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Summary
Ancient India Class 09

Gupta empire continued (5:10 PM)

  • Taxation during the Gupta empire:
  • There are many types of taxes such as:
  • Bhag- 1/6th of the produce.
  • Bhog- supply of fruits and vegetables.
  • Bali- voluntary offerings.
  • Udianga-  for maintenance of police stations.
  • Uparika- cess or extra tax.
  • Hiranya- King's share on certain types of crops or tax on gold.
  • Vatabhuta- a tax to get rid of spirits.
  • Shulka- custom duty.
  • Klipta, Upklipta- Tax on sale and purchase of land.
  • Guptas invested in agriculture like Khare(irrigation channels) and Badhaya(dams for controlling floods).
  • There were two types of traders- Sresti(settled traders) and Sathavaha(Karwan traders)
  • Many ports were used for trading, including Kalyana port, Chaul, Kadura, Ghantasala, Salapatna, and Nalapatna.

Society under Guptas (5:28 PM)

  • In society proliferation of caste occurred.
  • This may have occurred on account of the integration of new tribes as well as foreigners into the society.
  • Warriors and tribal chiefs were given higher status while people of lower strata were given lower status.
  • The position of sudra improved in this period, they were represented as farmers.
  • The number of Chandals increased, and they often lived in deplorable conditions on the outskirts of cities.
  • They dealt with the burning of dead bodies, the flesh trade, etc.
  • Chandals were considered untouchable.
  • While women of lower classes were free to earn their livelihood same did not happen to women of upper Varna.
  • Women were allowed Streedhan(gifts received during marriage), however, they did not have right over ancestral property.
  • The practice of Sati is found during the Gupta period at the same time some books allowed widow remarriage.
  • The Practice of Niyoga which allowed procreating in case of the death of the husband during the Vedic period was no longer allowed.
  • Religion:
  • Hindu epics were given the final touches and Vaishnavism flourished during this period.
  • Most of the text was written in Sanskrit using the Gupta-Brahmi script which later became Siddha/ Siddhamatrika script.
  • Siddha-Matrika's script evolved into many scripts used today such as Devnagri.
  • This period also witnessed the development of tantrism in both Hinduism and Buddhism.
  • Vajrayana Buddhism has a lot of elements for tantrism.
  • Gupta kings were tolerant of both Buddhism and Jainism.
  • They patronaged Buddhist art, however overall the patronaged Buddhism declined.
  • Idol worship in the temple became a common phenomenon.
  • Along with Vishnu, worship of Brahma and Shiva became popular.
  • The Gupta period had a long-lasting impact on science, astronomy, mathematics, art and architecture, literature as well as society and region.

Muryan empire Vs Gupta empire (6:08 PM)

  • The Mauryan empire was vaster that the Gupta empire
  • Mauryan rulers followed a more centralization as compared to the Guptas
  • Mauryan bureaucracy was more elaborate than Guptas.
  • The judicial system of Guptas was more developed with a clear demarcation of civil and criminal laws 
  • The taxation system during muryan rulers was more stringent while the Guptas followed a liberal taxation system
  • Guptas mainly promoted Vaishnavism while Mauryan favoured many religions
  • Mauryan architects involved stupas, and pillars while the 1st standing temples developed during the Gupta period.
  • The Gupta period witnessed the flourishing of science, literature, and astronomy compared to the Mauryan period.
  • External trade flourished more during the Mauryan period compared to the Guptas.

