GIVING SHELTER, PROTECTION, POWER AND DIGNITY

 The history of umbrellas

     It is a useful item that is propped up over picnic tables and dots sandy beaches. It bounces light in photography studios, and is widely used in festival décor. Mankind has used it from time immemorial for protection from the Sun’s hot rays and the rain. Then it became more decorative and ornamental, and finally, even turned into a status symbol. We are of course, talking about a common object we all own and use regularly – the ubiquitous and trusted umbrella!

     The word ‘umbrella’ comes from the Latin word ‘umbra,’ meaning shadow. The umbrella was originally designed as a shield from the sun, but overtime, it evolved and came to be used during rainy weather too. The word ‘parasol’ (originally from French) is a combination of the words ‘para,’ meaning to stop or to shield, and ‘sol,’meaning sun. Hence, a parasol shields from sunlight.

     Some of the earliest known umbrellas are seen in Egyptian art, dating back to the Fifth Dynasty, around 2450 BC. The ancient Egyptians used umbrellas both for practical and ornamental purposes. The Egyptians also used feathers or lotus leaves to shade members of the nobility, and these served as early versions of parasols.

     Paintings from Ancient Egypt also show pharaohs enthroned beneath parasols. In the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, princesses drove chariots with fringed sunshades.

     The people of Ancient Greece believed in multiple deities(polytheism), and umbrellas featured in ceremonies devoted to several different gods and goddesses. During the festival of the Skirophoria, celebrated in June, a white parasol was carried from the Acropolis to the Temple of Phalerus by the priestesses of goddess Athena. 

     Around 800 AD, the royal umbrella began to flourish in Southeast Asia, and was adopted by kings in Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, Vietnam and Java. The royal umbrella, carried by an attendant, not only shaded the king from the sun, but also symbolized his power in procession, battle, and the hunt. For millennia, the umbrella has been a common symbol of power and status among rulers in a large part of the world. Rulers sometimes bestowed umbrellas on high officials and generals as a visible recognition of their loyalty.

     In Burma, white umbrellas were reserved for the king and his sacred white elephant. One of the Burmese king’s many titles was ‘Lord of the Great Parasol.’

     A story from 12th-century Burma illustrates the umbrella’s symbolic power. An old king was unable to choose his successor from among his five sons. One night, he ordered his royal umbrella set up, and he ordered his sons to sleep in a circle around it. The king’s successor was chosen when the umbrella fell in one son’s direction. This young man later became known as Tilominlo ‘the king whom the umbrella placed on the throne.’

     When the Mandarins ruled China in the 11th century B.C., the rank of any office bearer could be judged according to whether a double or triple-decked umbrella was carried over him. A fourfold sunshade was a privilege granted only to the heaven-born emperor. Rulers in ancient China had servants to carry painted silk parasols over them; to protect them from the heat of the sun.

     In imperial Japan, the Mikado or Emperor never appeared in public unaccompanied by his parasol-bearer. 

     In Thailand, multi-tiered parasols are placed a top thrones. A royal umbrella, or chatra, consists of several tiers to denote the various ranks of royals. For example, a crown prince sits under five tiers, an unconsecrated king sits under seven, and a sovereign king’s parasol has nine tiers. It is customary for kings to not sit under nine-tiered parasols until after their formal coronation. The anniversary of the king’s coronation day is a national holiday each year in Thailand. This holiday is called ‘Wan Chantra Mongkol,’ which translates to ‘the day of the blessing of the umbrella.’

     The Asante (or Ashanti) kingdom was one of the biggest and most successful in West Africa. The Britain captured part of this territory in 1874, and the British Gold Coast was established soon after.

     Gigantic umbrellas were an important part of the Asante king’s royal regalia, and the king often conducted business sitting beneath an ornate umbrella. These colourful, well decorated umbrellas were large enough to provide cover to twelve to fifteen people at a time!

     In 1701, Dutch imperialists presented a scarlet-fringed umbrella to the King of Asante in present-day Ghana. When opened, this splendid umbrella rose seven feet in the air, and measured nearly six feet across. A year later, the Dutch unveiled two more umbrellas;one lined with calico and another framed in gold fringe. British imperialists, determined not to be outdone, responded by presenting the king with a nine-foot-wide red umbrella, topped with a gilt elephant!

     Sir Garnet Wolseley, Field Marshal of the British Army, once presented Queen Victoria with an enormous umbrella that he had captured from an African king in 1874. It had 42 ribs and a circumference of 22 feet!

