how does secular literary sources throw light on the life of the people in any period of history
Answers
The secular literary sources are the sources that were not written on the basis of any religion including the biographies of important historical personalities ‘Harshacharitra’ by Banabhatta, poems and dramas ‘Abhijnanasakuntalam’, Meghaduta etc of Kalidas. The secular literary sources also included the folk tales; Panchatantra and Arthashastra of Kautilya. Manusmriti, foreign travelers account were also some of the other secular literary sources. These secular literary sources throw light on the on political, social and economic aspects of the life of the people in any period of history. For instance, Arthashastra the book written by Kautilya on politics can give us some significant information such as about the rule of law, various policies and strategies followed by the Mauryan rulers in India. The account of foreign travelers that throw light on the social condition of the people such as what kind of custom and culture was followed by the people and what were the food habits of people of a particular area.