Historian sheds light on ancient India’s global influence

India-based Scottish historian William Dalrymple captivated the audience at the Bangalore Literature Festival on Saturday with his talk on The Golden Road, tracing ancient India’s cultural and economic connections to the world. Dalrymple highlighted how Ashoka’s embrace of Buddhism in the 3rd century BCE transformed it from a minor local faith to a global religion. "Where before there was silence, suddenly, a waterfall of words begins to tumble down Ashoka pillars and rock shelters across India," he said.

This marked the start of Indian ideas such as karma, reincarnation, and Indic philosophical systems spreading far and wide. He described extraordinary finds, such as a Buddha head in Gandharan style, carved from Mediterranean marble, and unearthed in an Egyptian temple.

"This fusion of Indian religious ideas with Mediterranean craftsmanship demonstrates the extent of ancient India’s influence," he added. Dalrymple also discussed India’s geographic advantage monsoon winds enabling swift maritime trade routes. “No other country has a wind system that facilitates such efficient trade,” he said, explaining how these routes linked India to Rome, Egypt, and beyond.