Places of Historical Importance

Places of Historical Importance

1. Harappa: It is one of the important places of Indus Valley Civilization. It is located on the banks of river Ravi in Pakistan. It was discovered in 1921, by Dayaram Sahyani. Here we find the Great Granary.

2. Mohenjodaro: It is one of the important sites of Indus Valley Civilization, located in Pakistan. It was discovered in 1992 by R.D. Banerjee. We find the Great Bath here.

3. Lothal: It is located in Gujarat. It was a part of Indus Valley Civilization. The Dockyard & seal with the figure of a ship of Indus period is found here.

4. Delhi: It was called as Indraprastha in ancient times. It was the capital of the Sultane & the Mughals. Humayun’s tomb, Jama Masjid, Red Fort & the Lodi garderns are found here.

5. Fatehpur sikri: Located near Agra, Fatehpur Sikri was the capital of Mughal Emperor Akbar. Monuments like Buland Darwaza, Jama Masjid, Birbal House, Panch Mahal, built by Akbar are found here.

6. Pataliputra: Modern patna, is the capital of Bihar. In ancient times it was the capital of the Mauryas & Guptas Emperor Ashoka convened the third Buddhist council here. The Mauryan Palace was located.

7. Panipat: Located in Haryana. It was the scene of three battles- the first battle of panipat in 1526, in which Babur defeated Ibrahim Lodi, the second battle in 1556 in which Akbar defeated Hemu & the third battle in 1761, Ahmad Shah Abdali defeated Balaji Baji Rao.

8. Agra: Located in Uttar Pradesh. It was the capital of Sikaudar Lodi. It is known for Mughal monuments like, Diwan-i-am & Diwan-i-khas. The Taj Mahal built by Shahjahan is also found here.

9. Nalanda: Located in Bihar. The famous Nalanda university of ancient times was located here. Hiuen-Tsang the Chinese pilgrim spent two years here.

10. Taxila: It is also called as Takshasila, is situated in Pakistan. It was famous for the university of Takshasila. Taxila was one of the centres of Gandhara Art.

11. Malkhed: It is located in the Gulbarga district of Karnataka. It was the capital of Rashtrakutas. It was visited by Suleiman an Arab traveler.

12. Devagiri: Located in Maharashtra Mohannad-bin-Tughluq shifted his capital to Devagiri & renamed it as Daulatabad. The Chaud minor built by Bahamani kingdom is found here.

13. Badami: Located in the Bagalkot district of Karnataka. In ancient times it was called as Vatapi. It was the capital of Early Chalukyas. Rock-cut temples of the early Chalukyas are found here.

14. Hampi: It was called as Vijayanagar . It was the capital of Vijayanagar Empire. It was visited by foreign travelers like Abdur Razaak, Nicolo Conti, Domingo Paes, etc. Monuments like Viupaksha temple, Vittla swamy temple, Kamal Mahal, etc are found here.

15. Halebid: Located in the Hassan district of Karnataka, called as Dwarasamudra in ancient times, it was the capital of Hoysalas. Here we find the Hoysaleshwara temple.

16. Belur: It is located in the Hassan district of Karnataka. The famous Chennakesava temple of the Hoysalas is found here. The Kappechennigaraya temple is also found here.

17. Bidar: It is a district in the state of Karnataka. It was the capital of Bahamani kingdom. The Madrasa, the Sola Kamba mosque & Rangina Mahal are found here.

18. Bijapur: It is a district in the state of Karnataka. It was the capital of Adhil Shahis. The Gol Gumbaz & Ibrahim Rouza are found here.

19. Banavasi: In ancient times called as Vyjayanti, it was the capital of the Kadambas. The Madukeswara temple of the Kadambas is found here. It was also a commercial centre.

20. Talakad: Located on the banks of river Kaveri, in Mysore. It was the capital of Gangas. It is a architectural centre. The Maruleshwara & Pathaleshwara temples of Gangas are found here.

Golden Ages of Guptas

The Guptas ruled North India from the Third to the Sixty Century A.D. The rule of the Guptas is called as Golden Age, because of the following factors.

1. The rule of the Guptas which lasted for a period of 3 Centuries, provided north India, a semblance of political renity & stability. The Guptas ruled the whole of north India. The frontier kings in the east & west & the kings of south & even the district king of Ceylon acknowledged the political supremarcy of the Guptas.

2. The Gupta Age is called as a period of Hindu Renaissance or as an Era of Brahminical Revival. The Gupta kings were the followers of Vaisnavism. The Ashwamedhayaga was revived. The worship of Vishnu, Shiva & Durga became popular. The concept of Dasavatra or the ten incarnations of Vishnu is attributed to this period. The vehicles of gods & their female counterparts evolved during this period. Epics Ramayana & Mahabharata were given final shape during this period.

3. Though followers of Hinduism, the Guptas followed a policy of religious toleration. Other religionists were appointed to high offices. Buddhism in fact was patronized by the Guptas. Stupas, Buddhist Monastries & Statues of Buddha were contributed.

4. Under the Guptas Arts received outstanding contribution. Paintings of the Guptas are found in Ajanta Caves, mostly depicting the life of the Buddha. Bagh Caves near Indore, Sittanavasal in Tamil Nadu & Sigiriya in Sri Lanka, also contain Gupta paintings.

Statue of Buddha at Nalanda, the seated Buddha of Sarnath, Copper Statue of Buddha in Sultanganj & the standing Buddha of Mathura are splendid.

5. It is believed temple architecture in north India began under the Guptas. Mention can be made of the Vishnu temple at Tigawa near Jubbalpore, Shiva temple at Bhumara, the Dasavatara temple at Deogarh are spectacular Buddhist shrines at Sanchi & Bodhgaya can be mentioned. Stupas of the period are found at Nalanda, Sarnath & at Mirpurkhas.

6. Sanskrit literature under the Guptas flourished. The Allahabad prashasti written by Harisena is in Chaste Sanskrit. The greatest literary figure is Kalidasa, the author, of Shakuntalam, Meghadootam, Raghuvamsha, Kumarasambhava, etc. He was one of the Navaratnas in the court of Chandragupta II vikramaditya. Among the other writers reference can be made of Vishakadatta the author of Mudrakshasa Sudraka the author of Mrichakatika & Bharavi the author of Kiratarjuneya

7. Science received a fillip under the Guptas. The greatest scientist & mathematician of India, Aryabhatta belonged to this period. He wrote Surya Siddhanta, Dasagitika & Aryabhattiya Varahamihra a scientist wrote Brihat Samhita. Brahmagupta also a scientist wrote Brahmaputa Siddhanta. He anticipated Newton’s Theory of Gravitation.

The Guptas had the knowledge of metallurgy. The Mehrauli iron pillar near Delhi, which is unrusted to this day substantiates this fact.

8. Under the Guptas India experienced economic prospertiy. The poets of Broach & Sopara carried on trade & commerce with the countries of West Asia, North Africa, Greece & Rome. The port of Tamralipti in Bengal carried on trade & commerce with the far-east. Spices, Cotton textile, Pearls, etc. were the exports, while gold & silver bullion were the chief imports. Economic prosperity made the Guptas issue gold coins.