     The umbrella usually symbolizes the canopy of the heavens, shelter, and protection, and is often an emblem of power and dignity. It is not surprising therefore, that the umbrella finds a place in the stories and rituals of many religions of the world. 

     In the medieval Catholic Church, the umbrella became a symbol of authority, and umbrellas are still among the Pope’s accouterments. The umbraculum, also known as the pavilion, is a symbol of the Catholic Church and the authority of the Pope over it. It is found in all the basilicas throughout the world, placed prominently at the right of their main altars. Whenever the Pope visits a basilica, its umbraculum is opened. 

     Royal umbrellas are mentioned in Buddhist literature dating back to about 300 BC. These early texts say that when Prince Siddhartha Gautama left behind his royal palace to meditate on the sufferings of the world, he was shaded by a cobra’s hood, a tree, or an umbrella. Therefore, the umbrella became a symbol of his successful search for enlightenment, and in these texts, he is referred to as the ‘Buddha of the White Umbrella.’

     Early Buddhist sculpture portrays objects associated with the Buddha, and often, the bodhi tree, a cobra, or an honorific umbrella signified his presence. After the Buddha’s death, his followers sent small portions of his ashes to other groups of followers, who built mounds over the ashes.

     Several umbrellas mounted on a single shaft topped these mounds, and these became known as stupas, such as those built at Sanchi in Central India, around 100 BC. The reliefs on the stupas at Sanchi also show kings, under royal umbrellas, arriving in procession, to honour the Buddha.

     In Jainism, the umbrella is an auspicious symbol, and there is always a divine, three tiered parasol above the Tirthankara’s (spiritual leader or teacher) head, which is a symbol of his spiritual sovereignty.

     Arjuna, Lord Krishna’s dearest friend, held a precious white umbrella over Lord Krishna’s head. It was decorated with strings of pearls and its handle was studded with diamonds. The Ramayana says that Sage Vasishta installed Lord Rama on a golden throne, while Shatrugana placed a white umbrella over his head. A white umbrella was one of the sacred items that emerged from the sea during the Samudra Manthan, or churning of the ocean.

     The Samudra Manthan, one of the best-known episodes in Hindu philosophy, narrated in the Mahabharata and in the Vishnu Purana, explains the origin of Amrita, the nectar of immortality. Varuna, the ancient Hindu God of the Wind, Sea and Water, has a white umbrella that can withstand the vajra, or thunderbolt released by Indra, the King of Heaven.

     Umbrellas are an important part of Hindu temple ritual in South India. The ‘Koil Kodai’ or the ritual temple umbrella, not only protects the Lord from rain and sun, but is a symbolic way of paying respect to the Lord, while acknowledging his presence. Temple umbrellas range in size from 4.5 feet to 18 feet and each umbrella is made using the specific colours meant for the deity it will serve. The umbrellas at the temples of Vishnu are only in white and brown in colour. Those used at Shiva, Ganesha and Devi temples are multi-coloured. The motifs on these umbrellas are usually those found in ancient traditional stories.

    The ‘kudamattam’ or exchange of decorated umbrellas is one of the iconic events during the spectacular Thrissur Pooram held annually in Kerala. This festival was conceived by King Sakthan Thampuran, ruler of the kingdom of Cochin, as one of the iconic cultural events for his new capital city, Thrissur, in1789. Every single event of this spectacular 36-hour show was carefully thought out by the king in order to entertain and captivate the audience. He even invited members of the general public to give suggestions about how to enhance the quality of the show, and many rituals were based on such opinions.

     Originally, the Thrissur Pooram had no kudamattam format – only one set of umbrellas were raised throughout the show. However, the King received a strange petition from the prisoners of the Thrissur Jail, incarcerated behind high walls in the jail grounds. From their jail cells, they could see only the umbrellas of the Thrissur Pooram being raised up and down. So, they requested the King to change the umbrellas frequently to avoid the monotony, so that they too could enjoy a part of the grand festivities.

     This petition captured the compassionate King’s imagination, and he accepted their request. He ordered that the festival umbrellas be changed at the start of every new beat, and choreographed the concept of umbrella changing in accordance with the music beats. This unique event eventually became the star attraction of the Thrissur Pooram, and soon became a standard feature in all temple festivals. 

