MEDIEVAL INDIA

MEDIEVAL INDIA

MAYURA DYNASTY ( 322 B.C. to 184 B.C.)

CHANDRA GUPT MAURYA: We get an account of his administration from Kautilya,s Arthasastra and Megasthenes accounts. The Mauryan empire was divided into provinces and smaller administrative areas known as Aharas or Vishayas corresponding to modern districts. The administration of villages was carried on by the gramikas.

ASHOK ( 273 B.C. to 232 B.C. ): After his father, Bindusara,s death he succeeded to the throne. Nearly 8 years after his coronation he fought Kalinga war. He woon the war but renounced it for all times to come. He became a Buddhist and preached Buddhism with the help of edicts by making it a state religion with propaganda.

The Mauryan Empire came to an end due to misgovernment weak successors of Ashok absence of military spirit in the people.

KUSHAN DYNASTY ( 20 A.D. to 225 A.D. )

1. Kanishka was the greatest king of the dynasty.
2. During this period Indian civilisation spread in central and eastern Asia.
3. Indian art and literature was patronised.
4. Buddhism spread far and wide.
5. Saivism and Krishna cult developed during this period.

GUPTA DYNASTY

Three kings, Samudra gupt, Chandra gupt and Skanda gupt belonged to this dynasty.

SAMUDRA GUPT: Was a scholar, poet, musician and a conqueror (called Indian Nepolean)

CHANDRA GUPT: Gupta empire was at its highest glory during this period. The chinese visitor farien visited India during his reign. Kalidas, the great sanskrit poit, lived during his reign.

SKANDA GUPT: He beat back pushyamitras and then huns, nomad horde of central asia, to save his father's kingdom.

GUPTA PERIOD AS GOLDEN AGE: It is called golden period because :

1. There was political unity.
2. Taxes were light, laws and punishment mild.
3. Revival of hinduism and tolerance of other religions.
4. There were many great writers during this period. Kalidas, Harisena, Amar singh and Vishakadatta were great writters of this period.
5. Science progressed Varahamihira, Brahmagupta, the scientists and Dhanvantri, the physician lived during this period.
6. Trade with foreign countries and cochin
7. Fine arts like architecture, metallora paintings belonged to this period.
8. Education progressed a lot, Universities like Nalanda, Taxila, Sarnath and Ujjain were established.
9. Hindu colonies were founded in Java, sumatra.

HARSH VARDHANA (606 to 647 A.D. )

Harsh vardhana, the last great hindu king concquered bengal and malwa and ruled the whole of Northern India except Kashmir. He partronised learning, Banabhaa, who wrote Harshacharita.

ANCIENT INDIA

ANCIENT INDIA

Indian history is generally divided into three periods;

1. Ancient
2. Medieval
3. Modern

        The earliest known civilisation in India is called Indus Valley Civilisation. This civilisation belongs to chalcolithic age an age in which weapons and utensils of stone, copper, bronze, were in use. Excavations at Harrapa and Mohenjodaro , Lothal and Ropar show that iron was not in use. John Marshal suggested 3250-2750 as the date for this civilization. The features of this civilisation were:

1. It was urban civilisaiton:

2. People practised agriculture: domesticated animals and used wheeled vehicles fo transport;

3. Gold, silver and ivory ornaments were used;

4. People worshipped trees, phallic stone, and MOther Godness;

5. Art of writing was well developed;

6. It resembles sumerian culture and not Aryan.

ARYANS AND DRAVIDIANS

      Aryans, according to the generally accepted view, came froom Austria-Hungary, first settled in the vallely of Kabul river and the Punjab. They imposed their culture and civilisation on the people. Another culture, which is considered to be older than Aryan, were Dravidian. People of south who spoke Tamil, Telugu and Kannada were called Dravidians.

RELIGIOUS BOOKS OF HINDUS

THE VEDAS: There are four vedas

1. The rig veda
2. The sama veda

3. The yajur veda
4. the atharva veda

THE UPANISHADS: There are philosophical treatise containing the main ideas which became the basis of the later systems of Hindu philosophy.

THE EPICS: There are two epics- Ramayan and Mahabharat. Both introduce the social and religious institutions of the times. Ramayan was first written by Valmiki. Mahabharata was written by Ved Vyas.

THE PURANS: These are 18 in number. They deal with-primary creation, secondary creation, genealogies of Gods and Rishis, reign of Manu and history of various dynasties.