Literature has always played a major role in understanding history .Read some books for example Kalhana's Rajatarangini where he writes about the history of kashmir and Magasthene's Indica,in which he tells about the glory of Patliputra in ancient India etc .Find out those facts which you think the author maybe exaggerating.
Answers
Megasthenes' Indica
Megasthenes was an ancient Greek historian and diplomat. He was sent as an ambassador to Chandragupta Maurya in Pataliputra by Seleucus I Nicator. He described India in his book Indica. The original book is no longer available but it has been reconstructed on the basis of portions preserved by later writers.
Arrian, Diodorus, Pliny and Strabo refer to Indica in their works. Arrian speaks highly of Megasthenes. But Strabo did not place much faith in his writings. He felt that Indica contained a number of stories which were not based on reality.
Some things which may not be true are:
1. There are fantastical stories of people who had backwards feet, no mouths, ears which were large enough to sleep in, or other strange features.
2. It mentions that India was founded by Hercules and Dionysus.
3. According to Megasthenes, Dionysus was able to conquer India because prior to his invasion it was a primitive rural society.
4. The Indian Herakles is considered as a native of India while he is very much like the Greek Heracles.
5. In order to justify Seleucus's retreat from India Megasthenes emphasized that India was inconquerable. It had not been conquered by any foreign country and it had not invaded in foreign country. It was isolated and invincible.
Kalhana's Rajatarangini
Kalhana wrote Rajatarangini which means River of Kings. It is an account of the history of Kashmir. It was written in Sanskrit between 1148 and 1149. There is not enough evidence to support its historical reliability. It has some chronological errors.
Some things which may be an exaggeration are:
1. It is mentioned that Ranaditya reigned for 300 years.
2. Toramana is a Huna king. But his father Mihirakula has been given a date 700 years earlier.
3. The military conquests of Lalitaditya Muktapida have been exaggerated.