History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 60

History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age

History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) - Part 60  

Historical Aspects of Classical Period of Haridwar -Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas-2   

(History write ups are dedicated to great Historians Hari Krishna Raturi, Rahul Sanstyankritan, Badri Datt Pandey and Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral, Satish Chandra Kala, Dr. Patiram, K.P. Nautiyal, B.M. Khanduri, Jeewan Singh Kharakwal, Om Chanda Handa, Dinesh Saklani)

                                                       By: Bhishma Kukreti

                    Till Chandragupta Vikramaditya won Kartripur Uttarakhand was a free state.

                                       Brief History of Gupta Empire (320-550AD)

                  

                                               Chandragupta First (280-319)

                         (The dates vary as per historians and there is difference of 50years in many cases)               

    The first ruler of Gupta dynasty in Patliputra was tribal or prosperous man -Gupta. His son was Ghatotkacchh.  Their rule was limited to Magadha.

            Chandragupta first was son of Ghatotkacha (240-280). Chandragupta married to daughter of highly prosperous king Licchhvi family. By marrying with Licchhvi daughter, Chandragupta got fame, prosperity, diplomatic power and all strength.  His rule was consolidated to surrounding Magadha. Chandragupta started Gupt Sanvat from 319-320AD.

                                                 Samudragupta Prakramanka (335-380)

  Chandragupta handed over his rule to his most capable son Samudragupta. Samudragupta included nine states of Madhyadesh and expanded his rule to west part of Yamuna.  Samudragupta expanded his rule to Samtat, davak, Kamrup, Nepal, Kartripur, Malav, Arjunayan, yauyedheya, Madrak, Aabhir, Prarjun, Sankanik, Kak, Kharpadik, republicans. Samudragupta also won Madhyadesh, Mahakaushal, Mahakantar and Kalinga.

                 Many south kings up to Krishna river basin used to offer taxes to Samudragupta.       

                             Samudragupta had smooth and military diplomatic relationship with Sri Lanka kingdom.

Personality of Samudragupta: Samudragupta was a strategic warrior, talented military leader and had vision. By body, Samudragupta was strong man. Samudragupta was cruel with enemies and soft with common men. Samudragupta was  art, literature and music lover.  

 Samudragupta placed his gold coins. He got titles of Ashwamedhaparakrama, Rajadhiraj, Digvijay dhari, Vajimedha etc.

 Samudragupta had big families and he lived for long as he had grandchildren too in his life time.

                                            Ramgupta

  Ramgupta was eldest son of Samudragupta and he was crowned.

       From Uttarakhand history point of view Ramgupta has importance.  Ramgupta attacked Kartripur and lost the battle. For his life he was ready to exchange his wife Dhruvswamini. His younger brother Chandragupta killed Kartripur chieftain, killed his brother Samudragupta, married his Bhabhi Dhruvswamini and took over Gupta kingdom. Ramgupta placed copper coins.

                                       Chandragupta second ‘Vikramaditya’

     Chandragupta took the title ‘Vikramaditya’.

  Chandragupta Vikramaditya not only expanded his rule in far western India, foreign parts of north-west India and Gujarat regions but   also ruled with power, discipline and grace. Chandragupta Vikramaditya shifted his capital to Ujjain from Patliputra.  Chandragupta Vikramaditya also sub judged Sindhu desh.

 New Vikramaditya calendar: Chandragupta started new Hindu Samvat calendar.

Nine Learned Persons in Chandragupta II court:  There were famous nine learned persons in Vikramditya court. Kalidasa was one those learned persons.

                                          Kumargupta

    Kumargupta was eldest son of Chandragupta. He ruled for forty two years. Kumar Gupta assumed the title ‘Mahendraditya’. There was peace in his time and he did not expand his territory. Kumargupta was decent personality and believed on truth, pardon, economical punishment, firmness, cleanness, patience, self awareness, mind-intellect etc.

           Kumargupta performed Ashwamedha Yagya for consolidation the kingdom and not for expansion. He supported art, literature and music.

 There was attack from Pushyamitra of Narmada, South. His son Skandgupta diffused the attack.  

                            

                                   Skandagupta

  Skandagupta was brave as his grandfather Chandragupta. Skandagupta diffused many rebellion attacks against Gupta Empire in his father time. .

