Gupta Empires

The Gupta dynasty ruled Magadha (now Bihar) in north-eastern India. From the early fourth to the late sixth centuries CE, they ruled over northern and parts of central and western India. Historians once considered the Gupta period to be India’s classical era, during which created the norms of Indian literature, architecture, art, and philosophy. Many of those ideas, however, have been called into question by more detailed studies of Indian society and culture between the Mauryan and Gupta eras. The decimal system of notation, the great art of Sanskrit, and Hindu art, as well as contributions to the disciplines of astronomy, mathematics, and metallurgy, were all supposed to have originated from the Gupta era.

Chandragupta I (320–335 CE) – Founder of the Gupta Empire

• Chandragupta I was Ghatotkacha’s son
• He is deemed as the founder of the Gupta Era, which began with his accession in 319–320 CE
• He bolstered his authority by forming a marriage collaboration with the Lichchhavis (Nepal). He married Kumaradevi, a Lichchhavi dynasty princess, which strengthened the Gupta family’s status and fame (Vaishyas)
• Conquests allowed him to expand his realm. By 321 AD, his domain had expanded from the Ganges River to Prayaga
• He issued coins bearing his queen’s and his own names
• He was given the title Maharajadhiraja (great king of kings)
• He was able to grow a modest principality into a large kingdom
• His empire included areas of modern-day Pataliputra, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Kolkata, and Bihar
• He is regarded as the Gupta Empire’s first great king

Samudragupta

Samudragupta (circa 335–375 CE), Chandragupta’s first son who ascended the throne next, was a military genius, and he continued the growth of the kingdom. After conquering the rest of North India, Samudragupta shifted his attention to South India, gaining control of a chunk of it by the end of his Southern Campaign. It is generally believed that during his time, the Gupta Empire spanned from the Himalayas in the north to the mouth of the Krishna and Godavari rivers in the south, stretching from Balkh, Afghanistan, to the Brahmaputra Sea in the east.

Economic Downturn

By the end of the fifth century, the Guptas had lost western India, which must have robbed them of the substantial earnings from trade and commerce and thus economically debilitated them. The gold coins of subsequent Gupta emperors feature a lower amount of gold metal, indicating the Guptas’ economic downfall. Land donations for religious and other uses also lowered earnings, resulting in economic instability.

Politics and Administration

The large kingdom was governed with great tact and foresight. Their martial system’s effectiveness was well known. The vast empire was divided into smaller Pradesh (territories), with administrative heads appointed to oversee each one. In the bureaucratic process, the kings maintained discipline and transparency. Criminal law was gentle, the death penalty was unknown, and judicial torture was unknown. Fa Hien characterised the cities of Mathura and Pataliputra as lovely, the latter as a city of flowers. People were free to move around. According to Fa Hien, there was law and order, and theft and burglary were uncommon.

Socio-economic Situation

People lived basic lives. Commodities were inexpensive, and overall prosperity ensured that their needs were easily supplied. They were vegetarians who avoided alcoholic beverages. Gold and silver coins were issued in large quantities, which is a typical indicator of the economy’s health. Trade and business grew both within and outside the country. Silk, cotton, spices, medicine, valuable jewels, pearls, precious metals, and steel were all shipped by water.

The Temple Building in the Dravidian styles

The Pallavas, who ruled in parts of Andhra Pradesh, Northern Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka until the 9th century, were the forerunners of Dravidian-style temple architecture in South India. Despite the fact that they were predominantly Shaivite, numerous Vaishnava shrines survived their reign.

The Dravidian style of the South Indian temples, also known as the Indian subcontinent temple style, is a Hindu temple architectural idiom that evolved in the southern region of the Indian subcontinent, or South India and Sri Lanka, reaching its pinnacle by the sixteenth century. It can be found in Hindu temples, with the most notable difference from north Indian styles being the usage of a shorter and more pyramidal tower called a vimana over the garbhagriha or sanctuary. In comparison, the north has taller buildings called shikharas, which usually bend inwards as they climb. The lofty gopura, or gatehouse at the perimeter of the courtyard, is the dominant feature for modern visitors to larger temples; huge temples have numerous, dwarfing the vimana; they are a much more recent development.

Conclusion

Following the fall of the Gupta empire, other ruling dynasties emerged in various parts of northern India, including the Pushyabhutis of Thanesar, the Maukharis of Kannauj, and the Maitrakas of Valabhi. The Chalukyas and Pallavas arose as great powers in peninsular India, respectively, in the Deccan and northern Tamil Nadu.