Saturday, 3 September 2011
VIBRANT GUJARAT-THE GROWTH ENGINE OF INDIA
The fifth edition of Vibrant Gujarat summit concluded with the inspiring speech of Chief Minister Shri Narendra Modi. In his valedictory speech, he spoke about the achievements of the State through the Vibrant Gujarat 2011 Summit. He mentioned that the hallmark feature of this summit has been, being able to forge partnerships not only in the industry space but also in the areas of technology, innovation, academics and in social sectors. He mentioned that this time, the State had focused more on branding the state as a business hub where business and knowledge partnerships are forged, rather than just an investment destination.
In a gradual deviation from previous events, the 5th edition of the summit had been renamed as 'Vibrant Gujarat 2011: The Global Business Hub, as a result of which the event saw participation from many Countries, Indian States and Companies, using the Vibrant Gujarat’s platform, to show case their strengths in various sectors. More than 13 Country and State seminars were organized during the 2 day long summit. These seminars were a great success and all these seminars were able to garner huge participation and investors’ interest. 'The Vibrant Gujarat Summit has become a model for economic success for many states. This event provides a great opportunity to the State to display its strengths, progressive stance, initiatives taken to improve governance, investor friendly climate and art & culture of Gujarat. The event not only gives local players an opportunity to interact with national and international players, but also with top Government officials from various departments and sectors. This event encourages the bureaucracy, and motivates government workers and agencies to work hard and get organized.
During the last summit in January 2009, MoUs worth $240 billion were signed. The last summit had witnessed participation from nearly 45 countries. As against the achievements of the 2009 summit, this Summit had participation from 101 Countries, with over 1400 foreign delegates. About 7,936 memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed for Rs. 20,83,000 ($ 450 billion) crore at Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2011. Around 100 tie-ups with leading institutions from across the globe for exchange of knowledge were forged. Another distinct feature of this edition of the summit was the participation of large number of national and international speakers for various seminars and discussions. Over 350 speakers had participated in more than 30 seminars. The event also provided excellent networking opportunities through b2b meeting arrangements, network dinners, buyer seller meets, export pavilions and catalogue shows. This year a state of the art permanent structure “Mahatma Mandir “, was constructed for organizing the summit.
It is clearly evident that Gujarat is definitely poised to become the Global business hub of India, under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Chief Minister Narendra Modi. Under his inspiring guidance, the State of Gujarat has been able to create a very positive impact on international investors and has generated confidence amongst investors, where; Gujarat is now seen as a place where promises are not only kept but also executed in timely manner. As remarked by Mr. Ratan Tata, "Shri Narendra Modi has changed the history of Gujarat." This dynamic leader has brought a new work culture, new investments & new job opportunities for a large number of people in the State." The Chief Minister’s intentions and plans for the State are easily evident from his statement “We can and we will convert the impossible to possible. “
Vibrant Gujarat 2011 succeeded in establishing Gujarat as the most favoured destination of India along with sharing of knowledge and technology from across the world. Participation of different Countries and Indian States who used the platform for showcasing their strength has contributed towards ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ summit transforming itself into the premier business and knowledge summit of the Country.
The Vibrant Gujarat summit has not only been successful in bringing India’s business tycoons like Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Anil Ambani, Shashi Ruia, GV K Reddy et al., on one podium but also has instilled a sense of pride and confidence amongst the masses and youth of Gujarat. The event has also been successful in creating employment opportunities for people in tourism, handicrafts and knowledge sectors. The summit has been able to put Gujarat’s mark on the Global map and was successful in garnering investments from all over the world.
The event has become an epitome of success for attracting futuristic projects and investments in the State.
WHY IS GUJARAT NUMBER 1?
Gujarat’s GDP has been growing at 12 per cent, as fast as China’s, under the leadership of Chief Minister Narendra Modi; this has left many states behind
Not a month goes without news reports highlighting the achievement and development of Gujarat. Reports on the recent developments evince that Gujarat is a “happening state” which entitles it to be ranked first among all Indian states.
Agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan rightly puts it, “Gujarat owes it to a scientific and integrated approach to agriculture during Narendra Modi’s tenure which is backed by a sharp vision.”
Gujarat's GDP has been growing at 12 per cent, as fast as China's, under the leadership of Chief Minister Narendra Modi; this has left many states behind
The initiative of Modi government to provide soil health cards to farmers has brought second ‘Green Revolution’ in Gujarat. The state has now changed gears to become an auto hub. After Tata, Hero Honda, the world’s largest two-wheeler maker, is set to establish a manufacturing unit in the state.
Gujarat has highly diversified industries — from diamonds to denim, fertilisers to pharmaceuticals, automobile to milk products, cotton, art-silk, ceramics and oil seeds. Most of these industries have notched up top slots in terms of production — in India and world alike.
Gujarat contributes to 40 per cent of the country’s pharma and art-silk industries, 80 per cent of polished diamond industry and 11 per cent of the world’s chemical exports. The state government has formed a land bank of 50,000 hectares for industrial houses to choose the sites online.
For past 12 years, Gujarat’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) has been growing at 12 per cent — as fast as China’s. Gujaratis, who hold 30 per cent of scrips floating in the market, account for 16 per cent of Indian exports and 17 per cent of GDP. The state is India’s petro-gas capital. Political stability, entrepreneurial spirit and ever-improving infra-structure attract capital and entrepreneurs from East Asia, the West and even from the Middle East. Country’s largest social base of business class of Banias, Parsis, Khojas, Bohras constitutes Gujarat’s business community. A commercially-tuned culture and Modi’s resourceful leadership have made Gujarat the most “fast forward state of India”.
Though critical issues like unemployment, low indicators of social development (HDI) and population living Below Poverty Line (BPL) cannot be overlooked, it was persistent under all regimes.
Modi and Health Minister J N Vyas have floated several credible schemes to improve the state’s performance on HDI. The state government has also earmarked financial aid of Rs 1,500 crore for 25 lakh poor families which will be delivered by 2010. While 1.43 BPL families will get plots to build houses, about 2.59 lakh families will be given houses before May 2011. Modi government aims at providing jobs to 10 lakh youths, water supply to 12,000 villages and electricity to 17,940 villages.
Also, the government departments will be graded according to their performance in achieving the goal. The state has sanctioned Rs 1,000 crore for Sakhi Mandals to micro-finance thousands of women.
Gujarat has bagged several prestigious awards like UN Sasakawa Award for disaster mitigation, CAPAM award for innovation in governance, UNESCO award, CSI award for e-governance and Indiatech award in power sector.
The state is front-runner in attracting industrial investment (MoUs). It is first in implementing major health care services. Besides, availability and utility of infrastructure and state-wide fibre-optic connectivity puts it on world map.
Gujarat’s synergising relationship with its Diaspora demonstrates what Gujarat has achieved under the Modi government. Clinton Foundation has awarded Gujarat the world’s largest solar plant and 34 solar projects are in the pipeline.