     An interesting French bridal custom involves a newlywed couple and close family members dancing under a giant decorated umbrella or parasol, as guests throw paper ribbons over the top. This event shows the uniting of two families under a single roof, and good wishes being showered on them. Similarly, the ‘umbrella dance’ is the first dance for a newlywed German couple. At the entrance to the reception, guests sign a white umbrella with colorful markers. When it’s time for the dance, the umbrella is presented, and the newlyweds hold it over their heads as they dance, while guests throw confetti at them.

     A red umbrella is used as a powerful symbol in Japanese weddings. Red signifies life and wards off evil, so the red umbrella not only keeps the bride dry, but safe as well. A similar tradition is popular in China as well, where a bridal umbrella shields the bride, so birds do not see her, or let droppings fall on her. Rice is scattered on the umbrella to distract the birds, so they will not harm the bride as the wedding party progresses to the groom’s home.

     In weddings in North India, the groom rides to his wedding on a white horse while an attendant holds a large, ornate umbrella over him. This umbrella signifies that, at least for this one day, the groom is a king!

     In England, women had been carrying parasols since 1705 to protect their delicate complexions, but in the 1750’s, Jonas Hanway became the first Englishman to carry an umbrella in public. He was initially hooted and ridiculed, but he determinedly carried around what would eventually become the modern version of the umbrella, for over 30 years.

     Early European umbrellas were made of wood or whalebone,and covered with alpaca or oiled canvas. Artisans fashioned the curved handles for these umbrellas out of hardwoods like ebony. Hanway made it socially acceptable for men to carry umbrellas in public in Europe, and English gentleman often referred to their umbrellas as a ‘Hanway.’ 

     In 1830, a businessman called James Smith founded an umbrella shop called James Smith & Sons. The store is still in business today, offering handcrafted umbrellas to the people of London. In 1852, Samuel Fox of the English Steels Company changed the basic design of the umbrella by adding the same steel-ribbed frame used in women’s corsets. This is the style of umbrella we still use to this day!

     Mohendra Dutt, a pakhwaj (a barrel shaped double headed drum) player at the Bardhaman Raj Durbar in Bengal, accidentally emerged as the pioneer of umbrella manufacturing in India. The story goes that the umbrella adorning the throne needed repairs, but the noblemen at the durbar were reluctant to send it to England to get it fixed. Mohendra Dutt then took up the challenge of repairing the royal umbrella, and was successful. In 1882, Mohendra Dutt came up with the idea of starting as mall umbrella workshop. He soon started manufacturing and marketing umbrellas indigenously, and even went onto receive a prestigious gold medal from the then Viceroy of India, Lord Irwin. MohendraDutt & Sons soon emerged as an iconic household brand, especially in Bengal, and the company still exists to this very day. Hans Haupt invented pocket umbrellas in 1928, but in 1969, Bradford E. Phillips an American inventor, got a patent for the first working folding umbrella. This allowed people to store their umbrellas easily, and carry them in their bags. The foldable umbrella soon ousted the unwieldy stick umbrella, and became universally popular.

     Umbrellas continue to be actively developed. In the United States, so many umbrella-related patents are being filed, that the U.S. Patent Office employs four full-time examiners to assess them. In 2008, the US Patent Office registered 3000 active patents on umbrella-related inventions! 

* A photography umbrella is a key tool in a photographer’s kit, and is used to soften and diffuse the light produced by an off camera light source such as a flash unit.

*  Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain used only transparent umbrellas, so that members of the general public can always see her.

* The umbrella was used as a political statement in Hong Kong. In 2014, protesters used theirs as a shield from pepper spray as they demanded a more democratic nation.

* The iconic fictional character iconic Mary Poppins has a magical umbrella (with a handle with a parrot head) that she used as a kind of parachute to fly through the sky! This umbrella immortalized in the Disney movie ‘Mary Poppins’ has become one of the most recognised umbrellas in cinematic history.

* The Frankford was considered the best umbrella for the beach, since it had a sturdy design and wouldn’t blow away easily. Today, it is the official umbrella for beaches in South Carolina, Virginia, and Chicago in the USA.

* William C. Carter of Cincinnati patented the very first umbrella stand. His invention could hold more than one umbrella, and was a useful item for a household where several umbrellas were used.

*  The superstition about opening umbrellas indoors goes back to the 18th century. Early umbrella designs often required force to be applied to them to get them to function, which made opening them indoors extremely dangerous!

