The Greatest Books of Ancient India: Incredible Ideas About Science, Music, Maths, Art and More

A 2,000-year-old medical manual described plastic surgery – centuries before anyone else! An age-old artists’ guide laid down exact measurements for every part of the body, from tooth to toenail. An astronomy and maths handbook from over 1,500 years ago calculated the length of Earth’s year – missing the mark by just 3–4 minutes! No computers, machines or modern labs. Yet thousands of years ago on the Indian subcontinent, brilliant minds mapped the skies, decoded numbers, designed temples, and revolutionized medicine, farming and the arts – recording it all in Sanskrit verses. The Greatest Books of Ancient India unveils 14 extraordinary texts – especially for young readers and curious adults – by stargazers, healers, architects, botanists and thinkers, whose discoveries still matter. In these classic works of knowledge, from the Aryabhatiya to the Arthashastra, and from the Mayamata to the Natya Shastra, you can explore puzzles, experiments and breakthroughs that shaped civilization – long before today’s technology. Travel back in time to discover the astounding achievements of ancient geniuses. Perfect for curious young readers aged 9 and above as well as anyone who wants to introduce a child to India’s extraordinary intellectual history. For fans of Sudha Murty’s mythology retellings and The History of South India for Children by Dr Pradeep Chakravarthy.