The state has the distinction of housing India’s first tidal energy project and the largest wind energy farm. Ahmedabad has a world class public transport system which serves 44 million people and helps in saving 37 lakh tonnes of carbon emission. The state has country’s biggest CNG and LNG infrastructure. Ahmedabad, which was derided as the most polluted city in 2003, was recognised as ‘Green City’ by the UN in 2009.
But, Mahuva-pattern land satyagrahas alert us against the possibility of Gujarat becoming a mosaic of fragments of SEZ sub-states.
All these have sculpted Gujarat’s image as a geo-economic power. New coastal ‘Silver Corridor’ with the development arc between its two gulfs and knowledge corridor has wooed global players. Asian Tigers seek access to its ports for taking goods to the Middle East and Europe. Japanese township near Dholera and Koreans’ near Valsad has raised the state’s international profile. Gujaratis ask: “Miles to go, but compared to other states isn’t our glass more than half full?”
One of the city’s most eminent political analysts, Pravin Sheth dissects the twists and turns of policy in Gujarat
INDIA DURING MUSLIM RULE
There were many causes for Muslim conquest but the major reason was the spread of Islam. The Muslim dominated Kabul, the Punjab, and Sind, before intruding in to India. The wealth in India lured the Muslim rulers. Further the inter-rivalry between the kingdoms in India paved the way for their entry in to India.
The very first Muslim attack on India in Sindh in the year 715 A.D was by Arabs led by Mohammad Bin Qasim. They displaced Raja Dahir who ruled Sindh from his capital Deval (near modern Karachi). Arabs even unsuccessfully tried to attack Malwa. After this invasion, which was limited to Sindh, for a period of 300 years, kings like Raja Bhoja and other Gurjara Kings thwarted further Muslim attacks. The next invasion was by Turk Sabuktagin. He had established himself in Khorasan and extended his kingdom to Kabul and Ghazni. In 986 AD he came into conflict with Raja Jaipal of Bathinda. In 991 A.D. Raja Jaipal allied with other Hindu king including Rajyapala the Prathira king of Kannauj and Dhanga the ruler of the distant Chandela kingdom but they too were defeated.
Mahmud of Ghazni : The elder son of Sabuktagin, Mahmud of Ghazni assumed the throne in 997 AD. He was very conscious of the wealth he could achieve from further conquests into India. He was also a religious fanatic who aimed to spread Islam. Mahmud is said to have invaded India seventeen times between 1001 -1027 AD. King Jaipal and later his son Anandpal resisted Mahmud but were defeated. Between 1009 A.D and 1026 A.D he invaded Kangra, Thaneshwar, Kanauj, Mathura, Gwalior, Kashmir and Punjab. In 1025 A.D Mahmud invaded Somnath and looted its temple on the coast of Saurashtra or Kathiwar. Enormous treasure of the fortified temple was looted. His last invasion was in about 1027 AD. He died in 1030 AD.
Mohammad Ghori : The next important Muslim ruler who had made his influence in Indian history known was Muhammad Ghori. Muhammad Ghori is said to have invaded India seven times. Mohammad Ghori invaded Multan in about 1175-76AD. In 1178 A.D he attempted the conquest of Gujarat. He was strongly resisted by Bhimdev II who inflicted a crushing defeat on him. In 1191 AD Mohammad Ghori met Prithvi Raj Chauhan in the first battle of Tarain. Mohammad Ghori was severely wounded and outnumbered. He was defeated and left the battlefield. In the very next year in 1192 AD both the armies met again at Tarain. This time Mohammad defeated Prithvi Raj Chauhan. In 1194 AD Mohammad Ghori invaded defeated and killed the ruler of Kannauj Jaichand and also captured Benares. Gwallior, Gujarat and Ajmer were also occupied by 1197 AD. Mohammad Ghori died in 1206AD.
Mohammad Ghori had left Qutab-ud-din Aibek who was a slave from Turkistan in charge of the Indian affairs. Qutab-ud-din's general Muhammad Khilji successfully plundered and conquered the fort of Bihar in 1193 AD. In about 1199-1202AD Muhammad Khilji brought Bengal under his authority. Qutab-ud-din died in 1210AD. He had laid the foundation of a new dynasty called the Slave dynasty in 1206AD. In 1211 A.D. Iltumish (son in law of Qutub-ud-din) ascended the throne. He spent his days in retrieving the lost territories of Qutab-ud-din, and also added Malwa and Sind. He defeated Rajput rulers of Ranthambor, Ajmer, Jalor, Nagor, Gwalior. Kannauj, Banaras and Badaun were under his dominion. During his period Qutab Minar in Delhi was completed.
Iltutmish's daughter Razia Begum came to power 1236 AD after a brief power struggle and ruled till 1240 AD when she was killed. Nasir-uddin Mahmud the youngest son of Iltumish came into power after another power struggle. He ruled for twenty-five years. The affairs of the state were left to his father-in-law and minister Ulugh Khan Balban. After the death of Nasir-ud-din Mahmud in 1226 AD the power was taken over by Balban who was an able administrator. He maintained a strict attitude towards the Hindus and kept them under strong suppression with the help of his military power. He was one of the greatest military rulers of the Slave dynasty. Balban died in 1287 AD.
Following the death of Balban the Sultanate became weak and there were number of revolts. This was the period when the nobles placed Jalaluddin Khilji on the throne. This marked the beginning of Khilji dynasty. The rule of this dynasty started in 1290 AD. Alauddin Khilji a nephew of Jalaluddin Khilji hatched a conspiracy and got Sultan Jala-lud din killed and proclaimed himself as the Sultan in 1296. In 1297 AD Alauddin Khilji set off for conquering Gujarat. In 1301 A.D. Ramthambhor was captured and the Rajput Hamir Deva was murdered. In 1303 A.D. he conquered Chittor killing Rana Rattan Singh. His queen Rani Padmini with the other women committed Jauhar. In 1305 A.D. Alauddin Khilji captured Malwa, Ujjain, Mandu, Dhar and Chanderi but failed to capture Bengal. By 1311 A.D. he captured nearly the whole of North India. His General Malik Kafur captured a large part of south India. During his reign Mongols invaded the country several times but were successfully repulsed. From these invasion Allauddin Khilji learnt the lessons of keeping himself prepared, by fortifying and organizing his armed forces. Allaudin Khilji died in 1316 A.D.
There was lot of infighting after Alauddin Khiljis death and Mubarak Khan the third son of Alauddin Khilji ascended the throne as Qutb-ud-din Mubarak in the year 1316 AD. The rule of Qutb-ud-din Mubarak was an utter failure. Ultimately Qutb-ud-din Mubarak was murdered by Khusru Khan and Khilji dynasty ended.
