maukharis, Vakatakas and later Guptas.

UNIT-X

POST-GUPTA PERIOD

• Harshavardhana: political system and administrative institutions.
• Bengal under Sasanka, Pragjyotishpura
• Chalukyas, Pallavas; polity, society and economy. Culture developments

UNIT-XI

Social and Cultural Condition in Ancient India.

• Caste system in ancient India
• Educational System ancient India
• Science and Technology in ancient India
• Marriage system and Coinage in ancient India
• Ethics of Indian value
• Health consciousness in ancient India; Ayurveda and Yoga

Objective:

In this major course of 2nd semester an important part of Indian history (From 650 A.D – 1526) has been included because during this period a transition took place in the soil of India. After the downfall of the Guptas a glorious chapter of Indian history was going to be declined; except the short break of the rule of Harshabardhana Sashanka and the Palas there was no strong power who ruled over the country successfully. In place of the strong political power various regional power ruled over the different parts of the country; conflicts and confrontations amongst these regional power was going on which weakened the stability of the country though a glorious part of history witnessed by establishing the rule of Sashanka and the Pala dynasty. Taking this opportunity of political instability, the Muslims from west Asia invaded the country and they carried on their looting and plundering in the different parts of the country and ultimately Muslims established their permanent rule in the soil of India since 1200.

UNIT-I

Reconstructing of Early Medieval Indian History

• Historical sources and their interpretation- literature, epigraphy and numismatics.
• Polity- the political condition of India; Arab invasion and its impact; Hindu resistance to the Muslims and its failure.
• Political developments; nature of the regional politics with special reference to the Pratiharas, Palas, Senas, Rastrakutas, Cholas, and other contemporary dynasties.
• Origin of Rajput clans,
• Kingdom Kashmir; Karkota, Utpala, and Lohara dynasty, Muslim conquest in Kashmir
• Early Turkish invasions; sultan Mahmud and Muhammad Ghuri; nature and impact.
• The Muslim conquest in Bengal

UNIT-II

Economy and Society

• Land grants and agrarian expansion; changes in land tenure; condition of peasants
• Indian feudalism and debates
• Social Stratification: class, varna, jati, untouchability, gender, marriage and slaver
• Urban center; trade and trade networks; internal trade; maritime trade
• Forms of exchange; coinage and currencies.
• Guilds and industries.

UNIT-IV

Religion and Culture

• Schools of Indian Philosophy; Bhakti; Tantrism; Puranic traditions; Buddhism and Jainism; popular religious cults; Vishnuism, Shivaism, Shankara and Advaita Vedanta, Lingayetism, Alvars, and Nayanars
• Literature; rise and growth of regional languages.
• Science and technology

UNIT-V

Art & Architecture

•  Art and architecture; Nagara, Dravida, Vesara style of temple architecture;
• Painting; sculpture; arts and crafts
• Evolution of regional styles

UNIT-VI

Sultanate age, sources, and polity

• Sources of history of the Sultanate period
• Political Structure: 1206-1290, 1290-1450, and 1450-1526
• Iqta System; Administration, Mongol Invasion;

UNIT-VII

Society, economy

• Rural society: revenue system.
• agricultural production;
• internal and external trade
• science and technology

UNIT-VIII

Religion & Culture of the Sultanate age

• Bhakti movements: Nathpanthis; Kabir; Nanak; and the Sant tradition.
• Sufism: doctrines Silsilas; and practices.
• Sultanate architecture.
• Literature: Persian and indigenous.

UNIT-IX

Regions: Bengal, Vijaynagar and Bahamani

• IlliusSahi and Hussain Sahi rule in Bengal,
• Vijayanagar -polity, administration, society, economy and cultural aspects
• Bahamani kingdom; the role of Mahmud Gawan
• Vaishnavite movements in eastern India

Objective:

In this course, MDC, about the different aspects and stages of the Indian history have been included. The motto of this course is to give some ideas briefly about the history of India from ancient to modern period so that the students from other disciplines can acquire some historical knowledge of the country.

Unit – 1:

History and its different aspects:

• Definition of history
• Sources for the study of history
• Scope of history, Importance of the study of history

Unit 2:

Ancient India: A brief history:

• Harappan civilization and its historical significance
• Vedic civilization: An introduction, its historical significance
• Age of the Mouryas: Chandragupta Maurya and Ashoka the Great.
• Age of the Guptas: Origin of the Guptas, SamudraguptaChandradgupta II and Skandagupta.
• Harshabardhana and Sshanka.

The age of the Delhi Sultanate: A brief history

• Khalji Dynasty, Tughlaq Dynasty, Sayed Dynasty and Lodi Dynasty

Unit- 4:

Mughal India: A brief History:

• Babur and Humayun, Akbar, Sahajan, Auranzeb

Unit- 5:

History of modern India:

• The origin of the British rule in India, the Revolt of 1857, Indian National Congress, Gandhi and Subhas Chandra Bose, Freedom movements of India, Partition of India and Indian independence.