Social and Cultural History of the Punjab : Prehistoric, Ancient and Early Medieval
By- J.S. Grewal
The ‘Punjab’ of this book is a metaphor for the
geographical region surrounded by the Himalayas, the Great Indian Desert, the
Aravali Hills and the river Jamuna. During a period of about 4000 years up to ad 1000, the cultural boundaries of this
region did not coincide with its geographical boundaries and there were
sub-regional differences as well. There was a great deal of interaction with
the outside world and between sub-regions. The socio-cultural dynamics of the
region are well reflected in the different periods of its history.
Seen from the regional angle, the Harappan
civilization reveals sub-regional diversities and continuation in a rural
setting. The Rigvedic culture appears to be a regional rather than an ethnic
articulation. The formation of states within the region and its incorporation
in empires set the stage for trade and urbanization, and for new socio-cultural
formations. For the first time the great importance of Buddhism in the region
gets underscored. Gradually, however, it was replaced by Shaivism, Vaishnavism
and Shaktism.
Changes in religious history are related to the
changing contexts of polity and economy in their bearing on the social order,
languages, literature and the arts. The book should be of equal interest to the
student, the professional historian and the general reader.
J.S. Grewal,
formerly Professor of History and then Vice-Chancellor, Guru Nanak Dev
University, Amritsar, and Director, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla,
is an eminent historian of the Punjab, and of medieval and modern Indian
history in general.
ISBN
978-81-7304-565-3 2004 186p.
Rs.465/Pounds 35
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