In 1320, Ghazi Tughlaq, the governor of the northwestern provinces took the throne under the title Ghiyasuddin Tughlaq after killing Khusru Khan. In 1325 the Sultan met an accidental death and was succeeded by his son Muhammad bin Tughlaq. During his reign, the territorial expansion of Delhi Sultanate reached its farthest limits. His empire covered the regions from Peshawar in the north and Madurai in the South, and from Sindh in the west to Assam in the east. The capital was transferred from Delhi to Devagiri. However, it had to be shifted back within two years, as there were no adequate arrangements in the new capital. Muhammad also introduced copper and brass coins as "token coins" and ordered that these coins should be considered at par with the silver and gold coins in value. This resulted in forged coins and as a result token currency was withdrawn. The Sultan's ambitions plan of invading Himachal and the devastation of his army owing to inhospitable climate was another blunder by Mohammed-bin -Tughlaq. Administrative blunders, military failures and revolts weakened Muhammad bin Tughlaq. He died in 1351 of illness while trying to suppress revolt in Gujrat.
His cousin Feroz Tughlug who became Sultan in the year 1351 AD succeeded Muhammed-bin- Tughlaq. Feroz Tughlak did not contribute much to expand the territories of the empire, which he inherited. In 1360 he invaded Jajnagar to destroy the Jagan nath Puri temple. In 1326 AD he met with success in his expedition to Sindh, before this he had led an invasion Nagarkot with an idea to destroy the Jwalamukhi temples. The Sultan was not tolerant towards people with different religion. Feroz Tughluq also introduced reforms in the field of irrigation and also constructed buildings with architectural skill. He reformed the currency system. After him the dynasty began to disintegrate. The last Tughluq ruler Mahmud Nasir-uddin ruled from 1395-1413 AD. The invasion of Mongol ruler Timur in1398 A.D. sealed the fate of the Tughluq dynasty. Muhammad fled and Timur captured the city and destroyed many temples in north India. Thousands of people were killed and Delhi was plundered for fifteen days, Timur returned to Samarkhand carrying away a large amount of wealth with him. Muhammad Tughlaq re-occupied Delhi and ruled till 1413 A.D.
Then came the Saiyyid dynasty founded by Khizr Khan. The Sayyids ruled from about 1414 AD to 1450 AD. At a time when the provinces were declaring themselves independent the first task of Khizr Khan was the suppression of the revolts. Last in Saiyyid dynasty was Muhammad-bin-Farid. During his reign there was confusion and revolts. The empire came to an end in 1451 AD with his death.
Behlol Lodhi who was in service during Khizr Khan rule founded the Lodhi dynasty. Behlol Lodhi an Afghan was proclaimed the Sultan in 1451AD. After his death his son Sikandar Lodi proved to be a capable ruler who brought back the lost prestige of the Sultan. He maintained friendly relations with the neighboring states. He brought Gwalior and Bihar under his rule. He was a religious fanatic but encouraged education and trade. His military skill helped him in bringing the Afghan nobles under his control.
Sikandar Lodi was succeeded by Ibrahim Lodi who is said to have been the last great ruler of the Lodi dynasty. Ibrahim Lodi came to the throne in 1517 AD. He conquered Gwalior, and came into conflict with Rana Sanga the ruler of Mewar who defeated him twice. His relations with the Afghan nobles became worse and this led to several conflicts with him. The discontented Afghan chiefs invited Babur the ruler of Kabul to India. Babur with an army of 10,000 defeated Ibrahim Lodi who had an army of 100,000 in the first battle of Panipat in 1526. Ibrahim Lodhi was killed in a fierce fight. With this defeat the Delhi Sultanate was laid to rest. The History of India added a new outlook with the coming of Babur. This was the beginning of the Mughal dynasty in Indian History
Mughal dynasty (1526 - 1707 A.D):
Mughal dynasty started with Babur ascending the throne of Agra in 1526 A.D. In the beginning his rule in India Babur had to face the problems of the Rajputs and the Afghan chiefs. He battled Rana Sanga of Mewar in 1527 A.D. in the battle of Kanwah. Rana lost the battle. The defeat of Rana Sanga shook the power of the Rajputs. Babur's Empire extended from Bhera and Lahore to Bahraich and Bihar and from Sialkot to Ranthambhor. Like his predecessor Muslim Sultans Babur continued with policy of plundering and destroying Hindu temples and killing people. Babur died in 1530 AD. Humayun the eldest of his four sons succeeded him and ascended the throne of Agra in 1530. Humayun was faced with numerous difficulties. He had to reorganize his army that comprised of mixed races. He faced problems from his brothers, and nobles.
The Afghans though defeated by Babur were not vanquished. Sher Khan the King of Bengal defeated Humayun in the battle of Chausa in 1539 A.D. In 1540 A.D., he again defeated Humayun at Kanauj, and went on to capture Delhi and Agra. Thus Sher Khan re-established the Afghans rule in Delhi. Humayun was compelled to flee from India.
Sher Shah’s reign barely spanned five years (1540 - 1545), but is a landmark in the history of the Sub-continent. Sher Shah was a capable military and civilian administrator. He set up reforms in various areas including those of army and revenue administration. Numerous civil works were carried out during his short reign. After the death of Sher Shah in 1545 his son Islam Shah ruled up to 1553 A.D. Then Muhammad Adil Shah came to power. Muhammad Adil was not a capable ruler. His minister Hemu became important and virtually controlled the kingdom. As a result of the onslaught by Ibrahim Shah and Sikander Shah the Sur Empire was broken up.
Return of Humayun (1555 A.D.)
In the mean time Humayun took support of Persian Shah. He managed to win over Kabul and Kandhar after a power struggle with his brother Kamran in 1949. He occupied Lahore and Dipalpur in 1555.A.D. By July 1555 Humayun reached Delhi where he spend his time in administration of his kingdom. In 1556 Humayun died in an accidental fall.
After the death of Humayun the history of India saw the rule of greatest of the Mughal rulers - Akbar the great (1556-1605). Akbar inherited the throne of the Mughal Empire at the age of 14 years after the death of Humayun. His uncle Bairam Khan advised him. In 1556 Akbar met Hemu on the battlefield of Panipat (second battle of Panipat) and defeated his large army. With the defeat of Hemu, the Mughals had established their sway over Delhi and Agra.
Akbar followed a policy of reconciliation with the Rajputs and won their support by establishing matrimonial alliances. In 1562 he married the eldest daughter of Raja Bihal mal of Jaipur. In 1584 his son Salim was married to the daughter of Raja Bhagwan Das. In 1567 he marched against Chittor. In 1568 the Mughals captured Chittor. By 1569 Ranthambhor and Kalinjar was also captured.
He met the Rajput ruler Maharana Pratap in the battle of Haldighati in 1576. After a fierce battle Akbar defeated Maharana Pratap. Akbar conquered Bengal, Gujrat, Kashmir, Kabul by 1589 A.D. and Sind and Kandhar by 1595 A.D. Moving towards the Deccan Akbar attacked Ahmednagar. Chand Bibi bravely defended this but she could not hold on longer and Ahmednagar fell in 1596.
It is said that Akbar followed generally a tolerant policy towards Hindus. But Encyclopaedia Britannica mentions that Mughal emperor Akbar 'ordered the massacre of about 30,000 captured Rajput Hindus on February 24, 1568 AD, after the battle for Chittod, a number confirmed by Abul Fazl, Akbar's court historian.
