Pushyabhuti Dynasty
First Notable Ruler
Prabhakarvardhan
Prabhakarvardhan Title
Maharajadhiraj
Relationship with the Maukharis
Marital alliance (strengthen position)
Maukharis Dynasty — Origin
- Originally resident of Gaya, Bihar
- Founder: Harivarman (510 CE)
Harshavardhana (606–647 CE)
Age at coronation
16 years (after brother's murder)
Nickname / Biruda
Shiladitya
Court historian
Banabhatta (Harshacharita)
📚 Books composed by Harsha
- Nagananda
- Ratnavali
- Priyadarshika
⚔️ Military Strength
- 60,000 elephants
- 1 lakh (100,000) horses
- Conventional label: last great Hindu emperor of northern India; later Hindu kingdoms continued
🔴 Southern Campaign — Stopped!
- The Chalukya king Pulakeshin II halted Harsha's advance.
- Battle location: Narmada river bank
- Harsha defeated — mentioned in Aihole Inscription
- Kannauj = centre of political power (fortified since 7th century)
🇨🇳 Huen Tsang — At Harsha's Court
- Chinese traveler — visited Left China 629 CE; reached India c. 630 CE
- Stayed for ~15 years in India
- Came to Nalanda Mahavihara → Chancellor: Shilabhadra
- Called Shudras as farmers in his description
- Described Mehtar, Chandalas etc.
- Mentioned that Pataliputra & Vaishali were in decline
- Stayed in court of Bhaskarvarman and Harshavardhana
Administrative Structure
State Division Hierarchy
Rashtra
(State)
→
Bhukti
(Province)
→
Vishaya
(District)
→
Gram
(Village)
- System: Monarchical
- Land grants through charters (Sanads); practice began before Harsha
Key Officers
| Officer Name |
Role |
| Avanti |
Officer of war and peace |
| Simhanada |
Commander-in-chief |
| Kuntal |
Chief of Ashwamedha |
| Skandagupta |
Chief of Elephant army |
| Samanta / Maharaj |
Subordinate chiefs/rulers supplying tribute or military aid |
Economy & Taxes
Revenue Distribution
- One part → King's expenses
- Another part → Religious works
| # |
Tax Name |
Type |
| 1 |
Bhaga |
Land tax (1/6th of produce) |
| 2 |
Hiranya |
Cash tax (from traders) |
| 3 |
Bali |
Possibly religious tax |
Source: Harsha period copper plates
Major Chinese Travelers to India
- Came to court of Chandragupta II Vikramaditya
-
Early Chinese Buddhist pilgrim with a surviving detailed travel account
- Route: Overland via Central Asia to India; return by sea via Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia
- Came during Harshavardhana's time
- Stayed in court of Bhaskarvarman and Harshavardhana
- Visited Nalanda Mahavihara
- Stayed in India for ~15 years
- Came to India by sea route
- Information about Buddhist monasteries found
- Also mentioned Shri Gupta's temple (24 villages in Yijing’s account; identification debated)
Rulers who Sent Ambassadors to China
| # |
Ruler |
Dynasty |
| 1 |
Harshavardhana |
Pushyabhuti dynasty |
| 2 |
Narasimha Varman II |
Pallava dynasty |
| 3 |
Yashovarman |
Kannauj ruler |
| 4 |
Kulottunga I |
Chola dynasty |
Traveler Quick Match
Early Chinese pilgrim with surviving detailed account?
Fa-Hien (399–414 CE) — during Chandragupta II's reign
When did Huen Tsang visit India?
629–645 CE — during Harsha's reign
Who came to India by sea?
I-Tsing (671–695 CE)
Vakataka Dynasty — Overview
Rise
Northern Maharashtra & Vidarbha
Capital
Nandivardhana (Nagpur)
Language developed
Sanskrit — Vaidarbhi style
- Founder compared with Indra & Vishnu
- Granted large tracts of land to Brahmins and supported Brahmanism.
- Many Vedic yagyas performed
- The Vaidarbhi style of Sanskrit reached full development.
Major Rulers
- Expanded Vakataka power.
-
Only Vakataka ruler to use the imperial title Samrat
- 4 Ashwamedha yagyas, 1 Vajapeya yagya, many Vedic ceremonies
- After his death — Vakatakas split into two branches:
→ Pravarapura-Nandivardhana (main)
→ Basim (Vatsagulma)
- Marriage with Chandragupta II's daughter — Prabhavati Gupta
- Adopted Vaishnavism (unlike his Shaivite ancestors)
- Last powerful ruler of main branch
- Wrote poetic work: Setubandha
- Built new capital: Pravarapura
Chalukya Dynasty — Overview
- Established power in the western Deccan in the early sixth century.
