I would like to preface this post with an expression of gratitude for the numerous enjoyable timelines on this site, an apology in case this topic has already been discussed to death,which I gather is the case for several topics popular amongst newbies such as I, as well as a statement that I am well aware of my relative lack of historical knowledge, and that, though I attempt to alleviate this problem as I best know how, I am aware that it will likely show in the following questions.
As I have read through various timelines on the site - I freely admit that I have stuck primarily to the more popular ones; there is, after all, a reason for their popularity - one thing that has struck me is the relative lack of material featuring one civilization which I would think rather important during the early days of human civilization, namely, the pre-Islamic Indian one. While it hasn't affected the world in too major ways during the last millennium, I'd say it has, historically, been a rather interesting place.
Digging through whatever online resources I could find, I soon realized what I assume is a major part of the reason for this: The sources are few and scattered, and the historiography is a quagmire of post-imperialistic nationalism and a clash of rabid political ideologues. Being, however, a member of Generation (Y+Z)/2, I am unaccustomed to not having things my way, and clearly don't know when to give up. With this, I trudged on, digging up what I could, and trying to piece together something resembling a proper starting point for a timeline of my very own. Now, I am left with a vague set of goals, as well as a few questions.
To put it briefly, my goal would be to create a world wherein a strong, northern Indian culture emerges, preferably based on some mix of Buddhist, Hindu and Jaina influences, perhaps with a touch or two of Zoroastrianism. Ideally, this culture would then end up influencing the world as a whole, much in the manner of OTL western civilization. In order to accomplish this, I realize that I need some way of preventing the Islamic invasion of India, and to somehow create a cultural climate wherein wealth and innovation could flourish. My questions are these:
- Would it be possible to have a successor state to the Maurya Empire arise in the regions of Gujarat and western Maharashtra, somehow becoming strong enough to repel or redirect the Indo-Greek and Scythian invasions? One idea I've been toying with is to have the Maurya fall apart some thirty years earlier, and having a western state split off.
- Would the existence of a more centralized power in India during the seventh to twelth century be able to likewise prevent the Islamic invasion, thus preserving the hegemony of the Vedic and Dharmic religions?
- Given the presumed level of trade between Indian and Islamic civilization, then, as well as the continued interaction between India and China (Which was present in OTL, at least during earlier times), would it be possible for something resembling the Golden Age of Islam to emerge in said northern Indian culture, provided the development of a social and religious climate favouring innovation and a naturalistic world-view?
- Are there any sources that you would recommend for an improved understanding of Indian culture, especially in northern and central India, between 300 BCE and 1200 CE? I'm currently trying to get my hands on Early India: From Origins to 1200 AD by Romila Thapar, which seems to be one of the best for someone without a formal background in any related field, as well as close to no knowledge about the period as a whole, but honestly, finding any proper litterature seems close to impossible. Any and all recommendations would be welcomed.
And finally:
- Is there anything bleeding obvious I have missed? Is this a good enough candidate for a serious TL, or is it just me wanking my latest idea? I realize that there are probably numerous good reasons for things not going this way in OTL, but I just feel that, well, something more could've come of things.
Again, my gratitude for (presumably) reading this – Alternate History can be a complex affair, and hard to get into as an outsider, but it's fascinating, and, I believe, definitely worth a try.