India and Central Asia: An interpretation of mutually indelible historical relationship and its multi faceted impact

Abstract

Across the Great Himalayan terrain; the culture, the lifestyle and the religion have got enriched by both geographic boundaries of India and Central Asia by integrated efforts down the ages. Historically, both the regions are interconnected in numerous ways. This relation witnessed vast and deep dimensions of culturally socio-religious and intellectual exchanges. The current paper has highlighted the indelible mutual impacts of both the regions which are earnest and very deep into history. These mutual influences are multidimensional and vast which incorporates multifaceted aspects like governance, architecture, art, trade and commerce, social customs, language, dress, lifestyle, philosophy, astrology, science, music, etc. among the few which are easily visible from ancient to modern period. Indian history cannot be defined without inclusion of a Central Asian segment. On the other hand Central Asia imbibed Indian fragrance within its deeper dimensions. The paper emphasizes only some of the social, monarchical, linguistic, intellectual and religious aspects of these dimensions towards establishing the possible bridge across the two major regions and it concludes the inseparable influence of these two regions is not merely from the recent decades but from the ancient times. The relationship interweaves through multifaceted dimensions of trade and commerce, socio-religious, socio-political and ethnic exchanges over the period beyond 3,000 years.