GUPTA DYNASTY
THE GOLDEN AGE OF INDIA
KING AND OTHER OFFICIALS:
In the age of Guptas, the King was regarded as the God's representative. Whatever he does was unquestionable because he seen like a God. The kings were called by their titles such as Maharajadhiraja, Parameshwara, Paramabhattaraka, Paramadaivata, Paramabhagavatha. The King's ministry committee includes the Yuvaraj(prince), the king's family, and the pitty state rulers. The king was assisted by the council of ministers (mantrins). The assembly of ministers was known as SABHA.
HIGH RANKING OFFICIALS:
- Kumaramatya - power of royal blood
- Dandanayaka & Mahadandanayaka - Judiciary or military officiers
- Santhivigrahika or Mahasanthivigrahika -Minister for peace and war
- Mahashvapathi - commander of Cavalry
- Baladhikritha - commander of Infantry
- Mahadandapashika - Head of District
- Kathyathapathika - Food inspector
- Mahaprathikaara - Cheif of security guards
- Ustapala - documents maintainer on land transactions
- Ranabhandha Adhikaarana - Military office
- Dutakas - spy
These names of High ranking officials were found from the Allahabad pillar inscription and vishali seal.
EMPIRE DIVISION:
The Guptas empire of divided into Provinces named as Desh or bhuktis. The Desh was administrated by Uparika. Those Provinces were further divided into districts named as Visayas, which was administrated by Vishyapathis. Visayas wered divided into Gram i.e. Villages. Gram was headed by Gramika. This division was mentioned in the Iron pillar inscription.
DESH(Uparika)
⬇
VISAYAS(Visayapathi)
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GRAM(Gramika)
LITERATURE:
The Literature sources were one of the great tool to study how gupta dynasty was. As, we know that the kings of gupta dynasty promoted Sanskrit literature. Many great writers were emerged during this period. Lets know about the writers of guptas period and their writings.
KALIDASA:
In the list of writers belonging to guptas era, first comes the great Indian writer Kalidasa. He was known as Indian Shakespeare. He wrote the first sanskrit book Sahuntal, one of the world's top 100 books. He also wrote Vikrama Oorvasiyam, it was a story on Chandragupta II. He wrote a poetry Mehadudham. This literary ouvre also comprises of Kumarasambavam, Rithusamhara, Malavika Agnimithram.
KAMANDAGA:
He was another prominent writer of Gupta dynasty. He wrote a book named "Nitisara". This book was considered to be the political book on guptas period. This book could be compared to Ashta Shasthira on account of its content. Nitisara delineates the Economy, Treasury, income and taxes. Overall it express the prosperity of gupta dyanasty.
VISHNUDHATTA:
Vishnudhatta's literary ouvre comprises Devichandragupta, MudhraRakshasha.
VARAHAMIHIRA:
Varahamihira wrote two books namely Brihath Jathaga and Brihath Samhitha, Panchasidhanthiga.
PANINI:
Panini wrote a book named Ashtathiyayi.
PATANJALI:
Mahapashiyam was the book written by Patanjali.
VADHYANAR:
Vadhyanar wrote the book called "Kamasutra".
AMARASIMHA:
Amarasimha wrote "Amaragosham". It was the first dictionary in sanskrit.
MEDICAL FIELD:
The Guptas were well developed in the field of medicine as we know that from the sources discovered. Lets know about those source that were found.
- DANVANTHIRI was known to be the "FATHER OF AYRUVEDHA". He started 'Ayurvedha', a foremost type of medicine.
- SARAKAR wrote a book on medicine, it was named as 'Chandrashariya viyagraham'
- SUSRUTHAR was known to be the first surgeon of India.
- BALAKAPIYAR wrote a book on Veterinary medicine.
- NAVANITAKAM was the book on Ayurvedic medicine.
- VAGHATAR wrote Ashtangahiradhyasamihitha and Ashtanga sangritha, both books were about medicine.
- In that times, the metals Iron and mercury were also used as medicines.
