Ancient Indian inventions

Zero (0)LINK to other article related to Aryabhatta’s Bhakshali manuscript mentions zero,which was translated by Arabic first then by Europeans.

Ink-
Ancient Indians first made ink  by burning tar, pitch, bones. Carbon was the primary pigment.



The Hindu Vedas written in Ink are among some of the most ancient texts in the world

 Sea Dock -Link to other articleIndia was the first nation to have a dock that dated back to 6000 BCE. Harappa Civilization were the first to build a dock in Lothal. This proves their oceanology and marine engineering. The Lothal Dock proves their precision and vast knowledge about tidal waves and hydrography.



Diamond MiningDiamonds were first mined in India. Till 18th century, India was the only country where diamonds were found and exported to other countries. Various ancient books have mentioned the use of diamond as a tool and have also mentioned the exquisiteness of this sparkling stone


Medical Vaccinations & Treatments (Ayurveda)Link to other articleLeprosy was first noticed by Indians and various ancient remedies are also mentioned in the Atharva Veda. Treatment for  stones was first introduced in India. Small Pox vaccinations were first cured in India and symptoms and ways of immunization against small pox were mentioned in 8 th century by Madhav.Ayurveda and Siddha are the two primitive methods of treatment that originated in India and are still used. Indian medical practitioner  Nobel Laureate Upendra Nath Bramhachari invented methods to treat Visceral Leishmaniasis or Kala Azar.


Surgery Link to other articleAncient Indian physician Sushruta performed first Cataract surgery and plastic surgery back to >2000 BCE and his work were later translated to Arabic language and gradually passed on to European countries. He used a curved needle and removed the cataract by pushing the lens. People from far off countries came to India to seek treatment.

Wool, Cotton, Plant (Natural Fibers)Natural fibers like wool, cotton and plant fiber originated from India. Evidences show that people of the Indus Valley used cotton and India pioneered the art of cotton spinning and used it in making fabric. Jute, a plant fiber, was cultivated in India since ancient times and was later exported to other countries. Cashmere wool, which is supposed to be the finest wool was first made in Kashmir and was used to make hand- made shawls. These shawls have maintained their richness and exclusivity even today.

ButtonsButtons are a major part of our clothing even today. Buttons were invented in India and various historical evidences and excavations prove that buttons were used by the people belonging to the Indus Valley Civilization. Shells were given various shapes and were pierced into a hole. Earlier they were used more as an embellishment but were gradually used to fasten clothes

Cotton Gin is a machine used to separate cotton from the seeds. The evidence of this machine was found through the carvings on Ajanta caves where the pictures of these machines were engraved. Dating back to 500 AD, this hand roller machine was locally called Charkha. This machine has undergone changes through the course of time but the most primitive form of cotton gin originated from India.

Crucible SteelHigh-quality steel has been produced in South India since ancient times. They used crucible technique toproduce high quality steel in Ancient India.. Pure wrought iron was first  mixed with glass and charcoal and was heated till the metal melted and absorbed the carbon.


Steel from ancient India

 

 

Source-

Adopted from chakranews.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAGE CHARAK AND CHARAK SAMHITA

Acharya Charak was one of the principal contributors to the ancient art and science of Ayurveda, a system of medicine and lifestyle developed in Ancient India. Acharya Charak has been crowned as the Father of Medicine. His ...renowned work, the “Charak Samhita“, is considered as an encyclopedia of Ayurveda. His principles, diagoneses, and cures retain their potency and truth even after a couple of millennia. When the science of anatomy was confused with different theories in Europe, Acharya Charak revealed through his innate genius and enquiries the facts on human anatomy, embryology, pharmacology, blood circulation and diseases like diabetes, tuberculosis, heart disease, etc.

The following statements are attributed to Acharya Charak:

“A physician who fails to enter the body of a patient with the lamp of knowledge and understanding can never treat diseases. He should first study all the factors, including environment, which influence a patient’s disease, and then prescribe treatment. It is more important to prevent the occurrence of disease than to seek a cure.”

These remarks appear obvious today, though they were often not heeded, and were made by Charak, in his famous Ayurvedic treatise Charak Samhita. The treatise contains many such remarks which are held in reverence even today. Some of them are in the fields of physiology, etiology and embryology.

In the “Charak Samhita” he has described the medicinal qualities and functions of 100,000 herbal plants. He has emphasized the influence of diet and activity on mind and body. He has proved the correlation of spirituality and physical health contributed greatly to diagnostic and curative sciences. He has also prescribed and ethical charter for medical practitioners two centuries prior to the Hippocratic oath. Through his genius and intuition, Acharya Charak made landmark contributions to Ayurvedal. He forever remains etched in the annals of history as one of the greatest and noblest of rishi-scientists.

Under the guidance of the ancient physician Atreya, Agnivesa had written an encyclopedic treatise in the eighth century B.C. However, it was only when Charaka revised this treatise that it gained popularity and came to be known as Charakasamhita. For two millennia it remained a standard work on the subject and was translated into many foreign languages, including Arabic and Latin.
 SAGE CHARAK