The interesting world of ancient India comes to life in this article, as we explore information pertaining to subjects, such as the first university in the world, mathematics, and the earliest school of medicine. A lot of intriguing trivia is attached to this country, which remarkably serves as the only society throughout the world to have never known any kind of slavery.
The first number system in the world is considered a brainchild of India, as Aryabhatta invented the number ‘zero’. As for the place value system, India is the location where the first decimal system was instilled, which took place in 100 BC.
The first university in the world was constructed in Takshila during 700 BC, as more than 10,000 students hailing from all over gathered to study more than 60 studies offered at the institution. During the 4th century, the University of Nalanda prospered as one of the best achievement that came out of ancient India when it comes to the department of education.
Budhayana was the first to calculate the value of “pi,” and was a well-known source for explaining the concepts involving the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered these instances during the 6th century, which was long before the Europeans dabbled in this arena of mathematics.
India also gave birth to trigonometry, calculus, and algebra, as the 11th century brought concepts such as quadratic equations that Sridharacharya was responsible for. During ancient times, the largest numbers that the Greeks and the Romans relied upon were 106, but the Hindus acknowledged numbers as large as (10 to the power of 53, which translates into 10*53. Specific names for these numbers were become prevelant as early as 5000 BC, which took place during the Vedic period. Today, the largest of their used numbers to date is Tera, which are 10 to the power of 12 (or 10*12).
The earliest school of medicine that humans were exposed to was Ayurveda, which was established some 2,500 years ago. It is believed that the father of medicine (Charaka) is behind its start. Today, an increasing amount of people is discovering the ins and outs of Ayurveda, which is the only system that takes a holistic approach towards the medical treatment of individuals.
While the most recent images of India highlight a lack of progress and a high number of poor, until the early 17th century (before the British), India was known as the richest country in the world. This is why Christopher Columbus showed interest in the potential of the country and spent his time looking for a way to reach India when he mistakenly discovered America instead.
In Part 2 of “Ancient India Facts,” you will learn an interesting fact pertaining to a woman’s best friend; information on the earliest surgeries of the world; a look into the knowledge studied in India; and the possible origins of a popular pastime.