The reign of Harshavardhan (6:34 PM)

  • Sources:
  • Harshacharitam was written by Banbhatta.
  • XuanXang/Hiuen Tsang:
  • Chinese scholar who came to India during Harsha's reign
  • He wrote a book called Si Yu Ki.
  • Madhuban copper plate.
  • Aihole inscription a prashasti of Pulakeshin-II.
  • Harshavardhan (606-647 AD):
  • He was the son of king Prabhakar Vardhana of the Pushyabhuti dynasty.
  •  Pushyabhuti ruled from Sthaneshwar.
  • After the death of Prabhakar Vardhana his son, Rajyavardhan (Harsha's brother) became a ruler.
  • Their sister Rajyashri was married to Grahvarman of Kannauj.
  • Kannuaj was attacked by Devgupta of Malwa who was assisted by Shashank of Gauda, Grahvarman was killed and Rajyashri was kept as a prisoner.
  • In the ongoing battle, Rajyavardhan also got killed and Harsha became the next ruler at the age of 16.
  • Harsha defeated the Malwa king, freed her sister, and moved his capital to Kannauj.
  • He united many small kingdoms under his command.
  • After the death of Shashank, he also annexed Bihar and Bengal.
  • There were 2 types of territory under his control, one directly under his control such as Bengal, Kalinga, Rajputana, Gujarat, Malwa, and feudatories such as Punjab, Kasmir, Kamrupa, Nepal, etc.
  • He wanted to conquer southern India but was defeated by Chalukya king Pulakeshin-II in 619 AD at the banks of the Narmada river, thus Narmada became the defacto southern boundary of his kingdom.
  • XuanXang in his account praised Harsha a lot.
  • Harsha became a great patron of Buddhism and supported generously to Nalanda university.
  • He was a great scholar and is considered with 3 important Sanskrit works- Ratnavali, Priyadarshika, and Nagananda.
  • His reign marked the beginning of feudalism in India.
  • He collected 1/4th of the produce as tax.
  • His main officials were the following:
  • Avanti- minister of foreign affairs
  • Simhanand- Commander in chief
  • Kuntala- chief cavalry officials
  • Skhandgupta- chief of elephant forces.
  • Drighdhvaj- Royal messenger.
  • Banu- Keeper of record
  • Sarvghata-Cheif of the intelligence department.
  • Mahapratihara- chief of the palace guard.
  • His empire disintegrated very soon after his death.
  • His heirs were killed by his officials.

Pallavas (6th-9th century) (7:31 PM)

  • Their origin is not clear in the 7th century AD 3 important kingdoms in south India were fighting for supremacy, Pallavas of Kanchipuram, Chalukyas of Badami, and Pandyas of Madhurai.
  • These 3 kingdoms had come together to defeat Kalabhras who remained politically significant from the 5th-7th century.
  • One of the earliest rulers was Shivaskandavarman, who may have ruled in the 4th century.
  • Simhavarman and Mahendravarman expanded the pallavas territories.
  • Shimavarman also ruled a part of Sri Lanka.
  • His son Mahendravarman further extended his territory.
  • He had a rivalry with Chalukyas and in a battle with Pulakeshin-II, he was killed.
  • Son of Mahendravarman, Narshimavarman(630-680 AD) became the next ruler, he defeated Pulkesin-II and took control of Vatapi(Chalukayan capital), and assumed the title of Vatapi-Konda after this victory.
  • Later rulers such as Mahendravarman II and Paramesvaravarman were not able to maintain their kingdoms.
  • By late-8th and early 9th century, the kingdom declined and the last ruler Aparajitavarmanwas killed by Cholas.
  • Signifnce of Pallavas rule:
  • The Bhakti movement in Tamil Nadu started during this period with Alvas the worshippers of Vishnu and Nayanars the worshippers of Shiva.
  • Pallavas became the great patron of architecture, the Dravidian type of architecture flourished during this period, for example, the Shore temple at Mahabalipuram is part of the UNSECO world heritage site. 
  • Many types of architecture developed for example rock-cut architecture, free-standing temples, etc.
  • Brahmins were patronaged by kings who recover tax-free land and villages which were called Agrahara land and Brahamadaya villages.
  • They were worshipers of Lord Shiva and Vishu and tolerant of Buddhism and Jainism.
  • Kanchipuram became a great centre of learning.
  • Both Sanskrit and Tamil literature flourished in this period.

The topic for the next class: Palas and Imperial Cholas.