ANCIENT INDIAN CRYPTOGRAPHY

Abstract

Cryptography is a feature of ancient literature. Ancient India placed a lot of importance on information reaching only those who could be trusted with the information or not share it at all. Messages were often conveyed in a hidden form visible in ancient texts. In this paper, we will see how the Math term (Pi) is hidden in one Malayalam shloka in KaranaPaddhati written by Puthamana Somayaji, using Kaṭapayādi system. Subash Kak, a scientist, historian and Indologist felt strongly that there is encrypted and decrypted truth in the oldest of all ancient literature works— the Rig Veda, which could support his ideas. His work exposed the knowledge of astronomy of the Vedic civilisation that was hidden in the Samhita part of the Rig Veda. This paper discusses about how we can connect modern cryptography technology to ancient literature text, monument and war techniques.