Fate of India with no islam

ar-pharazon

Banned
So assuming that Islam is butterflied away what will happen to India?

Will Indian politics and culture be greatly affected? And if so how much so?

Would any of the major states in India in the 6th and 7th centuries be able to unify the sub continent?
 
So assuming that Islam is butterflied away what will happen to India?

Will Indian politics and culture be greatly affected? And if so how much so?

Would any of the major states in India in the 6th and 7th centuries be able to unify the sub continent?
Hinduism dominates the Sub continent ? Obviously no Sikhism. Maybe another outside influence ...from China maybe or Persia ? Afghanistan would have Bhuddist and Hindu roots as well.
 
Very broad question to answer, but to start with Buddhism will probably remain present as a significant minority religion. The Islamic conquests ruined Buddhism both directly (destruction of monasteries, forced conversion) and indirectly (loss of royal patronage, replacement of Buddhism's role in facilitating trade with an Islamic role).
 

TruthfulPanda

Gone Fishin'
With no Islam - or simply Islam and/or Arabs/Turks not reaching India, there would be "more of the same".
The subcontinent is very unlikely to see a single state ruling it all. And even if that happens - not for long.
Obviously - as mentioned - no Sikhs. But something might arise to draw in those unhappy with Hinduism. Budhism has blown its shot, so maybe Zoroastrism? Christianity? But these probably remain small - if not tiny - minorities.
Culturally India will be very different - various Arab and/or Persian cultural traditions were brought over.
 
So assuming that Islam is butterflied away what will happen to India?

Will Indian politics and culture be greatly affected? And if so how much so?

Would any of the major states in India in the 6th and 7th centuries be able to unify the sub continent?

Less agressive forms of Hinduism. Buddhism is slightly bigger. I don't know what their pre-Islamic amount was but definitely bigger. Possibly no Sikhism.
 
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Hinduism dominates the Sub continent ? Obviously no Sikhism. Maybe another outside influence ...from China maybe or Persia ? Afghanistan would have Bhuddist and Hindu roots as well.
I think some type of Eastern Christianity will work its way into Afghanistan and the wider Turkistan region as a large religious minority. I would love to see a Federation of Buddhist Greek City States flourish in Afghanistan, but I think even by that time they had waned.
 
Though not particularly likely, it would be interesting seeing an Indian equivalent of Qin Shi Huang that manages to unite all of India whether native or from the invading hordes of Central Asia (or even Persia).

Would be a pity to butterfly away Sikhism though perhaps some ATL analogue appears with elements coming from Christianity or some other ATL Abrahamic/Gnsostic belief system.
 
Though not particularly likely, it would be interesting seeing an Indian equivalent of Qin Shi Huang that manages to unite all of India whether native or from the invading hordes of Central Asia (or even Persia).

Would be a pity to butterfly away Sikhism though perhaps some ATL analogue appears with elements coming from Christianity or some other ATL Abrahamic/Gnsostic belief system.
King Harsha of Pushyabhuti seems like your best bet.
 
You guys are all talking as if Buddhism had left the Subcontinent after the Mauryas. It didn't, at least not in Bengal - a place with a pretty huge population and significant cultural contribution.

Odds on, without Islam, Buddhism remains in Bengal and becomes fused with the Bengali identity.
 
We could see disputes between North and South Indians as they compete and rival each other. The British would exploit this and maybe favor the North Indians.

This is just speculation
 
So assuming that Islam is butterflied away what will happen to India?

Will Indian politics and culture be greatly affected? And if so how much so?

Would any of the major states in India in the 6th and 7th centuries be able to unify the sub continent?
The Northwest Frontier has always been a leaky border for India. Buddhist Turks forming a powerful polity in the north is a fairly orthodox answer. The Sassanids could also make some head way if their shelf life without Islam is long enough.

actual unification of the peninsula is probably unlikely.
 
Depending on whether the ATL Harsha Empire manages to unify India and exist for around a few centuries years or so, what other Indian dynasties would attempt to unify India and how would they fare against various Turkic groups as well as the ATL Mongol Empire / analogue that set their sights on India?
 

ar-pharazon

Banned
I don't think you appreciate the scale of what Islam being butterflied away actually means.
I do appreciate it-India was dramatically influenced by the Mughals, Turkic Islamic beliefs, Sufism would not have emerged, certain schools of Hinduism might not have, etc...

I'm interested in how extrapolating the situation in 7th century India goes with no Islam
 
My guesses:

1. Bengal and Punjab still have different majority religions than Hinduism, but the alternative religion is Buddhism, not Islam.
2. No Sikhism
3. Northern India is still often run by dynasties from the northwest/ Central Asia, and these are still Turkish/ Persian. However they are Buddhist or at most Zoarastrianism
4. No temple destruction and big impact on Indian civilization otherwise
5. If the Raj is not butterflied away, the post-Raj arrangements will be very different.
 

TruthfulPanda

Gone Fishin'
3. Northern India is still often run by dynasties from the northwest/ Central Asia, and these are still Turkish/ Persian. However they are Buddhist or at most Zoarastrianism
This.
If no Islam also causes Sassanid revival or replacement with a new vigorous dynasty, then the Khaganate could be beaten back and Turkification of Central Asia prevented/slowed down.

So Persian speaking, Zoarastrianism warlords in India are very possible. Maybe Zoarastrianism becomes a bigger religion in India than in OTL?
 
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