Brief History of India.

India was a land of kings and Kingdoms. India holds in its past tales of ceremony, splendor and revolution. The first Indian civilization was the Indus valley civilization which dates back to nearly five thousand years. It was a civilization that was well known for its sophisticated lifestyle, developed sense of aesthetics and a great knowledge of town planning. The Indus valley civilization existed at the same time of Egypt and Sumer. The two cities of Mohenjodaro and Harappa which now lies in Pakistan were ruled by priests and held Hindu rituals.

The North of India saw the dawn of the Vedic age with the coming of the Aryans, the religious beliefs of the Vedic age spread across large parts in the North. It was in the 4^th century B.C that the great Emperor Ashoka established his empire and embraced Buddhism and built a group of monuments, to spread the teachings of Buddhism. The national emblem of our country has been adopted from the Sarnath pillar that he had built and the Chakra on the National Flag is made on these pillars. The four lions (one hidden from view) - symbolizing power, courage and confidence - rest on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life and creative inspiration. The motto 'Satyameva Jayate' inscribed below the emblem in Devanagari script means 'truth alone triumphs’.

With time India has seen the coming of many religions and rulers. The Europeans arrived in India in 52 A.D and gradually came Zoroastrians, Jews and they settled in the West of India. A marked influence of some other Europeans settlers who came here can be seen in the West among them were the Portuguese, French, Dutch, and British. India was a very important colony for the British and they ruled India from 1858 till 1947. Finally we got independence after a long struggle in the year 1947. Today India has emerged as a vibrant country, which has many customs, languages, religions and a diverse culture.