History & Culture
Early Medieval India
GS Paper I
Early Medieval India — Quick Revision
One-page UPSC revision of c. 600–1200 CE — Harsha, the tripartite struggle, Rajput temples, invasions, Pallavas, Chalukyas, Cholas, Hoysalas and Kakatiyas.
SyllabusGS I · History of India (Prelims); Indian culture — salient aspects of art forms, literature and architecture from ancient to modern times (Mains GS I)
A last-week sheet for early medieval India. Most questions test a dynasty–monument–person link; learn them as rows.
North India
| Dynasty | Capital | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Pushyabhuti (Harsha) | Thanesar → Kannauj | Banabhatta; Hiuen Tsang; Harsha era 606 |
| Palas | Bengal–Bihar | Gopala elected; Vikramashila; Somapura (Paharpur) |
| Gurjara-Pratiharas | Kannauj | Resisted Arabs; Mihira Bhoja; Rajashekhara |
| Rashtrakutas | Manyakheta | Kailasa (Ellora); Amoghavarsha I; Takkolam 949 |
| Chandelas | Khajuraho/Kalinjar | Kandariya Mahadeva, Lakshmana temples |
| Solankis | Anahilavada (Patan) | Modhera; Dilwara (Vimala Vasahi); Rani ki Vav |
| Paramaras | Dhar | Bhoja |
| Chahamanas | Ajmer | Prithviraj III; Tarain |
| Eastern Gangas | Odisha | Konark (Narasimhadeva I) |
| Karkotas, Utpalas | Kashmir | Martand (Lalitaditya); Suyya (Avantivarman) |
Invasions
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 712 | Muhammad bin Qasim conquers Sindh (Dahir) |
| 1025 | Mahmud of Ghazni sacks Somnath |
| 1178 | Ghori defeated by the Chalukyas of Gujarat |
| 1191 / 1192 | First / Second Battle of Tarain |
| 1194 | Chandawar — Jayachandra defeated |
South India
| Dynasty | Capital | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Pallavas | Kanchipuram | Mahendravarman I (rock-cut, Mattavilasa); Mamalla (rathas); Rajasimha (Shore, Kailasanatha) |
| Chalukyas of Badami | Vatapi | Pulakeshin II (Aihole, 634); Pattadakal (Lokamahadevi) |
| Chalukyas of Kalyani | Kalyani | Vikramaditya VI; Bilhana; Vijnaneshvara (Mitakshara) |
| Cholas | Thanjavur → Gangaikonda Cholapuram | Rajaraja I (Brihadisvara); Rajendra I (Ganga, Srivijaya); Uttaramerur |
| Hoysalas | Dwarasamudra | Belur, Halebidu, Somanathapura (UNESCO 2023) |
| Kakatiyas | Warangal | Rudramadevi; Ramappa (UNESCO 2021) |
| Yadavas | Devagiri | Jnaneshwar |
High-yield facts
- Aihole (634 CE) — Ravikirti; Pulakeshin II defeats Harsha.
- Uttaramerur (919, 921) — Parantaka I; sabha; kudavolai.
- Kitab-ul-Hind — Al-Biruni; Rajatarangini — Kalhana (1148–49); Gita Govinda — Jayadeva.
- Chola land: vellanvagai, brahmadeya, shalabhoga, devadana, pallichchhandam.
- Chola assemblies: ur, sabha, nagaram; committees called variyams.
Travellers
| Traveller | Period / ruler |
|---|---|
| Hiuen Tsang | Harsha; Pulakeshin II’s kingdom; Kanchi |
| Sulaiman (Arab merchant) | 851 CE; Pratiharas and Rashtrakutas |
| Al-Biruni | With Mahmud of Ghazni |
Traps to Avoid
- Kailasanatha, Kanchi (Pallava, structural) vs Kailasa, Ellora (Rashtrakuta, rock-cut).
- Konark is Eastern Ganga, not Rajput; the Rajput sun temple is Modhera.
- Uttaramerur was a sabha, not an ur.
- Darasuram — Rajaraja II, not Rajendra I.
Related Topics
- Northern Kingdoms and the Tripartite Struggle
- Southern Kingdoms and the Cholas
- Early Medieval India — practice questions
- The Delhi Sultanate
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