Indian History Notes # 11

Source: VI NCERT History Chapter 11 & 12

CHAPTER - 11

• Harisena composed a poem in sanskrit about samudragupta which was inscribed on the Ashokan pillar at Allahabad.
• Prashasti were poems composed in praise of rulers.
• We came to know more about Gupta rulers through their inscriptions and coins.
• Banabhatta, court poet of Harshavardhan wrote Harshavardhana biography called harshacharita in sanskrit.
• Xuan Zang spent a lot of time in the court of Harshavardhana.
• Harshavardhan conquered both Magadha and Bengal.
• Pulakeshin II, a ruler of Chalukya dynasty stopped Harshavardhana when he tried to cross Narmada to march into Deccan.
• Kanchipuram was the capital of Pallavas Kingdom.
• Aihole, the capital of Chalukyas was an important trading centre.
• Ravikirti was the court poet of Pulakeshin II.
• Samantas were the military leaders who provided troops to King whenever he needed. King in return gives land for them.
• The ur was a village assembly found in areas where the land owners were not brahmins.

CHAPTER - 12

The Iron pillar at Mehrauli,Delhi is made of iron, 7.2 m high and weighs over 3 tonnes.There is an inscription on the pillar mentioned the name of a ruler Chandra.

A small box known as relic casket containing the bodily remains of the Buddha or his followers or things they used was placed at the centre or heart of the Stupa.

A path known as Pradakshina patha was laid around the stupa.This was surrounded with railings.

A famous tamil epic, the silappadikaram, was composed by a poet Ilango, was the story of a merchant  named kovalan who fell in love with the courtesan Madhavi.

Manimekalai was a tamil epic composed by Sattanar about the story of the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi.

Meghadhuta was a famous poem of Kalidasa.

Aryabhatta, a mathematician and astronomer wrote a book in sanskrit known as Aryabhatiyam.

Aryabhatta stated thatday and night were caused by the rotation of the earth on its axis. He developed a scientific explanation for eclipses.He also found a way to calculate the circumference of a circle.

Paper was invented in china by a man named Cai Lun.