-
3 Prominent Branches:
→ Chalukyas of Badami (main)
→ Western Chalukya (Kalyani)
→ Eastern Chalukya (Vengi)
Chalukyas of Badami (Main Branch)
Capital
Vatapi (modern Badami, Karnataka)
Location
Present-day Karnataka; Badami is in Bagalkot district
-
Real Founder of Chalukyas of Badami
- Called "lord of Vatapi-pura bride" in Aihole Inscription
- Freed from Kadamba ruler's subordination → brought to independent status
- Title: Paramabhagavata, Parameshwara, Satyashraya
-
Aihole Inscription — Author: Court poet Ravikirti
-
Battle vs Harsha (618 CE (SSC PYQ convention; Aihole record dated 634 CE)) — Narmada river bank → Harsha defeated
-
Battle vs Pallava → Narsimhavarman victorious, took title Vatapikonda
(controlled Vatapi)
- Hyderabad copper plate: "one who participates in hundreds of battles"
Western Chalukya (Kalyani)
| Detail |
Info |
| Founder |
Tailapa II |
| Conflict |
With Cholas |
| Most Powerful |
Vikramaditya VI |
| Last Ruler |
Someshwara IV |
Eastern Chalukya (Vengi)
| Detail |
Info |
| Founder |
Vishnuvardhana |
| Last Ruler |
Vijayaditya VII |
| Prominent literary patron |
Rajaraja Narendra |
| Special Fact |
Major patronage of Telugu literature; earlier usage existed |
Chalukya Art & Architecture
Vesara Style
-
Vesara = Nagara (North) + Dravidian (South) — Hybrid style
- Developed in Aihole, Badami, Pattadakal (Present-day Karnataka; Badami is in Bagalkot district)
- Aihole nickname: "City of Temples / Protector"
- Aihole has more than 100 temples and monuments; scope affects counts
- Lad Khan: early experimental temple | Meguti: dated Ravikirti inscription, 634 CE
Key Temples
- Temple has NO Shikhara (Spire)
- Plan similar to Vihar (monastery)
- Oil-grant patron: Vijayaditya, 708 CE; not proof of construction
- Entrance of sanctum decorated with Panchashakha (five-banded)
-
Space between sanctum and mandapa — new feature
-
Mahavir Sinhasan coronation ceremony held here
- Total temples: 10
Northern-style examples
Papnath Temple
Dravidian and mixed examples
Virupaksha
Sangameshwara
Mallikarjuna
Galaganatha (northern-style tower; not a Dravidian example)
Someshwara
Jain Temple
-
Largest, most ornamented & best temple at Pattadakal
- Built by: Lokamahadevi (Vikramaditya II's wife)
-
Nandi Mandapa — important part
-
Gopuram: monumental entrance gateway; no unrestricted first claim
- Walls: scenes of Ramayana engraved
- Walls: Epic and Puranic narrative reliefs; 81-mudra count unestablished
⚠️ Exam Traps — Post-Gupta Empire
Trap #1 — Harsha — Conventional Northern-India Imperial Label
Harshavardhana is conventionally described as the last great Hindu emperor of northern India. In such MCQs, choose Harsha, not a Gupta ruler.
Trap #2 — Harsha's Books
Banabhatta wrote Harshacharita about Harsha. Harsha himself wrote three works: Nagananda, Ratnavali and Priyadarshika. Harshacharita was not written by Harsha.
Trap #3 — Narmada Battle — Who Won?
Pulakeshin II halted and defeated Harsha on the bank of the Narmada in 618 CE (SSC PYQ convention; Aihole record dated 634 CE). Harsha was defeated, not victorious, as recorded in the Aihole Inscription.
Trap #4 — Vatapikonda title
The Pallava king Narasimhavarman I adopted the title Vatapikonda after capturing Vatapi, the Chalukya capital. It was a Pallava title, not a Chalukya title.
Trap #5 — Fa-Hien vs Huen Tsang
Fa-Hien visited during Chandragupta II's reign (399–414 CE). Huen Tsang visited during Harsha's reign (629–645 CE). I-Tsing came by sea and described Buddhist monasteries. Do not confuse the three travellers.
Trap #6 — Vesara = Hybrid Style
The Vesara style combines Nagara and Dravidian elements; it is neither purely Dravidian nor purely Nagara. Chalukya architecture at Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal in Karnataka is associated with Vesara.
Trap #7 — Lad Khan Temple Has No Shikhara
The Lad Khan Temple, an early experimental Aihole temple, has no shikhara and follows a vihara-like plan. The Virupaksha Temple is noted for its monumental entrance gateway. Keep these features separate.