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Review
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very valuable addition to the vast literature on oriental studies. The editor deserves all compliments for his labours which are well-rewarded. The problems of research show that even now, there is an infinite scope of research in oriental studies. This speaks for the richness and variety, depth and subtlety of oriental learning
R. S. Betai
A Complex Study of India - G. M. Bongard Levin- Ajanta Publications-Delhi 1986. Price Rs. 175-00
This is a systematised collection of the different published research papers on Indian culture by the famous Russian author, who is known as a front-rapk Indologist. Eighteen Papers in all are divided into four parts as follows :
(I) Problems of Ethnic Study (II) Problems of Political and Socio-economic structure (III) Problems of Cultural Development (IV) Study of Ancient Indian Texts
The first part, in three small chapters, is a fit introduction to the study of political and Socio-economic structure in ancient India, cultural
development in relation to world civilization and a broad-based but doop - study of Ancient Indian texts.
Introducing the subject, chapter one discusses the problems of genesis of Indian culture, Dravidian and Munda cultures and their inter-relation with the help of linguistic, historical, literary, ethnogaphical and other available data, with the help of references in the old works. Yet, the nove. Ity of the study lies in the very great importance that the author gives to archaeological data. He comes to the right conclusions in which he shows how the Dravidian and Munda cultures as also the Harappan are earlier and have influenced the Vedic culture considerably in all its aspects including linguistic. He gives his opinion that the Rgveda, in its present form existed in 2000 B, C.
Chapter two discusses and analyses Proto-Indian Culture studies-the new advances. The chapter mainly deals with all the different efforts at deciphering the script, language and content of the Harappan writing in