The Archaeoastronomy of a Few Megalithic Sites of Jharkhand

The Archaeoastronomy of a Few Megalithic Sites of Jharkhand discards the belief that megaliths are only sepulchral monuments and illustrates that they also served as temples of the ubiquitous Mother Goddesses of the fertility cult. It reveals that a few of the megalithic sites in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand stand in compliance with fundamental mathematics and observational astronomy. Apart from establishing complex burials inside these complexes as also revering them as temples, the prehistoric astronomer-priests intended these megaliths as calendars for the community, used to determine the specific dates on which their fertility rites were to be conducted. Lavishly illustrated and cogently written, the book elucidates megaliths and contends that their presence across the country, from Kashmir to Kerala and from Manipur to Gujarat, is a testimony to India’s tribal prehistory. It showcases the archaeoastronomical megalithic temples of Jharkhand, indicating that the tribes were cognisant of mathematics and horizon astronomy. This much-needed volume hopes to initiate a lively debate as also persuade people to know more about megaliths and their makers and makes essential reading for those seeking to explore aspects of prehistoric India.