Important Ancient indian history GK Material for MBA

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Static GK – Ancient India



Ancient Indian History is divided into following periods

The Paleolithic Age:

→ characteristic features - the use of hand-axes, cleavers and choppers, flakes, blades etc.

→ The rock-shelters and caves at Bhimbetka near Bhopal

→ marks the appearance of the modern man (Homo sapiens) on earth

The Mesolithic Age:

→ transitional phase between the Paleolithic and the Neolithic ages

→ marked by warmer climates, hunting, fishing and food gathering and domestication of

animals.

→ Peculiar tool of the people was the microlith

The Neolithic Age:

→ tools made of polished stone.

→ The domestication of animals became a major economic activity.

→ The only neolithic settlement in India is found in Mehergarh in Rajasthan.

The Chalcolithic Cultures:

→ use of metals, of which copper was the first

→ this represents the pre-Harappan phase because the Harappan civilization was based on

the use of bronze

→ practiced agriculture (wheat, rice and bajra)

The Harappan Culture

flourished on the banks of the river Indus

first discovered by DR Sawhney and RD Banerjee in 1921



The most distinguishing feature is the town-planning system and architecture. Burnt bricks find

use on

a wide scale for the first time here. The towns are built on scientific lines, with roads cutting each

other at right angles and having covered drains.

Vedic Age

Political Organisation in Vedic Age:

In Early Vedic Age:

• ‘Kula‘ was the basic unit of political organization.

• Multiple families together of kinship formed a ‘grama‘.

• Leader of ‘grama’ was ‘Gramani‘.

• Group of villages were called ‘visu’, headed by ‘vishayapati‘.

• The highest political and administrative unit was ‘jana‘ or tribe.

• There were several such tribal kingdoms – Bharatas, Matsyas, Yadus and Purus.

• The head of kingdom was ‘Rajan‘ or king.

• The Rig Vedic polity was hereditary monarchy normally.

• There were two bodies- Sabha(council of elders) and Samiti(general assembly of people).

Political Organization in the later Vedic Age

• Larger kingdoms by amalgamation formed ‘Mahajanapadas or rashtras‘.



• Therefore, the power of king increased and he performed various rituals and sacrifices to

make his position strong likeRajasuya (consecration ceremony), Asvamedha (horse

sacrifice) and Vajpeya (chariot race).

• The kings assumed titles of Rajavisvajanan, Ahilabhuvanapathi(lord of all earth), Ekrat

and Samrat (sole ruler).

• But, importance of the Samiti and the Sabha diminished.

Society in Vedic Civilization:

In Early Vedic Age:

• The Rig Vedic society was basically

• The basic unit of society

• Monogamy was practiced while

• Women had equal opportunities as men for their spiritual

Apala, Viswavara, Ghosa and Lopamudra were women poets.

• Women could attend the popular assemblies

• No child marriage, sati practice.

• Social divisions were not rigid.

In Later Vedic Age:

• The Varna system became prevalent

Vaisyas and Sudras.

• A Brahmin and Kshatriyas occupied a higher position than others.

• Various sub-castes on the basis of occupation emerged.

• Women were considered inferior and subordinate to men now and also lost their political

rights of attending assemblies.

• Child marriages became common.

Jainism:

→ Mahavir Jain, the most important Jain religious teacher was born in

He gained complete knowledge (

Mahavira or jina (The Great Hero).

→ Mahavira had 23 predecessors before him known

Rishabhdev and the 23rd was Parshavnath. Mahavir Jain is thougt to be the 24th or the

last tirthankar.



The Rig Vedic society was basically patriarchal.

was ‘graham’ or family, its head was called as ‘grahapathi’.

was practiced while polygamy among royal and noble families was observed.

Women had equal opportunities as men for their spiritual and intellectual development.

Viswavara, Ghosa and Lopamudra were women poets.

Women could attend the popular assemblies.

practice.

Social divisions were not rigid.

The Varna system became prevalent- four divisions of society :Brahmins, Kshatriyas,

A Brahmin and Kshatriyas occupied a higher position than others.

castes on the basis of occupation emerged.

Women were considered inferior and subordinate to men now and also lost their political

rights of attending assemblies.

marriages became common.

Mahavir Jain, the most important Jain religious teacher was born in 540 BC

He gained complete knowledge (kaivalya) at 42. Because of this conquest, he is known as

(The Great Hero).

