William Dalrymple’s The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World is a fascinating exploration of India’s historical influence on global trade, culture, religion, and science. The book is a meticulously researched account that sheds light on India’s pivotal role in shaping ancient and medieval civilizations, providing solace for the scars left by centuries of colonization and suppression.
Dalrymple masterfully narrates India’s ancient trade connections, starting with the Indus Valley Civilization’s thriving commerce with Sumeria. He explores how the balance of trade, heavily skewed in India’s favor, continued well into the historic period, as evidenced by Roman coins found in South India and the detailed records of Roman and Greek trade.
The book traces the impact of India’s artistic and cultural exchanges with the Yavanas (Greeks and Romans), notably through the Indo-Greek fusion art of Gandhara and the Buddhist propagation led by Emperor Ashoka and his successors. It highlights the fascinating journey of Buddhism to China, championed by figures like Kumarajiva and Xuanzang, and its eventual transformation under Empress Wu Zetian’s rule.
Dalrymple delves into the Pallava dynasty’s maritime expeditions to Southeast Asia, illustrating how Indian language, art, architecture, and religion profoundly shaped regions like Cambodia, Thailand, and Indonesia. The book closes with India’s groundbreaking contributions to mathematics and astronomy, emphasizing the global spread of the Indian numeral system via the Arabs.
Dalrymple excels at weaving history with storytelling, making the chapters on Xuanzang’s pilgrimage and Empress Wu Zetian particularly captivating. His vivid descriptions of ancient trade, the spread of Buddhism, and the Indianization of Southeast Asia bring these historical episodes to life. The book serves as a testament to India’s intellectual and cultural richness, presenting its achievements in a compelling narrative that reclaims a proud historical legacy.
While the book is a treasure trove of information, it has its flaws. Dalrymple relies heavily on secondary sources, sometimes without presenting alternative perspectives. For instance, he claims that Buddhist traditions influenced Hindu temple art, only to later contradict himself by acknowledging the existence of Hindu sculptures in perishable materials predating stone carvings.
Additionally, his depiction of the Dwarapalas (temple gatekeepers) as Pallava soldiers and his portrayal of Buddha’s stance on wealth accumulation feel reductive and lack nuance. The chapters on Xuanzang and Wu Zetian, while engaging, veer off the book’s central theme and disrupt its flow.
Another critique is the book’s accessibility. Though rich in content, its dense prose and academic style may alienate the average Indian reader, who arguably stands to benefit the most from understanding this history. Not all chapters maintain the same narrative rhythm, making it an uneven reading experience.
Despite its shortcomings, The Golden Road is an important contribution to the understanding of India’s global impact. It serves as both a historical record and a call to modern Indians to reclaim and build upon this legacy in trade, art, culture, and science. While not every chapter is a page-turner, the book remains a valuable resource and a tribute to India’s enduring influence on the world.