How Have India’s Maps Evolved Over 2000 Years? Click to know details

How Have India's Maps Evolved Over 2000 Years? Click to know details

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The map of India has a long story to tell. The vast Mauryan Empire established the foundational elements for a unified India, while the culturally flourishing Gupta Empire showcases a rich heritage. Indian map has evolved over the years.

A contemporary map of India not only outlines its states and territories but also reflects the country’s intricate history and varied geography.

The map of India has transformed significantly since the British invasion. The earliest evidence of an Indian map is seen in the wall sculptures of Udayagiri.

The initial version of the map that we see today can be traced to the days of the partition plan by the British. It was the British who laid the foundation of modern India by separating the lands of Balochistan, Sindh, Punjab, and the North-West Frontier province in the west. Also, in the east Bengal was separated.

An accurate map of ancient India is difficult to establish, and the chances are virtually nonexistent due to the lack of any surviving maps. Nevertheless, the delineation of borders through edicts, artwork, and historical writings provides us with a glimpse of what the subcontinent likely resembled during that era.

The historical boundaries of the Indian subcontinent can be identified through archaeological evidence. The Edicts of Ashoka, discovered in the frigid areas of Afghanistan, clearly demonstrate the peak of the Mauryan Empire during the reign of Chandragupta Maurya’s grandson.

In the center of ancient India, the Udayagiri wall showcases the artistic brilliance of the Gupta Empire from around 400 CE.

In the history of Greek cartography, India was initially recognized as a remote territory located at the eastern fringe of Asia, as noted by Hecataeus of Miletus in the 5th century BCE.

The landscape of knowledge expanded significantly following the conquests of Alexander the Great, which provided the 3rd-century BCE geographer Eratosthenes with a more comprehensive understanding of India’s expanse and geographical position.

By the 1st century, Hellenistic scholars had become acquainted with the western coastline of India, documenting their findings in works such as the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. Marinus and Ptolemy explored the enigmatic Indian Ocean, mistakenly perceiving it as a simple sea, while their interpretations of Taprobana (Sri Lanka) were exaggerated, causing the Indian peninsula to appear diminished on their maps.

However, the core of the territory stayed mostly unexplored, shrouded in mystery.

The 8th-century poet Bhavabhuti referenced vivid artworks that depicted various geographical regions, while medieval scholars carefully recorded land grants to Brahman priests.

In the 9th century, Islamic geographers, during the reign of Abbasid Caliph Al-Ma’mun, transformed the perception of the Indian Ocean, making its waters accessible to the global community.

As time went on, the contributions of scholars such as Muhammad al-Idrisi and Francesco Lorenzo Pullè continued this legacy, establishing the groundwork for navigational maps that would eventually lead explorers like Vasco da Gama to the shores of India, significantly reshaping the field of cartography.

Chandragupta Maurya, guided by his mentor Chanakya, united territories stretching from the snowy peaks of the Hindu Kush in the northwest to the lush plains of Bengal in the east.

The renowned Tripartite conflict in the north reduced the territory from the Hindukush to the southern regions of Punjab, establishing this area as the northern boundary of the Pratiharas.

European explorers such as Jan Huygen van Linschoten played a crucial role in shaping the developing map of India.

Similarly, the Marathas, the Mughals, and the British have all contributed to the geographical changes which reflected on the Indian map which evolved over the years.

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