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Could today’s technology exist without the invention of number systems, zero, decimals, algebra, trigonometry, algorithms, etc.? Many historians credit Arab scholars, for these ideas, but Arab records themselves reveal that they learnt these concepts from the Hindus of India.
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As far back as 772 CE, a great Indian astronomer visited the Baghdad court of Caliph al-Mansur. He shared astronomy & math formulas from the Brahma-Sphuta-Siddhanta of Brahmagupta(~628 CE). Famous astronomer Al-Fazari translated it - in a book called “Al-Sindhind al-Kabir”
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Concepts from Brâhma-Sphuta-Siddhânta of Brahmagupta & Sûrya-Siddhânta, were translated from Persian into Arabic in a book called Al-Sindhind al-Kabir” referring to Al-Kabîr (great) & "sindhind" as “centuries of centuries”. The astronomical tables were called "zij as- Shah"
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Brahmagupta's Brahma-Sphuta-Siddhanta elaborated on astronomy & the initial origins of Pati-ganita (algorithms), Bija-ganita (algebra) - operations, using zero, negative numbers, indeterminate equations, “Pythagorean” triples & interpolation formulas for computing sines.
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One of the Arab world’s most famous mathematicians from the “House of Wisdom” at Baghdad, Al-Khwārizmī (780-850 CE) edited 2 versions of the zij as-Sindhind (astronomical tables) from these translations of Hindu works - which formed the basis of his mathematical knowledge.
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Al-Khwārizmī is so famous that the Latin versions of his name & book are considered to be the origin of the terms "algorithm" & "algebra". Al-Khwarizmî’s most famous book is on the topic of arithmetic formulas, most of which he explicitly borrowed from India.
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The original Arabic version of his book was lost, but a Latin translation (8th c. )“Algoritmi de numero Indorum” ( Al-Khwārizmī on the Hindu Art of Reckoning) clearly shows that even the title of his book attributed the Hindus with numerals & arithmetical calculations.
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Al-Khwārizmī's work was critical as it first transmitted crucial mathematical concepts such as Hindu numerals, zero as a placeholder, decimal numeration & place value system developed by the Hindus to the Western world, becoming the foundation of all modern mathematics today.
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Al-Khwārizmī was an advocate of the Hindu place value system based on 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 and 0 & how it simplified mathematics. In his treatise on Hindu numerals, his phrase “Dixit Algorizmi” (meaning simply "Al-Khwarizmî has said") became the word “algorithm” used today.
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Khwarzimi's specific mention of the “sign rule”for multiplying algebraic quantities can be traced to the Kuttaka-ganita of Brahmagupta (7th c. CE) whose method of solving indeterminate quadratic equations, including Pell's equation & chakravala method -a cyclic algorithm.
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Another famous Arab mathematician who based his works on Hindu mathematics was Al-Karajî (953-1029 CE). He is famous for his work on algebra & polynomials. Among historians, his most widely studied work is his algebra book "al-fakhri fi al-jabr wa al-muqabala".
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Al Karaji is said to have introduced the theory of algebraic calculus, given the first formulation of the binomial coefficients & discovered the binomial theorem. But Al-Karaji’s works clearly reveal that he too based most of his knowledge on the ideas of Hindu mathematicians.
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In his book, Al-Karajî focuses on addition, subtraction & extraction of square roots of irrational numerical polynomials. He gives an example of the extraction of the square root of the sum of a number of irrational roots without mentioning its Hindu origin.
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This polynomial is already found in Kuttaka-Ganita by Brahmagupta (6th. c). The same polynomial is also found in Bhâskara II's (1114- 1185 CE), Bijaganita. Yet historians credited Al-Karajî with the invention when it was obvious both were only extending Brahmagupta's idea.
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Al-Karajî’s method of extraction of square root of an algebraic polynomial is attributed to Hindus by Al-Karajî himself. He informs us that he followed the method used in “Indian reckoning” (hisâb al-Hind) to extract square roots of “known quantities”, of numerical polynomials
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Al-Karajî’s student, Al-Samaw’al (1130-1180 CE) is credited with extending arithmetic operations to handle polynomials & using induction. In his book Al-Bâhir (The Dazzling), he too clearly attributes the method of division of two algebraic polynomials to the Hindus of India.
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Al-Samawal was 13, when he began serious study, starting with the Hindu methods of calculation and study of astronomical tables. In his book, he elaborates a general method for extraction of square roots which applies to both polynomial term addition & subtraction.
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He attributed this discovery to himself, but at the end of the chapter he gives the “sign rule”, in the most complete form found in the mathematics of Islam. As mentioned earlier, this complete “sign rule” already appears in the Kuttaka-ganita of Brahmagupta (7th c. CE).
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Al-Samawal also mentions rules for multiplying & dividing algebraic quantities. These rules were described more completely by Bhâskara II. Both mathematicians lived during the same era, but Bhāskara II was extending the established tradition of Hindu mathematics before him.
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Historical records by Arab mathematicians reveal they acquired & attributed much of their mathematical knowledge to Indian masters. Hindus invented the foundations of modern mathematics but the Arabs deserve credit for translating these ideas & disseminating them to Europe.
