Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Kosla Vepa on
Astronomy, The Indian Calendar, and Time
Hosted by Smt. and Dr. Amit Mathur
September 26, 2009 at,4:30 pm 817 Talbot Drive, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
Anno Domini Nostri Iesu (Jesu) Christi ("In the Year of the Lord Jesus Christ") 1068 in a little village
called Cambridge north west of London, a group of workmen began constructing what would become
in time one of the great learning centers of Europe and the world. But in 1068 Europe was largely a
backwater. The writings of the ancient Greeks were largely lost, and it was only after Toledo and its
world famous library was reconquered from the Moorish rulers of Andalusia and Southern Spain in
1085 CE that Europe was able to make strides in the various branches of knowledge thanks to the large
number of Arab documents that now fell into the hands of the Spaniards at one of the greatest
libraries of the middle ages. For example, Ptolemy’s Almagest (from the Arabic Al Majisti) was
translated into Latin from Arabic reputedly by a Gerard of Cremona in 1175 CE. This was the sole text
in Astronomy for the majority of the people in Europe during the ensuing centuries, till the 17th
century.
But throughout history, and especially thanks to the Arabs, the work of the Hindus was increasingly
available to the Europeans. In 1068 CE Saad Al‐Andalusi, as far as we are aware, the first historian of
Science and as his name indicates from Moorish Spain, wrote Kitab Tabaqut al‐Umam in Arabic (Book
of Categories of Nations, Livres des Categorie des Nations). The book was translated into French in
1835 by Regis Blachere and into English by Alok Kumar in 1992. The text was produced in Spain in the
11th century in which Saad was reported to have made the observation that only eight nations were
interested in and comprehended Science. These eight people were the Hindus, the Persians, the Chal‐
deans, the Jews, the Greeks, the Romans , the Egyptians, and the Arabs. In this list he placed the Hin‐
dus at the head because ‘Les Indous, entre tout le nations, a traverse le ciecle et depuis l’antiquite,
furent la source de la sagesse, de la justice et de la moderation. Ils furent un peuple, don’e de vertus
ponderatrices, creature de pencees sublimes, d’apologues universel d’inventions rares et de traits
d’espirit remarquables’,
The talk will focus on attempts by the Occident to emasculate the nature, entent and antiquity of the
Indic heritage, especially on matters relating to Science and Mathematics
Light refreshments will be provided courtesy of the hosts the Mathurs. Please RSVP to
Kaushal44@gmail.com or 925‐271‐4528,408‐921‐9615