 Huna attacked on Gupta Empire in his time. He was successful up to certain extent to slow down the speed of Huna. Skandagupta defeated Huna attacks perhaps near North West region.

 Skandagupta had grace personality.

                             Punyagupta (467-473)

   Skandagupta did not have any issue. His younger brother sat on the crown after death of Skandagupta.  From his time the decline of Gupta Empire started. The other Gupta kings were Kumargupta II (473-476), Budhagupta (476-495?), Narsinghgupta, Kumargupta III, Vishnugupta,  Vinayagupta and Bhanugupta.

                    Military Organization of Gupta Empire

           

  Guptas depended heavily on infantry archers and bows.

Gupta had knowledge of siege craft, catapults and other war machines. By an estimate, Chandragupta Gupta had five lakhs infantry, fifty thousand cavalry, twenty thousand charioteers, ten thousand elephants in his army.

                                          Administration of Gupta Empire

  

 There was hierarchy in Gupta Empire administration. The kingdom was divided into 26 provinces. Provinces were divided into Vishaya governed by Vishaypati. Vishayapati had adhikari or officers.

                                 Art and Culture

  Gupta Period is called Golden period for art, culture, music and literature. Scholars as Harishen, veersen, Vatsbhatt, Vasuli, Ravishanti, Matrigupta, Bhritmenth, Shudrak, Amrsing were scholars of this time

Kalidasa is famous literature creator of Gupta period.

Varahmhira and Aryabhatt types of astrologers were born in this time. Astrology, mathematics was on its peak. Zero was discovered in this time.

Six of Indian philosophy books were created at this time.

 Tens of great Buddhist scholars and Jain scholars created great literature in Gupta period.

Ayurvedic surgery got its prominence in this time.  

Architecture, wall paintings, cave shrine arts, were also on its peak in Gupta period.

 There is no doubt that for India Gupta Age was ‘Classical period’.

 Though, the state of Gupta kings was secular Hindu sects were dominating sects.

         

                                                      Uttarakhand in Gupta Empire

 Mandsaur (MP) inscriptions speak that Kumargupta ruled over Uttarakhand. Till Skandagupt, the chieftains of Uttarakhand were under Gupta regime. The copper inscription of indoor Bulandshahar state that Sarvnag was Vishaypati (administrator) of Yamuna-Ganges Doab.

                          Shilpkar (Craftsmen) of Uttarakhand in Gupta Period

Rahul Santyakritan states that a couple of Iron pillars of Gupta period, especially Iron pillar of Delhi were manufactured and erected by Craftsmen of Uttarakhand.  That shows that metallurgy in Uttarakhand was on its well developed stage.

                                 Haridwar (Mayapur) in Gupta Empire Age

         J.S. Mishra categorically states that well planned arrangement for Kumbh Mela in Haridwar celebration started from Gupta period but there are not records to prove so (2004, Mahakumbh, page-17) .

O.P Singh mentions about Madwar Dynasty in Mayapur (near Haridwar) in post Gupta time referring Hiuen Sang travelogue after Gupta Age (1983, The Himalaya, nature, man and culture, page 291). That shows that Madwar would be a strong republican under Gupta regime.  

    Imperial gazette (1908-1938) states that there was a ‘smrat; 0governer Mangal Sen of Gupta King who built a fortress in Manglaur (Haridwar).

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 1/06/2013

(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand) to be continued… Part -61

Historical Aspects of -Classical Period of Haridwar -Kumaon-Garhwal (Uttarakhand), Himalayas to be continued…3 

Notes on History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Garhwal,  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Tehri Garhwal, (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Uttarkashi Garhwal,  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Rudraprayag Garhwal,  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Chamoli Garhwal,  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Kotdwara , Lansdowne Garhwal,  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Pauri Garhwal,  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Dehradun Garhwal,  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Kumaon   (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Pithoragarh Kumaon  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Bageshwar Kumaon   (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Champawat Kumaon   (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Almora Kumaon   (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Nainital Kumaon  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Udham Singh Nagar Kumaon   (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Tarai Bhabhar Kumaon   (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Haridwar  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Kankhal Haridwar (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Jwalapur Haridwar  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Maglaur Haridwar  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Mohand Haridwar  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Roorkee Haridwar (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Sultanpur Haridwar  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age; History of Har ki Faidi (Paidi) Haridwar  (Uttarakhand) in Gupta Empire Age;