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<p>Hi guys, hope you all are doing well. Today we will be talking about Post Mauryan Period. </p>

<h2 id="content-id-0"><strong>Post Mauryan Period</strong></h2>

<p>Stone masonry was introduced on a large scale by the Mauryans. Ashoka’s contribution to Indian art was a number of monolithic pillars which bore his inscriptions which have been found in widely separated parts of the subcontinent. Sarnath pillar which is the official emblem of the Indian republic is a crowning feature of the Ashokan architecture. Mauryans were succeeded by many ruling dynasties from Central Asia in North-West India and by native rulers (Sungas, Kanvas, Satavahanas) in the Eastern, Central and Deccan region of India. The Mauryan Empire was divided into north and south after Ashok’s death. The north collapsed due to Bactrian invasions. The south was curtailed as Kalinga declared independence. The Satavahana dynasty also declared independence.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-1"><strong>The Shunga dynasty</strong></h2>

<p>After the death of Ashoka, the Mauryan Empire steadily disintegrated as his successors were not able to keep the vast empire from fracturing away. Independent kingdoms arose out of the provinces. Foreign invasions were occurring in the northwest. Kalinga declared its independence. In the South, the Satavahanas rose to power and in the Gangetic plains, the Sunga or Shunga dynasty replaced the Mauryas. <strong>Pushyamitra Sunga </strong>was Brahmin army chief of Brihadratha, the last king of the Mauryas. Pushyamitra founded this dynasty. His dominions extended to South as far as the Narmada river and included cities of Patliputra, Ayodhya and Vidisha. The fifth king was Bhagabhadra, to whose court <strong>Heliodorus</strong>, the Greek ambassador, visited. A Shunga king, Agnimitra was the hero of Kalidasa’s Malavikagnimitram. This period saw the revival of <strong>Bhagavatism</strong>. Patanjali’s classic <strong>Mahabhashya</strong> was written during this time. The famous book on Hindu Law, <strong>Manusmriti</strong> was compiled during this period.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-2"><strong>The Kanva dynasty</strong></h2>

<p>The Kanva dynasty had a Brahmanic origin. The dynasty was named after the gotra of the ruler Kanva. The Kanva dynasty was founded by Vasudeva Kanva. It is believed that Vasudeva Kanva killed the Shunga ruler Devabhuti and established his own empire in 72 BCE. The Kanva dynasty ruled from 72 BCE to 28 BCE. The founder of this short-lived dynasty was <strong>Vasudeva</strong>, who killed the last Shunga king Devabhuti. They were swept away by Satavahanas of the Deccan.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-3"><strong>The Satavahanas</strong></h2>

<p>Satavahana followed the Mauryas in Deccan of India. Satavahana dynasty ruled from Pune in Maharashtra to Coastal Andhra Pradesh in the second century BC onwards. This dynasty was built on the ruins of the Maurya Empire and around the 1st century AD, they were the most prominent in the Modern Andhra Pradesh Region. <strong>Simuka</strong> was the founder of the Satavahana Dynasty and he is believed to have destroyed the Shunga Power. He did so with the aid of the <strong>Rathikas and Bhojakas</strong>. He reigned for around 23 years and was beheaded by his brother Kanha, who succeeded him. They were the successors of the Mauryans in the Deccan and Central India. Important king was Gautamiputra Satakarni (AD 106-130) who raised the power and prestige of Satavahanas to greater heights. He set-up his capital at Paithan on the bank of river Godavari in Aurangabad district. First evidence of land grants to Brahmins (started by Satavahanas). Satavahanas built NagarjunaKonda stupa and Amravati Stupa. They acted as a bridge between North and South India. Satavahana rulers called themselves Brahmins. They performed Vedic rituals and worshipped gods like Krishna, Vasudeva and others. However, they also promoted Buddhism by granting land to the monks.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-4"><strong>Chedis</strong></h2>

