From Ancient times to Independence: The Story of the Indian Constitution
Summary
TLDRThe script narrates the ancient Indian fable of King Raja Bhoja and the throne of King Vikramaditya, symbolizing humility and worthiness. It delves into India's rich history of democratic institutions and legal systems, predating Western concepts, with references to Vedic assemblies and ancient texts like the Arthashastra. The narrative transitions to modern India, highlighting its diverse Constitution, drafted in 1949, drawing inspiration from global principles and adapted to India's unique needs, reflecting the nation's deep-rooted democratic values.
Takeaways
- π The story of King Raja Bhoja and the throne of King Vikramaditya symbolizes humility and the worthiness to lead, highlighting ancient Indian values.
- π The script introduces 'Vikram and the Vampire' or 'Vetala Panchvimshati', a collection of stories with moral questions, dating back to the 11th century.
- π The existence of ancient Indian republics and democratic institutions is emphasized, challenging the notion that these concepts are purely Western imports.
- π Ancient texts like the 'Arthashastra' by Chanakya and 'Dharma Shastra' provide evidence of early legal systems and governance in India.
- π The script mentions Greek historical accounts acknowledging the presence of republics in ancient India, indicating a global recognition of these early democratic forms.
- π The Indian Constitution, adopted in 1949, is highlighted as a monumental achievement, especially considering the diversity and large population of India at the time.
- ποΈ The Constitution was handwritten by Prem Behari Narayan Raizada, reflecting the dedication and artistry involved in its creation.
- π The Constitution drew inspiration from various countries, incorporating principles like single citizenship, the cabinet system, and fundamental rights, making it a unique amalgamation of global ideas.
- π¨ The Constitution's pages were decorated with artwork depicting significant moments in Indian history, showcasing the country's cultural heritage.
- π The Constitution has been amended 100 times, reflecting India's evolving needs and the document's adaptability.
- π The script concludes by celebrating the enduring legacy of India's ancient laws and democratic traditions, and the continuing relevance of its Constitution.
Q & A
Who was King Raja Bhoja and what was his connection to King Vikramaditya's throne?
-King Raja Bhoja was a historical figure who found a throne that belonged to King Vikramaditya. The throne was made of gold with 32 wooden statues. Whenever Raja Bhoja tried to sit on the throne, one of the statues would come to life and tell a story, asking if he was worthy of sitting on the throne. His humility in admitting his unworthiness eventually earned him the right to sit on the throne.
What is the significance of the 32 tales told by the statues to King Raja Bhoja?
-The 32 tales told by the statues to King Raja Bhoja are a collection of stories that served as a test of his worthiness to sit on the throne. Each tale ended with a question about his worthiness, reflecting on the virtues and qualities of a ruler.
What is the connection between the story of King Raja Bhoja and the concept of a constitution?
-The story of King Raja Bhoja and his interaction with the throne is used as a metaphor to introduce the concept of a constitution. The tale serves as a reminder that ancient India had its own forms of governance and laws, similar to modern constitutions.
What does the term 'Vikramorvasiyam' mean and what is its relevance to the script?
-The term 'Vikramorvasiyam' translates to 'The Play of Vikrama' and refers to a collection of 32 tales from the 11th century. In the script, it is mentioned as a fable that was not just a storybook but also a book of guidelines or laws, highlighting the existence of legal systems in ancient India.
How did ancient Indian texts and institutions reflect the concept of democracy?
-Ancient Indian texts like the Rigveda and institutions such as Central assemblies with the Samiti and Sabha, similar to the upper and lower Houses of Parliament today, reflected the concept of democracy. The Mahabharata also refers to 'ganaraja,' meaning the rule of the Republic, indicating the existence of democratic principles in ancient India.
What is the significance of the Arthasastra in the context of ancient Indian legal systems?
