Archaeological sources : About Ancient history of Himachal Pradesh
The history of Himachal Pradesh goes back to the period of earliest existence of human civilization in this part of the world. There are adequate evidence to prove this fact that histpricalremains are found in the area traversed by the Banganga valleyBeas valleys of Kangra, the Sirsa-Satluj valleys of NalagarhBilaspur and the Markanda valley of Sirmaur. In the excavations, the implements found are, large stone tools like pebbles, choppers, hand axes and flexes which are found embodied in the fan shaped boulders and gravels in the Shivalik hills. The rock commonly used for these implements was quartzite.
On the basis of typological comparisons with similar tools found in the Indian peninsular region these seems to be at least 4000 years old. This is a common belief that natural vegetation, animal life, raw material in the form of river pebbles and readily available river water attracted man to settle around river valleys. Since metal was not known then, he utilized stones for making his artifacts.
Archaeological sources :
Archeology has significantly contributed to the knowledge of, history. The archaeological sources include stone tools, implements, coins, inscriptions, monuments and sculptures. The important archaeological sites were discovered at Guler, Dhaliara, Dehra, Masrur all in the Kangra district to trace out the Sohan Culture in the sub-Himalayan basin. Other surveys conducted in the areas of Jawalamukhi, Dehra-Gopipur and Nurpur give indication about the Early Stone Age. The places in the inner Satluj Valley such as Nirath, Dattnagar, Sholi, and Sarahan are rich in archaeological wealth. In Kullu district Nirmand, Outer Seraj and in Kinnaur district Kamru, Sungra, Kothi, and Chitkul may prove good places for archaeological excavations.
Inscriptions
The tradition of Inscription was very popular among ruler in the past. The earliest inscriptions about Himachal date back to Pathayarand Kanihara in Kangra district, Soopurfrom hillock cave inscription of Hatkoti in Shimla district and Salanu near Manglor in Mandi district. Nirmand copper plates of the 7th centur A.D. issuedby Mahasamanta Ma araia Samudrasena is animportant historical document. A large number of copper plates and other relevant material is preserved in the Bhuri SinghChamba which cover many socio economic and political aspects of the early history of Himachal Pradesh.
Coins
Rulers form earliest had a system of issueing coins. The earliest coins found in the Pradesh belong to the ancient tribal kingdoms of Trigarta, Audumbara, Kulutas and Kunindas covering the period from the second century B. C. to the 2nd century A.D. The earliest 37 punch marked coins out of which 25 coins are preserved in the Bhuri Singh Museum Chamba and 12 are kept in State Museum Shimla are found from Arki. Among the later inscriptions of the Kangra district, the two eulogies (prasastis) are quite interesting from Kiragrama of Baijnath.
The epigraphic material related to the history of Himachal Pradesh may be given description under different heads such as Copper plate inscriptions, Rocks inscriptions. Image and Mask inscriptions and Wood inscriptions.
Stone Inscription :
These have been written in various scripts such as Sharda, Kharoshti, Brahmi, Tankari, Kutila, Nagari, Sankha, Bhotia or Tibetan and Sidhamatrika. The Chamba region of Himachal Pradesh is richest of all in epigraphical remains beginning from 6th century A.D. down to the 19th century.
Sanskrit Literature :
The most authentic written records of earlist period are available in Sanskrit Literature. Earliest of the four Vedas, the 'Rigveda speaks about various tribes of Himalayan foot-hills about 1800 B.C. Besides, Puranas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Ramayana and Mahabharata also contain references about the general physiography, its drainage, places and people of this region. :n secular Sanskrit literature Panini's Ashtadhyayi, the Raghuvansham of Kalidasa, Visakhadutta's Devichandra Guptam, Mudrarakshasa, Kalhana's Rajatarangini are useful.
