Indian History: Ancient and Medieval Period

What the official syllabus says

RPSC, RAS/RTS Preliminary Examination, General Knowledge and General Science, under “Indian History”, Ancient & Medieval Period:

• Cultural Foundations of India - Indus and Vedic Age; Religious ideas of 6th Century BC- Ajivakas, Buddhism and Jainism.
• Achievements of prominent rulers of major dynasties: Maurya, Kushan, Satavahan, Gupta, Chalukya, Pallava and Chola.
• Art and Architecture & scientific development in Ancient India.
• Indian Knowledge and Value System: Varna Ashram, Purushartha, Sanskara, Philosophy and Education System.
• Sultanate Period: Achievements of prominent dynasties, Political & Cultural achievements of Vijaynagar empire.
• Mughal Period: Administration and various policies; Marathas.
• Development of Art & Architecture, literature, Paintings and Music during medieval period.
• Religious movements and contribution of Bhakti & Sufi movement.

Topics in detail

Indus (Harappan) civilisation

• Extent and major sites: Harappa, Mohenjo-daro, Lothal, Dholavira, Kalibangan, Rakhigarhi, Banawali, Chanhudaro
• Town planning, drainage, the Great Bath, granaries, dockyard at Lothal
• Economy: agriculture, crafts, seals, weights, trade with Mesopotamia; religion and burial; the undeciphered script; theories of decline

Vedic age

• Rig Vedic and later Vedic periods: geography, polity (sabha, samiti, vidatha), society, economy and religion
• Vedic literature: the four Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads; Vedangas
• Varna and the beginnings of jati; position of women; transition to iron and settled kingdoms

Religious ideas of the 6th century BC

• Background: mahajanapadas, urbanisation, the second urbanisation in the Ganga valley
• Ajivikas (Makkhali Gosala) and other heterodox schools
• Buddhism: life of the Buddha, the Four Noble Truths, the Eightfold Path, the councils, Hinayana and Mahayana, spread
• Jainism: Mahavira, the triratna and five vows, Shvetambara and Digambara, councils, spread in western India and Rajasthan

Major dynasties of ancient India

• Mauryas: Chandragupta, Bindusara, Ashoka (dhamma, edicts including those at Bairath), administration, Arthashastra and Megasthenes
• Kushans: Kanishka, the Gandhara and Mathura schools, the Fourth Buddhist Council, trade
• Satavahanas: Gautamiputra Satakarni, land grants, trade and Buddhist patronage
• Guptas: Chandragupta I, Samudragupta (Allahabad prashasti), Chandragupta II, administration, the ‘classical age’ of culture
• Chalukyas of Badami (Pulakeshin II, Aihole inscription), Pallavas of Kanchi (Mahabalipuram), Cholas (Rajaraja I, Rajendra I; village self-government; navy; Brihadeshwara temple)

Art, architecture and science in ancient India

• Stupas, chaityas and viharas (Sanchi, Bharhut, Ajanta, Karle); rock-cut caves (Ellora, Elephanta)
• Temple styles: Nagara, Dravida and Vesara; Gupta temples; Pallava and Chola temples
• Sculpture: Mauryan pillars, Gandhara, Mathura and Amaravati schools; bronze casting of the Cholas
• Science: Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Brahmagupta (of Bhinmal); decimal place value and zero; Charaka and Sushruta in medicine; metallurgy (the Iron Pillar of Mehrauli)

Indian knowledge and value system

• Varna and ashrama (brahmacharya, grihastha, vanaprastha, sannyasa)
• Purusharthas: dharma, artha, kama, moksha
• Sanskaras: their meaning and the main ones (namakarana, upanayana, vivaha, antyeshti)
• Philosophy: six orthodox darshanas (Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Mimamsa, Vedanta) and the heterodox schools (Charvaka, Buddhist, Jain)
• Education: the gurukul system; Takshashila, Nalanda, Vikramashila, Vallabhi

Delhi Sultanate and Vijayanagara

• Dynasties: Mamluk (Iltutmish, Balban), Khalji (Alauddin’s market and revenue reforms, campaigns in Rajasthan), Tughlaq (Muhammad bin Tughlaq’s experiments, Firoz Shah), Sayyid, Lodi
• Administration: iqta, central ministries, military organisation
• Vijayanagara: Sangama and Tuluva dynasties, Krishnadeva Raya, the Battle of Talikota (1565), the nayaka system, Hampi; travellers’ accounts

Mughals and Marathas

• Babur (Panipat 1526, Khanwa 1527), Humayun and the Sur interlude (Sher Shah’s administration)
• Akbar: mansabdari, zabt and dahsala revenue system, sulh-i-kul, Rajput policy; Jahangir, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb (religious and Deccan policies)
• Mughal central and provincial administration; decline of the empire
• Marathas: Shivaji’s administration (Ashtapradhan, chauth and sardeshmukhi), the Peshwas, Maratha expansion into Rajasthan, the Third Battle of Panipat (1761)

Medieval art, literature, painting and music

• Indo-Islamic architecture: Qutub complex, Alai Darwaza, Tughlaq architecture, Mughal buildings (Humayun’s tomb, Fatehpur Sikri, Taj Mahal, Red Fort)
• Literature in Persian, Sanskrit and regional languages; Amir Khusrau; the Ain-i-Akbari and Akbarnama; translation bureau of Akbar
• Painting: Mughal school under Akbar and Jahangir; Rajput and Pahari schools; Deccani painting
• Music: Amir Khusrau, Tansen, the growth of Dhrupad and Khayal; patronage at regional courts

Bhakti and Sufi movements

• Alvars and Nayanars; Shankaracharya, Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, Vallabha
• Saguna and nirguna bhakti: Ramananda, Kabir, Raidas, Guru Nanak, Tulsidas, Surdas, Chaitanya, Meera, Dadu
• Sufi silsilas: Chishti (Moinuddin Chishti at Ajmer, Nizamuddin Auliya), Suhrawardi, Qadiri, Naqshbandi
• Contribution: social equality, vernacular literature, music, composite culture

Overlaps

Mains Paper I (Unit I, Part B) covers Indian history and culture in descriptive form. Rajasthan’s part in these events is on Rajasthan: History.