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Beginning with the Vedas which expressed infinity, nothingness & huge numbers as combinations of powers of 10, to the algorithms which allow you to read this tweet & run the world today, none of it would be possible without the Hindu genius for mathematics.
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Hindus must claim their mathematical heritage & correct such myths, but it's even more important to preserve, study, analyze & extend the knowledge of our ancient masters. Many of their brilliant insights still lie undeciphered, which may help humanity scale greater heights.
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Sources:
“India’s contribution to Arab Mathematics” by Khalil Jaouiche, Indian Journal of History of Science, 46.2 (2011)
A History of Mathematics by Carl Boyer
Muhammad
Ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, Le calcul indien, by A. Allard
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Many Hindus think Christmas is a time of good cheer & celebrate with Christmas pudding/fruitcake made with currants, raisins, candied peels & fruits soaked in brandy and rum. But this innocuous seeming pudding hides the sordid tale of Britain’s colonial imperialism & racism.
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Christmas pudding was earlier called Empire Pudding. It was created by the British empire to show dominance across all its enslaved colonies. Designed as be a culinary symbol, it was a showcase of the consolidated power of the British Empire over its conquered territories.
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Aside from flour & beer, no other ingredients in the dish came from British soil. Empire Pudding was a showcase of misappropriated wealth of ingredients from across the colonies. It was to serve as a symbol of the ultimate tribute by the colonized.
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King Nala’s (Nala-Damayanti fame) culinary book Paka Darpanam describes rice recipes that we still eat today. Recipes for tamarind rice, lemon rice, curry leaf rice, yogurt rice, Biriyani from chicken, meat, quail & Tahari were all eaten in India even before Mahabharat times.
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Rice fried with Ghee was called “Ghritanna” & many rice preparations in this category are still enjoyed in Indian cuisine today. Lemon juice, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, curry leaves & Hing were combined to make delicious lemon rice to increase strength & reduce phlegm.
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Tamarind (Chinchafala) & Curry Leaf (Kaitarya) rice are similarly described. Tamarind rice made of tamarind juice, ginger, garlic & Hing increases heat & subdues colic. Curry leaf made with sesame oil, Hing & camphor is an antiseptic, kills parasites & reduces congestion.
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Maize is supposed to have been brought to India by the Portugese as a New world crop. But clearly distinctive stone carvings of maize are clearly visible in at least 3 Hoysala temples at Somnathpur, Halebid & Belur in Karnataka.
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Authors Johannessen & Parker, published a research paper “Maize Ears Sculptured in 12th & 13th Century A.D. India as Indicators of Pre-Columbian Diffusion," in Economic Botany providing archaeological & literary evidence that Maize (corn) was present in India from 5th c. CE.
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Their study revealed that Hoysala stone carvings of attendants to gods hold distinctly identifiable Maize ears with very specific Mudras. They analyzed grain size, number of rows, physical characteristics & shape compared to real specimens to identify the carvings as maize.
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It was “Saint” Francis Xavier who ordered the horrific Inquisition in Goa. He made the request to the King of Portugal on May 16, 1545 from Amboina (Moluccas). He asked for permission to begin the Inquisition & more preachers to carry out conversion activities.
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The essential focus of the Inquisition was to punish those who were charged with heresy against Christianity. If they confessed, their punishment was not too harsh. If they refused to confess, they were tortured until officials heard a confession or the victim died.
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The Manual of Regulations of the Inquisition was the original guide book for the Inquisitors of the Goa Tribunal to carry out the confession & torture . The Inquisition of Hindus & other Indians in Goa is documented to be far more cruel than what had happened in Europe.
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The city of Kashi epitomizes the unshakeable resilience & unity of Hindus. Devastated multiple times by Islamic invaders, it rose again every time to be rebuilt & renewed by Hindus from all over India, who ensured its perpetual rebirth & existence.
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Hindu temples of Varanasi were devastated so many times, that almost no ancient temple site could escape modification. The 10th c. Kardameshwar temple of Siva, in Kandura village near BHU is the only temple in its original state dating from the pre-Muslim period.
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The Islamic invasions began in In 1033 CE when Varanasi was plundered by Mahmud Ghazni’s son Nialtagin. By end of 11th c., Chandradeva, established the Gahadavala dynasty by regaining Kashi & built the Adi Keshava shrine with gold, valuables, 1000 cows & a village.
The Persian Maasir-I-Alamgiri clearly describes Aurangzeb's order to destroy Mathura & Kashi temples in Jan-Feb, 1670. Aurangzeb ordered the mosque to be built on top of the destroyed Keshavanth Mandir in Mathura, one of the most magnificent temples in India.
Accomplishing this “seemingly impossible work showed “strength of the Emperor’s faith”. Aurangzeb celebrated by taking the broken Murtis & burying them under the steps of the mosque at Agra Fort, so that people would keep stepping on them and Hindus would be humiliated forever.
The great temple of Keshava Rai at Mathura was built by Bir Singh Deo Bundela during Jahangir’s time at a cost of 33 lakhs. The Dehra of Keshava Rai was one of the most magnificent temples ever built in India and enjoyed veneration of the Hindus throughout the land.