Mahavira had 23 predecessors before him known as tirthankaras of which the 1st was


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as ‘grahapathi’.

polygamy among royal and noble families was observed.

and intellectual development.

four divisions of society :Brahmins, Kshatriyas,

Women were considered inferior and subordinate to men now and also lost their political

540 BC in Vaishali.

) at 42. Because of this conquest, he is known as

of which the 1st was




→ Jainism got divided into two sects: Shwetambara (wearing white clothes) and Digambara

(wearing no clothes)

→ Jain writings are mostly in Prakrit

Buddhism:

→ Gautam Buddha (563 BC-483 BC) or Siddhartha belonged to the ruling Shakya kshatriya

family of Kapilvastu in Nepal. He left home at 29 and got complete knowledge under a

pipal tree in Bodh Gaya.

→ Gautam Buddha delivered his first sermon in Sarnath and passed away at 80 at Kusinara

in modern U.P.

Buddhist councils were held after the death of Buddha to discuss the nature of Buddhism:

Hinduism also developed into five different schools:



Dynasties in Ancient India:



Mauryan empire:

THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE MAURYAN RULERS

Chandragupta Maurya (322 – 298 B.C.)

• Chandragupta Maurya was the first ruler who unified entire country into one political

unit, called the Mauryan Empire.

• He had captured Pataliputra from Dhanananda, who was the last ruler of the Nanda

dynasty.

• he was assisted by Kautilya, who was also known as Vishnugupta or Chanakya.

• In 305 B.C., he defeated Seluscus Niketar, Alexander’s agent in India and gained the

territories of Kabul, Kandhar, Herat, Baluchistan. He gave his daughter in marriage to the

Mauryan Prince.

• Seleucus sent Megasthenes to the Mauryan court as Greek ambassador.

• Greeks called him Sandrocottas.

• He established a vast empire, extending from Afganistan to Assam and from Kashmir to

Karnataka(except Kalinga).

• Later in life, Chandragupta embraced Jainism and stepped down from the throne for his

son Bindusara to take over. Thereafterm he went to Sravana Belgola, in Karnataka along

with Jain monks who were led by Bhadrabhagu and starved himself to death.

Bindusara (298 – 273 B.C.)

• Bindusara maintained friendly relations with Hellenic world. He received Dionysius as

ambassador from Ptolemy Philadelphus of Egypt.

• Bindusara supported the Ajivikas sect.

• Bindusara appointed his elder son Susima as governor of Taxila and Asoka as the

governor of Ujjain.

Asoka the Great (273 – 232 B.C.)

• His inscriptions are found in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal at 47 places.

• His name is found on only the copies of Minor Rock eddict I at 1 place in MP and 3

places in Karnataka.

• At every other incription found on ancient highways, he is refered to either as

‘Devanampiya’ or as ‘piyadasi’.



• different scripts have been used on his incriptions. Greek and Aramaic in Afghanistan;

Kharoshti script and Prakrit language in Pakistan; Brahmi script in prakrit language at

other places.

• The most important event of Asoka’s reign was his war with Kalinga in 261 B.C.about

which he has mentioned in the Rock edict XIII. This describes in detail the horrors of

war, that deeply disturbed him.

• Under the effect of Kalinga war, Asoka embraced Buddhism by the influence of Buddhist

monk, Upagupta.

• Extent of Asoka’s Empire: Ashoka added Kalinga to his territory.

Asoka’s Dhamma (moral law)

• he did not forced Buddhist ideals on his subjects.

• He respected all sects and faiths, this is mentioned in Rock Edict VII. And in Rock Eddict

XII he mentions his policy of equal respect to all religious faiths and sects.

• After the Kalinga war, Ashoka propagated Dhamma or moral law across his empire.

• The principles of Dhamma were clearly mentioned in his Edicts. Their main features, as

mentioned in his various Edicts are:

1. Service and obedience to father and mother, teachers, and good treatment of relatives.

2. Prohibition of animal sacrifices (ahimsa) and festive gatherings.

3. Efficient organization of administration for social welfare and maintaining constant

contact with the people through the Dhammayatras system.

4. Proper and Humane treatment of servants by masters and of prisoners by government

officials.

5. Consideration and non-violence to animals and courtesy to relations, ascetics,

dependents and liberality to Brahmins, friends, acquaintances, companions.

6. Tolerance for all the religious sects.

7. Conquest of people through Dhamma instead of war. Truthfulness and attachment to

morality.

It is said that Asoka was “the greatest of kings” who surpassed Alexander the Great, Julius

Caesar and every other renowned Emperors to have ruled the world.

