In this letter, Jawaharlal Nehru discusses the early civilizations of China and India. He explains that around the same time as the rise of civilizations in Mesopotamia and Egypt, advanced cultures were also developing in China and India. In China, Mongolian settlers thrived along river valleys, creating beautiful bronze vessels and constructing canals and buildings. They developed a unique form of picture-based writing, which remains in use today, unlike similar ancient scripts from Egypt and Babylon.

Nehru also mentions India's early civilization, predating the Aryan arrival, and highlights the Dravidians, who had a rich culture and traded goods like rice, spices, teak wood, and gold with Mesopotamia and Egypt. Trade, Nehru notes, is a hallmark of civilization.

Both China and India were originally composed of small city-states, many of which functioned as republics with elected governments rather than kings. In China, these states eventually unified into an empire, during which the Great Wall was built to protect against invasions. Nehru emphasizes the enormous scale of the Great Wall and its lasting presence as a symbol of Chinese strength and resilience.

In this letter, Nehru explains about ancient civilizations in Egypt and Crete, focusing on their culture, architecture, and beliefs.

He begins by describing the impressive structures in Egypt, such as the pyramids and the Sphinx. The pyramids were tombs for the Pharaohs, who were buried with treasures for their afterlife. Nehru mentions the discovery of King Tutankhamen’s tomb and the mummies, preserved bodies of the Pharaohs. He also highlights the advanced engineering skills of the Egyptians, who built canals and lakes for irrigation.

Then he writes about Crete, an island in the Mediterranean, and talks about its ancient civilization. He describes the palace at Knossos, which had advanced features like water pipes and beautiful artwork. He also mentions myths associated with Crete, such as the story of King Minos and the Minotaur, a creature that supposedly received human sacrifices. He uses these stories to explain how early religion and human sacrifices often stemmed from fear and ignorance.

In the end, Nehru expresses relief that such sacrifices are mostly a thing of the past, although animal sacrifices still occur in some places. He emphasizes that worshipping through such violence is a strange way to show devotion.

 In this letter Jawaharlal Nehru explains how ancient civilizations often developed along the banks of rivers, where water and fertile land were abundant. He mentions famous old cities like Babylon, Nineveh, and Asur in Mesopotamia, which no longer exist, having been buried under layers of sand and dust over thousands of years. Nehru describes how these cities became deserted, were covered by sand, and forgotten, only to have new cities built over them. He reflects on the cyclical nature of history, where cities rise, flourish, and eventually fall into ruin, with new cities taking their place. He contrasts this with the city of Damascus in Syria, which is still thriving and possibly the oldest city in the world. Nehru also mentions ancient Indian cities like Indraprastha, near Delhi, which no longer exists, and Kashi (Benares), which is still one of the oldest surviving cities. He notes that many great Indian cities, like those in China, were also built along rivers.

In this letter, Jawaharlal Nehru shifts focus from discussing patriarchs and kings to exploring early civilizations and the people who lived during those times. He mentions that, although we know more about these early civilizations than about the prehistoric Paleolithic and Neolithic man, our knowledge is still limited. However, the ruins of ancient buildings, temples, and palaces provide insights into the lives, customs, and cultures of those early people.

Nehru discusses the concept of ancient civilizations, including the speculative idea of Atlantis, a highly advanced society supposedly swallowed by the Atlantic Ocean. While there is no evidence to support this, he acknowledges the possibility of early civilizations in the Americas, referencing ancient ruins in Mexico (Yukatan) and Peru. He then turns to early civilizations in Eurasia, particularly Mesopotamia, Egypt, Crete, India, and China. Nehru emphasizes the importance of water in the establishment of these civilizations, noting that early settlers chose to live near rivers, which provided the necessary water for agriculture. Rivers like the Tigris, Euphrates, Nile, Ganges, and Jumna were crucial for food production, leading people to revere them as sacred and holy. Nehru underscores that the worship of rivers like the Nile and Ganges stemmed from their essential role in sustaining life, though people often forget the practical reasons behind such reverence.

Letter 17 | The Patriarch Becomes a King (In English) | Letters From a Father to His Daughter

In this letter, Nehru explains how patriarchs evolved into kings. He describes patriarchs as the leaders or "fathers" of their tribes, with their authority often passed down from father to son, eventually leading to the emergence of kings. Over time, these kings began to believe they owned everything in their country and ruled with absolute power, forgetting their role as servants of the people. Nehru mentions the concept of the "divine right of kings," where rulers claimed that their authority came from God. He highlights historical revolutions in England, France, and Russia where people overthrew their kings due to their oppressive rule.

Nehru contrasts countries that have abolished kings and become republics, where leaders are elected by the people, with places like India, where Rajas and Maharajas still exist. These Indian rulers, he says, continue to live in luxury by taxing the people, much like the old kings, and neglect the needs of their subjects. Nehru stresses that these leaders misuse public funds for their own pleasure, leaving their people to suffer without basic necessities like schools and hospitals.