Language and Literature :

• In Ancient India, there was an unbroken literary tradition. This literature was written in Sanskrit, Ardhamagadhi, Pali, and Tamil.
• It included religious literature, grammar treatises, epics, plays, stories, and so on.

Some of the important Works are as under :

Sangham Literature :

• In south India, learned, scholarly men of letters came together in assemblies called ‘Sangham' during different periods.
• The literature composed by these men is known as ‘Sangham literature’ and it is the most ancient literature in the Tamil language;
• It includes both prose and poetry.

Religious literature : The important texts include Aagamgranth, Tipitaka and Bhagwad Gita.

Life of the people :

• There was prosperity as a result of internal and external trade via land and sea routes.
• Society was divided into a variety of castes.
• There were shrenis, which were guilds of artisans and traders.
• Cotton and, on rare occasions, silk and woollen garments were worn.
• During the Kushan period, the art of sewing clothes was learned.

Science :

Medicine :

• Works on medicine were also written during this period. These include Charaka Samhita by Charak.
• Vagbhata too wrote on medicine while Sushruta wrote on surgery.
• Nagarjuna described various chemicals and metals in ‘Rasaratnakara’.

Mathematics and Astronomy :

• Indians were the first to use numerals 1 to 9 and the number ‘0’.
• They also invented the decimal system. Aryabhatta, Varahmihir and Brahmagupta were mathematician and astronomers of great renown.

Centres of Education :

The important centres of education in ancient India were Takshashila, Varanasi, Valabhi, Nalanda, Vikramashila and Kanchi.

Takshashila University :

• Takshashila university was founded in the fourth century BC.
• It was a centre of learning in Vedic literature, Buddhist philosophy, logic and ecomomics.
• Its notable Alumini include Chandragupta Maurya, Charaka, Jeevaka and Panini.
• Its reputation had spread far and wide in the ancient world.
• Fa Hien, the famous Chinese Bauddha Bhikkhu, had visited this university around 400 CE.

Nalanda University :

• Nalanda University was one of the great centres of education, in ancient India.
• Subjects like philosophy, grammar, logic, medicine were taught here.
• Students from foreign Countries also came to Nalanda
• Students seeking admission to this university had to appear for an entrance examination.
• The university could accommodate thousands of students at a time.

Vikramshila University :

• It was established by a king named Dharmapal in the eighth century CE. It had six viharas, each having its own separate entrance.

Kanchi :

• Kanchi in Tamil Nadu emerged as an important centre of education during the reign of the Pallava dynasty (sixth century CE).
• It served as a centre for the study and teaching of Vedic, Jain, and Buddhist texts.

Art and Architecture :

• Indian architecture flourished from the Maurya period and reached great heights during the Gupta period.
• There were stupas, viharas, temples and pillars of the stupas, one at Sanchi was built by Ashoka.
• The cave sculptures included those at Karla, Nashik, Junnar, Ajanta, Ellora and Gharapuri island. Ajanta is famous for its cave-paintings.
• The seven-metre-high, rust-free iron pillar at Mehrauli near Delhi is the best example of ancient Indian metallurgical skills. This pillar belongs to the Gupta period.