Guptas, Chalukyas PDF

# GUPTAS, CHALUKYAS ## Guptas (310 AD-540AD) - Founder: Sri Gupta - Son: Ghatotkach Guptas ruled over Madhyadesha (Uttar Pradesh+Madhya Pradesh+Bihar) ## Chandragupta-l (319-334 AD) - Title: Maharajadhiraja - Married to: Kumaradevi (Lichchavi Princess) - Started Gupta Era in 320 AD/319 AD - Gold...

# GUPTAS, CHALUKYAS ## Guptas (310 AD-540AD) - Founder: Sri Gupta - Son: Ghatotkach Guptas ruled over Madhyadesha (Uttar Pradesh+Madhya Pradesh+Bihar) ## Chandragupta-l (319-334 AD) - Title: Maharajadhiraja - Married to: Kumaradevi (Lichchavi Princess) - Started Gupta Era in 320 AD/319 AD - Gold coins: Dinars - Most no. of gold coins started by them ## Samudragupta (335-380 AD) - Greatest and most powerful king of the dynasty - Record of his reign in Prayag Prasasti (Allahabad Pillar Inscription) - Never defeated - Composed by Harisena (poet) - Napoleon of India: said by VA Smith - Titles: Kaviraja, Param Bhagavat, Sarva-raj-ochchetta (Cuprooter of all King), Lichchavi dauhitra - King of poets - He has been shown playing Veena on Coins - He performed Ashwamedha Yajna ### Gupta Gold Coins | Coin Type | Description | |---|---| | Lyrist type Coin (Kumaragupta - I) (backside: Playing Veena) | | | Asvamedha Coin (Samudragupta) | | | Marriage Coin (Chandragupta-l) (Issued by Samudragupta) | | | Lion Slayer (Chandragupta-II) | | | Rhino Slayer (Kumaragupta-I) | | | Battle Axe type (Samudragupta) | | ## Chandragupta II (380-414 AD) - 1st to introduce Copper coins - Achieved power by assassinating his brother (Ramgupta) and Saka invader - Married brother's wife: Dhruvadevi - During his reign: Introduced watermark, formed matrimonial alliance by marrying off his daughter Prabhavati Gupta with Vataka Prince Rudrasena ll ## Bharuch (port) - Indirectly ruled by Guptas after the death of Rudrasena ll - Wife ascended the throne ### Gupta era is also known and Golden age/era - 1st Gupta to issue Silver coins, after the victory over Sakas - Mehrauli: Iron Pillar Inscription - Vidisha (Madhya Pradesh) ### Navratnas: | Person | Description | |---|---| | Amarsimha | Lexicographer | | Dhanvantri | Physician | | Harisena | Court poet | | Kalidas | Shakespeare of India | | Sanku | Architect | | Varahamihira | Astronomer | | Vararuchi | Grammarian, Sanskrit scholar | | Vetalbhatta | Magician | | Kahapanaka | Astrologer | ## Mehrauli Pillar - Fa-Hein: 1st Chinese traveller visited during his reign - Title: Vikramaditya - Journey from Bengal to China by a boat and travelled back in same way ### Books of Kalidasa - Abhigyan Shakuntalam - Malvikagnimitra - Raghuvamsa - Meghaduta - Kumar Sambhavam - Ritusamhara ### Book by Sudraka - Mrichchhakatika (also known as: The little clay) - Love story Charudatta and Vasantasena ## Kumaragupta I (415-455 AD) - Son of Chandragupta II - Attacks by Hunas (tribe from Central Asia) - Founded Nalanda University ## Skandagupta I (455–461 AD) - Successfully resisted "Huns" - Title: Vikramaditya (source: Bhitari Pillar Inscription) - He also repaired Sudershan lake - He moved his capital to Saketa and renamed it Ayodhya after the legendary city in the Ramayana ## Administration - **Empire** - **Bhuktis (Under the charge of Uparika)** - Divided into districts - **Vishayas (Under the charge of Vishaya Patis)** - **Decentralised Administration** - **Vithis (Under the charge of Nagarpati)** - **Villages (Under the charge of Gramika)** ## Important Officers - **Kumaramatyas**: Provincial Officer (most important officer) - **Mahadanda Nayaka**: Officer responsible for punishment (Mr. of Justice) - **Sandhivigrahika**: The officer of War and Justice - **Nagara Shresthi**: Chief banker (this post was not held by Harisena) ## Economy - **Issued large no. of gold coins** ### Taxes - **Bhoga**: 1/6th of the produce to be paid by cultivators - **Bali**: oppressive - **Bhoga**: periodic supplies of fruit, flowers to the King - **Uparika**: Extra tax ## Senabhaktam - The army was to be fed by people whenever it passed through a countryside (village) ## Vishti - Form of forced labour ## Halivarika - to be paid by one who owned plough ## Udakabhaga - Tax on water ## Hirayana - Tax for special purpose ## Culture - **Idol of Varaha, the great boar** - Built by: Chandragupta ll - Avatar of Vishnu - In Udaygiri, Vidisha, MP ## Protecting Goddess Earth ## Dasavatara Temple (Deogarh), Lalitpur, Uttar Pradesh ## Bhitargaon Temple, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh - Dedicated to Lord Krishna - Also known as Brick Temple (One of the oldest) ## Bagh Cave, Madhya Pradesh - Famous for ancient mural paintings ## Repeated attack of Hunas is considered as one of the main reason for the decline of Guptas ## The first known inscriptional evidence of the practice of Sati is the Eran Pillar Inscription (MP) of Bhanugupta, which dates back to the 5th Century CE # Vakataka Dynasty (250 AD-500 AD) - Feudatories of Satvahannas - Were the Contemporaries of Gupta - Followed Brahamanism but also patronised Budhism - Ruled in the Central and Southern part of India - In Puranas they have been mentioned as: Vindhyakas - Founder: Vindhyashakti - Last Prominent Ruler: Prabhavatigupta - The rock-cut Buddhist Viharas and Chaityas of Ajanta Caves were built under the patronage of Vakataka king, Harishena ### Total puranas: 18 ### Written by: Sage Vyasa ### Compiled in: 3rd-10th Century AD