Economy in Ancient India

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The present book on the Economy in Ancient India is the outcome of my sincere efforts which I have made by myself during my almost four decades of academic journey. Thus, the book covers a vast time scale of Indian history which begins right from Prehistoric times to the decline of the Maurya Empire and also the Republican or Oligarchical States in Northern India. The Maurya Empire has the credit for uniting the country into one single political unit and the founder Prime Minister and a great Statement of his time Kautilya laid the foundation of a strong economy by giving the concept that the of a country lies on the foundation of a strong treasury. Therefore, the King must also make all his efforts to build a strong economy. Besides, one of the most significant kings of the empire, Ashoka the Great propounded the concept of a new social order in which the basic approach was the welfare of all without any discrimination. The period which has been covered in the present book is also considered very important because of the non-monarchical states which are known as Republican or Oligarchical States. They had their specific set of norms. Their basic approach to rule was based on the concept of collective responsibility. They are known for their valor and chivalry in the history of ancient India. Besides, they have the credit to introduce the inscribed coinage system which accelerated the Indian economy to a great extent in the coming years. The role and importance of the Srenis or guilds have also been dealt with in the present work.

Dr. Lalit Pandey, Born in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, Pursued a Master's in Ancient Indian History, Culture, and Archaeology in First Position and First Division and a Ph.D in Bureaucracy During the Period of the Maurya Empire from Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya, Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Worked in the Centre of Central Asian Studies, School of International Studies, JNU, New Delhi, Department of AIHC, and Archaeology, Gurukula Kangri University, Haridwar, Janardan Rai Nagar Rajasthan Vidyapeeth (Deemed-to-be University), Udaipur, Rajasthan, Retired as Professor and Director, Institute of Rajasthan Studies, JRNRVU, Udaipur, Later served as Dean, Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Bhopal Nobles' University, Udaipur. Edited A Bilingual Research Journal Shodh Patrika for more than a decade Books Edited Two, One Monograph on Medpat ka Puratatva in Hindi, Natural Heritage of Mewar, Mewar ka Puratatvik Itihas Avm Rajasthan ke Ganarajya, Prambhik Rajasthan ka Samajik, Arthik Avm Puratatvika Itihas. Around One Hundred Published Research Papers, Excavated Archaeological Sites: Balathal, Gilund, Iswal, Nathara-ki-Pal, Chatrikheda, Javasia, and Pachmata (All are Located in Udaipur, Rajsamand, and Chittorgarh Districts, Rajasthan).

The present book, "Economy in Ancient India," is the outcome of my study of Indian History, which I have been doing since a young age. During my Ph.D. research work on "Bureaucracy during the Mauryas," I observed that it is a widely accepted notion that the establishment of a vast empire of the Mauryas was the result of the wisdom of Kautilya and the strength of Chandragupta Maurya. Therefore, initially, both of them subjugated the Nanda dynasty from the Magadh, signed off his tyrannical rule, and also established their authority over the Northwestern frontier because of Alexander's invasion, a political vacuum had been created in the aforesaid region. However, it is a historical fact that the Mauryas were the first rulers who established such a vast empire which India had never experienced. But it's also true that even in the pre-Mauryan times, a strong base had also evolved, which was primarily required for any political system because, in the absence of it, Bimbsar and his successors could not build their empire at Magadha. Therefore, Chandragupta Maurya became the king, and he received a developed politico-administrative system to rule. Thus, Kautilya and Chandragupta Maurya further improved the existing administrative structure according to their needs.

A number of scholars have done sporadic research on the economy of Ancient India, but the present research by Prof. Lalit Pandey is exhaustive in the form of a monograph. There are two major chapters titled Prehistoric Societies and their Methods of Subsistence and Vedic and Chalcolithic Cultures and their Contributions to Formulating Society during the Protohistoric Period. The author has taken into consideration most of the available archaeological as well as textual data on this subject. The agricultural communities emerged in the Indian Subcontinent around 7000 BCE. Gradual transformation and internal development within the Early Farming Communities in Northwestern India led to the emergence of the Harappan Culture around 6000/5000 BCE. The excavations carried out at sites like Bhirana, Girawad, Farmana, Rakhigarhi, etc. located in the Sarasvati basin in the last two decades have provided early dates for the beginning of the Harappan Culture. The recent work at Rakhigarhi has provided solid evidence for the gradual transformation within the Early Harappan phase, leading to the development of the Harappan Civilization/ Urban phase of the Harappan Culture. The author has beautifully explained with the help of archaeological data that the growth of the culture was possible due to the production of surplus food grains and various crafts.