Category Ancient India

          The Kushanas ruled over north India from AD 50 to 300. They belonged to the Yueh-chi tribe of China, which moved towards the west. Kujula Kadphises, a Yuch-Chi chief, who established himself in Kabul and Kashmir founded Kushana dynasty. It was one of the remarkable dynasties of ancient India, both culturally and territorially.

          The Kushanas had their capital at Purushapura (Peshawar) and expanded their empire on both sides of Hind Kush, Turkistan in the north and modern Afghanistan. The Kushanas opened the Silk Road, a major trade path for caravans carrying silk and other prominent goods from China to India and the Middle East. They enriched the cultural ethos of India, by linking Central Asian, Chinese, Indian and Persian cultures.

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          The fall of the Mauryan Empire gave birth to a new dynasty in the south called Satavahanas. It was Simukha, who founded this dynasty. It extended from the mouth of the Krishna River to the whole of the Deccan plateau. The Deccan, during their reign, was a hub of inland and maritime trade. The region between the river of Krishna and Godavari was full of ports, and it was throbbing with activity.

          Currency was in vogue to facilitate trade, and this was an era of great industrial and maritime activity. Buddhism flourished throughout the period, and the Satavahana kings constructed several Buddhist Stupas, Chaityas and Viharas. The Stupa at Amravati is known for its architectural beauty. The Satavahana kings ruled for nearly four hundred years. By the end of the 2nd century AD, their rule came to an end.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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          Megasthenes was a Greek historian from the kingdom of Ionia. The king Seleucus-I sent him as an ambassador to the court of King Chandragupta Maurya. His report about the culture, history and religion of India was the basis of western knowledge about India.

          Megasthenes described the people of Pataliputra as skilled in the arts, and as having plenty of nourishing food. There were not many thieves, and people often left their houses and property unguarded. He described the people of Pataliputra as uncomplicated in their manners, and as seldom going to court against one another.

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              Eight years after being crowned king, Ashoka decided to annex Kalinga, or present day Orissa, into his kingdom. This was the first and last battle that Ashoka ever fought. Though Ashoka won, he was horrified by the sight of the dead and wounded on the battlefield. Over one hundred and fifty thousand   soldiers were captured, and over one hundred thousand were killed. This experience changed Ashoka, and he swore that he would never wage war again. He took up Buddhism, and vowed to practice only virtuous actions in the future.

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          The most important development after the fall of the Mauryas was the arrival of foreign tribal groups into India. Around 200 BC, the Indo-Greeks from Afghanistan began to attack Indian territories. Ashoka’s weak successors could not withstand this invasion.

          The Indo-Greeks were, therefore, able to conquer large areas in India and establish kingdoms there. The most famous Indo-Greek was King Menander, also called Milinda. His capital was at Sakala, which is now Sialkot, in Pakistan. He was very interested in Buddhism, and his discussions with a great Buddhist scholar of the time have been put together in a book called ‘Milinda Panho’ or ‘The questions of Milinda.’ Milinda’s reign was long and successful. His coins testify to the prosperity and extent of Milinda’s empire.

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          Did you know that the national emblem of India has been taken from the Ashoka pillar at Sarnath, and that the Ashoka chakra on the Indian flag was Ashoka’s symbol for the wheel of Dharma?

          Ashoka spread the teachings of Buddha and his own messages by engraving them on stone pillars throughout his kingdom. Since he wanted his words to be everlasting, he chose a medium that would never rust or decay.

          The Ashoka pillars, as they are now called, were over forty feet high and extremely heavy. They are found from Afghanistan in the north to Karnataka in the south. The messages on these pillars were written in Pali, a simple form of Sanskrit, which the common people spoke during Ashoka’s time.

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