He tried to establish a national religion called Din-i-illahi that was to be pleasing both the Hindus and Muslims. This was politically motivated and Din-i-illahi failed miserably. Akbar introduced the Mansabdari system that systematized the civil and military administration. He was also a patron of art and literature and Nav Ratans (Nine Gems) in his court are famous. They included great singer Tansen, poet Mulla-do- pyaja, and Ministers like Birbal and Todarmal. Akbar was not only a conqueror by an able administrator and was the greatest of the Mughal emperors.
His son Muhammad Salim also called Jahangir succeeded Akbar. In 1605 Akbar proclaimed him as the ruler. Salim was deeply influenced by the charms of his queen Nur Jahan whom he married 1611 and left the task of administration entirely on her at times. Jahangir won several wars but could not reach the glory of his father Akbar.
Jahangir died in 1627 A.D and was succeed by Shah Jahan was ruled from 1627 to 1658 A.D. Shahjhan's period is best known for construction of Taj Mahal and other great monuments. His love for his queen Mumtaz Mahal was immense. After her death in 1631, he built the Taj Mahal in memory of her. In the years 1631-32 he was involved in wars with the Portuguese. He shared the Kingdom of Ahmednagar with the Sultan of Bijapur in 1636. After settling the problems he faced in the Deccan he retired to Agra in 1636 where he was later imprisoned by his son and successor Aurangzeb. In 1657 a war of succession started owing to the illness of Shah Jahan between Dara, Shah Suja, Aurangzeb, and Murad. Aurangzeb being the ablest of the three sons succeeded Shah Jahan. He ruled from 1658-1707. Aurangzeb was the last great Mughal ruler who took the Mughal Empire to its greatest glory. Aurangzeb possessed an empire that extended from Ghazni to Bengal and from Kashmir to the Deccan. But he was a religious fanatic and destroyed large number of temples and forcefully converted thousands of Hindus to Islam giving them a choice between Islam and death.
The imposition of Jizya on the Hindus in 1679, which was an anti Hindu policy, resulted in the rise of the Rajput in a revolt in 1769. This struggle continued till 1681 when Aurangzeb made peace with the Rajputs. The other sect affected by the Anti-Hindu policy of Aurangzeb was the Satnamis. Aurangzeb crushed their revolt. Next was the revolt of the Jats of Mathura, which was an opposition to the policy and oppression under Aurangzeb. Though they were suppressed in the early period they carried on the struggle till the death of Aurangzeb. The revolt of the Bundela Rajputs and the Sikhs were other significant effects of Aurangzeb's anti Hindu policy. The Sikhs whose temples were destroyed were hurt. The killing of Guru Teg Bahadur their 9th guru was more hurting. They swore the destruction of the Mughals. Under the 10th Guru Govind Singh, and after his death in 1708 A.D the struggle was carried on.
Aurangzeb faced stiff resistance from the Marathas under Shivaji and remained unsuccessful in subduing the Marathas. It was in about 1600 that the Mughals established contacts witht the English ever since the visit of Sir Thomas Roe. In 1616 the English were permitted to build a factory at Masulipattam. Aurangzeb died in 1707. Bahadur Shah I who was the eldest of the three surviving sons of Aurangzeb succeeded him. The vast Mughal Empire, which the biggest of all the empires existing then, was divided among the three sons. Bahadurr Shah I who was known, as Prince Muazzam had to face the problems from the Marathas, Rajputs and the Sikhs. Mughal rule in Delhi continued under a number of weak rulers after death of Bahadur Shah I in 1712 A.D. and the great Mughal Empire disintegrated. The Mughal rule in Delhi while under Muhammad Shah witnessed the invasion of Nadir Shah in 1739. This invasion sealed the fate of Muhammad Shah. This was followed by the invasion of Ahmad Shah Abdali, the general of Nadir Shah.
As the Mughal Emipre broke down there was rise of great Maratha power, Sikhs and arrival of British East India Company. Last of the titular Mughal King Bahadur Shah II took part in the revolt of 1857 against the English. After the failure of this revolt he was imprisoned and deported to Rangoon where he died in 1862. This marked the end of the Mughal dynasty.
In order to check the progress of Islam in the south Harihar and Bukka founded an independent kingdom in the region between the river Krishna and Tungabhadra in 1336. The capital of this kingdom was at Vijayanagar on the banks of the river Tungabhadra. The kingdom was known as the Kingdom of Vijayanagar. Harihar was the first ruler of the kingdom. After his death, his brother Bukka succeeded. He died in 1379 and was succeeded by his son Harihar II.
Harihar II was given the title of Maharajadhiraja. During his reign, the whole of Southern Deccan came under the authority of Vijayanagar. This also included present Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala states. Harihar II died in 1404 A.D. This dynasty was known as Sangama dynasty. The dynasty ruled for about 150 years till 1486, when one of their chiefs Narasimha Saluva deposed the last ruler of Sangama dynasty and seized the throne.
The ruler of Saluva dynasty did not last long. His two sons succeeded Narasimha Saluva. During the reign of the second son Immadi Narasimha in 1505 A.D, the Taluva chief Vira Narasimha usurped the throne and thus laid the foundation of the Taluva dynasty.
Krishnadeva Raya (1509-1529): Vira Narasimha ruled for four years and in 1509 A.D. was succeeded by his younger brother Krishnadeva Raya. The Vijayanagar kingdom reached the pinnacle of its glory during the reign of Krishnadeva Raya. He was successful in all the wars he waged. He defeated the king of Orissa and annexed Vijaywada and Rajmahendri. He defeated the Sultan of Bijapur in 1512 and took the possession of the Raichur Doab. The Vijayanagar kingdom extended from Cuttak in east to Goa in the west and from the Raichur Doab in the north to the Indian Ocean in the south.
Krishnadeva Raya encouraged trade with the western countries. He was not only a great warrior, but was also a playwright and a great patron of learning. Telugu literature flourished under him. Painting, sculpture, dance and music were greatly encouraged by him and his successors. He endeared himself to the people by his personal charm, kindness, and an ideal administration.
The decline of the Vijayanagar kingdom began with the death of Krishnadeva Raya in 1529. The kingdom came to an end in 1565, when Ramrai was defeated at Talikota by the joint efforts of Adilshahi, Nizamshahi, Qutubshahi and Baridshahi. After this, the kingdom broke into small states.
Nizam-ul-Mulk Bahri founded the Nizam Shahi dynasty. In 1490 AD his son Malik Ahmad defeated the army of Mahmud Bahmani and established himself independent. He assumed the title of Ahmad Nizam Shah and after him the dynasty was named Nizam Shahi dynasty. The next ruler was Burhan Nizam Shah was the next ruler who ruled for forty-five years. The state was later annexed in Mughal Empire in 1637 during the reign of Shah Jahan.
