Indian History Kali Yug
9-Bhavishya
Puraan, 3-Pratisarg Parv, 1st Part, 276-278
India
has a continuous civilization since 2500 BC. During
the 2nd millennium, Aryan speaking tribes migrated from northwest into
the Indian subcontinent.
100
BC-200 AD - SHAK AND KUSHAAN DYNASTIES
200-550
AD - GUPT EMPIRE
In the 4th and 5th centuries India was unified under the Gupta
Empire.
5th
CENTURY AD -
KAALI DAAS
He was one of the nine gems of Chandragupt, who wrote
"Abhigyaan Shaakuntalam", "Raghuvansh", "Meghdoot"
etc.
580-880
AD - PALLAV DYNASTY
VARDHAN DYNASTY
PRABHAAKAR
VARDHAN -606 AD
After the downfall of Gupta Empire in the middle of the
6th century, Hoon came to rule in Panjaab. The northern and western
India was passed on to many state kings. One of them was
Prabhaakarvardhan. He was the first king of Vardhan dynasty. His capital
was Thanesar (located in the vicinity of Kurukshetra) in Panjaab. He died in 606.
RAAJYA
VARDHAN - 606-606 AD
After the death of Prabhaakarvardhan in 606, his eldest son
Raajyavardhan ascended the throne. He was killed in a battle with
Devagupt. Devagupt had killed the husband of Raajyavardhan's sister
Raajyashree - Grihvarman also.
HARSH
VARDHAN - 606-647 AD (41 Years)
He was born in Thanesar, near Kurukshetra in 590 AD. He
was 16 years old when he sat on the throne, and he ruled for 41 years.
His kingdom was Kaanyakubj, Kannauj city being its
capital. First he rescued his sister as she was going to become Satee. He
defeated Shashaank of Bengal, Dhruvsen of Gujaraat. He was stopped by
Pulakeshee II (the Chaalukya king of Vaataapi in Northern Mysore). He
had no son so his Empire died with him. He was the last Empire builder
of ancient India. He wrote three well known plays - Naagnand,
Ratnaavalee, and Priyadarshikaa.
[Harshvardhan
is famous for conducting a religious conference in which approximately
1,000 people participated including Chinese visitor to India - Huen Saang.
Huen Saang's lecture on Mahaayaan (a branch of Buddhism) annoyed a lot
of followers of Heenyaan Buddhism and they tried to physically harm him,
but Harshvardhan protected him. This conference lasted for 21 days. This
conference annoyed Braahman also who tried to kill the king but their
attempt failed.]
(Aangiras, p
95)
In
647 AD, he fell victim to a murder plot organized by a Braahman minister
and carried out by the army. After Harshvardhan, the succeeding period is very obscure and badly
documented.
900-1700
AD - ISLAM -
Islam spread in India over a period of 500 years. In the 10th and 11th
centuries Turk and Afghaan invaded and established their Saltanat in
Delhi.
700-1200
AD
1193 AD -
Qutub Meenaar was built.
800-1200
AD - CHANDELAA KINGS
Mahamood of
Gazanee sacked Thaanesar in 1011 AD.
900-1150
AD - CHOLE DYNASTY
960-1240
AD - SOLANKEE DYNASTY
11th
to 13th CENTURIES
1000-1026
AD - MAHAMOOD GAZANAVEE
Mahamood of Gazanee raided Panjaab virtually every year between 1000 and
1026 AD. The enormous wealth in cash, golden images and jewelry from
north Indian temples brought him back to India every year. He looted the
wealth from Mathuraa (UP) in 1017; Thaanesar (Hariyaanaa) in 1011;
Somnaath temple in Gujaraat in 1024; and Kannauj (UP). He died in 1030
AD.
1180-1192
AD - PRITHVEERAAJ CHAUHAAN
Chauhaan Vansh is said to rule in Raajsthaan, near Ajmer. Prithveeraaj
Chauhaan, the most famous ruler of Chauhaan Vansh ruled from 1180-1192.
His father's name was Someshwar (died in 1179) and his mother's name was
Karpooree Devee. He was the last Hindoo ruler of India. He did Sanyogitaa
Haran, as Sanyogitaa (daughter of Jayachand) wanted to marry
Prithveeraaj. When her Swayamvar was taking place, she put her
Jayamaalaa in the neck of Prithveeraaj Chauhaan's statue in the absence
of Prithveeraaj. "Prithveeraaj Vijaya" of Jayanak; and "Prithveeraaj
Raaso" of poet Bardaayee have immortalized the deeds of
Prithveeraaj. He was the last Hindoo king.
At
the same time, Jayachand ruled in Kaanyakubj Desh. He troubled Hindoo rulers, and strengthened
foreign invaders, thus he ended Hindoo culture from there.
