H.P History sources + infographic

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SOURCES OF ANCIENT HISTORY OF HIMACHAL PRADESH


                     Himachal Pradesh has been inhabited by human beings since the dawn of civilization.The ancient history of Himachal Pradesh, like many other regions of India is lost in obscurity because of lack of accurate source material. For most of the time Himachal as a state, what we see today was nonexistent. It was an area under the control of local rulers, Rajas, Ranas and Thakurs.

The following image will help you remember the sources easily.


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The sources from where we got to know about the history of Himachal Pradesh can be divided into two categories:

(i)                Archaeological Sources
(ii)              Literary Sources

 Archaeological Sources:

The Archaeological Sources include stone tools, implements, coins, monuments, sculptures and inscriptions. The Archaeological excavations have been made in the places like Guler, Dhaliara, Dehra, Masrur, Jawalamukhi (all in Kangra district).
(a)  Coins: 

Ø Numismatics- the study of coins are important source of retrieving the history of Himachal Pradesh. Bhuri Singh Museum at Chamba and Himachal State Museum, Shimla have a collection of coins belonging to the ancient tribal kingdoms of Trigarta, Adumbra, Kulutas, Kunindas extending from second century B.C to second century A.D. Most of the coins found were punchmarked.

Ø Coins of Appollodotus(Indo-Greek king) have been found in Tappa Mewa village in Hamirpur district and Jawalamukhi in Kangra district.

Ø Some Indo-Greek coins were also found in Lachori and Sarol villages of Chamba district.
           These coins shows the penetration of Greeks in Himachal Pradesh.

(b) Inscriptions: 

Ø Bhuri Singh Museum, Chamba hosts a large number of copper plate inscriptions which throw light on the early socio-economic and political history of Himachal Pradesh. Inscriptions found in Pathayar and Kanihara in Kangra, Soopur hillock cave of Hatkoti in Shimla and Salanu near Manglor in Mandi district are the earlist one.

Ø Another important historical document is Nirmand Copper plate of 7th centuary AD which was issued by Mahasamanta Maharaja Samudrasena.

(c)  Stone Inscriptions:

Ø Stone inscriptions may be broadly classified into three types: Commemorative, Donative and Dedicative.

Ø These inscriptions were mainly written in Sharda, Kharoshti, Brahmi, Tankri, Bhotia or Tibetian.

Ø The highest number of inscriptions(36) have been found in Chamba district and are preserved in Bhuri Singh Museum.

 Literary Sources:

Himachal Pradesh (Places of Himachal) found mention in some of the earlier writings.

(a)  Sanskrit Literature:

Ø The Rig Veda speaks about various tribes of Himalayan foothills.

Ø Puaranas, Brahaminas, Ramayana, Mahabharta also mentiones about Himalayan states.

(b) Khalsa Literature:

A fair amount of information about Himachal Pradesh is available in Sikh historical and religious literature. Some  of them are:

Ø The Guru Granth Sahib – the holy scripture of Sikhs
Ø The Bachitra Natak of Guru Govind Singh
Ø Janam Sakhis (biographies) of Sikh Gurus
Ø Guru Sobha of Sena Pat
Ø Guru Bilas of Bhai Sukha Singh

                  These books gives a detailed history of penetration of Sikhs in the Himalayan state.


(c)  Persian Sources:

Many Persian literature speak about Turkish penetration into Shivalik hills. Some of the famous books are:

Ø Farishta’s Tarikh-i-Farishta
Ø Tuzuk-i-Jahangiri
Ø Tarikh-i-Feruz Shahi
Ø Tarikh-i-Timuri

(d) Travelogues:

The accounts left by various foreign travellers serve as an important source of information.

Ø Hiuen Tsang (630AD-648AD)
Ø William Finch
Ø Thomas Coryat
Ø Foster(1783)
Ø Moorcraft (1820-22)

(e) Other sources

Vanshavalis or Geneological rolls-

These rolls were prepared by the Rajgurus or Kulpurohits and includes the names of rulers with their tenure and important events of their regime.


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