Gupta and post-Gupta period: Jharkhand History- JPSC/ JSSC/ PSC

Gupta and Post-Gupta Period

Gupta Period:

After the fall of the Kushanas, powerful Guptas emerged in Prayag and Pataliputra. The greatest ruler of the Gupta dynasty was Samudragupta (355-80 AD). The description of the strategic victories of Samudragupta is found in the Prayag Prashasti composed Harishena, the court poet of Samudragupta. One of these victories was the Atavik victory. The Aatvik region. Samudragupt defeated the ruler of the Atavik region and followed with him the 'Paricharakrit' policy (policy of making peon/ attendants). It is clear from this that during the reign of Samudragupta, the region of Jharkhand was under him.

Chotanagpur has been called 'Murund Desh' in the Prayag Prashati of Samudragupta.

The reign of Chandragupta-II Vikramaditya (380-412 AD), the famous ruler of the Gupta dynasty, extended from Ujjain to Angal and which was also included Jharkhand called as 'Kukkutlad' by the Chinese traveler Fahian who came to India during the reign of Chandragupta-II Vikramaditya.

Notable among the archaeological remains of the Gupta period is-

• Four stone-cut temples on Mahudi mountain (Hazaribagh)

• Temples around the village called Satgaon (Hazaribagh)

• A well on a hill in Pithoriya is located north of the list.

Post Gupta Period:

In the post-Gupta period (550-650 AD), the ruler of the Gaur (West Bengal) Shashanka (602-25 AD) was a great ruler. His empire included the forest province from Midnapore (West Bengal) to Sarguja (Chattisgarh). Cunnigham has described Bada Bazar and Hewitt as Dulmi as its capital. Shashank was a great Shiva worshiper. When Shshanka established his dominance over Bengal, Bihar, Orissa, he's started a persecution of Buddhists. 

Pressed by Harshavardhana from the west and Bhaskaravarnam from the east, he vacated his capital, Paundravardhana, and went to the hilly region of South Bihar. Now, the center of his power became Varunika, which these days is called Barun or Son East Bank. Shaivism Shashanka's idol-breaking ferocity was so great that he destroyed all the Buddhist centers of Jharkhand. In this way, due to his efforts, Hindusim established the primacy of Buddhism instead of Jainism in Jharkhand. By the 10th century AD, the dominance of Hinduism was fully established in Jharkhand. This is confirmed by the remains of temples built by Brahmins at Dulmi, Telkupi, Pakbira, etc. Most of these temples are Shaivites.

The vast empire of Harshavardhan (606-47 AD), the most powerful ruler of the Pushyabhuti dynasty (Vardhana dynasty), also included the small kingdom of Karjagal (Rajmahal). It was in Kazangal that Harshavardhan met the Chinese traveler Huan Tsang for the first time and was impressed by him. Later, both of them remained together for many years.

Previous Page:Maurya and Post-Maurya Period: Jharkhand History- JPSC/ JSSC/ PSC

Next Page:Sultanate Jharkhand: Jharkhand History- JPSC/ JSSC/ PSC