Mother Of Democracy India

Description

Mother Of Democracy India

The essence of ancient Indian political theory and practices of governance revolved around the uniquely Bhartiya concept of Dharma. This enjoined people to nurture the values of compassion, ethics and non-violence. Political power was viewed as a trust, a commitment. India’s ancient traditions of governance attested to commitment to those principles, which gave it a unique standing among world civilizations. The States in ancient India were far less centralised than the other contemporary world civilizations.

This raises a fundamental question: Was Bharat (India) the Loktantra ki Janani’, the ‘Mother of Democracy” ? The answer can be found in India’s ancient scriptures. The Rigveda, commonly regarded as the most ancient Indian text, refers to institutions that can be regarded as precursors of the democratic ideal. The two assemblies, sabha and samiti, formed an essential feature of governance. The term sabha denoted the people in conclave, while samiti was an assembly of the people. Another ancient text, the Atharvaveda, detailed the concord between the king and his subjects. Centuries later, we find references to the Parishad, The ancient grammarian, Panini in a sutra, referred to the king as Parishad-bala, one whose strength was drawn from the Parishad.

Additional information