-The Arthasastra, believed to have been written in the 4th Century BC by Kautilya (also known as Chanakya), is considered one of the oldest books of laws in India. It covered various aspects of governance and defined the seven elements of a state, showcasing the sophistication of legal systems in ancient India.
What is the Brihaspati Sutra and how does it relate to modern legal systems?
-The Brihaspati Sutra, written around 600 BC, discusses the hierarchy of courts in ancient India, which is strikingly similar to modern legal systems. It outlines a system of justice involving family arbitrators, judges, the Chief Justice, and the king's court, with checks and balances on the king's power.
How did the drafting of the Indian Constitution in 1949 compare to the drafting of other constitutions?
-The drafting of the Indian Constitution was a monumental task given the country's diversity and high illiteracy rates. It was the world's largest constitution at the time, with 145,000 words, and has since been amended 100 times, growing in size and complexity.
What was unique about the original copies of the Indian Constitution?
-The original copies of the Indian Constitution were handwritten by a calligrapher named Prem Bihari Narayan Raza. The pages were bound in black leather, embossed with gold patterns, and decorated by artists from Shantiniketan, making it a piece of art.
How did the Indian Constitution incorporate ideas from around the world?
-The Indian Constitution was a result of curating ideas from at least 10 different countries, tailoring them to India's needs, and building consensus among a diverse group. It included principles from Britain, the U.S., Australia, Ireland, Canada, Russia, and France, among others.
What is the significance of the Indian Constitution's length and complexity today?
-While the Indian Constitution's length and complexity are often criticized, its creation and endurance over time are a testament to the effort to accommodate India's vast diversity and the need for a comprehensive legal framework to govern the nation.
Outlines
π The Tale of King Raja Bhoj and the Ancient Indian Republic
The first paragraph narrates a historical fable about King Raja Bhoj and his encounter with a throne belonging to King Vikramaditya, which was guarded by 32 statues. Each time the king attempted to sit on the throne, a statue would come to life and tell a story of King Vikramaditya, ending with a question about the king's worthiness. The humility of Raja Bhoj impressed the statues, who then allowed him to sit on the throne. This story, from the 11th century, is known as 'Vikramorvashi,' which means '32 tales of the throne,' and it serves as a metaphor for the existence of laws and constitutions in ancient India. The paragraph also discusses the concept of democracy in ancient India, with references to the Vedic period and texts like the Rigveda, and the influence of Indian democratic principles on ancient Greece, as noted by Greek historian Diodorus Siculus. The paragraph concludes with a mention of the 'Arthashastra,' a book of laws from the 4th Century BC, and the 'Dharma Shastra,' from around 600 BC, which outline the principles of governance and justice in ancient India.
π Crafting the Indian Constitution: A Miracle of Diversity and Unity
The second paragraph delves into the creation of the Indian Constitution, a monumental task undertaken by the Constituent Assembly, which included 389 members from diverse parts of India. The drafting process took three years, resulting in a constitution that was handwritten by Prem Behari Narayan Raizada, a calligrapher who sought to leave his mark on history. The constitution was not only a legal document but also a work of art, with pages bound in black leather and embossed with gold patterns, decorated by artists from Shantiniketan. The constitution incorporated elements from Indian history and various sources, including principles from Britain, the U.S., Australia, Ireland, Canada, Russia, and France. The paragraph highlights the extraordinary effort to curate global ideas and tailor them to India's needs, creating a consensus in a diverse group. Despite criticisms regarding its length and complexity, the constitution has stood the test of time and is a testament to India's rich history of law and governance.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Raja Bhoj
π‘Vikramaditya
π‘32 Wooden Statues
π‘Democracy in Ancient India
π‘Arthashastra
π‘Constitution of India
π‘BR Ambedkar
π‘Samiti and Sabha
π‘Manusmriti
π‘Greek Historian Diador Siculus
Highlights
The story of King Raja bhoj and his encounter with the throne of King Vikramaditya, symbolizing the humility and worthiness to rule.