TURKISH
SLAVE DYNASTY (1192-c 1290)
1192-
AD - KUTUBUDDEEN AIBAK
As Muslims continued to trouble Hindoo kings, Muizuddeen used to raid
India. After the Second Battle of Taraaee in 1192, Muizuddeen left his
deputy Kutubuddeen Aibak at Indraprasth. Thus after Prithveeraaj
Chauhaan,
Kutubuddeen Aibak came in India and troubled kings here. He took Laahaur
in 1206. His lieutenant and son-in-law Iltumish, a Turkish slave, took Delhi in 1211
AD. Aibak built a victory tower Qutub Meenaar in Delhi.
1210-1236
AD - ILTUMISH
From 1222 AD, Iltumish ruled from Delhi completely independently. He
took Sindh in 1228 AD and all the territory in east, up to Bangaal, by
1230. In 1230 he became the Sultaan of Delhi.
KABEER DAAS
- 1398-1518
AD (120 years)
Kabeer Daas,
Raidaas, Raamaanand, Shankaraachaarya, Sadan Kasaaee, Narasee Mehtaa,
Guru Naanak, Nityaanand Jee, Naam Dev, Raankaa-Baankaa were all in same
time.
Raamaanand's
disciples were - Kabeer, Raankaa, Narasee Mehtaa, Guru Naanak, Raidaas
(He defeated Kabeer, but got defeated from Shankaraachaarya), Tulasee
Daas (Akbar's time)
(Bhavishya
Puraan, 3/28)
CHAITANYA MAHAAPRABHU
- 14th
Century
He also has a long list of disciples - Eeshwarpuree, Shreedhar, Raam
Sharmaa, Jeevaanand, Roopaanand, Vishnu Swaamee, Maadhavaachaarya,
Varaahmiri (one of nine gems of Vikramaaditya's court)
(Bhavishya
Puraan, 3/29)
When
Sikandar was ruling in India - Naamdev was there. Sikandar gave him 50
Lakh coins. (Bhavishya,
3/27)
13th
- 16th CENTURIES
KHILAJEE
AND TIGALAK DYNASTIES
1290
AD - JALAALUDDEEN KHILAJEE
1320-1324
AD - GAYAASUDDEEN TUGALAK
He made his capital Tugalakaabaad, near Delhi. He built a massive fort
around his capital. The fort is roughly octagonal in plan with a
circumference of 6.5 kms with 10-15 m high rubble wall. It has 13 gates
and 3 inner gates to citadel. it is a magnificent fort comparable to Red
Fort in Delhi. He was killed by his son Muhammad Bin Tugalak. When he
was returning from a victorious campaign to his capital Tugalakaabaad,
his son had erected a splendid pavilion to welcome him, secretly
designed by his engineer to collapse upon him at the first tread of his
elephant. Tugalakaabaad was inhibited only for a very short period, 5
years, then it was abandoned.
1324-1351
AD - MUHAMMAD BIN TUGALALK
He was Gayaasuddeen's son. Ibn Batootaa, a Moorish traveler, has
described him fond of making presents and shedding blood. When he was
returning from a victorious campaign to his capital Tugalakaabaad, he
had erected a splendid pavilion, secretly designed by his engineer to
collapse upon the Sultaan at the first tread of his elephant
1351-1388
AD - FEEROZ SHAAH TUGALAK (37 years)
1398
- TAIMOOR LANG
Taimoor Lang came from Mongol in 1398. Taimoor was lame that is why he
was called "Lang". This self-styled \Scourage of God" was
illiterate, a devout Muslim, an outstanding chess player and a patron of
arts. Five years before he came to India, 1393, he had taken Bagadaad,
and in 1396 he had ravaged Russia devastating their land and pillaging
their villages.
Taimoor
came to Delhi shedding lots of blood, but a group of Indian troops beat
Taimoor and his troops. 50,000 prisoners in his cam were butchered
within an hour. He did not stay long in India, only less than six
months, but left a carnage unprecedented in India's long history. He is
believed to be responsible for 5 million deaths. Famine followed the
destruction caused by him and plague resulted from the corpses left
behind.
1398-1451
- 50 years chaos
1451-1526
- LODEE KINGS (75 years)
After Taomoor, it took 50 years for the Delhi Kingdom to become an
Indian headquarters. After the last Tugalak king, some Saiyad came. They
were Afgaan soldiers but later they called themselves Sultaan - three
Lodee kings (1451-1526).
Afgaan Lodee Dynasty established under Bahalool (1451-).
Sikandar Lodee (1506-).
Ibraaheem Lodee (-1526)
They moved their capital to Aagaraa. IN
THE END OF HE 16TH CENTURY MUGALS TOOK OVER
THE COUNTRY
c
1440-1518 AD - KABEER DAAS (78 years)
A great devotional poet, born in a house of Muslim cloth weaver in
Benaaras, but
grew into one of the great contributors to Hindoo religion and thought.
He was a revolutionary poet of all time. Some of his poems form the part
of the "Aadi Granth" (Guru Granth Saahib) - the sacred
scripture of the Sikh religion.
