"In
India I found a race of
mortals living upon the Earth. but not adhering to it. Inhabiting cities, but
not being fixed to them, possessing everything but possessed by nothing".
- Apollonius Tyanaeus
Astronomy is one area which
has fascinated all mankind from the beginnings of history. In India the first
references to astronomy are to be found in the Rig Veda which is dated around
2000 B.C. Vedic Aryans in fact deified the Sun, Stars and Comets and are of the
oldest civilizations to contribute in the field of astronomy. In Indian
languages, the science of Astronomy is today called Khagola-shastra. The word
Khagola perhaps is derived from the famous astronomical observatory at the
University of Nalanda which was called Khagola. It was at Khagola that the
famous 5th century Indian Astronomer Aryabhatta studied and extended the
subject.
1 FORTUNE INTERPRETATION THROUGH PLANETS
1 FORTUNE INTERPRETATION THROUGH PLANETS
Since ancient times Indians have involved the
planets (called Grahas) with the determination of human fortunes. The planets
Shani, i.e. Saturn and Mangal i.e. Mars were considered inauspicious.
2 THE EARTH'S CIRCUMFERENCE
2 THE EARTH'S CIRCUMFERENCE
Ancient Indian astronomer ARYABHATTA had
recognised that stars are same as the sun, that the sun is center of the
universe (solar system) and that the circumference of the earth is 5000
Yojanas. One Yojana being 7.2 kms., the ancient Indian estimates came close to
the actual figure.
This
fascmile is from the Pancha-siddhantika (Five Principles) dated around the 5th
century. This text graphically shows how eclipses are to be calculated.
Thus this text foreshadows what Westeren Astronomers propounded nearly
one thousand years later
4 THE PHALAKA YANTRA
An instrument
invented by the mathematician and astronomer Bhaskara II (1114–1185 CE)
consisted of a rectangular board with a pin and an index arm. This
device—called the Phalaka-yantra—was used to determine time from
the sun's altitude. The Kapālayantra was a equatorial sundial instrument used to determine the sun’s azimuth.
5. THE ARMILLARY SPHERE
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ARMILLARY SPHERE |
6. THEORIZING ABOUT THE THEORY OF GRAVITY
Indian scientists in the 6th century were of the first to
advance the idea of gravity. Upon realizing a force keeps objects grounded on
earth, they hypothesized that the same force may be holding heavenly bodies in
their places. This idea pre-dates Isaac Newton's ideas of gravity by about
1,100 years.
In terms of heliocentrism, Aryabhata suggested it in one of
treatises, and Bhaskaracharya referred to it in his Magnum Opus
Siddhanta-Shiromani.
In the 5th century, Aryabhatta was one of the
earliest persons to support the theory that Earth is a sphere.
7. WATER CLOCKS
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WATER CLOCK |
it was nice information.i am proud of India and proud to be an Indian.
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