Yusuf Adil Khan, the governor of Bijapur who declared his independence in 1489, founded the Adil Shahi dynasty. Ismail Shah succeeded Adil shah but being a minor he was helped by Kamal Khan. He lost his life in a conspiracy and was succeeded by Ibrahim Adil Shah and ruled till 1557 AD. Ali Adil Shah succeeded Ibrahim Adil Shah. Following a policy of alliance he married Chand Bibi the daughter of Hussain NIzam Shah of Ahamadnagar. In the year 1564 - 1565 AD the four sultans allied at Talikota against the Vijayanagar Empire and defeated and annexed it. Adil shah was killed in 1579 AD. The throne was passed on to Ibrahim Adil Shah II who was a minor. His mother Chand Bibi looked after him while ministers ruled the kingdom. In 1595 AD the Ahmadnagar monarch was killed in a fight between Bijapur and Ahmednagar. In 1680 AD Aurangzeb annexed Bijapur.
The Qutab Shahi dynasty was a part of the Bahmani Empire that was called Golkonda. Sultan Quli Qutab Shah who was formerly the governor of the eastern province declared his independence in 1518 AD. And started the The Qutab Shahi dynasty. Qutab Shah met with his death in 1543 AD and his son Jamshed ruled till 1550 AD. The throne was held by Ibrahim till 1580 AD and later his son Muhammad Quli ruled till 1611 AD. Aurangzeb finally annexed the state in 1687 AD.
During the region of Muhammad-bin-Tughluq a series of revolts between the periods 1343 - 1351 AD helped in formation of numerous independent provinces. An officer of the Delhi Sultan named Hassan assumed the title of Bahman Shah and after occupation of Daulatbad in the Deccan proclaimed independence. He was also known as Alauddin I, the founder of the Bahmani dynasty. Alauddin I was succeeded by Muhammad Shah I. He waged wars against the Hindu rulers of Vijayanagar and Warangal. With his policy of subjugation he subdued countless number of rival Hindu rulers, and accumulated vast treasures. A number of successful Sultans followed him till 1482 A.D. Shihab-ud-din Mahmud succeeded to the throne in 1482 AD and ruled till 1518 AD. During his reign the provincial governors declared their independence and Bahmani Kingdom started to break up. Kalim-ullah Shah (1526 - 1538 AD) was the last ruler of Bahamani Kingdom.
List of Bahmani Kingdom Rulers
| Gulbarga as capital -75 years 1. Ala-ud-din Hasan Bahman Shah 1347 - 1358 AD 2. Muhammad I 1358 - 1375 AD 3. Ala-ud-din Mujahid Shah 1375 - 1378 AD 4. Daud Shah I 1378 - 1378 AD 5. Muhammad II 1378 - 1397 AD 6. Ghiyas-ud-din Tahmatan Shah 1397 - 1397 AD 7. Shams-ud-din Daud Shah II 1397 - 1397 AD 8. Taj-ud-din Firoz Shah 1397 - 1422 AD | Bidar as capital -116 years 1. Shihab-ud-din Ahmad Shah I 1422 - 1436 AD 2. Ala-ud-din Ahmad Shah II 1436 - 1458 AD 3. Ala-ud-din Humayun Shah 1458 - 1461 AD 4. Nizam-ud-din Ahmad Shah III 1461 - 1463 AD 5. Shams-ud-din Muhammad Shah III 1463 - 1482 AD 6. Shihab-ud-din Mahmud 1482 - 1518 AD 7. Ahmad Shah IV 1518 - 1520 AD 8. Ala-ud-din Shah 1520 - 1523 AD 9. Wai-ullah Shah 1523 - 1526 AD 10. Kalim-ullah Shah 1526 - 1538 AD |
This consisted of the northern part of the Bahamani Kingdom. The Imad Shahi Dynasty of Berar lasted for four generations till 1574 AD.
The Barid Shahi Sultans governed the Barid Shahi dynasty. Qasim Barid the minister of Mahmud Shah Bahamani established it in 1492 AD. This dynasty lasted till 1619 AD when Bijapur annexed it.
Policy of Muslim rulers in India - The general policy of most of the rulers during the 700 years of Muslim occupation of India was to systematically replace the fabric of Hindu society and culture with a Muslim culture. They tried to destroy Indian religions language, places of knowledge (universities e.g Nalanda were totally destroyed by Muslims). They destroyed and desecrated places of thousands of temples including Somnath, Mathura, Benaras, Ayodhaya, Kannauj, Thaneswar and in other places. There was wholesale slaughter of the monks and priests and innocent Hindus with the aim to wipe out the intellectual bedrock of the people they overran.
The Muslims could not subjugate India with ease and were never able to rule it entirely. There was a valiant and ceaseless struggle for independence by Hindus to deliver India from Muslim tyranny. The Rajputs, Jats, Marathas and Sikhs led this struggle in North India. In the South this struggle was embodied in the Vijayanagar Empire. This struggle culminated when the Marathas ended the Muslim domination of India.
INDIAN HISTORY
Indian History
History of India and its civilization dates back to at least 6500 BC which perhaps makes the oldest surviving civilization in the world. India has been a meeting ground between the East and the West. Through out its history many invaders have come to India but Indian religions allowed it to adapt to and absorb all of them. All the while, these local dynasties built upon the roots of a culture well established. India has always been simply too big, too complicated, and too culturally subtle to let any one empire dominate it for long. Based on archeological findings, Indian history can be broadly divided into five phases:
1.Saraswati (Harappan) civilization: 6500 BC - 1000 BC or also called 'Vedic period' in history of India.
2. Golden period of Indian History: 500 BC - 800 AD
3. Muslim influence in India: 1000 AD- 1700 AD
4. British period in India: 1700 AD - 1947 AD
5. Modern India: 1947 - till date
Vedic period and Golden Period of Indian History
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Ancient Indian History (Vedic Period)
Earliest historical evidence from Mehargarh (north-west Indian sub-continent) shows beginning of civilization in India at around 6500 B.C. It is the earliest and largest urban site of the period in the world. This site has yielded evidence for the earliest domestication of animals, evolution of agriculture, as well as arts and crafts. The horse was first domesticated here in 6500 B.C. There is a progressive process of the domestication of animals, particularly cattle, the development of agriculture, beginning with barley and then later wheat and rice, and the use of metal, beginning with copper and culminating in iron, along with the development villages and towns. It has been suggested by some historians that an 'Aryan Invasion' of Indian subcontinent took place around 1500-1000 B.C. However, current archeological data do not support the existence of an Indo Aryan or European invasion into South Asia at any time in the pre or proto-historic periods (David Frawley). The people in this tradition were the same basic ethnic groups as in India today, with their same basic types of languages.
Two important cities were discovered: Harappa on the Ravi river, and Mohenjodaro on the Indus during excavations in 1920. The remains of these two cities were part of a large civilization and well developed ancient civilization, which is now called by historians as 'Indus Valley Civilization', or 'Saraswati Civilization'. Later Harappan (Sarasvati) civilization 3100-1900 BC shows massive cities, complex agriculture and metallurgy, sophistication of arts and crafts, and precision in weights and measures. They built large buildings, which were mathematically-planned. The city planning in those ancient cities is comparable to the best of our modern cities. This civilization had a written language and was highly sophisticated. Some of these towns were almost three miles in diameter with thousands of residents. These ancient municipalities had granaries, citadels, and even household toilets. In Mohenjodaro, a mile-long canal connected the city to the sea, and trading ships sailed as far as Mesopotamia. At its height, the Indus civilization extended over half a million square miles across the Indus river valley, and though it existed at the same time as the ancient civilizations of Egypt and Sumer, it far outlasted them. This Sarasvati civilization was a center of trading and for the diffusion of civilization throughout south and west Asia, which often dominated the Mesopotamian region.
