Part -1-: What is Time, this inscrutable force that governs our existence?

Is Time simply a tool to help us keep a grip on "reality" as we go through the day? Or is there more to it? Why is the day divided into twenty-four equal segments? Why not, say, fifty or a hundred? When did Time begin—or did it begin at all? Is it linear, as often assumed? Is there a “time’s arrow,” as Eddington described? Or is it inherently cyclical, as the Vedas suggest? Did Time emerge out of nothing, or has it always existed, like an eternal river flowing in one direction? Is it truly "real," or merely a construct of our minds? Could science itself be rooted in a belief system? Is our linear view of Time shaped by science’s economic demands?

Part-2-: In Kāla Gati: The Cosmic Flow of Time and History, Ajay Chaturvedi delves into the intricate relationship between cosmic cycles and human civilisation, revealing how Time shapes and reshapes the course of history across ages. From ancient calendrical systems like Vikram Samvat to the invaluable legacies of scholars such as Varaha Mihira and Maharaja Vikramaditya, the book foregrounds the Vedas as the fountainhead of all scientific discoveries, influencing disciplines from quantum mechanics to the origins of timekeeping and cosmology.
Guided by texts like the Bhaviṣya Mālikā, Rājataraṅgiṇī and Kathāsaritsāgara, this volume traverses India’s profound heritage in understanding cosmic Time and unveils the Vedic underpinnings of modern scientific thought. Chaturvedi explores how these ancient philosophies continue to inform fields like mathematics, astronomy and the nature of consciousness. He also examines the resilience of indigenous time systems amidst colonial disruption, emphasising the irreplaceable value of traditional ecological and cosmological knowledge. Through the debates of Ādi Śaṅkarācārya and exchanges between Eastern and Western perspectives, The Cosmic Flow of Time and History invites readers to perceive Time as a unifying force across science, culture, and the eternal cycles of cosmic order and human growth.