What Script Did India Use? Know In Art & Culture With Devdutt Pattanaik EP15 | UPSC Essentials

Summary

This episode delves into the significance and evolution of scripts in India, highlighting the role of scribes like Brahmins and Kayasthas in maintaining records and legal documents. It traces the history from the Harappan period to the emergence of Brahmi script and its derivatives like Sharada, Grantha, and Modi. The discussion also touches on the importance of writing for knowledge preservation and the political use of scripts to establish communities, such as the introduction of Gurmukhi by Sikh Guru Angad. The episode ends with a teaser about the arrival of paper in India, inviting viewers to ponder its history.

Takeaways

• 📜 The importance of scripts in India is highlighted, emphasizing the role of scribes and the transmission of knowledge through writing.
• 📚 Brahmins and Kayas were key competitors in the bureaucratic system, with Chitra Gupta being the deity of the Kayas, symbolizing the significance of writing and record-keeping.
• 📝 The script is a crucial element for the preservation of knowledge, allowing it to exist independently of human memory.
• 🏛 The earliest known writing in India dates back to the Harappan period, with the Brahmi script emerging later in the Ashokan edicts.
• 📉 A gap exists in the historical record between the Harappan period and the Mauryan period, with little evidence of writing during this time.
• 📘 Brahmi script is the precursor to all other scripts in India, including the northern, southern, and western scripts, all following the same varnamala.
• 🌐 The script's evolution is tied to geographical regions, with different scripts emerging in North, South, East, and West India.
• 💡 The script's function in ancient times was likely mercantile, used for economic transactions and logistics rather than as a narrative tool.
• 📖 The Gurmukhi script was introduced by the Sikh Guru Angad to establish a community identity, showing the political use of scripts.
• 📝 The emergence of the Devanagari script is relatively recent, with older scripts like Grantha and Sharada being used previously.
• 📑 The Indian currency note is a practical tool to learn about the various scripts of India, illustrating the country's linguistic diversity.

Q & A

What role did scribes, specifically the Brahmins and Kayasthas, play in ancient India?

In ancient India, scribes, including Brahmins and Kayasthas, were crucial for maintaining records, bookkeeping, and accounting. They were considered important in the bureaucracy and legal documentation. The Kayasthas worshipped Chitra Gupta, the scribe of Yamaraja, symbolizing the pen and ink.

Why is the script important in the transmission of knowledge?

Script is important because it allows for the transmission of knowledge even in the absence of the original human beings who created it. It ensures that knowledge can be preserved and accessed by future generations, independent of oral transmission.

What is the significance of the Brahmi script in Indian history?

The Brahmi script is significant as it is the earliest known form of writing in India, appearing in the Ashokan edicts around 2300 years ago. It is the precursor to many other scripts used in the Indian subcontinent.

How did the Brahmi script influence the development of other scripts in India?

The Brahmi script gave rise to various regional scripts such as the Sharada in the north, the Grantha in the south, and the Modi script in the west. These scripts follow the same varnamala or alphabetic order as the Brahmi script.

What is the connection between the Harappan script and the Brahmi script?

The Harappan script, dating back to 2500 BCE to 1900 BCE, is the earliest form of writing in India. However, there is a gap in the written record between the Harappan script and the emergence of the Brahmi script. The exact relationship between the two is not clear, but the Brahmi script is considered to have possibly been influenced by the Harappan script.

Why were the Vedas transmitted orally and not written down for a long time?

The Vedas were transmitted orally to keep the knowledge alive within the people. The belief was that as long as the knowledge was oral, it remained accessible to the community. Writing it down was seen as a way to preserve the knowledge even after the individuals who knew it passed away.

What is the significance of the Gurmukhi script in the history of Indian scripts?

The Gurmukhi script was introduced by the Sikh Guru Angad in the 16th century. It was used to write the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, and played a political role in establishing the Sikh community.

What is the difference between a script and a language?

A language is a system of communication, while a script is a system of writing used to represent a language. A language can be spoken, but a script is the way it is written down.

How did the script evolve over time in India?

Script evolution in India involved the transition from the Brahmi script to various regional scripts, influenced by factors such as geography, culture, and the need for written communication. Over time, scripts like Devanagari, Gurmukhi, and others emerged, reflecting the linguistic diversity of the region.

What is the significance of the point to ponder about the arrival of paper in India?

The arrival of paper in India is significant as it changed the way writing was done and preserved. The hint provided by the use of the word for 'paper and pen' suggests that the next episode will explore the materials used for writing and their impact on the development of scripts and writing practices in India.

Why is the study of scripts important for understanding Indian art and culture?

The study of scripts is important for understanding Indian art and culture because scripts are not only a means of communication but also a reflection of the historical, social, and cultural contexts in which they were developed and used.