Special topic for CS mains 2014 

INDIA AND ITS ASTRONOMICAL TRADITION

On 24^th September 2014, when Mangalyaan entered the Mars orbit, India became the first Asian country to successfully sent spacecraft into the Martian orbit and the first country in the world to attain the goal in the maiden attempt. After United States, the former Soviet Union, and the European Space Agency, India became the fifth country in the world to attain this goal. This achievement was not a sudden development, but steady progression of space science in India.

Indian Space Research Organization which designed the Mangalyaan was formed in 1969, but history of the astronomical studies in India can be trace back to ancient period. By the third century B. C. mathematics, astronomy, and medicine began to develop separately. Aryabhata and Varahamihira were two renowned scholars of astronomy and mathematics. The first one was belonged to the fifth century AD whereas the latter to the sixth century AD. Their contributions to growth of Indian astronomy are invaluable and peerless. Aryabhata calculated the position of the planets according to the Baby­lonian method. In an age when eclipses were considered as disgrace of god, Aryabhata discovered the cause of lunar and solar eclipses and gave them scientific explanations. It is very interesting to note that Aryabhat measured the circumference of the earth on the basis of speculation, which is considered to be correct even now. Moreover, he pointed out that the sun is stationary and the earth rotates. It should be remembered that all of the discoveries were made in an age when no telescope or similar equipments were found. Also, the society was tolerant enough to the scientific explanations, even though many of them disproved their traditional beliefs.  Aryabhatiya is a seminal work of Aryabhata which refers to his observation skill and deep knowledge in astronomy and mathematics.

Varahamihira was another great mathematician- astronomer of ancient India.  He observed that the moon rotates round the earth and the earth rotates round the sun. He utilized several Greek works to explain the movement of the planets and some other astronomical problems. Al­though the Greek knowledge influenced Indian astronomy, there is no doubt that the Indians pursued the subject further and made use of it in their observations of the planets. Brihatsamhita is the best known among the works of Varahamihira.

Studies in astronomy were progressed in medieval India also. For instance, the 18^th century Rajput ruler Raja Sawai Jai Singh of Amber (1681-1743) was not only a distinguished statesman and reformer, but also a great astronomer. At Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Varanasi, and Mathura Jai Singh established obser­vatories called jantar mantar with accurate and advanced instruments. Some of the inventions were his own. His astro­nomical observations were remarkably accurate. He drew up a set of tables, entitled Zij Muhammadshahi, to enable people to make astrono­mical observations.

          But, in comparison to previous periods, the progress of astronomy in colonial India was undesirable. Lack of patronage and focus in freedom struggle might have caused this. However, the recent achievements of ISRO prove that the gap affected progression of Indian astronomical science in no way.

                                                       

                                                     Compiled by Muhammed Shameer kaipangara