Ancient India: Highlights

Timeline

• Ancient

• Medieval

• Modern

Prehistoric India

Indus Valley Civilization

The Vedic Age

The Epic Age

Hinduism and Transition

The Mauryan Dynasty

The Invasions

The Deccan and South India

The Gupta Era

The Age of small kingdoms

Harshavardhana

The Southern kingdoms

The Chola Empire

The Northern Kingdoms

Culture Index

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Prehistoric Period: ( 400000 BC - 1000 BC )

• Man was basically a food gatherer.
• Fire was discovered.
• Tools became sharp and pointed.
• Plant cultivation started.
• Domestication of animals.
• Settlement in villages.
• Wheel was discovered.
• Metals like Bronze and Copper were used.

Indus Valley Civilization: (2500 BC - 1500 BC)

• Highly developed civilization.
• Derived its name from the river Indus.
• Agriculture was the backbone of the economy.
• Metals like bronze and copper were used extensively.
• Society was ruled by groups of merchants.
• People worshipped natural forces.
• The script was pictographic.
• No clear picture as to how & why it came to an end.

Vedic Age: (1500 BC - 1000 BC)

• Migration of Aryans to Sapta-Sindhava.
• Compilation of Vedas started.
• Religion was in the form of nature worship.
• Strength was determined by Jana & not by Janapada.
• Emergence of the tribe Bharata.
• No consciousness of caste
• Distinction of Varnas : Aryans and Dasas
• Later Aryans moved to Ganga-Jamuna-Doab.

Epic Age: (1000 BC - 600 BC)

• Foundation of Hinduism started.
• Writing of Great epics.
• Society was rural and people lived in fortified camps
• Kingship was no longer tribal, but hereditary
• Cult of sacrifices and rituals emerged.
• Society was divided into four castes.
• People could change occupation as per wish.
• The priests gained in power.

Hinduism and Transition: (600 BC - 322 BC)

• Caste system became more rigid.
• Mahavira and Buddha rebelled against casteism.
• Iron implements helped to clear the dense forests.
• Civilization moved to Eastern parts.
• Formation of Mahajanapadas.
• Magadha under Bimbisara and Ajat Shatru.
• Shisunanga and Nanda dynasty.
• Alexander crossed the Indus.

The Mauryan Age: (322 BC - 185 BC)

• Chandragupta Maurya founded the Mauryan empire.
• Entire North India came under central administration.
• Bindusara extended his kingdom.
• Ashoka fought the Kalinga war
• The whole sub-continent came under the Mauryas.
• Ashoka embraced Buddhism.
• The Grant Trunk Road was built.
• Pushyamitra Shunga founded the Shunga dynasty.

The Invasions: (185 BC - 320 AD)

• Invasion of Bactrian, Parthians, Shakas & Kushans
• Era of cultural fusion.
• Central Asia opened for trade.
• Old Silk Route came into existence.
• Gold coins were issued for the first time.
• Kanishka introduced the Saka era.
• First ever human image of Buddha was carved out.
• Buddhism was divided into two main branches.

Deccan and South India: (65 BC - 250 AD)

• Construction of Ajanta and Ellora cave temples.
• Isolation of the southern kingdoms ended.
• South was under Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas.
• Age of Sangam literature.
• Exchange of ideas between the north and the south.
• Vedic gods passed into oblivion.
• Trinities took the place of Vedic gods.
• Christianity came to India.

The Gupta Dynasty: (320 AD - 520 AD)

• Gupta dynasty founded by Chandragupta I.
• Classical Age in north India
• Samudragupta extended his kingdom.
• Chandragupta II campaigns against Shakas.
• Shakuntalam and Kamasutra were written.
• Aryabhatta did spectacular progress in Astronomy.
• Bhakti cult emerged in Hinduism.
• Hunas invaded northwest India.

Age of Small Kingdoms: (500 AD - 606 AD)

• Confused political scene.
• Migrations from Central Asia and Iran.
• Hunas move to north India.
• Emergence of new sub-castes.
• Migrations to south India.
• Rise of many small kingdoms.
• North was splintered into warring kingdoms.
• Indian civilization showed its greatest vitality.

Harshavardhana: (606 AD - 647 AD)

• Harshawardhana built his empire.
• Hieun Tsang visited India.
• Harsha moved capital from Thaneshwar to Kanauj.
• Pulakesin II defeated Harsha.
• Collapse of Harsha's empire.
• The kingdom disintegrated into small states.
• Invasion of Hunas.
• Deccan and the south become powerful.

The Southern Kingdoms: (500 AD - 750 AD)

• Empire of Chalukyas, Pallavas & Pandyas.
• Zoroastrians (Parsis) flee to India.
• Arabs annexed Sindh.
• Emergence of the Rashtrakutas.
• Cave architecture reached excellence.
• Emergence of Yadavas, Kakatiyas & Hoysalas.
• Development of regional languages.
• Formation of Cultural Units.

Chola Empire: (9th Cent. AD - 13th Cent. AD)

• Vijayalaya founded the Chola Empire.
• Cholas adopted a maritime policy.
• Rajaraja and Rajendra I expanded their empire.
• Local self-government was started.
• Temples became cultural and social centers.
• Shiva worshipped in the form of a lingam.
• Nataraja, became a masterpiece.
• Development of Dravadian languages.

The Northern Kingdoms: (750 AD - 1206 AD)

• The Rashtrakutas became powerful.
• Pratiharas ruled in Avanti and Palas ruled Bengal.
• Fight for rule over Kanauj.
• Emergence of Chalukyas and Senas.
• Emergence of Rajput clans.
• Temples at Khajuraho, Kanchipuram, Puri were built.
• Miniature painting started.
• Invasion from Turks.

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