The fable 'Vikramorvashi' from the 11th century, which serves as a book of guidelines and laws.
The existence of ancient Indian constitutions and democratic institutions, predating Western concepts.
The Vedic period's Central assemblies, resembling modern Parliament's upper and lower Houses.
The Mahabharata's reference to 'ganaraja', indicating the rule of the Republic in ancient India.
Greek historian Diadorus Siculus' account of republics in ancient India challenging Alexander's Army.
The 'Arthashastra', believed to be the oldest book of laws in India, written in the 4th Century BC by Chanakya.
The 'Dharma Shastra' detailing the stages of a lawsuit, similar to modern court proceedings.
The 'Brihaspati Spriti' discussing the hierarchy of courts in ancient India, akin to today's legal systems.
The role of judges and counselors in ancient India, as described by Katyayana, emphasizing justice over pleasing the king.
India's colonization and the subsequent drafting of a new constitution after gaining freedom.
The drafting of India's Constitution in 1949, a significant achievement given the country's diversity and illiteracy rates.
The Constitution's length, with 145,000 words, compared to the U.S. Constitution's 4,400 words.
The Constitution's amendments, growing in size and complexity over time to accommodate India's diversity.
The Constituent Assembly, the diverse group responsible for drafting the Constitution.
Prem Bihari Narayan Razada, the calligrapher who handwrote the original copies of the Constitution.
The artistic decoration of the Constitution's pages, depicting stories from Indian history.
The sourcing of laws and principles from various countries to tailor India's Constitution.
The criticism and context of India's Constitution, highlighting its endurance and relevance.
The historical continuity of democratic principles and legal systems in India, predating Western influences.
Transcripts
tonight I want to tell you a story
once upon a time there was a king yes
it's that kind of a story The King was
called Raja bhoj he found a throne a
throne that belonged to King
vikramaditya it was made of gold with 32
wooden statues the king Raja bhoj wanted
to sit on the throne but he couldn't
every time he tried a statue came to
life one of those 32 statues that came
to life and it stopped the king from
sitting the statue then asked him to
listen to a story a story of the glory
of King vikramaditya every time there
was a different story but every story
ended with the same question are you
worthy enough to sit on the throne of
the great king vikramaditya and every
time Raja bhoj had the same answer no
I'm not worthy of sitting on this throne
this happened repeatedly the statues
were impressed they liked the humility
of Raja board so they blessed him they
let him sit on the throne of King
vikramaditya this is a fable from the
11th century it is called
means throne but this is 32 the title
means 32 tales of the throne
and this wasn't just a storybook this
was a book of guidelines a book of laws
if you like
why am I telling you about this today
because as we celebrate our Republic Day
the day our constitution came into force
it is important to know that books of
laws or constitutions existed in ancient
India
and while we may think that a
constitution or a republic is a modern
construct a modern concept imported from
the West something like this existed in
ancient India
our history in fact is full of such
stories and texts centuries ago the
concept of democracy existed in India
Prime Minister Modi has called India the
mother of democracies
foreign
modern India's 74th Republic Day I want
to talk about books of laws and
constitutions from our ancient past as
far back as The Vedic period
they had institutions like Central
assemblies to check the powers of the
King books like the rigved
talk about them
these assemblies are two houses the
samiti representing the whole tribe and
the Sabha with distinguished members a
bit like the upper and lower Houses of
Parliament today
the Mahabharata refers to ganaraja
meaning the rule of the Republic
now we usually think of Greece as the
birthplace of modern democracy but even
Greek records talk about republics in
ancient India
Greek historian diador siculus has a
very interesting account he wrote about
Alexander's invasion of India 326 BC
secular said Northwest India had
republics that challenged Alexander's
Army perhaps the oldest book of laws in
India is the earth shastra believed to
have been written in the 4th Century BC
the author was cortilia also known as
chanakya he wrote about all aspects of
governance and defined The Seven
Elements of a state then there was a
Dharma shastra written around 600 BC