Just after 50 years to the death of Ashoka, the Mauryan empire fell apart. The last Mauryan king

Brihatratha, was assassinated by Pushyamitra Sunga, his commander-in-chief.



Gupta Empire

The Gupta Empire rose in Magadha around 4th century AD and covered greater part of the

Northern India (though smaller than the Mauryan empire).

The Gupta Period is popularly known as the ‘Golden Age of India’.

The Sources for study of Gupta Period:

There are typically three types of sources for reconstructing the history of the Gupta period.

I. Literary Sources:

• Vishakadutta had written Devichandraguptam and Mudrarakshasam, which provides

details about rise of Guptas.

• Social, economic and religious accounts left by the Chinese traveller Fa-hien, who had

visited India during the reign of Chandragupta II.

II. Epigraphical Sources :

• Meherauli Iron Pillar Inscription – achievements of Chandragupta I.

• Allahabad Pillar inscription – About the reign of Samundragupta describing his

personality and achievements. It is engraved on an Ashokan pillar, written in Sanskrit in

Nagari script composed of 33 lines written by Harisena.

The Gupta Dynasty :

The Gupta empire was founded by Sri Gupta. He was then succeeded by Ghatotkacha. Not much

information is available about their rule of these two Maharajas. Thereafter, following significant

rulers from Gupta dynasty ruled during this period.

Chandragupta I (320-330 A.D.)

• attained his title of ‘Maharajadiraja’ (king of kings).

• He married a Licchavi princess Kumardevi

Samudragupta (330-380 A.D.)

• also known as “Indian Napoleon”

• The Allahabad Pillar inscription contains details of his military conquest in stages. It is

little ironical that these military achievements are engraved on the same pillar which

contains the inscriptions of the peace-loving Ashoka.

• He also performed Ashwamedha sacrifices after his military victories.

• Known by different names, one of them was ‘Kaviraja’ because of his ability to compose

verses. Certain coins show him with a Veena.



• He patronised poets and scholars like Harisena, and hence played a part in promoting

Sanskrit literature(which is a characterstic feature of Gupta dynasty).

• Samudragupta was a follower of Vaishnavism. However, he also patronist the great

buddhist scholar Vasubandhu.

Chandragupta II/Vikramaditya of Gupta Dynasty (380-415 A.D.)

• extended the limits of this empire by conquest and matrimonial alliances. His capital city

was Pataliputra.

• He married his daughter Prabhavati to a Vakataka prince, who ruled the strategic lands of

Deccan.

• conquered the western Malwa and Gujarat by defeating the Saka rulers who had ruled for

about 4 centuries in the region. This earned him the title of ‘Sakari’ and ‘Vikramaditya’.

Gold Coin showing Chandragupta II

• As a result the Gupta empire gained access to the Arabian sea and opened trade with the

western countries. Ujjain became the commercial capital of the kingdom thereafter.

• In his reign, the Chinese pilgrim Fa-hien visited India. his accounts tell of a flourishing

Buddhist religion in Chandragupta II’s Reign. However, the Gangetic valley was a ‘land

of Brahmanism’.

• Chandragupta II also patronised art and literature. He has poets like Kalidasa in his court.

• He also issued silver coins, first Gupta ruler to do so.

Kumaragupta (415-455 A.D.)

• Kumargupta I was a worshipper of Kartikeya.

• he took titles like: Mahendraditya, Ashwamedha Mahendrah.

• laid the foundation of Nalanda University which later grew to become an international

centre of learning

Skandagupta (455-467 AD)

• He was last great ruler of Gupta dynasty.

• He saved the empire from Hun invasion coming from Central Asia. But these invasions

weakened the empire.

• Details about him are mentioned on the Bhitari Pillar inscription, proclaiming him the

title of ‘Vikramaditya’.



Empires of South India

Chalukyan empire:

The Chalukyas ruled as a dominant power from 543 to 755 A.D. in the area of Western Deccan.

Pulakeshin I established a small kingdom in western Deccan with Vatapi or Badami as its

capital (located in present day Bijapur district of Karnataka). He performed Ashwamedha

sacrifices also.

Pulakeshin II (608-642 A.D.)

The Aihole inscription composed in sanskrit by his court poet Ravikirti has praises of Pulakeshin

II.

Pulakeshin II defeated Harshavardhan’s army at Narmada checking his advance in Deccan.

