Eternal India Encyclopedia

Eternal India encyclopedia

Ancient Concepts, Sciences & Systems

There is one more iron pillar at Dhar, in the Malva region which is bigger in dimension (42' high) than the Delhi pillar. This pillar which belongs to about 1200 A.D. is now lying in 3 pieces. Vincent Smith has remarked on this pillar: “ Whilst we marvel at the skill shown by the ancient artificers in forging a great mass of the Delhi pillar, we must give a still greater measure of admiration to the forgotten craftsmen who dealt so successfully in producing the still more ponderous iron mass of the Dhar pillar monument with its length of over 42 feet." The cave paintings at Ajanta(200 B.C-600 A.D.), Bagh (300- 500 A.D), Badami (600 A.D) etc give an idea of the colours and the pigments used by the artists of that period. Dhaturaga (red ochre), haritala (yellow arsenic sulphide) and Kajjala (black-carbon) are some of the many colours used. The Vishnudharmottara purana de- scribes the preparation of the surface for painting. ALCHEMY Alchemy in ancient India is perhaps much older than methodical chemical practices. Like in other places, Indian alchemists also had the twin objectives of (i) converting base metals into gold and (ii) preparation of special decoction to prolong life or to attain immortal- ity. In order to achieve their aim, alchemists developed highly complex processes and secret procedures involving minerals, met- als and herbs. Alchemists were practical chemists with a well- developed laboratory. Alchemical practices in India can be traced to 500 or 600 A.D. Rasavidya (the Indian name for alchemy) was mainly involved in the study of mercury and its properties. Rasa (mercury) is highly venerated in Indian alchemical thought as it is believed to be the creative energy of Siva. Mercurial preparations are supposed to give long life, vitality, mental ability and even invisible movement in space. There is an extensive literature on Indian alchemy which proba- bly belong to a date between 800-1800 A.D. Some of the prominent Rasasastras (Alchemical texts) are Rasarnava, ' Rasaratna- samuccaya, Rasahrdaya. Rasaratnakara, Rasendracintamani etc. Most of these texts deal with the mercury based alchemy to achieve the twin objectives of longevity and transmutation of base metals into gold. A variety of herbal decoctions are prescribed. Suvarna- tantra, an alchemic text, explains the properties of a bulbous root which can dissolve a needle pierced into it. Mercury treated with this bulb in a crucible is said to acquire the property of converting a thousand times its own weight of the base metal into gold. Rasahrdaya mentions details as to how silver can be converted into gold. According to this text mercury is to be covered by powder of cinnabar, realgar, roasted golden pyrites, killed lead, a substance called Kankustha and treated with the oil of kanguni to produce a mixture. If silver is treated with this mixture, it turns into gold. In conclusion it may be said that the chemical practices of Indians during the Vedic and post-Vedic age speak of a high degree of understanding of the basic principles of chemistry and a refined methodology of practical knowledge. Regarding the alchemical practices, however, they were as successful or as futile as the practices elsewhere, notwithstanding the ocean of literature avail- able on them. ( S . S )

in weight probably belonging to 500 A.D.) at Sultanganj in Bihar. Discovered by an engineer of the East India Company and now located in the Birmingham museum, this statue has been cast in two layers. While the outer layer is by lost-wax metal casting method, the inner layer is cast on mould made up of sand, clay, charcoal and paddy husks.

Copper statue of Buddha

The famous iron pillar, opposite the Qutub Minar in Delhi is a typical example of fine iron craftmanship of the classical period. The pillar is 24'3" in height; diameter ranging from 16.4" to 12.05" and weighing moil than six tons. The iron pillar was probably a me- morial to Chandra Gupta II and belongs to 400 A.D. This pillar which is more than 1500 years old is not showing any signs of rusting or decay even now in spite of being subjected to the vagaries of nature for centuries. This has made a Western geolo- gist V.P. Ball to remark : "It is not many years since the production of such a pillar would have been an impossibility in the largest foundries of the world and even now there are comparatively few places where a similar mass of metal could have been turned out." The reason for non rusting and decay of the pillar is probably due to the high phosphorous and very little sulphur and manganese content as a result of the treatment given by the then metallurgists.