Empires to Kingdoms

A summary of earlier chapters outlines what we know of the two ancient civilisations in the sub-continent – the Harappan and the Vedic. They represent the change from pastoralism to settled agriculture and the emergence of urban settlements. They were followed by other cultural influences, mainly Buddhism and Jainism, which rejected the inequalities in Vedic society. Later, the fragmentation of kingdoms paved the way for the Mauryan Empire and its Buddhist influence, both in the north and the south.

When the Mauryan Empire faded multiple kingdoms emerged again for a while, until the Kushans and Satavahanas created smaller empires in the north and the south. They flourished for a couple of centuries until they too declined. But the wealth they created led to the growth of the Gupta Empire, followed by Harsha Vardhan. This period is often known as the Golden Age for the development of art, music and literature.

These empires crumbled with time and gave rise to multiple clans of Paramaras, Chauhans, Pratiharas, Chandellas, Palas, Senas, Tomaras, Kalachuris, Guhilas and Karkotas in the north; and Chalukyas, Pallavas, Rashtrakutas, Gangas, Cheras, Kalachuris and Cholas in the south; who created their own fiefdoms. They also frequently fought with each other for supremacy. The instability prevailed for a long time providing the opportunity for invaders to cross the mountains for plunder.

The Ghaznavid and Ghori forces looted the sub-continent, especially the north, but they left behind slave generals to oversee the lands they had conquered. Thus, the Mamluk (Slave) dynasty was followed by the Khiljis, then the Tughlaks, the Saiyyids, and the Lodhis, who constituted the Sultanate in the north. In the south the Vijayanagara Empire consolidated its rule through the Sangama, Saluva, Tuluva, and Aravidu dynasties until it too was weakened by the Sultans.