According to some accounts it talks
about the four different stages of a
lawsuit you file a complaint the
defendant responds the jury deliberates
and finally the judge speaks a lot like
a modern day court hearing India was
practicing all of this centuries ago
then we have the brihaspati spriti it
talks about the hierarchy of course
amazingly similar to modern day legal
systems at the lowest level was the
family arbitrator stage two a court with
a judge stage three the court with the
Chief Justice and right at the top the
king's court and the King was not the
sole decision maker he had counselors
and judges their role is best described
by katyayana a Sanskrit scholar
mathematician and priest this is what he
said if the king wants to inflict upon
the litigants and illegal or unrighteous
decision it is the duty of the judge to
warn the king and prevent him
when the judge realizes that the King
has deviated from equity and Justice his
duty is not to please the king
for this is no occasion for soft speech
if the judge fails in his duty he is
guilty all of this was practiced in
India ages ago in the centuries that
followed India was colonized and after
it won Freedom it wrote a new book of
laws a constitution the year was 1949
and it was nothing short of a miracle
for a country as diverse as ours with 88
of the population illiterate it was a
very big deal to write a constitution
and that too the world's largest 145
000 words for perspective the U.S
Constitution has 4 400 words the Indian
one has one lakh 45
000.
and this was just the first version it
has been amended 100 times it has grown
bigger each time the book is divided
into articles and schedules articles
spell out a law schedules give
supplementary information a bit like an
appendix in a book
so why is our law books so big
because we have a big diverse country
our difficulty is
how to make
the heterogeneous mess
that we have today
take your decision in common
and margin a Cooperative way
on that road
which is bound to lead us to Unity this
was BR ambedkar addressing the
constituent assembly what is the
constituent assembly the people who
drafted the Constitution and let me say
this again this was an extraordinary
experiment today diversity is a
corporate buzzword India aced it more
than 70 years ago this group that wrote
the Constitution had 389 members from
all parts of India then partition
happened some went to Pakistan 299 were
left they took three years to write the
book The Original copies were not typed
or printed they were handwritten by a
calligrapher called Prem bihari Narayan
razada he wrote in English in Hindi and
he did it for free
what he wanted was his place in history
he wanted his name on each page of
India's Constitution and his
grandfather's name on the last page
the book he created was a piece of art
the pages were Bound in black leather
embossed with patterns of gold each page
was decorated by artists from Shanti
niketan led by a man called nandlal Bose
they depicted stories from Indian
history like the Indus Valley
Civilization the struggle for
Independence The Vedic period a scene
from the Mahabharata showing a
discussion between Arjun and Lord
Krishna
the section on fundamental rights has a
sketch of Lord Ram Sita and lakshman
returning from the Battle of Lanka all
of this is in our constitution
it features Emperor Ashok talking about
Buddhism Lakshmi by Akbar maratha ruler
shivaji and Guru Gobind Singh the tensei
guru the laws in the book came from
different sources from at least 10
different countries principles like
single citizenship the cabinet
parliamentary system they came from
Britain fundamental rights impeachment
independent Judiciary came from the U.S
concurrent list from Australia directive
principals from Ireland federalism from
Canada fundamental duties from Russia
then USSR and concepts of Liberty
equality and fraternity came from France
imagine undertaking a task like this
curating ideas from around the globe
tailoring them to the needs of India and
building consensus in such a diverse
group
I say it again it was a miracle of sorts
seven decades have passed the world has
changed India has changed it has made
long strides today our constitution is
criticized for its length and for how
complicated the text is
well some criticisms are valid but when
you look at the context
how this text came into being and how it
stood the test of time you're owed by
the story of this book and when you
rewind further you realize that our
present Constitution is not our first
we've had books of laws and republics
and Democratic institutions long before
we started looking West for inspiration
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