* National Umbrella Day is held on 10th February each year around the world.

* When Queen Victoria’s son, the Prince of Wales, toured India in 1877, he rode on an elephant beneath a fabulous golden umbrella. As a mark of respect to their monarch’s son, Indian princes presented him with umbrellas made of blue silk looped with pearls!

* Early in the 19th century, the first Duke of Wellington was seldom seen without an umbrella, although he forbade his officers from carrying them onto the battlefield.

* ‘Brolly’ is a slang word for umbrella, used often in Australia, Ireland, Kenya,New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

DO YOU KNOW

 Why horses need horseshoes?

     In the wild, horses move around slowly, run only rarely and do not carry loads on their backs. Their hoofs develop a natural roughness or toughness that protects them from wear and tear. 

     When domesticated, horses often have to carry the weight of a rider and run for long periods on different terrains – the soft soil of the countryside or the paved roads of towns. Their hooves are unable to adapt to these conditions and if not protected in some way can split to such an extent that the horse becomes lame. Hence the need for horseshoes.

     The horseshoes are usually made of metal and are nailed to the hooves, though sometimes they’re just glued on. The nailing is done to a part of the hoof that is insensitive to pain as it is made of material similar to that of our fingernails and if the fitting of the horseshoe is done in the proper manner by someone trained to do this work, the animal feels no pain.

     Not all domesticated horses are shod. Those animals that are not required to carry loads or move around in areas which could damage their hooves are sometimes left unshod. 

DO YOU KNOW

What does an ecological footprint indicate?

     An ecological footprint compares the total natural resources people consume with the land and water area that is required to replace these resources.

     The ecological footprint works like an accounting balance sheet. On the minus side are the resource consuming activities like energy usage, logging, farming, fishing etc. On the plus side is Earth's biocapacity --- its ability to replace these resources and absorb the waste.

     The ecological footprint measures the demands humans place on nature. It includes estimates of the sea and forest-covered land areas needed to absorb greeenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. The more the greenhouse gases, the more the water and forest area required for absorbing them. Thus a large carbon footprint would mean a larger ecological footprint. In short, the ecological footprint tells us how much of Earth is required to support human life if a particular lifestyle is followed.

     Since the mid-1980s, humans have been consistently leaving a larger ecological footprint. For example, for 2007, humanity's ecological footprint was estimated at 1.5 Earths. It means that humans consumed resources 1.5 times faster than Earth can reproduce them. The deficit was made up by drawing on stored resources like fossil fuels, which Earth does not replenish every year. The UN estimates that if current trends continue, by the mid-2030s we will need two earths to sustain ourselves!

FROM CHAMPARAN TO NAOKHALI

 Mahatma Gandhi 

     Little over a hundred years ago, Gandhiji launched his first satyagraha movement in India, in Champaran.

Satygraha Beckons: Indigo, the blue dye, was in great demand in 19th century Europe. European planters in India forced farmers to grow indigo on their fertile fields where they would have otherwise grown rice. 

     While the planters sold the indigo at great profits and became rich, the farmers suffered because the indigo plant rendered the land totally useless for further cultivation. 

     In March 1859, thousands of farmers in Bengal refused to grow indigo. The British grew alarmed as they had faced the uprising of 1857 and did not want another rebellion. They sided with the farmers and declared that planters could no longer force the peasants to grow indigo. After the revolt, indigo plantation collapsed in Bengal and the planters moved base to Bihar. The plight of the indigo farmers there came into focus when Mahatma Gandhi took up their cause during the Champaran satyagraha in 1917.

     At the time, Mahatma Gandhi, who had returned to India from South Africa, was travelling through the length and breadth of the country. When lawyers from Bihar sought his help in finding a solution for the plight of ryots(farmers/cultivators) exploited by the European indigo planters, he went to Champaran to study the problem first-hand.

     He sought meetings with the planters but they were openly hostile. Government officials refused to cooperate and when he started meeting the ryots, the collector ordered him to leave Champaran. Gandhiji refused and was hauled up in court.

     Gandhiji was courteous to the officials, respectful to the court but firm in his resolve not to leave Champaran.

     “As a law-abiding citizen, my first instinct would be, as it was, to obey the order served upon me,” said Gandhiji, in court. “But I could not do so without doing violence to my sense of duty to those for whom I have come. I feel that I could serve them only by remaining in their midst.”

