Ancient India and the World

 Ancient India and the World

India had trade relations with other countries from the time of Harappa civilization . Later , cultural exchange began to take place between them . Political relations also developed in the course of time .

India and the countries of the west : 

Indians had trade relations with the countries of the west since ancient times . After the establishment of the Roman empire , trade between India and Rome flourished greatly . Muslin , aromatic substances , pearls , precious stones and spices were exported to Rome from India . Due to this trade , ports like Bharuch , Kalyan , Sopara , Chaul , Calicut gained importance .

Arab traders used to carry Indian goods up to the port Alexandria in Egypt . Europeans got acquainted with Indian philosophy and science through the Arabs . The Arabs took the Indian concept of ' zero ' in mathematics to Europe .

India and other Asian countries : 

India came in close contact with the countries to the east and south - east from the second century AD . Especially the countries of Myanmar , Thailand , Indonesia , Sri Lanka were greatly influenced by Indian culture .

A Sigiriya painting

Sri Lanka:

  Emperor Ashoka had sent his son Mahendra and daughter Sanghamitra to Sri Lanka on the mission of spreading Buddhism . India had trade relations with Sri Lanka . The pearls and other precious goods from Sri Lanka were in great demand in India . The influence of Ajanta paintings is seen on the paintings in the Sigiriya caves in Sri Lanka . The Buddhist works ' Dipavamsha ' and ' Mahavamsha composed in Sri Lanka throw light on the relations between India and Sri Lanka. 

China :

 Like India , China , too , has an ancient culture . India had relations with China since ancient times . The silk cloth produced in China was in great demand in India . China used to supply silk to western countries . This trade carried on through the agency of Indian merchants .

The Emperor of China had invited the Buddhist Bhikkhus Dharmarakshaka and Kashyapamatanga to China , because he was interested in Buddhism . The Bhikkhus translated many Buddhist texts into Chinese . As the Chinese Emperor embraced Buddhism , it spread rapidly in China .

Countries in south - east Asia :

 Many people from India travelled to Myanmar , Cambodia , Thailand , Indonesia for the purpose of trade or to propagate religion and settled there . Therefore , the people there came to be closely acquainted with Indian culture . People who accompanied the merchants to these regions carried with them , Indian philosophy manners and ideas of religion . Even today , many Buddhi- and Hindu temples are seen in these countries . The Bud stupa at Borobudur in Indonesia is greatly influenced Indian architecture .

India has left a deep imprint on the art and cultural life south - east Asia . Even today , ballet dances based on the stories from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata are popular in Indonesia .

The stupa at Borobudur