Tradition of Interdisciplinary Research : from Al-Kimiya to Rasayana
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International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ________________________________-________________ Tradition of Interdisciplinary Research : From Al-Kimiya to Rasayana Dr. Dinesh Baishya Former , Principal, B Borooah College, Guwahati, Former Dean, Media Sciences and Cultural Studies University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, India _________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT : Al-kimiya‟ is the origin of the word alchemy which preceded modern chemistry. Kimiya‟ without the Article “al” is the origin of the word chemistry. The word khemeia occurred for the first time in a decree issued by the Roman Emperor Diocletian (c. 245–c. 312), to burn all Egyptian books of khemeia that deal with alchemy and the manufacture of gold and silver. Chemical knowledge started with the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt, since the fourth millennium B.C.E. Metallic bodies such as gold, silver, copper and iron were used from an early date for various purposes. Several kinds of raw materials that were used in the chemical industries were known. Most historians of science believe that the science of alchemy and chemistry started and developed principally in the Nile Valley, and that it was practiced also in Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. Alchemy became a prominent science in Alexandria in the early years of the Christian era. The majority of the inhabitants of Alexandria and the other cities in Egypt were Egyptians, with small communities of Syrians and Greek. The Egyptian industrial skills in metallurgy, dying and glass making were combined with the Syrian, Babylonian and Greek philosophical contemplations in formulating the science of alchemy. Rasayana is the traditional chemistry studied in ancient India . In early Assam there was a kind of traditional biochemical research . Early folk researcher of Assam researched and produced different types cosmetics by using herbal elements. They used herbal extracts from different sources and use in different ways to produce perfumes, Tooth powder, Face cream, Body cologne and so on . The aim of this paper is to study about the alchemy, and the Indigenous Hindu Chemistry along with folk biochemistry in Assam. The paper also high light the importance and uses of traditional biochemical research in early Assam. Keywords: Business research methods, Facebook-based questionnaire survey, Literature review, Management ___________________________________________________________________________________________ I.Introduction: The practices towards transmutation of metallic bodies such as iron copper and lead into silver and gold by using chemical preparations with the help of the elixir in ancient Arab There was also a kind of occult or mystical aspects of .(الخيمياء) was known as Alchemy alchemy in Arab. The Arabic form al-kimiya‟ is the origin of the word alchemy which preceded modern chemistry. Kimiya‟ without the Article “al” is the origin of the word chemistry. The word khemeia occurred for the first time in a decree issued by the Roman Emperor Diocletian (c. 245–c. 312), to burn all Egyptian books of khemeia that deal with alchemy and the manufacture of gold and silver. Chemical knowledge started with the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia and Egypt, since the fourth millennium B.C.E. Metallic bodies such as gold, silver, copper and iron were used from an early date for various purposes. Several kinds of raw materials that were used in the chemical industries were known. Among these were alums, various kinds of salts and nitrates .This indicates that chemical knowledge was known since the rise of ancient www. ijirssc.in Page 21 International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ________________________________-________________ civilizations. It was however an empirical knowledge and alchemy and chemistry were not yet developed into sciences. It is well established that the beginnings of science in general including chemistry started in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and from thence they were transferred into Greece. The Babylonians believed that the universe originated from water. They noticed also that the universe contains opposite elements. Thus there is day and night; light and darkness; male and female; hot and cold; wet and dry. The Babylonians were keen observers of the stars; and from their early history they believed that the gods are in control of the planets. They believed also that the sun, the moon and the other planets have influence on what happens on earth. This was the beginning of astrology. The influence of the planets involves metals; thus sun influences gold, and the moon influences silver, and the other planets control the remaining metals. This linkage between the planets and metals was the biggest contribution of the Babylonians to alchemy or the Art. The principle of the two opposites