     He declared that he would submit without protest to whatever penalty was imposed upon him.

     The court was adjourned. The government officials were thrown into confusion. What do you do with a man who refuses to obey the law on moral grounds but agrees that the court should punish him and expresses willingness to submit to the punishment? As Gandhiji wrote later, it looked as if it was the government and not Gandhiji who was on trial.

     The government beat a hasty retreat and allowed Gandhiji to stay. Later Sir Edward Gait, the Lt Governor, asked him to serve as a member of the official committee of enquiry. After the enquiry, the committee upheld the demands of the ryots.

     The ryots had wanted Gandhiji to save them from the planters. Gandhiji did that and more. He opened a school for their children and he taught them the value of cleanliness and basic hygiene.

Lesson in Unity: During the final leg of India’s freedom struggle, Naokhali, a district of Bengal (now in Bangladesh), witnessed horrific communal riots in which thousands of people were butchered. Gandhiji visited the strife-ridden area with the single-minded purpose of ending the senseless violence.

     He briefly halted at a villager’s home and was warmly welcomed by the people. A villager, Asghar Bhuyan, was keen to show Gandhiji a unique tree.

     He said, “See, the branch of this tree has two kinds of leaves. Is it not strange?”

     Gandhiji smiled and said, “No, it is God’s creation. Two different kinds of leaves are flourishing side by side in the same branch of one tree…just like Hindus and Muslims of the same soil. They demonstrate that we should live as brothers in the same land just as these leaves are growing on the same tree.”

     The villagers understood the point of Gandhiji’s message and agreed that Hindus and Muslims should live together peacefully.

TO BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOU

Seek the best in others 

    As a young Scottish boy, Andrew Carnegie came to America, and started doing odd jobs. As time passed, he became one of the largest steel manufacturers in the USA. At one time he had 43 millionaires working for him. 

     Once someone asked him how he dealt with people. Carnegie replied, “Dealing with people is like digging for gold. When you go digging for an ounce of gold, you have to move tons of dirt to get an ounce of gold. But you need to remember that when you go digging, you don’t go looking for the dirt; rather you go looking for the gold. It’s the same with people.” 

     Seeing the ‘gold’ in others, is a valuable habit to develop. It transforms your relationship with them. Empowering others to believe in something bigger than themselves, leads to the development of new ideas and strategies. Successful people live well, laugh often, and love much. They leave the world better than they found it. While looking for the best in others, they give out the best they have. 

     As you grow up, even if you are in a position to hold others accountable, remember that you are just as accountable to them. By selflessly serving others, a culture of mutual respect and admiration will be created. It helps bring out the best, both in you and in others. The American motivational writer William Arthur Ward says, “When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.”

THE HEALING VEGETABLE

Ash gourd

     The ash gourd (Benincasa hispida), also known as winter melon, white gourd, and wax gourd (because of the presence of waxy cuticles that develop on the mature fruits) is a versatile plant that has been used for thousands of years as food and medicine in the Orient. A member of the Cucurbitaceae family and native to South-east Asia, it is widely grown throughout the plains of India, China, Malaysia, Taiwan, Bangaladesh and Sri Lanka. In India, the ash gourd is a popular element of folklore and traditions. Known as kushmanda in Sanskrit, the ash gourd finds mention in ancient Ayurvedic texts such as Charaka Samhita and Ashtangahridaya Samhita for its many nutritional and healing properties.

     The ash gourd plant is a trailing or climbing vine with a thick, furrowed stem bearing course hairs. 

     Leaves are 22-25cm long, with five or seven lobes, and give off an unpleasant odour when bruised. The fruit which is densely hairy when immature, gets covered at maturity with a thick white waxy layer, which protects it from insects and preserves its moisture. A mature fruit ranges in weight from 2 to 50kg. The flesh is white, juicy and spongy, and contains numerous smooth flat seeds that are yellow or pale brown in colour and yield a pale yellow oil.

     All parts of the plant have medicinal properties and have been used as such by traditional medicine systems across cultures. The juice squeezed from grated ash gourd, diluted with an equal amount of water, is consumed daily in the morning on an empty stomach as a remedy for peptic ulcer. 