Mehrgarh, Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan and Lothal are peripheral cities of the great Sarasvati civilization with more than 500 sites along its banks awaiting excavation.
Mehrgarh, Harappa, Mohenjodaro, Kalibangan and Lothal are peripheral cities of the great Sarasvati civilization with more than 500 sites along its banks awaiting excavation.
The year 4500 B.C. marks Mandhatr's defeat of Druhyus, driving them to the west into Iran. 4000-3700 B.C. was the Rig Veda period. In 3730 B.C. the 'Battle of Ten' Kings - occurred. That was the age of Sudas and his sage advisors, Vasistha and Visvamitra. From 3600 to 3100 B.C. was the late Vedic age during which Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas were composed. 3100 B.C. is the probable date of the Mahabharata, composed by Vyasa. At this time, a tectonic plate shift resulted in river Yamuna which was a tributary of river Saraswati shifted its course and Saraswati became smaller. It was the beginning of 'Kali Yuga'. In 1900 B.C., another tectonic plate shift made Saraswati lose Sutlej. This dried up Sarasvati, causing massive exodus of people towards the Ganga valley in east, whence arose the classical civilization of India. Post-Harappan civilization 1900-1000 BC shows the abandonment of the Harappan towns owing to ecological and river changes but without a real break in the continuity of the culture. There is a decentralization and relocation in which the same basic agricultural and artistic traditions continue, along with a few significant urban sites like Dwaraka. This gradually develops into the Gangetic civilization of the first millennium BC, which is the classical civilization of ancient India, which retains its memory of its origin in the Saraswati region through the Vedas.
David Frawley and other modern scholars propose:
1. 6500-3100 BC, Pre-Harappan, early Rig Vedic
2. 3100-1900 BC, Mature Harappan 3100-1900, period of the Four Vedas.
3. 1900-1000 BC, Late Harappan, late Vedic and Brahmana period
Buddha and Mahavira :
The sequence of development in the literature does not parallel a migration into India but the historical development of civilization in India from the Sarasvati to the Ganges'. In the 5th century BC, Siddhartha Gautama founded the religion of Buddhism, a profoundly influential work of human thought still espoused by much of the world. In the same another religion called Jainism was founded by Mahavira.
2. 3100-1900 BC, Mature Harappan 3100-1900, period of the Four Vedas.
3. 1900-1000 BC, Late Harappan, late Vedic and Brahmana period
Buddha and Mahavira :
The sequence of development in the literature does not parallel a migration into India but the historical development of civilization in India from the Sarasvati to the Ganges'. In the 5th century BC, Siddhartha Gautama founded the religion of Buddhism, a profoundly influential work of human thought still espoused by much of the world. In the same another religion called Jainism was founded by Mahavira.
Around 500 BC, when the Persian kings Cyrus and Darius, pushing their empire eastward, conquered the ever-prized Indus Valley. The Persians were in turn conquered by the Greeks under Alexander the Great, who came as far as the Beas River, where he defeated king Porus and an army of 200 elephants in 326 BC. The tireless, charismatic conqueror wanted to extend his empire even further eastward, but his own troops (undoubtedly exhausted) refused to continue. Alexander returned home, leaving behind garrisons to keep the trade routes open.
Although Indian accounts to a large extent ignored Alexander the Great's Indus campaign in 326 B.C., Greek writers recorded their impressions of the general conditions prevailing in South Asia during this period. A two-way cultural fusion between several Indo-Greek elements-especially in art, architecture, and coinage--occurred in the next several hundred years. North India's political landscape was transformed by the emergence of Magadha in the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plain.
As the overextended Hellenistic sphere declined, a king known as Chandragupta swept back through the country from Magadha (Bihar) and conquered his way well into Afghanistan. This was the beginning of one India's greatest dynasties, the Maurya. In 322 B.C., Magadha, under the rule of Chandragupta Maurya, began to assert its hegemony over neighboring areas. Chandragupta, who ruled from 324 to 301 B.C., was the architect of the first Indian imperial power-the Mauryan Empire (326-184 B.C.)--whose capital was Pataliputra, near modern-day Patna, in Bihar.
Situated on rich alluvial soil and near mineral deposits, especially iron, Magadha was at the center of bustling commerce and trade. The capital was a city of magnificent palaces, temples, a university, a library, gardens, and parks, as reported by Megasthenes, the third-century B.C. Greek historian and ambassador to the Mauryan court. Legend states that Chandragupta's success was due in large measure to his adviser Kautilya, the Brahman author of the Arthashastra (Science of Material Gain), a textbook that outlined governmental administration and political strategy. There was a highly centralized and hierarchical government with a large staff, which regulated tax collection, trade and commerce, industrial arts, mining, vital statistics, welfare of foreigners, maintenance of public places including markets and temples, and prostitutes. A large standing army and a well-developed espionage system were maintained. The empire was divided into provinces, districts, and villages governed by a host of centrally appointed local officials, who replicated the functions of the central administration.
Ashoka, was the most trusted son of Bindusara and grandson of Chandragupta . During his father's reign, he was the governor of Ujjain and Taxila. Having sidelined all claims to the throne from his brothers, Ashoka was coroneted as an emperor. He ruled from 269 to 232 B.C. and was one of India's most illustrious rulers. Under the great king Ashoka the Mauryan empire conquered nearly the entire subcontinent, Ashoka extended the Maurya Empire to the whole of India except the deep south and the south-east, reaching out even into Central Asia.
Ashoka's inscriptions chiseled on rocks and stone pillars located at strategic locations throughout his empire--such as Lampaka (Laghman in modern Afghanistan), Mahastan (in modern Bangladesh), and Brahmagiri (in Karnataka)--constitute the second set of datable historical records. According to some of the inscriptions, in the aftermath of the carnage resulting from his campaign against the powerful kingdom of Kalinga (modern Orissa), Ashoka renounced bloodshed and pursued a policy of nonviolence or ahimsa, espousing a theory of rule by righteousness. His toleration for different religious beliefs and languages reflected the realities of India's regional pluralism although he personally seems to have followed Buddhism. Early Buddhist stories assert that he convened a Buddhist council at his capital, regularly undertook tours within his realm, and sent Buddhist missionary ambassadors to Sri Lanka. His rule marked the height of the Maurya empire, and it collapsed only 100 years after his death.
Under his reign Buddhism spread to Syria, Egypt, Macedonia, Central Asia, Burma. For propagation of Buddhism, he started inscribing edicts on rocks and pillars at places where people could easily read them. These pillars and rocks are still found in India, spreading their message of love and peace for the last two thousand years. To his ideas he gave the name Dharma. Ashoka died in 232 BC. The capital of Ashoka pillar at Sarnath is adopted by India as its national emblem. The "Dharma Chakra" on the Ashoka Pillar adorns our National Flag.
