प्रतियोगिता दर्पण अतिरिक्तांक सीरीज–3 भारतीय इतिहास

Pratiyogita Darpan General Studies History is the deep and wide account of Indian history making a real investigation of our distant historical past with objective and dispassionate approach. As we know the earliest archaeological site in the subcontinent is the paleolithic hominid site in the Soan River valley, the early pages of the issue thoroughly probes as to how modern humans (Homo sapiens) settled in the Indian subcontinent at least 12,000 years ago. We have mentioned in our book the systematic description of civilization development in India. First settlements of human beings in India are found in Bhimbetka (Madhya Pradesh). Neolithic agriculture sprang up in the Indus Valley region around 7000 years ago, in the lower Gangetic valley around 5000 years ago. Later, in South India agriculture spread southwards and also into Malwa around 3800 years ago.

When the students gets absorbed in the study of this edition by Pratiyogita Darpan Editorial Board they will come to know  the Bronze Age in the Indian subcontinent began around 5300 years ago with the early Indus Valley Civilization, which included cities such as Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Lothal, and Kalibanga. The civilization was based on the Indus River and its tributaries, extending into the Ghaggar-Hakra River valley, the Ganges-Yamuna Doab, Gujarat, and southeastern Afghanistan. The mature Indus civilization flourished from about 4600 to 3900 years ago. It was the start of urban civilization on the subcontinent. The civilization included urban centers such as Dholavira, Kalibanga, Ropar, Rakhigarhi, and Lothal in modern-day India, and Harappa, Ganeriwala and Mohenjodaro in modern-day Pakistan. The civilization is noted for its cities built of brick, roadside drainage system, and multistoried houses.

The Vedas, as per the revelations in the book, are the oldest teachings of India, though the transmission of these teachings was mainly oral until around the 5th century. After the Rigveda, society became more agricultural. People became divided into four classes depending on the type of the work. This type of social division is called the Varna system in Hinduism. The edition throws light on Persian and Greek invasion around the 5th century BC, north-western parts of India led by the Greeks of Alexander the Great. It mentions the Magadha empire which formed one of the sixteen kingdoms in ancient India. The core of the kingdom was the area of Bihar south of the Ganges; the Satavahanas who came to power from around 230 BC. The account of Gupta dynasty which reigned from around 320 to 550 AD and Hun invasion in first half of the fifth century makes the book an object of envy for our competitors in the publication industry.  

The aspirants preparing for IAS Prelims and State PCS will be reading Chola kings who ruled Tamil Nadu, and Chera kings who ruled Kerala. Then here comes the emergence of Harsha's empire after the collapse of the Gupta Empire. The students need to focus in this precious gem of knowledge on the history of the Pratiharas, Palas, and Rashtrakutas from the 6th century to the 11th century. The Rajputs in the 6th century being described makes the study valorous and interesting. The emergence of Vijayanagar empire in 1336, is another enlightening chapter in the book when two brothers named Harihara and Bukka founded the Vijayanagara Empire in an area which is now in Karnataka state of India. Then come the era of Islamic sultanates giving the detailed account of Delhi sultanate which ruled large parts of the Indian subcontinent for 320 years (1206–1526). The glorious period of Mughal empire as analyzed in the issue gives a complete picture behind the reasons leading to the occupation and colonization of India by the Britishers. Colonial period means the period during which Western countries ruled India. Aspirants will really feel filled with spirit of patriotism after going through the saga of freedom struggle and the pain that was felt by Indians through partition of India in 1947. From the perspective of equipped source of vast knowledge of Indian history the book is an authentic and reliable manual on the subject of History of India.