The Uniqueness of Ancient Indian Astronomy

Abstract

Astronomy is the branch of natural science that deals with estimating the positions and motions of celestial bodies. It is believed to be the first branch of any natural science that was well understood and researched by scientists in ancient times. Any study of the history of astronomy will list the Babylonian, Greek, Persian, and Chinese understanding of astronomy leading up to Copernicus, the Polish astronomer of the late Middle Ages and early Modern Times. Sometimes, these historical accounts mention Indian  contributions, but often, Indian astronomical contributions are ignored. Indian astronomy has a deep-rooted tradition dating back many millennia. For example, the Ṛgveda outlines the Indian calendar’s 360-day year and their use of cardinal points before any other civilization did. Significant contributions to Indian astronomy can be found in various Vedic sources, such as Vedāṅga Jyotiṣa, Sūrya Siddhānta, Śulbasūtras, Pañca Siddhāntikā by Varāhamihira, Āryabhaṭa’s works, and finally, the Vedas themselves. This paper aims to explore the trajectory of astronomical understanding, focusing on the often overlooked but significant and deeply-rooted contributions of Indian astronomy. We look at various sources within India to determine what was known about astrometry or astronomy in India and try to answer the question of how far back Indian astronomical knowledge originated and what the extent of its contributions to the field is.