After the disintegration of the Mauryan Empire in the second century B.C., South Asia became a collage of regional powers with overlapping boundaries. India's unguarded northwestern border again attracted a series of invaders between 200 B.C. and A.D. 300. The invaders became "Indianized" in the process of their conquest and settlement. Also, this period witnessed remarkable intellectual and artistic achievements inspired by cultural diffusion and syncretism. The Indo-Greeks, or the Bactrians, of the northwest contributed to the development of numismatics; they were followed by another group, the Shakas (or Scythians), from the steppes of Central Asia, who settled in western India. Still other nomadic people, the Yuezhi, who were forced out of the Inner Asian steppes of Mongolia, drove the Shakas out of northwestern India and established the Kushana Kingdom (first century B.C.-third century A.D.). The Kushana Kingdom controlled parts of Afghanistan and Iran, and in India the realm stretched from Purushapura (modern Peshawar, Pakistan) in the northwest, to Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) in the east, and to Sanchi (Madhya Pradesh) in the south. For a short period, the kingdom reached still farther east, to Pataliputra. The Kushana Kingdom was the crucible of trade among the Indian, Persian, Chinese, and Roman empires and controlled a critical part of the legendary Silk Road. Kanishka, who reigned for two decades starting around A.D. 78, was the most noteworthy Kushana ruler. He converted to Buddhism and convened a great Buddhist council in Kashmir. The Kushanas were patrons of Gandharan art, a synthesis between Greek and Indian styles, and Sanskrit literature. They initiated a new era called Shaka in A.D. 78, and their calendar, which was formally recognized by India for civil purposes starting on March 22, 1957, is still in use.
The Classical Age - Gupta Empire and Harsha :
Gupta age - Under Chandragupta I (320-335), empire was revived in the north. Like Chandragupta Maurya, he first conquered Magadha, set up his capital where the Mauryan capital had stood (Patna), and from this base consolidated a kingdom over the eastern portion of northern India. In addition, Chandragupta revived many of Asoka's principles of government. It was his son, however, Samudragupta (335-376), and later his grandson, Chandragupta II (376-415), who extended the kingdom into an empire over the whole of the north and the western Deccan. Chandragupta II was the greatest of the Gupta kings and called Vikramaditya. He presided over the greatest cultural age in India. From Pataliputra, their capital, he sought to retain political preeminence as much by pragmatism and judicious marriage alliances as by military strength. The greatest writer of the time was Kalidasa. Poetry in the Gupta age tended towards a few genres: religious and meditative poetry, lyric poetry, narrative histories (the most popular of the secular literatures), and drama. Kalidasa excelled at lyric poetry, but he is best known for his dramas. The Indian numeral system--sometimes erroneously attributed to the Arabs, who took it from India to Europe where it replaced the Roman system--and the decimal system are Indian inventions of this period. Aryabhatta's expositions on astronomy in 499 A.D. gave calculations of the solar year and the shape and movement of astral bodies with remarkable accuracy. In medicine, Charaka and Sushruta wrote about a fully evolved medical system. Indian physicians excelled in pharmacopoeia, caesarean section, bone setting, and plastic surgery including skin grafting.
The Guptas fell prey, however, to a wave of migrations by the Huns, a people who originally lived north of China. Beginning in the 400's, the Huns began to put pressure on the Guptas. In 480 AD they conquered the Guptas and took over northern India. Western India was overrun by 500 A.D., and the last of the Gupta kings, presiding over a vastly diminished kingdom, perished in 550 A.D. Over the decades Huns gradually assimilated into the indigenous population and their state weakened.
The northern and western regions of India passed into the hands of a dozen or more feudatories. Gradually, one of them, Prabhakar Vardhana, the ruler of Thanesar, who belonged to the Pushabhukti family, extended his control over all other feudatories. Prabhakar Vardhan was the first king of the Vardhan dynasty with his capital at Thanesar now a small town in the vicinity of Kurukshetra in the state of Haryana. After the death of Prabahakar Vardhan in 606 A.D., his eldest son, RajyaVardhan, became king of Kananuj. Harsha ascended the throne at the age of 16 after his brother Rajya Vardhana was killed in a battle against Malwa King Devigupta and Gauda King Sasanka..
Harsha, quickly re-established an Indian empire. From 606-647 AD, he ruled over an empire in northern India. Harsha was perhaps one of the greatest conquerors of Indian history, and unlike all of his conquering predecessors, he was a brilliant administrator. He was also a great patron of culture. His capital city, Kanauj, extended for four or five miles along the Ganges River and was filled with magnificent buildings. Only one fourth of the taxes he collected went to administration of the government. The remainder went to charity, rewards, and especially to culture: art, literature, music, and religion.
The most significant achievements of this period, however, were in religion, education, mathematics, art, and Sanskrit literature and drama. The religion that later developed into modern Hinduism witnessed a crystallization of its components: major sectarian deities, image worship, bhakti (devotion), and the importance of the temple. Education included grammar, composition, logic, metaphysics, mathematics, medicine, and astronomy. These subjects became highly specialized and reached an advanced level.
The most significant achievements of this period, however, were in religion, education, mathematics, art, and Sanskrit literature and drama. The religion that later developed into modern Hinduism witnessed a crystallization of its components: major sectarian deities, image worship, bhakti (devotion), and the importance of the temple. Education included grammar, composition, logic, metaphysics, mathematics, medicine, and astronomy. These subjects became highly specialized and reached an advanced level.
Because of extensive trade, the culture of India became the dominant culture around the Bay of Bengal, profoundly and deeply influencing the cultures of Burma, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. In many ways, the period during and following the Gupta dynasty was the period of "Greater India," a period of cultural activity in India and surrounding countries building off of the base of Indian culture.
The history of the Kingdom of Kanauj after the death of Harshavardhana can be said to have been uncertain till the year 730 AD, when Yashovarman is said to have ruled till 752 AD. This was followed by the Ayudha dynasty which comprised three kings. The first was Yajrayudha who is said to have ruled in about 770 AD. After Ayudhs, Prathihara King Nagabhatta II annexed Kannauj. North and north west part of India after Harsha Vardhana was mostly controlled by Pratihara Kings while Central India and part of South was mostly under Rashtrakutas dynasty (753-973 AD ). Pala Kings (750-1161 AD) ruled the Eastern part of India (present Bengal and Bihar).
Pala and Sena: 730-1197 A.D.
The Pala empire was founded in 730 AD. They ruled over parts of Bengal and Bihar. Dharmapala (780-812 AD) was one of the greatest kings of the Pala dynasty. He did much to restore the greatness of Pataliputra. The Nalanda university was revived under their rule. The Palas had close trade contacts and cultural links with South-East Asia.
In the early twelfth century, they were replaced by the Sena dynasty. In early 13th century, Tughan Khan defeated the Sena king, Laxman. After this defeat the Nalanda University was destroyed.