of the Babylonians was inherited by Greek philosophers. Aristotle was one of the latter Greek philosophers who benefited from those who preceded him and believed in the existence of four principal properties which are composed of two opposites: hot and cold, wet and dry. Aristotle explained that one can obtain four main elements; fire (from hot and dry); earth (from dry and cold); water (from cold and wet) and air (from wet and hot). This theory of Aristotle prevailed until the middle of the seventeenth century and it exerted a great influence on the possibility of transmuting one element into another. Most historians of science believe that the science of alchemy and chemistry started and developed principally in the Nile Valley, and that it was practiced also in Syria, Mesopotamia and Persia. Alchemy became a prominent science in Alexandria in the early years of the Christian era. The majority of the inhabitants of Alexandria and the other cities in Egypt were Egyptians, with small communities of Syrians and Greek. The Egyptian industrial skills in metallurgy, dying and glass making were combined with the Syrian, Babylonian and Greek philosophical contemplations in formulating the science of alchemy. Arabian Alchemy: Khalid Ibn Yazid was the first Arab to work on alchemy or „ilm al saná ( the Art). His exact birthday is not accurately known, but we know that when his brother Mu‟awiya Ibn Yazid had died in 64/683, Khalid was not able to become a caliph because of his young age. According to Ibn al-Nadim, Khalid summoned from Egypt a number of Greek scholars who are well versed in Arabic and commissioned them to translate works on the Art of alchemy into Arabic. Khalid learnt the Art of alchemy under Maryanus the Hermit, who was either an Egyptian or a Syrian. Maryanus was in turn a pupil of Istfan (Stephanus) of Alexandria. After Khalid, more translations of alchemical works emerged in Arabic, and many Arabic alchemists appeared. There are several alchemical treatises attributed to Ja‟far al-Sadiq. Jabir Ibn Hayyan was the greatest Arabic alchemist, and the most celebrated, East and West, until the rise of modern chemistry. Jabir is from the Arab tribe of Azd, and Kufa was his principal residence. He is known as al-Sufi because he was a follower of one of the Sufi orders. Jabir was an www. ijirssc.in Page 22 International Journal of Interdisciplinary Research in Science Society and Culture(IJIRSSC) Vol: 1, No.:1, 2015 ISSN 2395-4335, © IJIRSSC www. ijirssc.in ________________________________-________________ alchemist at the court of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid. The fame of Jabir is due mainly to his works on alchemy, but he wrote also on industrial chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics, philosophy and all branches of science that were known at his time. Abu Bakr al-Razi was the greatest Arabic alchemist after Jabir. He was also one of the greatest physicians in Islam and was an accomplished philosopher. Ibn Wahshiyya is Abu Bakr Ahmad Ibn „Ali Ibn Qays Ibn Wahshiyya. He lived in the third/ninth century, and was active in alchemy, astrology and agriculture, among other things. Thus there were hundreds of famous alchemists in Arab who contributed towards the development of traditional chemistry in Arab. Most people dismiss alchemy as the fake Art of transmuting base metals, such as tin and lead, into silver and gold. This superficial view may be contrasted with the notion of some modern historians of science and chemistry who assert that alchemy was never anything different from chemistry and that it was essentially the chemistry of the Middle Ages. According to alchemical theory, all forms of matter are one in origin; and are transmutable. These views bear a close resemblance to those of modern physical science. Indeed modern science has shown the possibility of bringing about many transmutations of elements. The sulphur–mercury theory was the basis upon which the alchemy of Jabir was based. This theory appears basically as a derivative of the Greek theory that matter was composed of the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water. Indian Alchemy or Hindu Rasayana : Alchemy (the older form of chemistry) had made great strides in India. Ayurveda, which used a variety of minerals, also played an important role in the development of chemistry. It developed as iatrochemistry, which was closely related to medicine. The two main incentives for the development of chemistry were the age-old desires of human beings: to live forever and to get rich. Much of chemistry grew out of the early efforts to develop an elixir and to turn base metals into gold. It is also interesting to note that Needham claimed that earliest distillation of alcohol is attested to through the archaeological finds at Taxila. In fact, the ancient name of alcohol is khola, which sounds so similar to it! The Indus valley civilization was the earliest society, which had developed an elaborate urban system depicted in terms of streets, public baths, temples and granaries etc.