New Empires and Kingdoms

A prashasti is an inscription or poem written in praise of a king, describing his qualities, victories, and greatness. The Allahabad Pillar Prashasti written by Harishena praises Samudragupta. Prashastis are important historical sources because they give us information about rulers, their conquests, administration, and the society of that period, even though they may be exaggerated.

The Gupta period is called the Golden Age because of remarkable achievements in many fields. Kalidasa wrote great Sanskrit literature, Aryabhata made advances in mathematics and astronomy, and skilled doctors performed surgeries. Beautiful cave paintings at Ajanta, fine sculptures, and the famous Iron Pillar of Delhi also belong to this era, showing excellence in art and technology.

Samudragupta was a powerful Gupta king who expanded the empire by conquering many kingdoms across India. The Allahabad Pillar Inscription, written by his court poet Harishena, tells us he was a great warrior who defeated many kings. It also says he was a skilled veena player and poet, showing he was talented in arts as well as warfare.

Land grants were gifts of land given by kings to Brahmanas, temples, or officials, recorded on copper plates. In the Gupta period, those who received land sometimes also got the right to collect taxes from villagers living there. Land grants tell us about the economy, the importance of Brahmanas, how power was shared between kings and local leaders, and the administrative system of the time.

The two important South Indian kingdoms were the Pallavas and the Chalukyas. The Pallavas ruled from Kanchipuram and built beautiful stone temples like the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram. The Chalukyas ruled from Aihole and Vatapi; their king Pulakesi II defeated the powerful northern king Harshavardhana of Kanauj, showing how strong they were.