Pratiharas 750-920 AD
The greatest ruler of the Pratihara dynasty was Mihir Bhoja. He recovered Kanauj (Kanyakubja) by 836, and it remained the capital of the Pratiharas for almost a century. He built the city Bhojpal (Bhopal). Raja Bhoja and other valiant Gujara kings, faced and defeated many attacks of the Arabs from west. Between 915-918AD, attack by a Rashtrakuta king, to the weakening of the Pratihara Empire and also who devastated the city of Kannauj. In 1018 AD, Mahmud of Gazni sacked Kannauj then ruled by Rajyapala Pratihara. The empire broke into independent Rajput states.
Rashtrakutas 753-973 A.D.
Dantidurga laid the foundation of Rashtrakuta empire. The Rashtrakuta's empire was the most powerful of the time. They ruled from Lattaluru (Latur), and later shifted the capital to Manyaketa (Malkhed).
Amoghavarsha (814-880 A.D) is the most famous Rashtrakuta kings. His long reign was distinguished for its royal patronage of Jainism and the flourishing of regional literature. Indra III, great-grandson of Amoghvarsha defeated the Pratihar king Mahipala. Krishana III was the last great king of Rashtrakuta dynasty. Rashtrakutas were great patrons of art and architecture. Krishana I, built the Kailasa Temple at Ellora. The caves at Gharapuri (Elephanta near Mumbai) were also built by this dynasty.
During the Kushana Dynasty, an indigenous power, the Satavahana Kingdom (first century B.C.-third century A.D), rose in the Deccan in southern India. The Satavahana, or Andhra, Kingdom was considerably influenced by the Mauryan political model, although power was decentralized in the hands of local chieftains, who used the symbols of Vedic religion and upheld the varnashramadharma. The rulers, however, were eclectic and patronized Buddhist monuments, such as those in Ellora (Maharashtra) and Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh). Thus, the Deccan served as a bridge through which politics, trade, and religious ideas could spread from the north to the south. Further south were three ancient Tamil kingdoms- Chera (on the west), Chola (on the east), and Pandya (in the south)--frequently involved in internecine warfare to gain regional supremacy. They are mentioned in Greek and Ashokan sources as lying at the fringes of the Mauryan Empire.
Peninsular India was involved in an eighth-century tripartite power struggle among the Chalukyas (556-757) of Vatapi, the Pallavas (300-888) of Kanchipuram, and the Pandyas (seventh through the tenth centuries) of Madurai. Their subordinates, the Rashtrakutas, who ruled from 753 - 973 AD, overthrew the Chalukya rulers. Although both the Pallava and Pandya kingdoms were enemies, the real struggle for political domination was between the Pallava and Chalukya realms.
The Satvahanas (also known as Andhras) established their kingdom in the Deccan after the decline of Maurya Empire. The kingdom was in the present Maharashtra state. The founder of the Satvahana dynasty was Simuka in 40 B.C. Satakarni I was the most distinguished ruler of this dynasty. Satakarni I allied with powerful Marathi chieftain and signaled his accession to power by performing ashvamedhas (horse-sacrifice). After his death, the Satvahana power slowly disintegrated under a wave of Scythian invasion. The Satvahana dynasty lasted until the 3rd century AD.
They established a capital at Kanchipuram (Tamil Nadu state) and came to hold sway in the south. They were defeated by the Guptas in about 360 AD but continued to rule until the Cholas finally conquered their lands. They ruled from the 4th century to the 9th century although some remnants survived till 13th century. The dynasty was at its peak under Mahendra-Varman I (600-630 AD), when architecture flourished, notably in temples such as Mahabalipuram. During the 7th and the 8th centuries, this dynasty ruled over a region extending from center of Andhra Pradesh far to the Kaveri River; Later, in the 9th century, the Pallava themselves were definitely conquered by the Chola from Tanjore and became their vassals.
Pandya (around 200s B.C to 1378 AD):
They were the longest ruling dynasty of Indian history. They ruled the southern most part of India and the capital of the Pandya kings was Madurai (Tamil Nadu). First Indian Ambassador from Pandya Dynasty is sent to Rome. (26 BC). The dynasty extended its power into Kerala (southwestern India) and Sri Lanka during the reigns of kings Kadungon (ruled 590- 620 A.D), Arikesar Maravarman (670-700 A.D), Varagunamaharaja I (765-815A.D), and Srimara Srivallabha (815-862 A.D). Pandya influence peaked in Jatavarman Sundara's reign 1251-1268 A.D. After forces from the Delhi sultanate invaded Madurai in 1311, the Pandyas declined into merely local rulers.
Chalukya Dynasty 425 - 753 AD and 973 - 1190 AD:
After Satvahan, the next great empire in the Deccan was the Chalukya empire. Pulakesin I, first ruler of the Chalukya dynasty. Pulakesin II was the greatest ruler of the Chalukya dynasty. He consolidated his authority in Maharashtra and conquered large parts of the Deccan. His greatest achievement was his victory against Harshvardhan in 620. However, Pulakesin II was defeated and killed by the Pallava king Narasimhavarman in 642. His capital Vatapi was completely destroyed. His son Vikramaditya was also as great a ruler. He renewed the struggle against Pallavas and recovered the former glory of the Chalukyas. In 753A.D, his great grandson Vikramaditya II was overthrown by a chief named Dantidurga. Chalukyas constructed many temples at Aihole. Some Ajantha caves were also built during this period.
During Rashtrakutas rule, the Chalukyas were a minor power. For 200 years, they survived the Rashtrakutas. In 973 AD Tailap Chalukya of the Kalyani branch gained power and restored the Chalukyan rule. They gained supremacy for about 200 years to be partitioned into: Yadavs of Deogiri, Kaktiyas of Warangal and Hoysalas of Belur.
Yadavas extended their authority over a large territory. Their capital was situated at Chandor (Nasik district). They built the Deogiri fort in 11th century. Marathi language received the status of a court language in Yadava rule. The Yadava king Singhana was great patron of learning Sant Dnyaneshwar belonged to this age. In 1294, Alla-ud-din Khilji laid four sieges to Deogiri. Finally, the Yadavas were defeated and the strong fort of Deogiri fell into the hands of Muslim rulers. The riches of Deogiri were looted. By 1310 the Yadav rule came to an end.
Telgu language and literature flourished under Kakatiyas. They also built many forts . The last king Prataprudra defeated Allaudin Khilji when he was first attacked in 1303. In 1310, after another war, he agreed to pay heavy tributes to Malik Kafur (Alladin's general.) In 1321 Ghias-ud-din Tughlaq marched with a large army, and took Prataprudra as a prisoner to Delhi. Prataprudra died on the way to Delhi. Thus ended the glorious rule of Kaktiyas.
King Sala was the founder of Hoysala dynasty. Hoysalas built as many as 1500 temples. The style of their architecture became famous as the Hoysala style. Most famous are the temples of Belur and Halebid with intricate carvings. Allaudin Khilji, defeated this kingdom between 1308-1312.
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