Ankur Bora
Science is a passionate search for knowledge which propels
human beings to a continuous learning. This
is where lies it’s subtle magic and this is how we reconceive the world time
and again. Human beings have built the
modern world through scientific enterprise by overthrowing the order of things,
by broadening our knowledge and giving life the freedom to flourish and grow.
This scientific temper must be sought in what can be called the most important
scientific advances in human history – the invention of zero.
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| The article has been published in Horizon , Assam Tribune dated February 3rd 2017 |
In everyday life, zero
is used to do arithmetic as well as to algebraically define negative or positive numbers. However, the specialty and
the magic of zero lies in defining our base-10 number system. Earlier, it was the Roman numerals which were
prevalent in Europe until as late as thirteen century. This system employs
Latin Letters for numbers (I for 1, X for 10, L for 50, C for 100, M for 1,000).
These letters had to be repeated, for example,
the number 3,373 is represented as MMMCCCLXXIII. For a bigger number, Roman
system will need tens of hundreds of letters and if you have to write it in a blackboard,
it will, probably cover the length and breadth of the whole board! An enormous
number, perhaps, will occupy the four walls and the ceilings of a classroom. To our rescue came the base-10 number system
and it is the zero that enables our modern world to work efficiently and
seamlessly. Because of zero, the same
ten numerals can be used over and over again, at different positions. Thus, a 3
in the units location is a 3 but the same symbol in the thousands location
makes it a 3000. This is exactly what makes zero so special and powerful,
without that little zero we would be stuck in mediaeval period!
Zero is one of the most influential inventions of all times,
but who invented the zero? The ZerOrigIndia is a Foundation which is leading a
global campaign to re-discover the origin and invention of zero. The foundation
is providing a platform to academicians, scholars, researchers from the field
of pure and applied sciences across the world as well as to various
stakeholders and partner organizations who are passionate about finding the
origin of zero and for a deeper understanding of the philosophy of emptiness
and life. Wahid Saleh, a prominent member of the Advisory Board in Netherland, describes
the objectives, “Finding the oldest zero
would of course be very welcome and exciting.
But finding an older zero only means that there may be others even
older. What we are after is to finding
the origin of the zero digit, but more in the socio-cultural context such as
the possible / likely ‘bridge’ between philosophy and mathematics. Finding an older zero is not the end of the
Zero Project. Our aim is to conduct a systematic study into the origin of zero,
taking all previous evidence into account as well as finding fresh
evidence. Then piece it all together in
order to pinpoint the epicenter of zero”
The base-10 number system owns its origin to India, where
for the first time the concept of numerology had originated. This numeral
system reached the western countries through Arabia and thus became known as
Arabic numeral. At the beginning, the digits 1 to 9 had evolved from the Brahmi
numerals which came into being during the middle of the third century BC. The
Brahmi symbols were used for a long span of time. Aryabhatta, the Indian
mathematician, is popularly known as the inventor of zero, while Brahmagupta,
another mathematician, who is known to formalize arithmetic operation representing
the zero as ‘dot’, which was adopted in Brahmi numerals during A.D.650.
The inscriptions of Brahmi symbols are found in a number of
caves and coins in different regions of India. Such an inscription containing the numeral
zero was found at the at the Chatur-bujha temple in the city of Gwalior , which
is considered as the oldest known zero . However, a recent finding of an
inscription at the Golaghat district in Assam might recast this most
significant event in history and bring world’s attention to the antiquity of
the Kamrupi civilization.
One of the things that makes the story of ZerOrigIndia so
fascinating to us is that the members are active participants in multiple
fields: Archaeology, social History, Philosophy , religion and Mathematics. Wahid
Saleh, a native of Jorhat, who is playing a defining role in this project, is
able to connect with a wide spectrum of people across Europe, America and Asia.
I had the privilege to Mr. Saleh’s legendary email correspondence with his
peers. It is Dr. HN Dutta, former Director of Assam Archaeological Society, who
in his thesis ‘Art and Archaeology of Doiyang-Dhansiri Valley of Assam’
mentioned about the finding of a stone slab in Golaghat district. Ashok Sarma,
a language history researcher and Dr. Dharmeshwar Chutia, a retired professor
of the Department of Sanskrit, Gauhati University, were able to decipher the
Brahmi script. The stone slab measuring 15x 9 centimeter, contains inscriptions
and the numerical zero is one of them, thereby pointing to the use of zero in
Assam. The written script is believed to be between 2nd and 3rd century and if
the date of the epigraphical noting and the genuineness of the stone can be
determined with the help of modern dating techniques then Assam will be in
world history. Wahid Saleh elaborated further, “If our assumption is correct that the slab contains the numerical zero,
then Assam will occupy world history status. Earlier, we knew only about such a
slab to be in Assam but now, with the newfound location will help us to take up
the matter with the Government of India which has acknowledged the project and
we hope to get support in the future.”
Understanding how and why the great inventions were made
that made modern science and technology possible, concerns all mankind and the
invention of zero certainly ranks among the greatest. The ZerOrigIndia project
is an accelerated march of human understanding; we now see the web of
relationship that connects to epic changes in science, belief and society. Aamir
Hazarika , a journalist in Joraht , fondly reflects on his association – “ (ZerOrigIndia is ) responsible for igniting that zeal of
investigative journalism that led to the search of the stone slab lying isolated
in a dark corner of the Jorhat district museum.
The world is still ripe for radical change, for new ways of
sharing ideas or organizing human life. And how could it not also be cause for
hope? ankurbora@hotmail.com
Further Notes
Peter Gobets ,Secretary General ZerOrigIndia recently
received the following communications from Mrs. Neelam D Sabharwal , former
Ambassador of India to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative of India to
UNESCO in Paris – “I am so happy to see
the great progress in your research on the Assam connection. It is also
heartening to see Wahid Saleh in his usual form , determined to leave no stone
unturned when he has to get to the bottom of the matter.”
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