     Ash gourd juice also acts as a blood coagulant. Since ancient times it has been taken, mixed with a spoonful of gooseberry or lemon juice, to stop profuse bleeding from the lungs and nose and as a remedy for bleeding piles. As the fruit is high in potassium, its intake (in curries) is recommended for maintaining a healthy blood pressure and strengthening the heart and lungs. The root is powdered and consumed, mixed with warm water, to obtain relief from asthma and cough. Ayurveda prescribes topical application of ash gourd seed oil to get relief from headaches. Unani medicine uses the seeds to treat disorders of the urinary tract. Central American tribal medicine prescribes consumption of a decoction of the pulp to treat intestinal inflammation and application of the same as a poultice to treat burns. Traditional Chinese medicine utilises ash gourd extract in remedies for various conditions ranging from skin blemishes, inflammation and high blood pressure to urinary disorders.

     Being an easily cooked, palatable and nutritious vegetable, the ash gourd also has numerous culinary uses across Asia. It is used to make a variety of curries in South Indian cuisine. In North India and Pakistan, the fleshy pulp of the ash gourd is deseeded, cubed and cooked in sugar syrup to make a translucent candy called petha. Young leaves, shoots and tendrils of the plant are also cooked into curries or boiled and fried and eaten as greens. The fried or roasted seeds are eaten as a snack. In Goa, a spicy preparation called Vadyo is made which is either served by deep frying or making curry with it.

CONTRIBUTION OF ANCIENT INDIAN SCIENTISTS AND MATHEMATICIANS

 Some greatest Indian ancient scientists and mathematicians

      Most of the principles and theories of science and maths originated from the Indian Vedas. All major concepts, such as Algebra, the idea of time, the structure of the universe, metallurgies, aviation science and many others, were first cited in the Vedas. The profound contributions of ancient Indian scientists and mathematicians to the world’s knowledge are undeniable. Actually, Science and Maths were highly developed in the ancient Indian era. India was home to many renowned scientists and mathematicians.

Lets learn about a few greats who shaped the world with innumerable discoveries that became the the foundation of many others.

1. Maharishi Sushruta:

     Maharishi Sushruta is the author of the world’s earliest book on medicine and surgery. He is fondly regarded as the ‘Father of Indian Medicine’ and ‘Father of Plastic Surgery'. His influential treatise, ‘Sushruta Samhita’ or the compendium of Sushruta, is the main source of knowledge about surgeries in ancient India. The description of surgical procedures, anatomical knowledge and the creative approach to surgery, as described in Sushruta Samhita, holds even today. Skin grafting is one such example, used even today by surgeons worldwide to restore areas that have lost the upper protective layer of tissue due to injury, burns, infection or trauma. Skin grafting is also used to restore areas that have lost skin tissue due to surgical intervention. Rhinoplasty is another procedure that has its origin in ancient India. Sushruta also explained measures to deal with hair loss and unwanted hair removal. He gave steps for perfect healing and how to achieve normal skin pigmentation and the absence of swelling after surgical procedures. Sushruta was no doubt the greatest surgeon in ancient India.

2. Aryabhatta – 

     Aryabhatta was an astronomer, mathematician, Physicist and astrologer of the fifth century. He was the first to calculate the value of Pi as 3.1416. His greatest contribution was the invention of Zero. This discovery enabled him to find the exact distance between the earth and the moon. He also gave a scientific explanation of the solar and lunar eclipse.

3. Varahamihira:

    Varahamihira was the first scientist to state that some force keeps objects stuck to the round earth, later termed the force of gravity. He was the first mathematician to discover Pascal’s triangle to calculate binomial coefficients.

4. Charak: 

     Charak is the ‘Father of ancient Indian Science of medicine’. In his book, ‘Charak Samhita’, he describes the medicinal qualities and functions of about 1,00,000 medicinal plants.

5. Baudhayana:

     Baudhayana is the original mathematician behind the Pythagorean theorem. Pythagoras did not discover his theory, as is a common belief, but was actually given hundreds of years ago by the Indian sage and mathematician Baudhayana.

     Apart from these, many other Indian scientists made significant contributions and landmark discoveries to the world in field of Science and Maths, such as: 

Kanada:

     Kanada, was a sage who formulated the theory of atoms 2500 years before John Dalton.

 Nagarjuna: 

     Nagarjuna was one of the earliest proponents of metallurgy.

Sridhara Acharya: 

Sridhara Acharya was the first person to give an algorithm for solving quadratic equations, etc. 

     A lot of scientific knowledge evolved in ancient India, and there is no denying the fact that modern Science and technology owe their origin to our ancient Indian scientists and mathematicians.