Category Social Sciences

How was life and trade during Harsha’s reign?

          Though the administrative and military centres were well-fortified and prosperous, Harsha’s reign was not a good time for long distance trade. As a result, cities based on the production of different crafts either disappeared or declined and artisans moved to the villages.

          Harsha’s age was marked by rigid social life. There were a number of castes and sub-castes during this period and the divisions increased day by day. The untouchables lived outside the cities and villages.

          Due to the popularity of child marriage and prohibition of widow remarriage, the status of women underwent a sharp decline and social evils like sati became more popular. However, Harsha was a great believer of Buddhist philosophy. Influenced by Buddhist thoughts, he stopped the killing of animals in his kingdom. Nalanda, the famous Buddhist University also prospered around the same time.

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How does Harshavardhana stand out from other Vardhana kings?

          The Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang once visited the court of Harsha following which, he wrote an account. In it, he praised Harsha’s justice and generosity. The peace and prosperity that prevailed in Harsha’s empire made it a centre of cosmopolitanism, attracting scholars, artists and religious visitors from far and wide.

          Though Harshavardhana had many officials to help him with administration, he was a king who liked to personally supervise his kingdom. Harsha’s empire was divided into provinces and he travelled around all of them, spending nights in different places, listening to people’s troubles.

          King Harsha is said to have had a large army comprising 100,000 horses and 60,000 elephants. At the zenith of Harsha’s power, his empire covered much of north and north-western India and extended up to Kamarupa in the east, and river Narmada in the south. Harsha also tried to expand his empire into the southern peninsula of India, but was halted by the south Indian Emperor Pulakeshin II of the Chalukya dynasty.

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Why does the Vardhana dynasty hold a remarkable position among the dynasties of India?

           Of all the small kingdoms that emerged in the north after the Gupta Empire, the Vardhanas emerged as prominent rulers. Known also as Pushyabhuti or Pushpabhuti, the Vardhanas ruled during the 6th and 7th centuries. Their kingdom flourished and was at its peak under Harshavardhana, the last Vardhana ruler.

          The political supremacy of the Vardhanas helped them gain imperial status and established them as a powerful kingdom. Harshavardhana shifted the capital from Sthanvishvara (modern Thanesar, Haryana) to Kanyakubja (modern Kanauj, Uttar Pradesh), from where he ruled until AD 647. Later, Kanauj became the capital of several future kingdoms.

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Who were the Kadambas, Gangas and early Pallavas?

          The Kadambas were an ancient dynasty of Karnataka. They ruled till about AD 560 when they were overthrown by the ChaIukyas. With Mayurasharman being the first king who ruled from AD 345 to 360, the Kadambas ruled from Banavasi in present day Uttara Kannada district.

          The Western Gangas were important rulers of ancient Karnataka, who initially ruled from Kolar. Their rule spanned from about AD 350 to 1000 and in the meantime, their capital was shifted to Talakad. Konganivarman, who called himself Dharma Mahadhiraja was the first Ganga king.

          The early Pallavas ruled a place known as Tondainadu, to the south-east of the Satavahana Empire. The early Pallavas ruled from AD 275 to 550, with Kanchi as their capital. Skandavarman, Simhavarman and Buddhavarman were some of the notable early Pallava kings.

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Who were the founders of the Vakataka and the lkshvaku dynasties?

          The Vakataka Empire was formally established in the last quarter of the third century AD. Purika in Berar was the capital of the Vakataka Empire and Vindhyasakti was one of the earliest kings of the dynasty. Vindhyasakti expanded his territory to-wards the north of the Vindhyas that included areas where the Narmada and Godavari flowed.

          However, the real founder of the Vakataka Empire was Pravarasena I, who ascended the throne after his father Vindhyasakti and called him-self Samrat. Under Pravarasena I, the kingdom expanded further north as far as the Narmada. Prithvisena was the last known king of the dynasty, and their rule ended between AD 515 and 550.

          The lkshvakus ruled over Vengi, the fertile deltas of the Krishna and the Godavari in the east. The lkshvaku dynasty was founded by Vasishthiputra Chantamula who rose to power after the decline of the Satavahanas. He was succeeded by his son Virapurusadata, who came to power in AD 275. However, this dynasty declined by the mid-4th century and the rulers may have been reduced to vassal status.

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Who ruled the Deccan and South India during the Gupta reign in the north?

          Numerous small kingdoms thrived to the south of the Vindhyas while the Guptas ruled in the north. Some of these smaller kingdoms lasted only for a few hundred years. These kingdoms constantly fought with each other to gain wealth and power.

          Among the main kingdoms in the Deccan were those ruled by the Vakatakas and the lkshvakus. Other kingdoms included those of the Kadambas, Gangas and early Pallavas.

          These kingdoms were gifted with fertile land. So, the kings tried to get control of fertile lands that included the flat coastal strip and the alluvial land between two rivers, and also the ports and other major trade centres.

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