1451
AD AFGAAN LODEE DYNASTY
Afgaan Lodee Dynasty established under Bahalool
1469
AD - GURU NAANAK
Guru Naanak was born in Panjaab
1500
AD - VASCO DA GAMA
Vasco da Gama reached India in 1500 AD.
1506
AD - SIKANDAR LODEE
Sikandar Lodee founds Aagaraa in 1506.
-1680
AD - SHIVAAJEE
Shivaajee was a son of a Hindoo who served a small-scale Muslim chief in
the state of Beejaapur in southern India. the weakness of Beejaapur
encouraged Shivaajee to extend his father's area of control. Beejaapur's
General Afzal Khaan was sent to put it down and he agreed to meet him in
private. During that meeting, Shivaajee embraced him with steel claws
attached to his fingers and tore him apart. This incident is remembered
by both Hindoo Maraathaa and Muslims. It was the start of the campaign
which took Maraathaa power to as far as Maduraee (Madurai) in south and
Delhi and Calcuttaa in north and east.
Shivaajee
attacked Mugals several times. Although Shivaajee died in 1680, but
Aurangzeb never fully came to terms with the rising power of Maraathaa.
CHAITANYA
MAHAAPRABHU
When Shershaah came to India, Chaitanya Mahaaprabhu was also there. There is a
difference of 300 years between the times of Chaitanya and Aurangzeb.
Naadir
Shaah came from Persia in 1724 and went back to Iran. Later he captured
Delhi and massacres thousands in 1739.
Maadhav
took kingdom after killing Aalomaa and ruled for 10 years. After that 30
years passed, there was no one king during this period.
BRITISH
RAAJ (1619-1947, 250 years)
1 - First British outpost was established at Soorat, on the northwestern
coast in 1619. Later in the century it opened permanent trading stations
at Madras, Bombay and Calcutta each under the protection of native
rulers.
The
Company established in Calcuttaa in 1690 and got the rights to collect
land revenue in Bangaal in just 11 years, in 1701.
1757-1774
- ROBERT CLIVE AND BATTLE OF PLAASEE
Battle of Plaasee - In June 1757, Robert Clive defeated Nawaab
Siraajuddaulaa, 20 year old Nawaab, of Bangaal. The battlefield was
Plaassee (modern Palaashee), about 100 kms north of Calcuttaa. Although
battle was not very big, but Clive took eight years to take over the
management of the revenues of the whole of Bangaal.
In
1788, after 100 years of Battle of Plaasee, Calcuttaa, which was just a
collection of villages became the chief city of east India with a
population of a quarter of a million.
1774-1793
- HASTINGS AND CORNWALLIS
Warren Hastings, (Governor General, 1774-1785)
Lord Cornwallis (Governor General, 1786-1793) - He was
responsible for putting Europeans in charge of all the higher levels of
reveniue collection and administration and for introducing government by
the rule of law, making even government officers subject to the
courts.
2 -
By 1850s they controlled most parts of present India - India, Paakistan, Banglaa
Desh.
3 -
In 1857, a rebellion (Mangal Paandey) in north India, led by mutinous
Indian soldiers, caused the British Parliament to transfer all political
power from the East India Company to the crown.
4 -
Beginning in 1920, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi transformed the Indian
National Congress political party into a mass movement to campaign
against British rule. The Party used both parliamentary and nonviolent
resistance and non-cooperation to achieve independence.
1724
- NAADIR SHAAH
In 1724 a Persian, Naadir Shaah, came to India. In 1739, he captured
Delhi and massacred thousands.
INDIA
AFTER INDEPENDENCE
1 - 15 August 1947, India got her independence and became a dominion of
Commonwealth. Enmity between Hindoo and Muslims led the British to
partition British India creating East and West Pakistan from it. India
became Republic within the Commonwealth after promulgating its
constitution on 26 January 1950.
2 -
Jawahar Lal Nehru (1950-1964) - After independence in 1947, Congress Party,
Jawahar Lal Nehru ruled India (1950-1964) for 14 years. He died in office.
3 -
Lal Bahadur Shastri - He also died in office.
4 -
Indira Gandhi (1966-1977) - Then came Jawahar Lal Nehru's daughter Indira Gandhi, who
also died in office.
5 -
Morarji Desai - (1977-1979)
6 -
Charan Singh - Interim Government
7 -
Indira Gandhi (Jan 1980- Oct 31, 1984) - She was assassinated.
5.
Rajiv Gandhi ruled as Prime Ministers (1984-1987) - Assassinated on May 27 1991.
9 -
Followed by VP Singh and Chandra Shekhar
Some
Sources for Indian History Information -
1.
1996 India Handbook. 5th ed. Passport Books.
2. Eyewitness Travel Guide: India: Festivals, palaces, wildlife,
beaches, museums, mythology, trekking. DK Publishing. 2002.
3. National Geographic Traveler: India. ISBN 0-7922-7898-4
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