a) Write a short note on Secular literature
b) What are inscriptions? How do they help us to study the past

Answer

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Hint: Any work that is not based on religious ideas, practises, or traditions is referred to as secular literature. Secular literature refers to any tale that is not religiously based in any way.

Complete answer:
a) Secular literature is defined as literature that does not regard religion seriously or as one of the plot's key foundations. This indicates that secular literature refers to stories that deal with topics other than religion and the concept of religion. The term "secular" usually means "worldly," not "spiritual." There was a wide range of non-religious writings in prehistoric India. The ancient Indian legal writings were called 'Dharmasutras' and 'Smritis.' Secular literature was the name given to these works of literature. The term "secular literature" refers to writing that is neither one that is made up of non-religious items and has nothing to do with religious rites or beliefs. This literature is of high quality. It takes a more reasonable, scientific approach. The code of obligations for kings, administrators, and the general public used to be found in these writings.

b) The Edicts of Ashoka of the 3rd century BCE, written in extremely early varieties of middle-Indo-Aryan languages in the Brahmi script, are the earliest indisputable deciphered epigraphy unearthed in India. Inscriptions in the Bhattiprolu alphabet, Tamil-Brahmi alphabet, and the Kadamba alphabet are from South India are also relatively old. Inscriptions are written on stone, metal, or other materials and are a valuable historical record. These are important historical records of early monarchs and empires' existence and activity. They also depict religious activities in great detail.

Note: The information gathered through inscriptions may be validated with information from other sources like still existent structures or ruins, providing insight into India's dynastic past that would otherwise be lacking in contemporaneous historical records.