Tag: Ancient India

History

During the first three centuries of the Common Era, the Kushan Empire integrated Kashmir into a vast trans-Eurasian state connecting India, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean. This period brought significant urban expansion, architectural innovation at sites like Harwan and Kanispora, and the historic hosting of the Fourth Buddhist Council under Emperor Kanishka I.

Kalhana was a 12th-century Kashmiri Brahmin scholar who composed the Rajatarangini ('River of Kings') between 1148 and 1149 CE. As the son of Champaka, a former high official under King Harsha, Kalhana possessed firsthand insight into political administration and power dynamics. His chronicle stands as one of ancient India's few works of systematic historiography, combining critical cross-examination of inscriptions, coins, and charters with literary verse.