<p>Chedis' capital was Kalinganagara. The greatest and the most powerful king of the dynasty was <strong>Kharvela</strong>. His capital was Kalinganagara. The only source of information about the king Kharvela is the Hathigumpha inscription written in Prakrit language and Brahmi script. In the 9th year of his reign Kharvela built <strong>Mahavijaya Prasad </strong>(place of Great Victory) on both the banks of the river Prachi, in order to commemorate his victories in the North. In the 13th year of his reign, Kharvela undertook many welfare schemes like building caves for the Jain monks in the Udayagiri hills i.e. Hathigumpha and Rani Gumpha caves.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-5"><strong>Ikshvaku</strong></h2>

<p>The Ikshvaku dynasty was founded by the legendary king <strong>Ikshavaku</strong>. The important personalities belonging to this royal house are Bharata, Harish Chandra, Dilipa Sagara, Raghu, Rama and Paseuadi.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-6"><strong>Kingdoms after the Mauryas</strong></h2>

<p>The collapse of the Mauryan Empire ushered in a period of political fragmentation in the Indian subcontinent. Several regional kingdoms emerged, including the <strong>Sungas, Satavahanas and Kushanas.</strong> These kingdoms ruled over large swathes of land and played a significant role in shaping the course of Indian history.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-7"><strong>The Indo-Greeks</strong></h2>

<p>A number of invasions took place around 200 BC. The first to invade India were the Greed Creeks who were also called the Indo-Greeks or Bactrian Greeks (because they ruled Bacteria). The most famous Indo-Greek ruler was Menander (165-145 BC), also known as Milinda. He had his capital at Sankala (modern Sialkot) in Punjab. He was converted to Buddhism by <strong>Nagasen</strong> or Nagarjuna. (described in Milindapanho or the Question of Milinda). Greeks were the first to issue gold coins in India.</p>

<p> </p>

<h2 id="content-id-8"><strong>The Sakas of Scythians (90 BC)</strong></h2>

<p>The Greeks were followed by the Sakas, who controlled a larger part of India than the Greeks did. There were 5 branches of the Shakas with their seats of power in different parts of India and Afghanistan. The most famous Shaka ruler in India was Rudradaman 1 (AD 130-150). He is famous for the repairs of Sudarshan Lake in Kathiawar. His inscription was Junagarh inscription. A king of Ujjain, who called himself Vikramaditya Defeated Shakas in 58 BC and started the Vikram era (58 BC).</p>

<h2 id="content-id-9"><strong>The Parthians/ pahalvas</strong></h2>

<p>Originally, they lived in Iran, invaded at the beginning of Christian era, from where they moved to India. In comparison to Greeks and Shakas, they occupied only a small portion in North-West India in the Ist century. The most famous Parthian King was Gondophernes (AD 19-45), in whose reign St. Thomas is said to have come to India for the propagation of Christianity.</p>

<h2 id="content-id-10"><strong>The Kushans (AD 45)</strong></h2>

<p>Came from North Central Asia near China. Their empire included a good part of Central Asia, a portion of Iran, a portion of Afghanistan, Pakistan and almost the whole of North India. Kanishka was the most famous king. He patronised the following scholars <strong>Ashvaghosha</strong>(wrote Buddhacharita, which is the biography of Buddha and ‘Sutralankar). Nagarjuna (wrote MadhyamikSutra). Charaka (a physician, wrote Charakhsambita).</p>

<p>Kanishka is known in history because of two reasons:</p>

<ol>
	<li>He started an era in AD 78, which is now known as the Saka era and is used by the Government of India.</li>
	<li>He extended his whole-hearted patronage to Buddhism (held a Buddhist council in Kashmir). Some of the Successors of Kanishka bore typical Indian names as <strong>Vasudeva</strong>.</li>
</ol>

<p>During Kanishka’s Rule, foreign trade flourished and it was at its peak. Trade flourished through silk routes and oceanic routes. During Kanishka’s reign, Gandhara School of Art and Mathura School of Art flourished and developed. </p>

<p>This was all about Post Mauryan Period. Hope you learned well. Stay tuned for more.</p>


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