Course Content

In this course, we’ll delve into primary sources, using translations to showcase the antiquity of Indian astronomy. Exploring how astronomical wisdom was metaphorically encoded in stories, we’ll trace the evolution of a mathematical tradition aiding in celestial predictions and timekeeping. We’ll examine the observation of celestial cycles and the intellectual rigor behind their synchronization. Mathematical methods from Siddhanta literature will be introduced, alongside concepts like Nakshatras, Rashi, and planetary models. The course covers ancient Indian astronomers’ tools and observations, including planetary movements and the precession of equinoxes. Various ancient Indian calendar systems and notable astronomers’ works will be discussed, along with addressing Western assertions and providing contrarian evidence, establishing an unbroken tradition of Indian astronomy from antiquity to the colonial era.