icse ix 2021

1. SOURCES:
Accounts of Fa-hien
Allahabad Pillar Inscription.
CONTRIBUTION TO THE FIELDS OF
Education (Nalanda University),
Science (Aryabhatta)
Culture (works of Kalidasa,
Deogarh temple).

2. THE THE GOLDEN AGE AGE

3. INTRODUCTION
FOUNDER : SRI GUPTA
GUPTA ERA : CHADRAGUPTA I
LAST RULER : VISHNUGUPTA
IMPORTANT GUPTA RULERS:
CHANDRAGUPTA I
SAMUNDRAGUPTA
CHANDRAGUPTA II (VIKRAMADITHYA)
MAIN REASON FOR DECLINE : INVASIONS OF HUNAS
GUPTA AGE IS ALSO KNOWN AS
IMPERIAL AGE –THEY WERE INDIA’S FIRST EMPIRE BUILDERS
GOLDEN AGE - HIGH LEVEL OF CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE.
CLASSICAL AGE - EDUCATION ,CULTURE ,SCIENCE & PHILOSOPHY

4. SOURCES – ACCOUNT OF FA-HIEN
ii.

5. SOURCES
ACCOUNTS OF FA-HIEN
 Earliest Chinese pilgrim visited India, during the reign of
Chandragupta II.
 His book – The Travels of Fa-hien (fo- kwo-ki)
 He visited Pataliputra, Kapilavasthu,
Rajgriha, Vaishali, Kusinagar, Mathura,
Kanauj and Kashi.

6. FA-HEIN’s account reveals that:
 Magadha was a prosperous country with large towns.
 People enjoyed economic prosperity and burden of tax on them was not
heavy.
 Pataliputra was a flourishing city with charitable institutions, rest houses
and hospitals.
 Poor and helpless patients were given food and medicine as per their
wants.
 People lived happily and peacefully, and led a simple life.
 Tolerant to other religions.
 People were honest and law-abiding.
 Punishments were mild and were in the form of fines.

7. THE ALLAHABAD PILLAR INSCRIPTION
• Allahabad pillar is in Ashoka Stamba.
• An important epigraphic evidence of the imperial Guptas.
• Allahabad inscription, also known as the prayag prashasti,
was written in praise of Samudragupta.
• It is composed by the Harisena, the court poet and
minister of Samudragupta.
• It is written in refined and simple sanskrit in
champu kavya style.

8. PRAYAG PRASHASTI

9. ALLAHABAD PILLAR
• It describes the political and military achievements of Samudragupta.
• It indicates that Samudragupta is an able states man, patron of arts
and great conqueror.
• It describes four different kinds of rulers and tells us about
Samudragupta’s policies towards them:
1. In Aryavarta (-nine rulers), kingdoms were made a part of
Samudragupta's empire.
2. In Dakshinapatha (-twelve rulers), surrendered to Samudragupta and he
then allowed them to rule again.
3. Inner circle of north-west, paid tribute, followed his orders and attended
his court.

10. NALANDA
• Made progress in Higher Education.
• Nalanda was a post graduate institution.
• It situated near Rajgriha, in Bihar.
• Founded by Kumaragupta, son of Charagupta II.
• All round development of students.
• Developed self-confidence and thinking capacity.
• Developed a sense of morality.
• There were eight colleges and three libraries.

11. • Great progress made in education.
• World famous universities – Nalanda, takshila.
• Nalanda – founded by Kumaragupta, son of Chandraguta II
• It was a post graduate institution.
• It situated near Rajgriha, in Bihar.
• .All round development of students.
• Individual care was given.
• Developed sense of morality.
• Made them to understand the true value of life.

12. nalanda
• Only the most brilliant students were admitted.
• Made progress in Higher Education.
• Nalanda was a post graduate institution.
• It situated near Rajgriha, in Bihar.
• Founded by Kumaragupta, son of Charagupta II.
• All round development of students.
• Developed self-confidence and thinking capacity.
• Developed a sense of morality.
• There were eight colleges and three libraries Admission was restricted by difficult entrance
examinations.
• Only two out of ten succeeded in getting admission.
• Important subjects included in the curriculum were Four Vedas, Logic, Grammer, Medicine, Sankhya,
Yoga, Nyaya, Tantra, art and Buddhist Thoughts.
• It attracted students from all over the world.
• There were more than 10,000 students and teachers.
• It was destroyed by Mohammed-bin-Bakthiyar khilji a general of Muhammed Ghori in the 12th
century AD.

13. NALANDA UNIVERSITY

15. • The study of all branches of science particularly
Astronomy, Mathematics, Metallurgy and Medicine
flourished under the Guptas.

16. • Great progress was made in astronomy, medicine, metallurgy and
mathematics.
• His books:
1. Aryabhattiyam - deals with arithmetic, geometry, algebra and
trigonometry.
2. Surya siddhanta - explained scientifically the causes of lunar
eclipses.
His contributions:
He proved that earth revolves around the sun.
Discovered a formula to find the area of triangle.
Calculated exact value of pi.
He was acquainted with decimal system and

17. India’s first satellite sent into space was named Aryabhatta
after the astronomer.

18. CULTURE
• Various arts, crafts and literary activities flourished under the Guptas.
• Temples were built with elaborate details.
• High-level excellence in all braches of art such as painting, metallurgy
and architecture.
• Golden age of Sanskirt literature.
• Outstanding classical works of Kalidasa.

19. CULTURE –WORKS OF KALIDASA
Greatest poet and dramatist in Sanskirt.
Literary genius.
Poet of nature.
Subject matter - nature, love and beauty.
Poetic works: Ritusamhara
• Raghuvamsa
• Meghaduta
• Kumarasambhava
Dramatic works: Vikramorvashiyam
• Malavikagnimitram
• Abhijnanashakuntalam
Indian Shakesphere.

21. • This Vishnu temple is built in the beginning of 6th century AD on
high platform.
• It was completely made of stone, is about 125 km from Jhansi in
Uttarpradesh.
• It is also known as Dasavatara temple.
• It is the first north Indian temple with Shikara or tower.
• A protective wall made of undressed stone around the temple.

22. DEOGRAH TEMPLE
• The temple faces west.
• The side of the wall and platform were decorated with beautiful
carved panels, Showing
• Entrance - Incarnations of Vishnu.
• On the northern wall, Gajendra Moksha
• On the eastern side wall, Nara-Narayana.
• On the southern wall, Anatasayi Vishnu, as he rests after
creating of a new Cosmic Cycle. He sleeps on Sheshnaga, the
serpent.

26. GUPTA DYNASTY

27. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING:
 EXERCISES
I. Short-answer questions (Q. NO : 5, 7, 8, & 9 out of syllabus)
II. Structured questions (Q. NO : 2 a,b & 3 a,b out of syllabus)
 Additional questions:
1. What does Fa-hien write about the life of the people during Gupta Age?
2. Who was Fa-hien? What is the title of the book that he wrote about India?