Persian sources :
Sultan Mahmud's invasions of Nagarkot, Bhimnagar (Kangra) then one of the famous places of Hindu pilgrimage were accounted in the 'Tarikh-i-Yamini'or 'Kitabul-Yamini'(1020 AD) followed by Khawand Mir's Habibus Siyar (1523 AD) and - Ferishta's 'Tarikh-i-Ferishta'or 'Guishan-I-brahim'. The two contemporary chroniclesnamely the ‘Tabaqat-i-Feruz Shahi’ often mention about the rebels finding shelter in the lower parts of Himachal Pradesh.
During Tughluq period, Badr Chacha in his ‘Qasaid-i-Badr-i-Chacha’ gives some verses of the Penetration of the Turkish forces in the kangra Hills. Ziaudding Barani has also made a brief reference to the Nagarkot invasion led by Sultan Muhammed bin Tughluk. The siege and the consquest of the fort of Nagarkot by Sultan Feroz Shah Tughluq is found in Barani and Afif’s ‘Tarikh-i-Feruz Shahi’, Ferishta’s ‘Tarikh-i-Farishta’, Jahangir’s ‘Terzu-i-Jahangiri’, and shahnawaz Khan’s ‘Muasir-EI-Umara’. The autobiography of Mongol invader Amir Timur (1369-144 A.D.), the ‘Tezuki-i-Timuri’, refers to Raja Ratan Sen of Shivalik Hills. During Afghan period, Rizakulla Mushtaq gives an account of the conquest of Kangra and adjoining hills in his ‘Waqiat-i-Mushtaqi’ by the Afghan Rulers. The account of the frequent campaigns to annex the Himachal Hill States is found is Abul Faza;’s ‘Akbar Namah’ and ‘Ain-i-Akbari’, Abdul Qadir Badauni’s, Munrakhab-ut-Tawarikh’, and Nizamuddin Ahmad’s ‘Tabaqt-I-Akbari’/ emperior Jahangri’s autobiography the ‘Tezuk-iJahangiri’, is an important contemporary source. A distict description of the Kangra fort is given in the Shash Fath-I-Kangra.
Since the major part of the moder State of Himachal Pradesh is comprised of the erstwhile Punjab Hill States, the Sikh historical and religious literature furnish important information about the relations of Sikhs with the hill states of Himachal. ‘The Adi Granth’ or ‘Guru Granth Sahib’ the holy scripture of the Sikhs, ‘the Bachitra Natak’ of Gurus and other writers, the ‘Guru Sobha’ of Sena Pat, ‘the Gur Bilas’ of Bhai Sukha Singh and Mohsin Fani’s ‘Dabistan-i-Mazahib’ given detailed history about the spread of Sikhism in he foot-hills of Himachal Pradesh.
Travelogues :
In addition to literary, numismatic and archaeological sources another very important source of information is account left by the foreign travel writers. Hiuen Tsang, the Chinese traveler left the most reliable historical reference about the Himalayan Statesm who visited India in 630 A.D. and remained here till 645 A.d.
Among the European travelers include William Finch and Thomas Coryat whot visited during the time of Aurangzeb. Forster visited in A.D. 1783, J. B. Fraser in A.D. 1815, Alexander Gerard in A.D. 1817-18, W. Moore Craft in A.D. 1820-22, Captain Monday in A.D.-1829, Major Archer in A.D. 1829, Baron Charles Hugel visited in 1835-39. Others include George Forster, G.T. Vigne, J.C. Davidson and Captain A: F. P. Harcourt.
Vamshawalis, Catalogues, Gazetterrs and Reports :
Rulers since the known history of the World, have been driven by the force of popularity and immortal vision, which has been reflected in the Vamhsavalis. The other important source of history is Vamhsavalis the geneological rolls of the ancient rulers, a careful record of their pedigree composed by the Rajguru. Some of these may be of doubtful value, 'however, most of them are known for the accuracy of historical records.
On the erstwhile Hill States of Punjab, the first pioneer attempt was made by J. Hutchinson and J. Ph. Vogel who produced a great work namely the "History og the Punajab Hill States"in two volumes, printed in 1933.