During the reign of Pulakeshin II, Chinese scholar Hiuen Tsang visited the Chalukya Kingdom.

Chalukyas had great Maritime power, Pulakeshin II had 100 ships under his control along with a

small standing army.

The Chalukyas were Brahmanical Hindus who gave importance to Vedic rites and rituals. While,

they also respected other religions.

Chalukyan painting – Badami cave temple and Ajanta caves (including reception to Persian

embassy depicted in Ajanta painting).

1. Aihole temples of Chalukya Dynasty: (town of temples because 70 temples)

• Ladh Khan temple (Surya Temple) with low, flat roof with pillared hall.

• Durga temple resembling a Buddhist Chaitya .

• Huchimalligudi temple

• Jain temple/ Jinendra at Meguti by Ravikirti.

2. Badami temples of Chalukya Dynasty:

Muktheeswara temple and Melagulti Sivalaya. There are four rock-cut temples at Badami.

3. Pattadakal temples of Chalukya Dynasty:

There are total ten temples in Pattadakal.



• Four temples in Northern Nagara style – Papanatha temple

• Six temples in Dravidian style – Sangamesvara temple, Virupaksha temple( it is like

Kailashnath temple of Kanchipuram).

Rashtrakuta dynasty:

The founder of Rashtrakuta dynasty was Dantidurga(752-756 AD) who defeated Gurjaras and

captured Malwa from them. He later Annexed Chalukya kingdom by defeating Kirtivarman II.

The Rashtrakuta architecture is exemplified by Ellora caves in Aurangabad district of

Maharashtra and Elephanta caves on a small island off the coast of Mumbai.

The cave architecture reached its excellence in the Kailashnath temple at Ellora.

Chola empire:

Vijayalaya Chola belonging to Uraiyur captured the kaveri delta from Muttaraiyar in mid 9th

century. Vijayalaya built Thanjavur town with temple for Goddess ‘Nishumbhsudhini'(Goddess

Durga).

Rajaraja I usurped the throne for duration of 985 AD to 1014 AD.

He defeated Chera and Pandayan rulers, extending his empire upto river Tungabhadra.

He led naval expedition against Maldives and captured it.

held titles like: Mummidi Chola, Jayankonda, Sivapadasekara.

was a follower of Shaivism, hence built temple for Shiva, Rajrajeshwara temple popularly

known as Bhrihadeshwara temple at Thanjavur in 1010 AD. This temple is part of UNESCO

World Heritage Site in India under ” Great living Chola Temples”.

also patronized a Buddhist monastery at Nagapattinam.

Rajendra I succeeded his father in 1014-1044 AD.

He defeated the ceylonese king Mahinda V and conquered the whole Sri Lanka including the

northern and Southern parts.

He crossed the Ganges and captured certain areas in North India. To commorate this feat, he

constructed and founded Gangaikondacholapuram.

He also sent Naval expedition to Kadaram or Sri Vijaya(Malay Archipelago) to confront them

for stopping Chola trade with China.

Chola Empire achieved its peak under Rajendra I.

assumed titles like, Mudikondan, Gangaikondan, KadaramKondan, PanditaCholan.



The main feature of Chola style of Architecture is a

building of five to seven storeys in a typical style

known as “Vimana” above the chief pillared hall with

flat roof was placed in front of the sanctum known as

“mandap”. This mandap functioned as an audience hall

and a place for various ceremonies. Sometimes, a

passage was also constructed around the sanctum to

enable devotees to walk around it, where many images

of other Gods were placed. This passage was then enclosed with high walls and large gateways

known as “Gopurams”.

The Chola age is characterized by finest bronze statues of their age. They were created by the

‘lost wax technique’, which allowed the inclusion of various intricate features.

Miscellaneous facts on Ancient India:

→ The Sangama literature was established by Pandyan kings of Tamil region.

→ The credit to complete the chart of Ashokan alphabets goes to James Prinsep.

→ Ashokan inscription of Shahbazgari & Manashera are written in Kharoshthi.

→ The earliest coins were punch marked silver & copper coins. They bear only symbol &

no inscription or legend.

→ Kushanas (Indo-Greeks) became the first kings to issue gold coins.

→ The first Jaina council was held at Pataliputra by Sthulabahu in the beginning of third

century BC & resulted in compilation of 12 Angas to replace the lost 14 Purvas.

→ Old names of regions

West Bengal Gauda

East Bengal Vanga

Utkala Orissa

Pragjotishpur Assam

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Important Ancient indian history GK Material for MBA