- The great mathematician Aryabhatta lived in Guptas period. Aryabhatta was said to be the first person to discover the Earth's self revolution. He wrote books on Algebra, trignomentry and also about solar eclipse. Those books were named as Aryabhattiyam and Suryasiddhantham.
- Brahmagupta wrote books on Astronomy. His books were Kanitha Sasthiram, Brahmagupta sidhantha, Kandakathiyaga.
- Varahamihira's Brihatsamhitha, BrihatJathaga, panjasiddhantham were the books on Astrology and Earth.
- The great Indian epics "Mahabharatha and Ramayana" were Scripted into books during Guptas period. Before those epics were only remained as a folkstories performed by Panar.
- Both Jainism and Buddhism religions have books on their principles, rituals, etc. Sidhasena Divakara wrote on Jainism. Vasubandhu wrote on Buddhism, in pali language.
- "Jain Ramayana" was written by 'Vimala' in Prakritim language.
TAXES:
- Paga - 1/6 tax for King.
- Boga - Tax on fruits, woods, cereals.
- Udianga - Tax on water or Security
- Hiranya - Tax on specific crops.
- Vata-buta - Tax on different kinds of cess, rites for spirits.
- Kliptha & Upakliptha - Tax on land registration and Tax for sales and purchase of lands.
- Sulkha - Royal share of Merchantise to customs and entrance duty.
- Halivagara - Tax on Plough.
- Uparikara - Additional Taxes.
- Bali - Compulsory duty.
- Kara - Other Taxes.
Guptas divided lands into different types. The different land forms were named as Kshetra, Aprahata, Khila, Vasti, Gapatasaraha.
- Kshetra - Cultivating land
- Aprahata - Forest land
- Khila - Waste land
- Vasti - Habitable land
- Gapatasaraha - Pastoral land
The land revenue played an important role in Guptas empire. It was considered to be the major income for treasury and extending territories. Varunashastra and bonded labourism were followed in Guptas period. Farmers were considered to be the least category of caste. Though, Guptas age was said to be the Golden age of India the state of farmers was very poor. Farmers suffered a lot from poverty. They paid high interest of money to land owners and money lenders.
Guptas followed a proper irrigation system. They constructed dams, maintained draining system. "Pandhiya and kara" were two dykes built in Guptas age. "Jhal Nirgama" was a draining system mentioned by Amarasimha in his book. Sudarasana lake near Girnarhills belongs to Guptas age.
TRADE:
Guptas mainly followed two types Trading system. One type was Sreshti, trading within their territory. Another type was Sarthavahana, trading to many places outside their territory. They traded Food crops, Gold, metals and other available things in their country. Metal Trading profited a great in trading. Lets see about trading centres.
In East
- Tamiralipti
In West
- Kalyan
- Nayopadena
- Padhopadena
- Sallepadena
Madhura and Pataliputra were the two big cities, important places for trading. Guptas popularly used the Gold coins in trade, which was inspired from the Kushanas. The Chinese traveller Fa-hein wrote about Guptas trade in his records. From his records, we could know that Guptas imported silk from china. And we could trace the trade link between Paisandiyam and Srilanka.
ART AND ARCHITECTURE:
The great Ajanta and Ellora cave paintings belong to Guptas period. Guptas were great in their Art and Architecture, as we know this from many evidences. Paintings were discovered in Rock cut caves of Ajanta and Ellora, Badhami near Vadhapi, Bagh, Udhyagiri. These paintings were not like European painting style of fresco.
The Buildings of this age were flat in structure and in different shapes of square,, round, rectangle. They followed two types of Infrastructure namely Nagara and Dravida. Stupi were found in Samath, Ratnagiri and Mirfurkhan. The Buddha Statue founded in Nallanda was 18 feet. The sultan kutch was 7 1/2 feet.
Thus. Guptas dynasty was really a golden age for India which highly developed the infrastructure of the territory, trades, Art, Architecture, Literature, and also in science and Mathematics field.
Hope these posts were help you to understand "THE ERA OF GUPTA". To know more .......follow and subscribe us for latest updates #seekwhatever.
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